Missouri's New Book Banning Bill Would Imprison Librarians And Defund Libraries

[Kenny]

.


"Sponsored by minister and conservative Republican Rep. Ben Baker, the bill aims to create parental library review boards that would have immense power over what books would be allowed in state-funded libraries.

The elected, five-member panels would take suggestions from the public about what books to ban but ultimately would have control over which books are allowed in libraries. According to the law, any library that violates the law could be completely defunded and any librarians who try to circumvent it could face a $500 fine or up to a year in prison.

Baker added provisions that would allow the boards to remove anything they believe is “age-inappropriate sexual material.”

“This is a shockingly transparent attempt to legalize book banning in the state of Missouri. This act is clearly aimed at empowering small groups of parents to appoint themselves as censors over their state’s public libraries. Books wrestling with sexual themes, books uplifting LGBTQIA+ characters, books addressing issues such as sexual assault—all of these books are potentially on the chopping block if this bill is passed,” said James Tager, deputy director of Free Expression Research and Policy at PEN America, in a statement.

According to an interview with local Missouri news outlet The Springfield News-Leader, Baker wanted to write the bill after reading news reports of "drag queen story hours" that sometimes take place at public libraries.

The newspaper said libraries and public spaces in St. Louis and Kansas City have held these events, apparently enraging the conservative pastor and other religious groups.

“I’m trying to figure out a way for parents to have recourse if something's happened and actually the library board is saying 'Hey, we're OK with this' or even promoting it, which has happened,” Baker claimed.

Baker is well known in the state for pushing religiously backed bills, and last year he caused another firestorm with a bill that would have forced public schools to create Bible-based courses for K-12 students.

Librarians in the state, as well as LGBTQ activists, have come out fiercely against the bill, telling news outlets that it was tantamount to censorship. The drag queen story hours were a way for positive messages about LGBTQ people to be spread amongst young people, according to Shira Berkowitz, a spokeswoman for the LGBTQ advocacy group PROMO.

“We think that visibility is really, really important. Especially in a state where LGBTQ people can still be denied housing or fired because of who they are,” she told The Springfield News-Leader"
.source​

Thoughts?

.

You mean like this???

"She was told by one of the library attendants that the library has been instructed to remove all books with a Christian message, authored by Christians, or published by a Christian publishing company," read a letter PJI sent to the charter school. "The attendant advised that the library would no longer be carrying those books. Indeed, our client was told that the library was giving those books away, and she actually took some."

One of the books deemed unacceptable was The Hiding Place, the biography of Corrie ten Boom. Ten Boom was a Dutch Christian who helped many Jews escape the Holocaust. She was later imprisoned by the Germans for her actions.

Christian Book Banning Begins—Where Do We Go From Here?

 

[sooda]

???

Can you please expand on that ? I don’t get it.

Same thing in Islam.

If something is NOT specifically forbidden, its permitted.

 

[sooda]

You mean like this???

"She was told by one of the library attendants that the library has been instructed to remove all books with a Christian message, authored by Christians, or published by a Christian publishing company," read a letter PJI sent to the charter school. "The attendant advised that the library would no longer be carrying those books. Indeed, our client was told that the library was giving those books away, and she actually took some."

One of the books deemed unacceptable was The Hiding Place, the biography of Corrie ten Boom. Ten Boom was a Dutch Christian who helped many Jews escape the Holocaust. She was later imprisoned by the Germans for her actions.

View attachment 37018


Christian Book Banning Begins—Where Do We Go From Here?

The rest of the story.


Pacific Justice Institute is warning a charter school in Southern California that it is violating the First Amendment by removing library books based on their perceived Christian content.

A parent of students enrolled at Springs Charter Schools recently was shocked to see some of the books being targeted for removal, including the well-known account of Holocaust survivor Corrie ten Boom, The Hiding Place.

The parent contacted PJI after library personnel explained to her that they had been directed to remove Christian books, books by Christian authors, and books from Christian publishers.

 

[Howard Is]

Same thing in Islam.

If something is NOT specifically forbidden, its permitted.

Sure, but the statement I questioned was ...

" Because your common law system bases itself upon the principle anything is forbidden, unless it is explicitly allowed by law"

which is exactly opposite to the principle you mentioned.

 

[Estro Felino]

???

Can you please expand on that ? I don’t get it.

Never mind...it is a definition we Italian jurists stated to define the Common law...
That is, that the judge has the power to extend abstract norms to various different situations, using interpretation.
Since anything is interpretable ....anything becomes potentially forbidden.

