We watched WVCY "In Focus" tonight. They had done a FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) open records request at the City Hall concerning the library issue yesterday and obtained nearly 400 pages of emails. What we heard them expose on the show last night was shocking, unprofessional, obstructive and, well, EMBARRASSING to the City of West Bend.
Emails exchanged between Mr. Tyree, the library board president Mrs. Engelbrecht, the city attorney, Mary Schanning, stated things such as:
What is the latest we have to announce the meeting date [with us}.... not ready to deal with the "media circus" (Board Pres. Mrs. E)
Contacted WBCC TV... "I am requesting the meeting NOT be taped.. " (Board pres. Mrs. E)
Referred to us and other complainants as "THOSE people" who go to CHURCH on Wednesday nights, so the meeting had to be moved to allow them to attend. (Really? I think people who are ATHEISTS would agree that PORN IS NOT FOR KIDS.)
LOTS MORE.
Will post the link once it is up and you can listen for yourself. (Tech probs...will be posted later, check back.)
The representation of West Bend by these people is an outrage. This is OUR hometown and they are poor representatives of this wonderful city and the residents and business owners that call this their hometown, too. This information brought disgrace upon us all.
A sad day...
16 comments:
do you people not have anything better to do? its a PUBLIC library. thank GOD this country is run according to the constitution, not the bible.
What a tragedy that Joe McCarthy has been resurrected in Wisconsin. Haven't we learned the lessons of this kind of witch-hunt?
STOP trying to ban books. Stop trying to prevent Americans from access to information and ideas that differ from your own. Your attempt to remove materials from libraries is un-American and un-constitutional.
I know that many on the right are absolutely fuming at last November's election results, and I think the actions of Ginny's posse are symptomatic of their rage.
Furthermore, your actions give Christians a bad name. I'm a Christian, and I live by the great commandment which includes LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR. That means respecting the good people who don't happen to share your ideas. I beg you to stop hurting our community & country with this attack on our first amendment rights.
Why are you censoring this blog by requiring pre-approval of posts? You really seem to not understand the dangers of censorship to a free society.
"Why are you censoring this blog by requiring pre-approval of posts?"
Let's see...MY blog, MY rules.
I prefer not to have vulgar, irrelevant materials posted on MY blog.
The public library is run by the public and should not be censored by ANY special interest group. WISSUP needs to run its own private library and stay out of public institutions. No one says you have to go there, if you don't like it.
It's unfortunate how some people choose to "quote" (or misquote) Biblical teachings. Even out of context. Let's not pick and choose Biblical verses and teachings that we like, while ignoring the rest of the Bible. If you claim Christianity, then study it so you can live it out completely. Yes, we are to love our neighbor, but we are to hate the sin they commit. As for pornography (which is the context of the material this bloggist is looking to MOVE, not remove) refer to Philippians 4:8. How about Romans 1:24-27. It's soft porn. In the children's section. Not much different than what Tipper Gore was trying to do with rock music years ago. Label it. Not remove it.
You can't take one statement of "love your neighbor" and leave it at that. If you do a thorough study of Biblical love, you will see that loving your neighbor is not ignoring things he or she does that is displeasing to God. Refer to 1 Corinthians 13:4-8.
If you're going to claim Christianity, then claim it fully or not at all. Don't use bits and pieces of it to back up your opinion.
I have read a lot about this issue, and really? FOIA requests? This whole thing is so out of control! Honestly, what did you expect to find? That they'd all just be so happy while dealing with a challenge of this type?
And anyway, who CARES what they email each other? The library board is allowed to have opinions about this situation. The director and board are human and they are bound to have a viewpoint, even if they don't express that in a public forum. You have even said that they treated you with respect in their official communications and to expect more than that is just unrealistic.
The truth is, this HAS been a media circus, and YOU helped make it that way. If this had remained an exchange of views between you and the library only, the board would not have felt like they were being attacked. But you had to post every detail on this blog and other sites (which I have not seen the library doing, by the way).
And what's the big deal with not having the board meting taped? Is it usually taped? If not, I don't see the issue.
As for being the people who go to church so the meeting has to be changed, the fact is, you ARE people who go to church that night, and they DID change the date so you could make it to the meeting. The end result was exactly what you wanted, so don't complain about their personal opinions about it.
"The representation of West Bend by these people is an outrage." Really? It seems to me the outrage is being manufactured by you to make you the sympathetic character in all this. The library was not "representing" anyone when they sent these emails within their own administration. As for "this is OUR hometown," the library board is made up of residents, so it's THEIR hometown, too.
