Banning Graphic Memoirs in Missouri
This is pretty unbelievable: Yesterday I blogged about a hearing being held in Marshall, Missouri to determine whether they should ban the memoirs Fun Home and Blankets from their local library. Well, the hearing lasted two hours, and more than 3/4 of the 20 people who showed up wanted the books banned.Their comments are stunning: "Does this community want our public library to continue to use tax dollars to purchase pornography? ... We may as well purchase the porn shop down at the junction and move it to Eastwood. Some day this library will be drawing the same clientele," she said. "I sincerely hope the board will listen to the community. Let's not contribute to the delinquency of minors." Another woman said the books would cause "seedy people coming into the library and moving into [their] community."
Interestingly enough, those in favor of banning the books are using the "graphic" part of graphic novel in exactly the way we worried that they might: "We are asking that these comic book-style books, graphic novels as they are called, that portray in pictures or illustrations, graphic sexual acts, should not be purchased by our tax dollars..." "It's not a matter of censorship," one man said, "but a matter of looking out for our kids."
Um, regardless of why you're doing it, censorship is still censorship.
The final decision to ban or not will be made at a public hearing on October 11th. Email the Marshall Library board of directors to voice your support for not banning the books and to remind them why book-banning is a very very bad idea. Or call to tell them at 660-886-3391.
posted by Rebecca Skloot 6:51:00 PM
2 Comments:
Haha, I didnt realize my comments had to be approved. I hope I didn't just waste my time.
Instead of getting all in a tiff how about offering free copies to anyone in that town that actually wants to read the book. It must be a small town, if the majority of the people in that town are against the ideas in the book then why do you feel that you need to make them purchase the books for their library. I am not for censorship, but if the library is funded by public funds and they don't like the book then why should they be forced to purchase and put the books on the shelves? You can't force people to changed their minds on a major social issue by shoving it down their throats. And what good is it to require them to buy the book just so it sits untouched on a library shelf? I read the book and I personally enjoyed it but I also realize that some people do not agree with the contents of the book, and I don't see it my place to force them read the book.
Good luck in your attack of the phones,
Tristan
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