Saw the WB News today and noted two articles about the West Bend Library issue.
One librarian playing the "poor staff" card and trying to let the community know how they are "all" suffering greatly because of this issue and how there is not agenda to target children with inappropriate materials of any kind. She further went on to mention our book ban.
Another concerned citizen....again - mentioned our book ban.
::::sigh:::: They just DON'T GET IT.
Get the junk out of the kid's faces. How hard is this? And how can anyone possibly object? Go to previous posts and click on the links for a reality check for excerpts of what the kids currently have offered to them. It's disturbing.
16 comments:
Keep plugging away. They are trying to get your frustrated so you'll quit.
I get it. Just move it over. No banning, it's still there.
It IS frustrating, but as the previous poster said, just keep plugging away. If in their ignorance they want to keep calling it a book banning, so be it. It's not. Plain and simple. This is porn. And I can't BELIEVE a mother stood up at the meeting and said it wasn't, after seeing it in print with her own eyes.
Ephesians 6:12 - For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Remember that we are dealing with the prince of deception. He has people so deceived that they will believe anything. You are doing a great work! Be encouraged!
How many books are we talking about here and is it possible to get a title list?
So we should just say "never mind" to the fact that you DID ask for a ban on certain books when this whole mess started? Yes, you did change the focus of your complaint, but it did previously include a request for "the removal of any book in the youth section of our library....that contains perverse or pornographic language" and "We also told him that we are requesting a "ban" on The Perks of a Wallflower book." These are your own statements from this blog.
Don't lump me into the "opposition just doesn't get it" category. I get it. I understood what you were asking for when you started. I understand what you are asking for now. I get it. And I still disagree.
You don't get it. By moving a book to another section you are in effect, censoring. The intended audience is not able to read it.
Softening your stance to gain acceptance and hide your true colors is hypocrisy, m'dear.
I wonder where all this anti-gay vitriol comes from? I wonder.
Maria, read previous posts. I am lumping you.
Hahn, ditto. Intended audience? Yes, indeedy. That is what is so very disturbing.
The "intended audience' IS able to read these books, but like many things in life you need parental concent. They are not being banned.
You can't smoke until a certain age
You can't drive until a certain age
You can't read Hustler until a certain age
You can't buy CD's with explict content w/o parental consent
You can't get into R rated movies w/o parental consent.
You can't buy Sudafed w/o a parent.
"I wonder where all this anti-gay vitriol comes from?" ...explict sexual content of ANY kind for minors is unacceptable. First and foremost we should be protecting our children.
Would it be okay to have kids read books with explict instructions on how to make your own drugs or build bombs? No. Why, because it's harmful to them. Kids partaking in sexual behavior can be harmful to them and cost the taxpayers billions a year.
Can you please specify which books specifically you are wanting moved, according to #1 on your petition. Is it the 3-4 books you provide links to on the blog, or the entire LGBT section. Same question with the online restricted access- are you talking about specific books (and which books?) or the entire LGBT section?
This has not been clarified as far as I can tell- thanks! Perhaps you can provide a link if this has been clarified.
Petition request #1: Reclassification of Youth-Targeted Pornographic Books: We request that the Library Board adopt a policy to provide for the mandatory reclassification of any books in the youth sections of the West Bend Library (i.e., children's, young adult/YA Zone) that (a) are obscene, (b) child pornography, (c) appeals to a prurient interest in nudity, sex, or excretion; (d) depicts, describes, or represents, in a patently offensive way with respect to what is suitable for minors, an actual or simulated sexual act or sexual contact, actual or simulated normal or perverted sexual acts, or a lewd exhibition of the genitals; and that these books be reclassified to the adult sections of the library.
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We are currently not challenging any books or requesting books to be moved. We are not asking for REMOVAL of ANY books. We are simply asking for assistance from our library in identifying books with sexually explicit language, reclassifying them appropriately, and helping parents AND kids to be able to identify such materials.
Maria said "So we should just say "never mind" to the fact that you DID ask for a ban on certain books when this whole mess started?"
Um, yes, exactly, Maria. The library told us such, and we are following suit. They are saying "never mind" that they already denied our requests and asked us to start over. So yes, that is correct. Starting over, from ZERO.
I guess this confuses me if you are not naming specific books- so if you are wanting to look at all books in the YA section that could possibly describe sex "in a patently offensive way with respect to what is suitable for minors" or that "appeal to a prurient interest in sex"- wouldn't you need to look at with the library board hundreds of books, page by page? I would imagine their are many that describe sex, in minor and major ways both explicit and subtle, some on many pages, some in only a paragraph- everyones definitions as to what is excessive or suitable for minors would surely be different. Without naming any books, it seems to me you have given the library board an impossible task.
Actually, by having policies in place to protect minors, anyone, INCLUDING the library, will have some type of criteria to make decisions about books they come across themselves, or that others bring to their attention. There is no crime in labeling a book explicit. It is helpful and useful to library patrons, both young and old alike.
Hello Ginny and Happy Easter-
So may I ask what your plan would be if you were able to persuade the library to adopt your policies as written. Rather than expect the library to go thru every book on the YA shelves as I mentioned, would you then instead present the library with a list of books you feel meets those definitions/criteria? And if the answer is yes, do you know yet what that list would be?
Actually, Buzymom, we are hoping to work WITH the library on forming policies to protect minors. Since they are the professionals and we are simply patrons/taxpayers/parents, we would hope they would have suggestions and ideas of their own as to how they could work out these policies within their institution. We are not getting ahead of ourselves at this point. The policies are the only step we are focusing on right now.
Do any other libraries in our state or elsewhere in the country have similar types of policies? Is this a common thing? Or would you be asking them to set a precedent?
Also, in regards to the policies, I have a few specific questions. Do you want the visual identification as an either/or with the reclassification, or would an identified book be both reclassified AND labelled?
And on #3, restricting online access- for identified YA books, is this only for the online lists, such as the teen book list on the front page or for the search catalog also?
You call these books "junk" but to me that is your OPIONION and you trying to move the books to a different section is pushing your opinion onto others...not your place.
I have read a few of these so called "pornographic" books you speak of and I enjoyed them. I am a 21 year old college student studying to be an elementary school teacher and I believe these books should be available for students to read because if a 12 year old boy, for example, is struggling with his sexuality and wishes to read a book about situations he may be going through, GREAT! I hope he can find support for his lifestyle somewhere because with people like you in this community he's going to have to face plenty of hatred thrown his way for no reason at all. This type of close-mindedness digusts me and I hope you enjoy your 15 minutes of fame because this world is becoming more diverse and accepting of everyone and that is not going away. And just so you know, I am heterosexual but openminded and accepting of those who are not.
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