Posted on 09/14/2008 6:47:20 AM PDT by pjsbro
September 13, 2008
The [New York]Times adds context to the allegations that Palin considered trying to ban books in Wasilla, context that's likely to add juice to one social issue that hasn't become divisive this cycle: gay rights.
The new mayor also tended carefully to her evangelical base. She appointed a pastor to the town planning board. And she began to eye the library. For years, social conservatives had pressed the library director to remove books they considered immoral.
“People would bring books back censored,” recalled former Mayor John Stein, Ms. Palin’s predecessor. “Pages would get marked up or torn out.”
Witnesses and contemporary news accounts say Ms. Palin asked the librarian about removing books from the shelves. The McCain-Palin presidential campaign says Ms. Palin never advocated censorship.
But in 1995, Ms. Palin, then a city councilwoman, told colleagues that she had noticed the book “Daddy’s Roommate” on the shelves and that it did not belong there, according to Ms. Chase and Mr. Stein. Ms. Chase read the book, which helps children understand homosexuality, and said it was inoffensive; she suggested that Ms. Palin read it.
“Sarah said she didn’t need to read that stuff,” Ms. Chase said. “It was disturbing that someone would be willing to remove a book from the library and she didn’t even read it.”
“I’m still proud of Sarah,” she added, “but she scares the bejeebers out of me.”
The campaign has said that when she asked about banning books, it was a "rhetorical question."
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
The gay flank won’t be voting for McCain/Palin anyway. All this stuff does is stir up more bile.
Even if the book banning story was true, I'd have no problem with it. Local government isn't under any obligation to provide you with reading material at taxpayer expense. If someone wants a particular book that isn't stocked in a local library, that person can purchase said book with his/her own funds.
Ya know...I think the time has come to AXE ALL Public libraries, and let everyone go ON LINE, and read anything they want...definitely TAX PAYERS have no need to subsidize titles that are OFF THE WALL, and considered detrimental for their community. That way EVERYONE can be happy. I’ve tried to get Christian titles in libraries in Mexico... good books, only those with atheistic leanings are allowed. So, put my name in the category of Libraries were good for times of Lincoln, and Woodrow Wilson, but now we can get ebooks with a click of the button. Don’t judge the Governor of Alaska for upholding the ideals of her community that fly in the face of a screwed up minority. Save TREES, save tax dollars, save HEAT in the winter so we don’t have to keep the homeless warm in libraries that no one uses.
Are all these terrified people downloading their talking points from the same source? Or are there really that many total dingbats?
Just as a hypothetical, what if there were absolutely no books in the world that promoted homosexuality to young children? Does the average American voter really believe that would be a bad thing?
Well, not everyone who isn’t gay hates homosexuals. She’s pretty extreme in her stances. Obviously this is why the base like her so much, on the other hand, those of us who are more moderate on the so-called “social issues” do find it pretty frightening to imagine her being president.
In many communities, public libraries have essentially become after school child care centers where children get help with homework while waiting to be picked up by their parents.
It wasn't true, it's been debunked.
Actually, she’s pretty mainstream. You, however, seem a bit trollish to me. IBTZ?
What, specifically, are you afraid Gov. Palin would do to homosexuals if she were to become President?
What is her stance in the gay issue?
That doesn't mean I hate homosexuals. Where did you get that from? You are the one "hating" here.
What about libraries that use filtering software to prevent the viewing of pornography on their computers?
That’s censorship isn’t it?
That is a sharp observation. To paraphrase Ben Franklin (again), “Our” talking points are clever and succint. “Their” talking points are dumb.
I think they downloaded it from the DNC website.
Though the Palin-book flap is false, it should be noted that EVERYDAY IN AMERICA librarians themselves perform censorship. After all, they determine what they will shelve, and what they won’t.
Does anyone else find this statement bizarre? I think these people are nuts, so how can I take anything they say with more than a grain of salt?
susie
Homosexuality is a disgusting perversion. If it were such a normal state of affairs we'd have buggered ourselves out of existence a long time ago. The indoctrination of children seems to be very high on the list of things to do for gays.
where’s my McCain/Palin lawn sign.
How does she hate homosexuals? I must have missed that.
susie
I’ve noticed that questions such as, “What, precisely, are you afraid will happen?” tend to go unanswered.
Preaching hellfire to Eskimos.
