Okay, just one more thought about Sarah Palin. According to TIME magazine, former Wasilla mayor John Stein said, "[Palin] asked the library how she could go about banning books. The librarian was aghast." That woman, Mary Ellen Baker, couldn't be reached for comment, but news reports from the time show that Palin had threatened to fire Baker for not giving "full support" to the mayor. This book-banning thing is worrisome.
But why? What's the problem with banning books?
Well, the obvious answer is that we should be able to decide for ourselves what we should or shouldn't read. Politicians like Sarah Palin should not be deciding what books we have access to.
Often books are banned because they present a view of the world that is "abnormal" in some way. Some of last year's controversial children's books include one about a child whose father is in prison, another about a schizophrenic homeless woman, another that has the word "scrotum" (in a description of a dog).
The article "The Outsiders: Kids need controversial books like The Higher Power of Lucky," by Lisa Carver during the "scrotum" scandal, eloquently explains why it's such hubris to assume that just by having only books about "normal" families, you'll bring such a thing about. No matter where or how you grow up, you face complicated situations, confusing questions and powerful feelings and a book that acknowledges some part of your experience can make you feel less alone. She writes:
Not mentioning in children's books so-called controversial subjects (they're not, really; they're just life) in order to protect children is the same as how, in the 50s, blacks or Jews or single parents weren't part of stories. Not because they didn't exist back then, but because everyone somehow tacitly agreed to pretend they didn't. There is no Other. There's just us, and we're a motley crew.
We still don't know what books Palin wanted off the shelves, but it's nerve-wracking that she thought she should have the power to choose whose voices could be heard.
Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 6)
1. Banning books is not only worrisome and nerve-wracking, it is creepy and horrifying. Why do these folks think they can choose for MY children? There is a stunning memorial in Berlin commemorating the burning of books in WWII. Palin's effort at censorship is just another echo of what occurred there.
spongemom at 12:51AM on Sep 13th 2008
2. My, my, my. Here we go again. Well Ada other then the obvious "hearsay" what do you have? Nothing. Do you have anything to support Time magazine's and your allegation? It appears not. Would I if I were a mayor ever support the banning of books? Depends on the book or books in question. I would never be so foolish as to give a blanket statement that "all" books should be allowed and that absolutely no books should be banned. First, other than a statement from a former mayor do you have anything to go on? No. Is this former mayor John Stein a friend or foe of Gov. Palin? You didn't say. That would be germane. Would any "good" reporter print a story without having hard evidence and facts? No. But that is one of the problems...isn't it. Where are the good honest reporters. We already know what Time magazine's viewpoint is on Saint Obama. He's the second coming. Do I ever read Time magazine. Yes. Do I ever rely on the information I find in Time magazine without a second source? No. No more than I would the National Enquirer. We already know what Time magazine's agenda is so that automatically makes it suspect as to the accuracy of the story. As I stated earlier would I personally ban a book or books from a library if I was the mayor? Possibly. Just to give you an ancedotal story, about twenty years ago, on one of my regular weekly visits to the main Houston library, I noticed a young girl, approximately in her early teens, reading and taking notes from a book I had seen before but was a little surprised was in the Houston library. The book was one of these so-called "underground" books on making illegal drugs, poisons, bombs, dirty tricks, etc. I made the comment to the young lady, "cool book huh." She told me, "yeah...I found the way to make meth...cool huh?" I asked her if there were anymore of those books on the shelves and she told there were and I asked if she could direct me or take me there, which she did. I took one of the books and went downstairs to find and then talked to the head librarian. When the librarian saw the book she turned bright red then her face drained to white. She asked me where I found "that" book and I took her there. She informed me that that book had been ordered to be removed months ago but obviously it hadn't been. So, again would I personally ban some books? Hell yes I would...in a heartbeat. In general terms I'm against removing or banning books, but there are exceptions and that was one of them. I'm all for free speech, but I'm not for being allowed to yell "fire" in a building where there isn't one. Either is the United States Supreme Court.
Ada, It's called "common sense." Do I want to see thirteen or fourteen year old girls learning how to use Sudafed to make meth? Not hardly. The example you used was fine, but, come on now, are you honestly telling me you would want "self-help" books in a public library that tells you how to make bombs, or be a terrorist, or make illegal drugs? How about books on pedophilia with pictures? Or books on bestiality with pictures? Do you really want to allow everything? Be honest now...do you? That same librarian told me some horror stories that I hadn't even though about. In Houston back then they had a period when some sickos would bring "in" books of pedophilia to put on the shelves of the childrens section. Everything is not always so clear cut. Look at the entire picture and use "reason." After all "reason" should be the bedrock of a persons thinking. From reason springs forth facts. Not fantasy. Wanting, hoping, wishing, desires, and certain belief systems are not facts nor are they a way to find them. What is, is. Please think a little more clearly before making a blanket statement...Okay?
Dennis Bowen at 1:01AM on Sep 13th 2008
3. Wow, Dennis, I believe your long tirade tells us you believe in censorship...there have been so-called "banned books" in libraries for the last century and then some...last I checked, they have not lead to the downfall of the United States. As I understand it, Sarah Palin (then Mayor Palin) of Wasilla, Alaska, brought up the topic of "removing books" from the library at a city council meeting. The head librarian in the town was appalled, and expressed her opinion. No books were ever banned - possibly because there was a political backlash against the mayor at the time (stories appeared in the newspapers in Alaska). The story gets confusing from there, and the facts have yet to be exposed. Ms. Palin on 20/20 tonight on ABC tonight denied ever asking specific books to be banned, Dennis. Perhaps you need to hold Ms. Palin responsible for not following through on that.