Anonymous said, "Your attempt to remove materials from libraries is un-American and un-constitutional."
By that pronouncement, the US Supreme Court is "un-American and un-constitutional." See US v. ALA.
West Bend citizens are entitled to an honest debate so as to choose whom to follow, the "un-American and un-constitutional" US Supreme Court, or the American Library Association that holds it is "age" discrimination for a librarian to withhold any material whatsoever from a child despite the law, the courts, and common sense.
Name calling about McCarthy and so on is not honest debate. Actually, it shows you have no real argument for allowing children unfettered access to inappropriate material despite the law, the courts, and common sense.
Please tell us, why should children have unfettered access to inappropriate material just because local librarians following ALA policy say that's freedom of speech or intellectual freedom?
I think this blog and some of its supporters have lost sight of what is really important. To quote one of the great theologians of our time:
"When the church takes a stance that emphasizes political activism and social moralizing, it always diverts energy and resources away from evangelization.
Such an antagonistic position toward the established secular culture invariably leads believers to feel hostile not only to unsaved government leaders with whom they disagree, but also antagonistic toward the unsaved residents of that culture—neighbors and fellow citizens they ought to love, pray for, and share the gospel with.
To me it is unthinkable that we become enemies of the very people we seek to win to Christ, our potential brothers and sisters in the Lord". Dr.John MacArthur, Jr. http://pjmiller.wordpress.com/2008/10/28/john-macarthur-politics-activism-and-the-gospel/
In all of your attempts Ginny, to bring light to a dark world, I believe the methods you have chosen to use have done more harm to the name of Christ and his Gospel than good. I urge you to stop and rethink the tatics you have chosed to use to get your message out.
"If you're going to claim Christianity, then claim it fully or not at all. Don't use bits and pieces of it to back up your opinion."
Good point, and all of the exclusionary Christians out there should look at the context of the "abomination" being attacked in this challenge. When will you start calling for executions for witchcraft, unruly children and people who plant two crops next to each other or whatever ancient crimes that mattered then?
At the same time, why are supposedly irresponsible parents a sufficient justification for censorship?
Wow. Everyone has the same name.
Anonymous.
"...you ARE people who go to church that night"
We are? How do you know?
Um, sorry, but we AREN'T.
"When the church takes a stance that emphasizes political activism and social moralizing, it always diverts energy and resources away from evangelization."
Baloney. And just for the record, I am sick and tired of people telling Christians to shut up.
Jesus' life was a storm of controversy. The apostles, like the prophets before them, could hardly go a day without controversy. Paul said that he debated daily in the marketplace. To avoid controversy is to avoid Christ. We can have peace, but it is a servile and carnal peace where truth is slain n the streets. - R.C. SPROUL
"To me it is unthinkable that we become enemies of the very people we seek to win to Christ, our potential brothers and sisters in the Lord"
Well, to ME, it is unthinkable that we allow the enemy to have his way with children who are defenseless, who we seek to protect from harm, and have people who potentially call themselves brothers and sisters in the Lord help him.
'tis a puzzlement.
"'When the church takes a stance that emphasizes political activism and social moralizing, it always diverts energy and resources away from evangelization.'
Baloney. And just for the record, I am sick and tired of people telling Christians to shut up."
Really. Tell me Ginny, In all that you have done has the Gospel been presented to the librarians, the library board, the school district administrators or any one else in this community through your actions. Jesus's life was a storm of controversy. It was a controversy because he chose to eat and drink with sinners and challenge the religious leaders of his day for their hipocrisy. His greatest condemenations were not reserved for the lost people of the time but for the religious leaders who were blocking the way to God by placing heavy burdens of leaglistic living on their shoulders.
I agree with you that homosexualtiy is a sin and that these books are pornographic in nature. What I find offensive about your blog comments is the arrogant, sarcastic and disrespectful attitude you deliver them with.
I also find it odd that a believer such as yourself, who seeks after righteousness, would seek to admire, emmulate and cooperate with such a vulgar and arrogant person as Owen Robinson. His blog is frequently peppered with vulgarities. Just recently one of his own posts used the F-word in very large letters. His worldview may be conservative but it is not biblical.
I firmly believe that you have allowed your anger to obscure your true message. I am not asking you to shut up. I am asking you to truthfully examine the effect you are having on this community by the adversarial approach you have taken to express your beliefs.
I am asking you to preach the Gospel in truth and in love. Calling for people's resignations and insinuating that they are being untruthful and lack integrity is not the Gospel.
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