Every reader his book...

Posted by: Sammy | September 04, 2008 at 12:11 PM

Library is where children goes to often. There are garbage out there in the book world that are from the darkest, lowest side of the spectrum. I don't want my kids to accidentally read them. Those should be banned, should at least not using tax payer money to buy and stock them. Anybody is free to feed his/her craving for nasty things by buying those themselves. But leave our public place clean. Just like you are not supposed to walk naked in the street, but fine if you do it in your own bedroom. Now if Gov Palin wants to ban book of science, that's another matter.

From: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/jacketcopy/2008/09/sarah-palin-ban.html

Dear Sir,

It is fantastic that you are concerned about what your children are reading and seeing. Since you are concerned about the materials that your child will encounter, please go to the library WITH your children.

The library provides materials for folks with a wide-range of abilities and interests. Materials a person as yourself may consider the "darkest, lowest side of the spectrum" do in fact differ from others in your community. Please think more broadly and understand that the library serves ALL taxpayers (and non-taxpayers) in your community, not just those with a narrow view of "acceptability". If you go to the library with your child, instead of supporting the banning of books, you'll be supporting your child, that relationship, and your library.

Regarding your comment about Banning a book of science as another matter... Please consider the following:

When the Nazis came for the communists,
I remained silent;
I was not a communist.

When they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.

When they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a trade unionist.

When they came for the Jews,
I remained silent;
I wasn't a Jew.

When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out.
--Pastor Martin Niemöller

Who determines what is okay and what isn't? Where does the banning stop? It is much better for society if the library provides materials to meet the needs and interests of a whole community, allowing folks to exercise their own freedom of choice. Each person may take home or leave at the library what they wish.

This freedom is critical. Please be part of the solution, not the problem. -C