Letter from PFOX to Graduate SLIS. The SLIS has refused to respond. The truth hits home, doesn't it? WHO is censoring? Guess we know the answer to that one.
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Dear Faculty of the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign:
Please rescind your award to the West Bend Community Memorial Library in West Bend, Wisconsin, as the recipient of the 2009 Robert B. Downs Intellectual Freedom Award. Contrary to your beliefs, this library bans ex-gay books for children, and therefore cannot be considered a champion of intellectual freedom. We at PFOX have repeatedly asked the Library Director Michael Tyree to place an ex-gay children’s book in the library which we offered to donate to the library’s shelves. He has refused to do so, in effect only allowing gay children’s books. Banning ex-gay books for children while allowing gay themed books should not be rewarded.
Although your press release mentions that the American Library Association has issued statements in support of this library and against censorship of controversial books, the ALA has refused to state specifically that libraries should not ban ex-gay books. Please issue such a statement so that we can encourage the ALA and all other intellectual freedom organizations to stand boldly for actual intellectual freedom.
Thank you for your consideration,
Sincerely,
Regina Griggs
Executive Director
PFOX
804-453-4737
www.pfox.org
pfox@pfox.org
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