David S. at 2:55AM on Sep 13th 2008
4. An excellent post Dennis Bowen!
A great challenge that we all face as citizens of our society is recognizing attempts to corrupt it. These attempts may be easy enough to recognize when they are obviously criminal... but often they are not and so are insiduously promulgated under the protection of the very laws that an honorable society upholds.
ManOfMettl at 3:48AM on Sep 13th 2008
5. David, I call b.s. on your post. You don't honestly expect us to believe your outrageous statements, do you? Pedophiles bringing books into the library and putting them in the children's section? You're quite a sick individual to think up something like that, you know? As for the title of the book Palin took issue with, it's "Pastor I Am Gay", and it's written by Howard Bess, who is straight and married with children, and an Alaskan Baptist Minister. Palin told Wasilla's librarian she would be fired in January, 1997 because Palin felt she didn't have the librarian's "full support" regarding the banning of this book. Too bad you don't like Time. They're very accurate and reliable as a news medium. Still, since you hate them, you should know that ABC News also ran the story. You, otoh, are probably engrossed in your non-liberal Rush Limbaugh, so you enjoy that.
teganthunderdreamer at 4:10AM on Sep 13th 2008
6. Sorry, I meant to address Dennis, not David. Another thing, meth wasn't an issue 20 years ago. No one even knew much about it outside of Asia. Nice try though, Dennis. Again, I call b.s. on your post.
Diane at 4:23AM on Sep 13th 2008
7.
I would be willing to agree to book banning.
Only as long as *I* was the one to determine which books get banned.
But that's really the kicker, isn't it? That isn't how it works. It's always *someone else* writing up that list.
So no. I don't agree with *any* book banning.
Now if you want to talk about books that should only be available to adults.... well, that's a different story.
Doofus at 5:01AM on Sep 13th 2008
8. This reminds me of when I was in fourth grade, everyone loved "The cat who..." books. I never read them, but from what I remember, it was either about a murdering cat, or a cat who kept getting killed...anyway....
The books were really inappropriate, they had lots of swear words in them, and when the librarian at the school found out, she pulled all "The cat who..." books off the shelves, because we were nine years old and shouldn't be reading about a horny, murdurous cat with a mouth like a sailor. But people freaked. The kids said "Hey, you can't do that! We like these books!" and the parents said, "Hey! you can't do that! if you start banning books now, what's to stop you from banning everything you don't like?!!? How are our kids supposed to read if you pull every book they like off the shelves???"
But guess what??? They all grew up to read just fine, the librarian did not turn into a power-hungry book-banning whore, and no one's heard of "The cat who..." books, because they suck, and no one will read them whether they're on the shelves or not.
hannah at 7:23AM on Sep 13th 2008
9. Book banning is not the exclusive province of the religious Right or Conservatives. Liberals have succeeded in banning Joel Chandler Harris from almost every library and they are working very hard on Mark Twain. Don't pat yourselves on the back just yet,censorship is censorship no matter who does it. There is more than enough blame to throw around.
ED at 8:34AM on Sep 13th 2008
10. Banning books and censorship are just ways of reinforcing our media's lust for mind control. If our so-called leader's are so insecure that someone may have an original thought or inspire people,especially young people,that they have to dictate what we teach our families what form of government is that promoting?
What example are we setting for future generation's?
Larissa at 9:18AM on Sep 13th 2008
11. I agree with Dennis. Commonsense should dictate our actions. I don't think only ONE person should have that power. There needs to be a set of standards where childrens books are concerned and a citizens board should be enforcing those standards. Dennis is right, there is stuff on the shelves that is dangerous. All you liberals love to holler about things till it's YOUR kids that are harmed and then you are hollering the loudest again. Face it...any concept...any idea that doesn't fit your world view is villified.
Heidi at 9:37AM on Sep 13th 2008
12. people! if you can ban a book, you can ban Dr. Phil, or Rush Limbaugh, or the evening news, or....
The list is endless.
abbot at 10:15AM on Sep 13th 2008
13. Fact Check.com has debunked your story. Palin has never banned any books and the list that has circulated on the web had books on it that were not even in print during Mayor Palins administration. Please print the truth instead of your lies about Palin. I am a Democrat that will be voting Republican this time. Mostly to protest the media obvious bias.
Walt Frazier at 10:30AM on Sep 13th 2008
14. PALIN AND MCCAIN SUCK!
VOTE OBAMA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ;)
& WE'LL HAVE NO MORE DRAMA!
LIZ at 10:38AM on Sep 13th 2008
15. Book banning...all kinds of things are banned in the United States.
Smoking is banned in public buildings; shock jock Howard Stern is banned from public airways, shock jock Don Imus was banned from the public airways for 3 or 4 months; various fire arms are banned for private ownership, there is a ban on prayer and pledging aligence in some public schools, ban on cuban cigars; there is a movement to ban home schooling, ban on the insecticide DDT; ban on drilling for oil; in some states there is a ban on owning pitbulls.
Asking the local librarian to move certain books to another section of the library isn't a ban. Sounds more like relocation to me.
Willet at 10:50AM on Sep 13th 2008