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
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