Au contraire here penal codes have very detailed articles that exclude the application of the law in most cases, so the judge's hands are tied...he cannot interpret the law.

 

[sooda]

Sure, but the statement I questioned was ...


which is exactly opposite to the principle you mentioned.

I thought she misspoke, but I don't know much about Italian law.

 

[Cooky]

Oh, so anti-Christians / anti-Semites started this book banning trend? That figures.

 

[sooda]

Oh, so anti-Christians / anti-Semites started this book banning trend? That figures.

Try reading the article.

 

[Cooky]

Try reading the article.

I did. Perhaps you should take your own advice -here's a link to help you educate yourself.

Christian Book Banning Begins—Where Do We Go From Here?

 

[SomeRandom]

.


"Sponsored by minister and conservative Republican Rep. Ben Baker, the bill aims to create parental library review boards that would have immense power over what books would be allowed in state-funded libraries.

The elected, five-member panels would take suggestions from the public about what books to ban but ultimately would have control over which books are allowed in libraries. According to the law, any library that violates the law could be completely defunded and any librarians who try to circumvent it could face a $500 fine or up to a year in prison.

Baker added provisions that would allow the boards to remove anything they believe is “age-inappropriate sexual material.”

“This is a shockingly transparent attempt to legalize book banning in the state of Missouri. This act is clearly aimed at empowering small groups of parents to appoint themselves as censors over their state’s public libraries. Books wrestling with sexual themes, books uplifting LGBTQIA+ characters, books addressing issues such as sexual assault—all of these books are potentially on the chopping block if this bill is passed,” said James Tager, deputy director of Free Expression Research and Policy at PEN America, in a statement.

According to an interview with local Missouri news outlet The Springfield News-Leader, Baker wanted to write the bill after reading news reports of "drag queen story hours" that sometimes take place at public libraries.

The newspaper said libraries and public spaces in St. Louis and Kansas City have held these events, apparently enraging the conservative pastor and other religious groups.

“I’m trying to figure out a way for parents to have recourse if something's happened and actually the library board is saying 'Hey, we're OK with this' or even promoting it, which has happened,” Baker claimed.

Baker is well known in the state for pushing religiously backed bills, and last year he caused another firestorm with a bill that would have forced public schools to create Bible-based courses for K-12 students.

Librarians in the state, as well as LGBTQ activists, have come out fiercely against the bill, telling news outlets that it was tantamount to censorship. The drag queen story hours were a way for positive messages about LGBTQ people to be spread amongst young people, according to Shira Berkowitz, a spokeswoman for the LGBTQ advocacy group PROMO.

“We think that visibility is really, really important. Especially in a state where LGBTQ people can still be denied housing or fired because of who they are,” she told The Springfield News-Leader"
.source​

Thoughts?

.

 

[Windwalker]

I did. Perhaps you should take your own advice -here's a link to help you educate yourself.

Christian Book Banning Begins—Where Do We Go From Here?

I just read that highly biased article which downplays the real reasons behind this "We're being persecuted," martyrdom whining. ""We do not purchase sectarian educational materials and do not allow sectarian materials on our state-authorized lending shelves," she wrote." Furthermore, ""At no time, however, have we discriminated against Christian authors or publishing companies who create secular educational materials," she wrote."

So there you have it. What they are saying in essence, is as a public school, the library shelves are not the place to put sectarian materials promoting certain religious themes. I would agree with this. How would these same Christians like it if the shelves were filled with Baha'i materials extolling Bahaullah for the children to be exposed to? Or, books on faith in Mohamad as God's final prophet? Think they'd be silent about that?

Oh, I know what their responses would be! This is just all disingenuous hypocrisy. Typical. Public schools are not missionary fields for evangelicals to prey upon children to influence them to their particular brand of religious faith. They're more than happy to deny other religions access to the kids, but don't mess with their access! They want control of it so they can have no other competition. It's all disingenuous.

 

[Father Heathen]

Separation of church and state is good.

As are checks and balances.

 

[Father Heathen]

I think that whenever anyone wants to ban or censor something, it indicates a fear of ideas.

Of course conservative christians fear ideas; their own can't compete.

 

[Father Heathen]

You mean like this???

"She was told by one of the library attendants that the library has been instructed to remove all books with a Christian message, authored by Christians, or published by a Christian publishing company," read a letter PJI sent to the charter school. "The attendant advised that the library would no longer be carrying those books. Indeed, our client was told that the library was giving those books away, and she actually took some."

