WTF (West Bend, Wisconsin, Edition)

[snurri]

Four members of a library board in West Bend, Wis., were dismissed last week for refusing to remove controversial books from the library's young adult section.

Three guesses what "controversial" means in this context.

For some reason I know a bunch of people from West Bend. None of them live there anymore. I WONDER WHY.

Comments

[kylecassidy.livejournal.com]

i smell a storm brewing. the winds are strong. the phones are ringing in west bend....

[snurri.livejournal.com]

I would like that ad if it had the guy from "Airplane!" running through it shouting, "It's a twister! Auntie Em!"

[barbmg.livejournal.com]

Bwah! This is one of many reasons I adore you.

[snurri.livejournal.com]

Now I am picturing Professor Frink analyzing the approaching gay storm. "A 40% chance of the mincing and the prancing and the dancing with the tight pants--oh my, it's raining men!"

[readingthedark.livejournal.com]

Wow. One is a middle-of-the-road guide to teen girls' health that must have a passage about lesbianism or masturbation, one is often required summer reading for students in Massachusetts, and I remember hearing about Geography Club but I forget why. I just wrote a little rant in my f-list about this, but what freaks me out is how freedom of speech, by it's very nature, only applies to books a person hates. You want to ban it? You can't. It's freedom of speech. I want to ban it? I can't. It's freedom of speech. Even the most repressive regimes in history have been in favor of speech they liked. How come I live in a world where Ferlinghetti won this one once and for all and other people don't? How come whenever I hear something that offends me to the core, I think, "Awesome. Celine Dion isn't my bag, but I think people have the right to listen to her..."

[snurri.livejournal.com]

I have no answer for that, 'cause I agree. I'm sure they'd say they just don't want the kids to get it, at least not from the public library, but you know that if they beat down the libraries they'd go after the bookstores, and the publishers, and the writers . . .

[czakbar.livejournal.com]

According to their demographics, they're not the most non-caucasian friendly place to live either.

But really, there are a gazillion towns like this one in existence. I'm never surprised when shit like this happens. What surprises me is everyone else's surprise. But I'm a cynic at this juncture, waiting to be returned to wonder. :)

[snurri.livejournal.com]

The part that surprises me is that they don't foresee the shitstorm that will rain down on them when they try shit like this. Even Sarah Palin didn't win this fight.

[czakbar.livejournal.com]

oh god, yeah. it's so senseless. do they really not comprehend that what they've done is in complete disregard of law.

[10yroldwhizkid.livejournal.com]

“affirming traditional heterosexual perspectives.” daaaaaaaaaaaamn.

Also I think every single person in my 8th grade class read Perks of Being a Wallflower. We had mandatory reading time in junior high and I'd see that green cover every week with someone new. THE SWINE FLU OF BOOKS, WIDESPREAD AND DEADLY.

[snurri.livejournal.com]

I haven't read it; but of course, every time a book is banned I think, "I should probably read that."

[jamiam.livejournal.com]

For real.

[haddayr.livejournal.com]

I am actually hoping that if my book is ever published some dumb fucks will ban it for homo reasons and I will cash in.

Cynical and awful, I know; I should instead be hoping that by the time this book is published (assuming it is), it will be laughable to ban books for homo stuff.

[jamiam.livejournal.com]

There are plenty of books affirming the heterosexual agenda all over the damn library! GAAAaaaaaaah.

[snurri.livejournal.com]

Privilege; they are bathing in it, therefore they don't see it.

[jamiam.livejournal.com]

I want those dismissed library board members to sue. but I will settle for a shitstorm of phone calls and letters and radio shows making fun of West Bend. Is there a phone # I can call?

[ellen-denham.livejournal.com]

I imagine one could sum up their basic argument as this: if our kids don't know that homosexuality exists, they will all grow up just as straight and narrow as us! Besides, homosexuality is catching. One gay couple moves in, and there goes everybody's marriage.

[snurri.livejournal.com]

I heard that if gay marriage is made legal, only gays will be able to marry!

[ellen-denham.livejournal.com]

I'm still waiting for a couple of lesbians to come knock at my door with a pamphlet about the exciting gay lifestyle. All I get are Jehovah's Witnesses.

[laramiepup.livejournal.com]

Oh God. Thanks for the idea!

I LOVE Jehovah's Witness art and now - oh, now I can see in my mind's eye—a picture of two black women in a pasture with a large moose and fall squash and leaves and bread and summer blossoms on the trees and snow on the mountain and a small cabin in the back with a tiny rainbow flag and a white woman with long blond hair riding a white horse in the far, far distance and big, beautiful cursive words coming out of the parting clouds: "All Suffering Will End."

I'm not sure what is inside the pamphlet yet, but it will DEFINITELY make you want to be queer.

[le-trombone.livejournal.com]

Three guesses what "controversial" means in this context.

I win!

[haddayr.livejournal.com]

I didn't click on the link OR read the comments and I know it's because of gay stuff.

the world is still flat here.

[(Anonymous)]

Hi folks,

There are a lot of us on the ground here trying to dissolve this nonsense -- all caused by a handful of zealots angered to discover that Copernicus had it right.

Thank you so much for your support! Drop by... it's like watching professional wrestling--except it's real.

Okay, realer.

hiho
Mpeterson


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