Oh, boo-hoo
“Pro-Family” groups* are upset** with the American Library Association for Banned Books Week:
“What people need to understand is that this is the American Library Association’s way of trying to censor those who exercise their free speech rights and say that there are books in the library that should not be available to children.”
Huh? First amendment right to censor? Can anyone take these people seriously?
Their main problem seems to be that none of the books were actually banned across the nation. No, but books have been challenged, and groups like these so-called pro-family people would be perfectly happy if many of these challenged books were, in fact, banned.
Boo-hoo “pro-family” groups who have a problem with banned books week because it shines a big spotlight on your intolerance. Perhaps the place for discussions on books you feel are inappropriate for you children is in your household, since not every parent shares your narrow-minded views. Indeed, the first amendment is alive and well in public libraries and schools, and those of us who celebrate banned books week intend to keep it that way.
*Because, of course, if you don’t support their view that we should censor books, then clearly you aren’t pro-family.
**I’m a little ashamed to be linking to a “focus on the family” site, but there it is. Please don’t think any less of me.