Focus on the Family digs heels in with Banned Books Week

Responding to Banned Books Week

 

by Stuart Shepard

A pro-family group is suggesting a creative way for families to act as "salt and light" in response to the American Library Association's (ALA) so-called Banned Books Week.

Focus on the Family is encouraging donations of books to neighborhood and school libraries: books that communicate a Christian and socially conservative perspective on hot-button issues such as homosexuality and abortion. The effort coincides with the ALA's annual twisting of the First Amendment, as it showcases books to which parents have objected — and which libraries have generally not pulled from shelves.

"Every year, the ALA and other liberal groups use this trumped-up event to intimidate and basically silence concerned parents," said Candi Cushman, education analyst for Focus on the Family Action. "The truth is, parents have every right and responsibility to object to their kids receiving sexually explicit and pro-gay literature without their permission, especially in a school setting."

The ALA claims that Banned Books Week is all about celebrating "availability of those unorthodox or unpopular viewpoints."

Cushman said it's time for families to turn the tables and challenge the ALA to honor its own principles. 

"You can do this most effectively by simply going to your local public library, or a school library," she said, "and donating books that communicate your family's perspective on those issues."

FOR MORE INFORMATION
Learn more about balancing bias in your library.

Mark Belling writes column on West Bend Library Board

Well said.


"I’ve dealt with a lot of arrogant government officials in my career (former Illinois Gov. Jim Thompson and former Milwaukee Mayor John Norquist top the list) and a lot of sanctimonious ones (Russ Feingold and former Milwaukee County Supervisor Dan Diliberti). I’ve certainly met some hypocritical ones (Dane County District Attorney Brian Blanchard) and some abusive spenders and money wasters (almost any school board comes to mind). I’ve had my run-ins with officials who behave like tinhorn dictators (former Menomonee Falls Village President Joe Greco). But until the last couple of months, I’m not sure I’ve ever encountered a pack of public officials as bad as the West Bend Library Board. With the state Legislature passing the worst public policy document in Wisconsin history, the Iranian mullahs slaughtering pro-democracy demonstrators and the president trying to socialize government health care and even with Brett Favre unretiring for the 84th time, there are other things I should be writing about. But this board in West Bend is so amazingly over the top that it is screaming for exposure.


.....

They won’t move the porn and won’t let anybody tell them they have to. But that didn’t stop a bunch of concerned West Bend citizens. Doing exactly what those in a free society have every right to do, they pressured the board and city council to reverse the decision. This is what America is supposed to be all about – citizens petitioning their government to respect the public will.

For this they have been abused by the library board and its supporters. But last week, the board, led by local leftie Barbara Deters, went to an extreme that is beyond belief. Appalled they were told by the city attorney they had to comply with state law and share e-mails about the library issue, the board voted to hire an outside attorney in attempt to keep their e-mails secret! It is basic Wisconsin law that all correspondence and documents of any public employee, including e-mails, are public records. The astonishingly arrogant library board in West Bend doesn’t think that law includes them. So, it’s ignoring the city attorney and hiring a lawyer using ENDOWMENT funds! Money that has been donated over the years to purchase quality materials for the West Bend Library is being looted by board members who want to keep breaking the law. They’ll be paying $250 an hour.

Ponder this: The West Bend Library Board believes children have a right to see gay pornography but the public doesn’t have a right to see public records.

I’ll repeat that: The West Bend Library Board believes children have a right to see gay pornography but the public doesn’t have a right to see public records."

Mark Belling does Open Records Request w/ West Bend Mayor and Library Board President

I just added today's podcast from the Mark Belling show to the series on the left side of this blog.

In today's show, Mark spells out open records law, then explains the action he has decided to take with our mayor and library board president.

CLICK HERE to listen!

West Bender comments on "Blog Wars"

Comment from GAWKER.com ( http://gawker.com/5292791/small+town-wisconsin-has-its-own-blog-wars-thank-you-very-much)


Note: Two parenthetical edits have been made due to explicit content of post. Please see link above for unedited comment.

Ascender

2:56 PM Holy (explicit). I am a proud graduate of West Bend West High School (the other half of that picture...(explicit) the Suns) and the son of the Library Board President for West Bend. This raging local squabble has consumed my phone calls home for the last two months...seeing it on here is like some weird media warp into my inquiries as to the home front.

And while the locals are using the internets to get in each others proverbial faces...just try reading that on the online version of the local rag, The West Bend Daily News, which has online content for newspaper subscribers only. NYTimes take note! If it can work in small town Wisconsin, it can work for you!