Comments on: Anne Kilkenny comments on the Sarah Palin book banning story

By: Bruce Clyne

Bruce Clyne — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 22:13:36 +0000

While I was in college a student and a teacher battled over a book in the library that the student felt was offensive to his “religious beliefs”. The book was “The Bible”. That was 1981. I went back to that Library and found the same bible still there. Advanced citizenship has not changed.

By: Mr. Boot

Mr. Boot — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 23:00:01 +0000

As a library employee, I find it appalling that so many Americans think it’s okay to remove books. It’s not the censorship of library materials that’s the biggest worry, in my opinion (though it does not bode well); rather, it is the utter lack of personal responsibility on display. It is not the job of a public employee to censor books. It is the job of parents to pay attention to what their children are reading. Everyone’s list of appropriate books would be different. Do you want the librarian deciding these issues for you?

By: ken

ken — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 03:37:03 +0000

Daniel M. said in post 125620: I find it amusing that some people find it so offensive that someone would want to monitor what is in a public library that is funded by the city. This discussion isn't about monitoring what is in the public libraries, it is about censoring what is in the public libraries. These are very different things. Anyone can monitor what is in the library, simply by looking through the library catalog. It is when people start trying to dictate what can't be in the library because they don't like it the the problems arise. Further "these people" that you refer to don't include me, because I have never supported banning video games.

By: Eddy

Eddy — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 00:58:56 +0000

Warren:
Any progress on that “I forgot to subscribe” button?
…forgot to check the notify box again….

By: Eddy

Eddy — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 00:56:07 +0000

Warren,
Just a bit of enlightenment on what they can do nowadays to make an email seem personal. I first encountered it back in the ’70’s in the prayer and counseling center of a mega TV ministry.
LOL. The prayer room was directly above the mail-receiving room. That way, when the TV minister said “I have personally prayed over your letter”, he or she was not lying. (I believe a lie is in the intent and that this logic is hypocritical beyond belief.) But anyway…
I found this out when a client came in with a somewhat bizarre situation. He/she was turned down for sex-reassignment surgery. He lived as a woman and then had a charismatic conversion experience. He then believed that ‘the “God of Miracles” was going to miraculously give him the sex-change that he had been denied. I met him once or twice before he came excitedly into the office with letters he had received from the famous evangelist and how they supported his belief that God was going to change his body to match his mind.
I had a bit more of the kind of boldness you have in those days and got through to the head of the prayer/counseling center by telephone. I had read the letters my client received several times and I had asked him what he had said in his letters to them. That’s when I learned that each paragraph or response is canned.
Someone reads your letter. After every few sentences they key in a ‘response code’ to that comment.
1) I appreciate you taking the time to write to me. Please be assured that I have read and prayed over your letter.
2) (Writer mentions a specific concern. Reader codes whether it’s a compliment, a prayer request, a comment on a recent sermon, etc. Appropriate response is generated.
3) … …Well, you get the picture.
In the case of my client’s pouring out his heart about his transsexual dilemma (that the doctor’s couldn’t or wouldn’t help him), he got the preprogrammed responses for ‘new believer’, ‘deeply troubled’ and ‘needs a miracle’…
I strongly suggested that they develop a hybrid letter. Several paragraphs could be ‘canned’ or preprogrammed but very specific questions or concerns would be coded so that someone would actually create a response paragraph. (Unfortunately, if it’s one that addresses a question or concern that is likely to come up again, it gets its own code for future use.)
Anyway, I’m thinking you got a hybrid. 😉
(Warren: Had an incredible vacation with the fam back in PA. Never traveled further than 10 miles from ‘home’ though. We’re going to make it an annual thing. Take your family to the Kipona next year and we’ll hook up.)
Ken:
It seems you and I are often adversarial. Just wanted you to know that I was nodding in agreement a number of times while reading your comments on this thread. The one I remember the most goes to the point that the books in the library are the librarians responsibility. And the follow-up logic that so many seem to be forgetting: it is the parent’s duty to supervise their children in the library!

By: Daniel M.

Daniel M. — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 23:40:20 +0000

I find it amusing that some people find it so offensive that someone would want to monitor what is in a public library that is funded by the city. These same people will go on rampages to ban video games from stores. Though I have to say that it is strange how video games will unify the Left with the Christian Right.
But I have to say that there are probably books that you shouldn’t have in a public library, and it should be up to the city if they agree. I think a city should be able to have things like “The Anarchist’s Cookbook” removed from the library, or anything that gives detailed instructions on how to commit heinous crimes. Sure, people can find that stuff and can probably buy it, but if I ran a town I’d offer to buy it from the library and ask them not to restockit.

By: ken

ken — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 23:00:09 +0000

Charile (Colorado),
what, specifically, do you find inconsistent with my statements?

By: Charlie (Colorado)

Charlie (Colorado) — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 18:37:52 +0000

Warren, thanks for the link.
Ken, what you’re saying — and what Kilkenney is saying — isn’t consistent with the contemporaneous account to which Warren links.

By: Hallie

Hallie — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 18:30:17 +0000

This is pretty interesting. Personally, I am a very socially liberal democrat and I do believe that having any book removed from a library is censorship. I also do have some trust in librarians, and doubt that the books could have been that bad, but I struggle to think of any book which I would want removed from a library. Self published racists tracts from some crazy racist movement? People have a right to get whatever stupid information they want, and even an awful, ignorant book like that could be interesting for its sociological implications. Sex manuals, maybe? Libraries should have adult sections, I think. Books about murder, famous murderers, or true crime books? Again, sociologically important, and fine for an adult section. I really can’t think of anything. Still, I think this is very interesting. Apparently there are a lot of people out there who think that some books don’t belong in libraries and to whom the exact nature of the books to be removed is very important. This is a pretty major philosophical disagreement, so I’m glad you’ve done your research and let us all know what we don’t know about the books! Known unknowns, as Cheney would say.

By: Rev. Rusty

Rev. Rusty — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 16:26:56 +0000

The Dems sure are desperate – aren’t they? On Fox News this morning there was a report that Libs are investigating her win in the local beauty contest in 1984. Now, a local of the liberal bent, rare from what I understand in Alaska, is trying to trash her for town politics. I have never seen a VP candidate cause this much problem for the opposition for either party. Its very fun to watch. McCain has a great shot at winning and all the negative stuff the Dems are digging up gets more and more comical. Go Sarah! Palin in 2012!