Libraries Face Continued Challenges

I am not really a fan of John Oliver, but his recent episode on libraries and people challenging books is still solid for the most part. Be forewarned: this is HBO, and there is vulgar language.

I have a degree of sympathy for conservative concerns about the self-professed "progressives" pushing their social and political agendas, but the most vocal critics of libraries have no idea what most libraries are actually doing. Activists are sharing long lists of books to challenge en masse, resulting in complaints from people who have never even read the books in question.

This national show hits surprisingly close to home. I lived in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho for several years. Oliver mentions the slanderous ad targeting the Community Library Network in the Idaho panhandle with accusations of secret drag queen story hours discussing anal sex. Just a little further north in Boundary County, a group challenged hundreds of books in their district only to learn none of them were at the library in the first place. Some complaints at other libraries are challenging books shelved in the adult section because their kids might still walk over and see it.

This is insanity masquerading as "protecting the children." I argue one should always attack the right from the right, and the left from the left. Most Republicans would understand that gun control laws sold as "protecting our children" are a transparent appeal to emotion instead of making a real argument, and might be able to see the parallels through that context they already understand. They will not agree with typical Democrat arguments that LGBTQIA+WTF "need to be represented," but they might understand that the precedent of partisan censorship can be turned against books they value, particularly if they already believe there is a concerted effort to push a "woke" agenda.

I am a Christian and an anarchist. My views are well outside the mainstream. Neither the authoritarian religious right nor the authoritarian secular left represent my values and principles. I embrace libraries being open open to the public with uncensored access to contentious topics while also opposing the taxes which currently fund them. I understand the desire of some parents to protect the innocence of children, but I also see why other parents want their children to have access to books about sex education and puberty, or simply have differing opinions about what constitutes age-appropriate content.

"Censorship is telling a man he can't have a steak just because a baby can't chew it." — attributed to Mark Twain without any specific source

This is 2024. You should know by now not to just believe what people say on the internet. Feel free to test my claims and ask for my references. Don't forget to do the same when someone is pushing you to respond out of fear or disgust, too.