Censorship in Wisconsin--Librarians losing jobs?

Wisconsin Library board members have been dimissed from the board for refusing to remove certain books from shelves. It revolves around some 'controversial' books in the YA section, and free speech groups are up in arms about the dismissals.

The article is available here:
http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6654956.html?nid=2286&source=link&rid=1609285953

Hopefully these people will have their jobs and the books will stay on the shelves.

Carol

Sounds like the work of desperate Republcans to me.

Quote :

Sounds like the work of desperate Republcans to me.

I'm a Republican and I know a lot of Republicans. I don't agree with what happened and I don't know anyone who does.

You are painting us with a broad brush that is fairly offensive.

Phil Dolan

Sorry, Alice...
I was using the "less offensive" brush and forgot to put it back...

Thank you, Phil, for clearing that up, it was an honest misperception.

Since the Republicans are not behind it--I assume the
Democrats are?

Since I am non-partisan neither possibility offends me.

Wisconsin is pretty divided between Republicans and Democrats. We are a state of mostly small and medium sized towns, and it was probably the result of the opinions of a few people. I liked the letter, but also think that the signatures being from New York people, the people in West Bend are gong to take the stance of their doing what they want without interference from outside.

There might be some other extenuating circumstances. We'll see what happens to the books and the library staff.

Carol

Thank you , Carol, I guess it was mis-guided individuals.

That's probably the reason Alice. I couldn't imagine our library board doing something like that, but you just never know.

I was very surprised how busy our library is. There were all ages there the night of our performance. The library even bought another book from me as they said the one they had was always checked out.

Carol

Alternative lifestyle books being crammed down kids throats with a forced stocking of these books in numbers beyond normal occurance...Books being banned...Librarians being dismissed...This thread is starting to sound like the one about Hitler, and how the press corps of Nazi Germany was forced to walk in lock step with the directives from the ministry of propaganda (Dr. Goebels).

It looks like the political idealogues of both sides are waging some kind of culture war on American kids, and both sides are fighting dirty.

I am not in favor of brainwashing or over-exposing kids to any mindset, be it conservative or liberal. The problem I have with this is that in a culture war, one side is bound to win. Thus the winning side will have attained the propaganda control of the libraries, the first step to press and media control.

I dont like the politicization of libraries, and both sides just should stop this nonsense!

Whats next...book burnings? Crystalnacht?

Quoting from the article.

"The controversy began in February when two patrons complained that the library’s YA section included fiction and nonfiction books about gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender issues. The patrons accused the library of promoting “the overt indoctrination of the gay agenda in our community” and demanded that the library add books “affirming traditional heterosexual perspectives.” They also insisted that the library remove books from the YA section including Brent Hartinger’s Geography Club (HarperCollins), Stephan Chbosky’s The Perks of Being a Wallflower and Esther Drill’s Deal With It! A Whole New Approach to Your Body, Brain and Life as a gURL (both Simon & Schuster)."

_____________________________________________

As anyone who knows me knows, I am totally in favor of free speech. I don't like to see any group call for books to be removed from a library.

However, I can certainly see why this group do not like these books. There is a huge movement all across the country to try and convince everyone that the so called "gay" lifestyle is just fine, and that it is a proper and natural part of nature. The problem with that is that it doesn't seem to be so natural at all, and there are many people who don't approve of it.

I'd like to see libraries just not stock books such as this in the first place, if they are not in keeping with the family values of the community, and obviously that's what happened here. It seems as if many in the community are not in favor of telling their children that this lifestyle is something to be admired, and they have every right to feel that way. If the people that were dismissed did not want to follow the guidelines that most people thought were right, then they should have just stepped down before they were asked to.

There is more info from both sides here:

http://wissup.blogspot.com/2009/02/west-bend-library-thumbs-nose-at.html

I am not familiar with these books. There are children whose parents are homosexual through no fault of the children. If these books were used to help these young people better understand their parents and their own lives, I think they could be of value.

Carol

Here is a review of one of the controversial books:

http://www.teenreads.com/reviews/0060012218.asp

I just read the review. If ever there was a book promoting tolerance and understanding it is The Geography Club. When people fear having children or adults exposed to any ideas other than their own, they either have secret doubts about their beliefs or, as Richard pointed out, are Nazis at heart.
My way or else is never the right way. Carol is undoubtedly right about the people in that close-minded little town resenting having smarter people telling them they are wrong. That is the familiar mark of bigotry and ignorance.

I can sympathize with parents not wanting their chilldren to read certain things, but how about not allowing them to check out the book?

I was not allowed to read fiction as a child. It was still in the library for others.

