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 3 of 6)
31.
Whoa!
There's another Doofus.
Whodathunkit?
Maybe I'll have to go back to "Doofus Lurker".
Hmmm....
Doofus at 8:45PM on Sep 13th 2008
32. You are wrong about the fact checking. While it is true that no actual books ever got banned and the internet wrongly had a list of specific books that Palin allegedly wanted to ban, it is true that she raised the issue of banning books more than once with the libarian and eventually fired the libarian (excuse spelling I have dislexia and no spell check available). The libarian was rehired only after the city residents protested. Beliving that it is appropriate to ban books is scary enough, whether she carried it out or not. I don't know where you got the idea that the issue was about moving them to an adult only section -- that has never been said to be what Palin had in mind.
ann at 10:19PM on Sep 13th 2008
33. Would the *real* Doofus please stand up!
slim shady at 9:23PM on Sep 13th 2008
34. "Loyalty test"? You can put lipstick on a "Karl Rove Puppet," and at the end of the day it is still George Bush. No wonder the Rovians picked her to be the VP, she's more a "loyal Bushie" than GWB himself!
Sarah at 9:24PM on Sep 13th 2008
35. Would the *real* Doofus please stand up, please stand up!
slim shady at 9:27PM on Sep 13th 2008
36.
There.
Too long, but that'll do for now......
The Sometimes Lurking Doofus at 12:45AM on Sep 14th 2008
37. Hearsay and rumormongering based on your subjective opinion.
Tony at 1:23AM on Sep 14th 2008
38. Way to tell it like it is Dennis. And Dianne you called bs on Dennis' post well sweetie you're full of bs I graduated 20 years ago and meth was already common here then I know people who were users in the late 80's it just didn't get so wide spread till the government started cracking down on coke and crack and it didn't start in asia you da.
susan at 1:38AM on Sep 14th 2008
39. Palin was attempting to strong-arm the librarian through very a very subtle " how do you feel about banning books?" question. That was what happened. The meaning was more than implied. Hey, I would have no problem with book banning as long as we could start with the ones that had a story of the teenage daughter of a famous political wing-nut who got knocked up by a slutty cad. That type of book, I believe should not be on the shelves of schools in this good Christian country.
Paula Dell at 1:59AM on Sep 14th 2008
40. Dennis (2): Teach your damn kid yourself the difference between right and wrong, but don't you dare tell my kid what s/he can and cannot read.
You Republicans/Christians always take it out of bounds "How to make Meth...Bestiality". Now we know where all the problems in the world come from -sick, repressed f*cks like you...
However, after I learned that dinesh d'souze wrote a book or two, I have to think maybe book burning might have something to it...
bill at 2:10AM on Sep 14th 2008
41. Think about it. Everytime a head librarian decides not to buy a book, he or she is effectively banning it.
Years ago, I inquired at my library if they were going to get a copy of the Steve Martin's book, "Cruel Shoes." The head librarian said no, because it hadn't received good reviews. I thought what planet had the head librarian been on, because it was well received by the Chicago Tribune and Time magazine.
It turns out that the book had been reviewed poorly by the American Library Assoc., and that was our head librarian's Bible for buying books that were on the current best sellers' lists.
I wound up checking out the book at another library. Yes, it wasn't Lucille Ball or Carol Burnett in terms of its comedic tone, but there wasn't anything graphic or raunchy.
After abour 50 people requested the book, the head librarian relented and bought a copy.
Kent at 8:34AM on Sep 16th 2008
42. Folk, when she asked the librarian about banning books her intent was OBVIOUS...and Palin's memory wasn't very good because she asked her twice again. Then the librarian was fired and then later rehired because of public controversy. CHECK YOUR FACTS BEFORE YOU BLITHELY elect this woman who has no place in the White House! When you ban books you spread the idea that you are afraid of ideas, thoughts, change. Does she have that right? HELL NO! She's just a pit bull wearing lipstick!
kitty sinned at 5:59AM on Sep 14th 2008
43. What's wrong with Bad Reporting?
The point is not whether book banning is bad...it is. The question is...did Sarah Palin ask for any book to be banned, and the answer is no. I challenge anyone to find a reputable new source (not some email or other blog) that cites (1) a request by Palin to actually ban any book or (2) any book that was actually removed from the library at Palin's request either before or after Mary Ellen Baker resigned. I haven't found it. What you have is a report of a librarian being asked if she would ban books or what she thought about it. That is not the same thing as being asked to do it. Before anyone says I'm mincing words or...we all know what that means. Consider a mother talking to her 15 year old daughter and asking her "Would you ever take drugs?" or "What would you say if someone asked you to take drugs?" Can anyone honestly think the mother was actually requesting that she take drugs. I don't know exactly what Palin was thinking but if she was actually looking to ban books from the library...who here honestly thinks that the course she would take would be to ask the librarian to ban books, a pretty much universally derided concept, at a PUBLIC meeting. Who here thinks she is that politically dumb? Right up there with the dangers of book banning are reporters who report innuendo as fact and readers who can't tell
the difference.
Judy at 9:30AM on Sep 14th 2008
44. judy. you can mince words all you want. If I had a problem with a book that was at my library, I would go to the desk and say "have you read this book?", and if they hadn't vetted it, I would say, "well, I think you might want to". There, that's about all one could do to alert them. I am not the mayor, or the governor, or any Authority, as Palin was. I have no power to hire or fire, as Palin did. Talk about abuse of power! She abused her power, pure and simple.
There are ways to protest. Palin did not use them when she attempted to get books removed from the library.
abbot at 10:32AM on Sep 14th 2008
45. I see nothing wrong with banning books to certain age groups. pornography is banned until adulthood. legitimate drug/poison manufacturing and bomb making books are available. I believe that public institutions have a duty to restrict access to "under age" individuals.
children may gain access via their parent's books or the internet. That is the parent's responsibility. It is eminantly reasonable for public libraries not to provide materials that instrcut illegal activities. If an adult wants to read it, then that is fine.
Honestly, this is more irrelevant campaign dreck. Have any of you been to a library lately? No one reads books any more. It is a place for free internet access and shelter for homeless.
Why do people bring us such inane stories? Palin's weakness is foreign policy and experience just like Obama. I guess that's too boring.
darkman at 12:01PM on Sep 14th 2008