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Copyright (c) 2009 Ginny Maziarka. All rights reserved.

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Citizens being deceived - don't understand the real issue

I wonder if parents and grandparents, citizens and taxpayers have read the excerpts listed to the left on this blog before signing a petition okaying the material for kids. If they did, I sincerely doubt they would sign an agreement that states they feel these materials should be categorized for YOUTH. The comments in the WB News today makes one feel that those who are commenting really do not understand what is being asked and most probably have not read our petition. Could it be they are being led astray with words like "censorship" and "taking away first amendment rights?"

“I came out because of my children and their right to information,” Alder said. “You can’t take that away from people. It’s up to the parents to police what their children read, and it’s up to the library to provide the information that people need it and want it to read it.”

Ms. Alder is absolutely correct, and we agree. Children DO have a right to information. It should NOT be "taken away" and it IS up to parents to assist their children with good choices. Nicely said.

"....and I really think it’s important that everything is available and when it comes to kids, the parents should make the choice."

Again, we agree. Parents should assist their children with making choices. And since everything still WOULD be available, then this commenter should feel relatively comfortable with our requests.

Richard Hendricks, another city of West Bend resident, attended the signing because he doesn't want censorship to infiltrate the library. “The thought of books being censored or removed is very disturbing to me,” he said.

Here is a disturbing twist that lends one to believe that petition signers are being given misinformation. Censored? Removed? WHO is doing that? We want to know!

“Tonight we have urged our supporters to contact all of the council members that voted the four library members off and express their displeasure to them,” Hanrahan said. “We believe that their action was out of line.”

Hanrahan's push to the citizens to rail on their aldermen after a difficult decision is clearly an invitation to harass.

Noted on her blog:
No matter which district you live in, please contact ALL of the aldermen and tell them of your anger over their vote and their comments at the Common Council meeting. No matter who your alderman is, you have the right to talk to the above aldermen about this issue and their votes. Express your frustration, anger, disappointment, and maybe the reappointments will be reconsidered.

These aldermen should be receiving letters, emails and calls of support. They had to deal with something that should never have gotten to that level. It is a shame, indeed.

1 comment:

Richard Hendricks said...

West Bend Citizen Advocate,
I very strongly disagree with your statement that I do not understand what you are asking for, that I have not read your petition, and that I have been "given misinformation."
I believe that your requests are clear, I have carefully read and re-read your petition, and I used the information available to reach my own conclusions independent of any "misinformation".
I also strongly disagree with your statement "Hanrahan's push to the citizens to rail on their aldermen after a difficult decision is clearly an invitation to harass." The right to petition the government for a redress of grievances is guaranteed, and is one that you are exercising with your requests. I therefore do not feel that communication with elected officials constitutes "harassment."
Thank you very much,
Richard Hendricks