Well you're going to have to deal with your own fear of neocon boogie-men. Since each community library can't contain every book in the world, someone must make a judgment about which books are appropriate and perhaps most educational for a community. The first question that should be asked is who should be making these decisions: someone in DC or someone in the local community? The next question is what is the process for deciding which books have some sort of merit and which book merely promote political positions not generally held by the community. Shall we include books and films by people like Michael Moore and exclude books by Ann Coulter? Shall we include books that promote traditional nuclear families or books that promote more rare non-traditional homosexual families? Since all books and films are readily available via the internet and/or mail-order (except for the Path to 9/11), it's hard for me to call making a judgment about what is available in a public library as "censorship". Someone has to make the call and that someone should be held responsible by the people in the community or their representatives.
That’s because they don’t have an answer, they just have their talking points, as you said.
I have to wonder about that. I think people who have really been paying attention have already chosen up sides and it would take something really earth shattering to change that. Of course, I think that many people weren’t paying any attention until the past few weeks, and maybe they haven’t quite made up their minds (I don’t understand that, but then again, I’m a political junkie).
I really find it hard to believe that anyone who was supporting Hillary for any substantial reason (such as her stance on the issues) would vote for McCain no matter who he chose as VP, because the differences are too stark. Now, they might stay home, but I can’t imagine more than a tiny fraction would actually vote for McCain.
susie
Thank you. A local entity deciding what the community wants in their library (supported with their tax dollars) is a far cry from the govt disallowing books to be read. Sadly, the left co-opts the language and ill educated Americans just buy the talking points.
susie
Basically, you're saying that those of us, the base, who like Palin are extreme gay haters?
Are you sure you're on the right forum?
It would be curious to track this librarian down, find out where she is currently a librarian, and look to make sure her library carries every single book and magazine published. If not, should she not be ashamed of herself for censoring??
susie
It certainly seems like it. Maybe being “scared” meets a psychological need for them. I personally find it helpful to deal with feelings of fear by (1) precisely defining the outcome I fear; (2) calculating its likelihood and the factors that affect it; and (3) taking all reasonable steps to limit the occurence. Beyond that, I raise a glass of a nice red wine in memory of John Wayne and say, “Who wants to live forever, anyway?”
But then, I am a conservative.
Oh really? If this happened in a city council meeting shouldn't there be minutes we can read? Or do we take the word of someone who has the bejeebers scared out of them that this is what Sarah Palin actually said.
LOL you have such a common sense approach! I imagine all of these liberals literally cowering in the corner in abject terror! What a terrible way to live your life.
susie
Yes, it’s bizarre and sounds totally made up. If there’s one thing Palin does not come across as it’s scary.
http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2008/08/palin-on-gay-ri.html
She opposes same-sex marriage, but she has stated that she has gay friends and is receptive to gay and lesbian concerns about discrimination.[9] While the previous administration did not implement same-sex benefits, Palin complied with a state Supreme Court order and signed them into law.[28] She disagreed with the Supreme Court ruling[29] and supported a democratic advisory vote from the public on whether there should be a constitutional amendment on the matter.[30] Alaska was one of the first U.S. states to pass a constitutional ban on gay marriage, in 1998, along with Hawaii.[31] Palin has stated that she supported the 1998 constitutional amendment.[9]
Palin’s first veto was used to block legislation that would have barred the state from granting benefits to the partners of gay state employees.
In effect, her veto granted State of Alaska benefits to same-sex couples. The veto occurred after Palin consulted with Alaska’s attorney general on the constitutionality of the legislation.[29]
Ding, Ding, Ding. Post of the day. Go into a library and look for Obamanation, or any Ann Coulter book. Likely they don't have it or have only one copy. I know in our library, Madonna's sex book came out and the librarian put up 10 or so copies and when people complained, she cited censorship saying it was a best selling book. Yet she had no copies of Rush Limbaugh's number 1 selling book.
I think you nailed it. The three steps require logic, which isn’t common in their world.
Isn't it? No wonder they want the Obamessiah to come and make everything bad in the world go away. Not that it would help, but they think it would.
“Saying that something shouldn’t be on the shelves at a publicly funded library does not constitute ‘banning books’.”
I fully agree. If she were to attempt to ban the sell of these books from bookstores, or make possession of them illegal....that would be a “ban.”
Well, maybe. It’s always seemed curious to me that people were changing their minds because I never seem to talk to any of those people. I think the polls might be more valid if the same exact people were polled over and over, but my impression is that this is not what happens. (I could be wrong, I’m no expert on polls). So, who ARE these people who are Obama one day and McCain the next? They either have no real stand on issues, or they’re lying, or something, what do you think it is?
“Well, not everyone who isn’t gay hates homosexuals. She’s pretty extreme in her stances.”
That’s odd, I never heard Sarah Palin say she hates gays. I think she’s more in line with the “Hate the sin, love the sinner” mindset.
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