One of the books deemed unacceptable was The Hiding Place, the biography of Corrie ten Boom. Ten Boom was a Dutch Christian who helped many Jews escape the Holocaust. She was later imprisoned by the Germans for her actions.

View attachment 37018


Christian Book Banning Begins—Where Do We Go From Here?

Yes, just like that. Banning any books is bad.

 

[Rational Agnostic]

You mean like this???

"She was told by one of the library attendants that the library has been instructed to remove all books with a Christian message, authored by Christians, or published by a Christian publishing company," read a letter PJI sent to the charter school. "The attendant advised that the library would no longer be carrying those books. Indeed, our client was told that the library was giving those books away, and she actually took some."

One of the books deemed unacceptable was The Hiding Place, the biography of Corrie ten Boom. Ten Boom was a Dutch Christian who helped many Jews escape the Holocaust. She was later imprisoned by the Germans for her actions.

View attachment 37018


Christian Book Banning Begins—Where Do We Go From Here?

I agree with you that banning Christian books is bad too. All book banning is bad. If I had kids I would encourage them to read both Christian apologetic and atheist books and make up their own minds for themselves.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Because your common law system bases itself upon the principle " anything is forbidden, unless it is explicitly allowed by law"

Thats not how it works here. We do have crap eating cops who are very abusive and corrupt, but if its not illegal then vuilt cannot be proven in court, which is something our system is set up to mandate.

 

[Estro Felino]

Thats not how it works here. We do have crap eating cops who are very abusive and corrupt, but if its not illegal then vuilt cannot be proven in court, which is something our system is set up to mandate.

Here the opposite. Cops cannot even use guns to defend themselves...
Let alone civilians...

 

[Revoltingest]

I wouldn't worry about a proposed bill.
If it passes, then I'll get the vapors with everyone else.

 

[ChristineM]

.


"Sponsored by minister and conservative Republican Rep. Ben Baker, the bill aims to create parental library review boards that would have immense power over what books would be allowed in state-funded libraries.

The elected, five-member panels would take suggestions from the public about what books to ban but ultimately would have control over which books are allowed in libraries. According to the law, any library that violates the law could be completely defunded and any librarians who try to circumvent it could face a $500 fine or up to a year in prison.

Baker added provisions that would allow the boards to remove anything they believe is “age-inappropriate sexual material.”

“This is a shockingly transparent attempt to legalize book banning in the state of Missouri. This act is clearly aimed at empowering small groups of parents to appoint themselves as censors over their state’s public libraries. Books wrestling with sexual themes, books uplifting LGBTQIA+ characters, books addressing issues such as sexual assault—all of these books are potentially on the chopping block if this bill is passed,” said James Tager, deputy director of Free Expression Research and Policy at PEN America, in a statement.

According to an interview with local Missouri news outlet The Springfield News-Leader, Baker wanted to write the bill after reading news reports of "drag queen story hours" that sometimes take place at public libraries.

The newspaper said libraries and public spaces in St. Louis and Kansas City have held these events, apparently enraging the conservative pastor and other religious groups.

“I’m trying to figure out a way for parents to have recourse if something's happened and actually the library board is saying 'Hey, we're OK with this' or even promoting it, which has happened,” Baker claimed.

Baker is well known in the state for pushing religiously backed bills, and last year he caused another firestorm with a bill that would have forced public schools to create Bible-based courses for K-12 students.

Librarians in the state, as well as LGBTQ activists, have come out fiercely against the bill, telling news outlets that it was tantamount to censorship. The drag queen story hours were a way for positive messages about LGBTQ people to be spread amongst young people, according to Shira Berkowitz, a spokeswoman for the LGBTQ advocacy group PROMO.

“We think that visibility is really, really important. Especially in a state where LGBTQ people can still be denied housing or fired because of who they are,” she told The Springfield News-Leader"
.source​

Thoughts?

.

I have heard of such censorship of books before

 

[Skwim]

You mean like this???

"She was told by one of the library attendants that the library has been instructed to remove all books with a Christian message, authored by Christians, or published by a Christian publishing company," read a letter PJI sent to the charter school. "The attendant advised that the library would no longer be carrying those books. Indeed, our client was told that the library was giving those books away, and she actually took some."

One of the books deemed unacceptable was The Hiding Place, the biography of Corrie ten Boom. Ten Boom was a Dutch Christian who helped many Jews escape the Holocaust. She was later imprisoned by the Germans for her actions.

View attachment 37018


Christian Book Banning Begins—Where Do We Go From Here?

"She was told by one of the library attendants that . . . . ."
Hardly decent evidence, is it.

.,