There are some children dear to my heart who have a gay parent. The other day two gay people came up to me in our local coffee shop and hugged me for once again living through cancer. One even said I should write a book.

One time I was asked to speak at a gay conference, but was refused by the board because I wasn't gay. Years ago I gave a speech to a group of hemophiliacs with Aids. They were not angry at gay people. They said when everyone else was judging them, the gay community were giving them support.

My visually impaired granddaughter would love to be like the rest of the high school students. She is not. She has been treated with cruelty. Her sad poem about friends is in the anthology. When she was a freshman she was left in the middle of a dance floor talking to no one because she can't see people around her in dark places, while her "friends" stood on the sidelines and laughed. From then on she avoided social activities. As a senior, she recently went to Italy with the art club and her photos show her smiling in a group of other happy travelers. She's learning to deal with the cruelty and find true friends.

I am not here in this world to judge others. Some things I don't understand. I have been married almost fifty years to the same man and value families, but I know there are others out there who struggle with various differences in themselves and others close to them.

Carol

I am neither bigoted, ignorant, nor a nazi. I have friends who are gay. I still don't condone the lifestyle, nor would I promote it to my children. I can completely understand those who don't wish their children to read these kinds of materials.

Carol,

Have you thought about writing such a book?

I think my eyes we opened on this issue some years back when a close friend came out of the closet. I ran into him and his partner a short time afterward, and realized as we talked that this was the same individual I had admired and considered a friend for some years. That's when my thinking started to change. Over the years since I have known and worked with several individuals who have continued to teach me about accepting and understanding differences. They are not into conversion, only acceptance.

Ann

I do not promote this lifestyle to my children, and I do not have child who is gay, but I am extremely proud of one who shows caring, respect and acceptance to someone in her life. She is a beautiful stepmom.

Carol

Both links contain thought provoking information, Carol. One would think there would be a balance of books with differing opinions on each issue so that a wise decision could be made by the readers. It really should not be up to a small perentage of the population to decide what a ibrary needs to filll its shelves with. On the other hand, there should be information available that provides all sides of an argument. That is how we learn to think for ourselves.

While I do not believe the very young should be exposed to 'porn' there must be some way for parents to control what their child reads if they are doing the 'job' of parenting. It seems to me that some 'children' are ready for things at an earlier age than others of the same age. Parents should be aware enough to know where their child is in maturity. It should not be the job of the library to impose restrictions.

It would seem that the 'Geography Club' is informative, and I doubt that reading it would turn a 'straight' teen into a homosexual one. I have known many homosexuals (and bisexuals as well) and they have all been intelligent and caring individuals. Perhaps it seemed so to me, since I was accepting of them and didn't care about their orientation.

E. Don Harpe wrote:

I am neither bigoted, ignorant, nor a nazi. I have friends who are gay. I still don't condone the lifestyle, nor would I promote it to my children. I can completely understand those who don't wish their children to read these kinds of materials.

I agree with this. Simply do not allow your children to read these books.

Parents need to assert their authority here.

All of this controversy about a bunch of books. Do children still patronize the library? Most of the children I know do most of there reading via internet. Another controversy all by its self. I believe in freedom of speech and I definately am not a book burner. I also believe in personal freedoms such as not patronizing this library if it is offensive to me. One truth remains Democrats, Republicans, nor the Non-Partisans can legislate morality.

Nutter,

You said all we need to say.



Carol

Don, did you read the review? The book promotes tolerance and undstanding, not homosexuality.
Nutter, the library here is expanding its Young Adult area because it is so busy. Same with the children's department. It's a big inconvenience to me, but is worthwhile.
Carol, leaving your blind granddaugher alone on a dance floor was a cruel trick. The cruelty of young people can be almost unbelievable at times.

I'll never understand homophobia. As I've written before, the favorite hangout for Jackie and me before we left Muncie was a gay bar-restaurant. I sometimes went there alone. They are some of the kindest, most gentle and friendly people to be found. When we unknowingly went into a gay bar in Marietta, Ohio we were greeted warmly and treated with the utmost respect. What is it that people fear from gay people? I really can't imagine.

I do not llke this subject---it is entirely lop-sided.

The gay people assert their right to be gay--we gave them that.

They march in parades and we are to respect them. They preach in church--we listen to them, but, why are we not free to disagree with them?

I don't care to discuss the details of anyone's sex life.
At work, customers routinely shoved their gayness in my face.

Why?

I am not afraid of them--simply do not agree wth their life style.

They are wonderful folks--two of my cousins are gay as well as a nephew--they do not discuss it. Thank heavens.