Palin supports the banning of books from public libraries

[DroppinScience]

Here's a NY Times article that gives us a glimpse of Palin's past as mayor of Wasilla, Alaska. Among other things, she apparently was interested in banning some books from the town's public library.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/03/us/politics/03wasilla.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

Here's the library-specific portion of the article:

Shortly after becoming mayor, former city officials and Wasilla residents said, Ms. Palin approached the town librarian about the possibility of banning some books, though she never followed through and it was unclear which books or passages were in question.

Ann Kilkenny, a Democrat who said she attended every City Council meeting in Ms. Palin’s first year in office, said Ms. Palin brought up the idea of banning some books at one meeting. “They were somehow morally or socially objectionable to her,” Ms. Kilkenny said.

The librarian, Mary Ellen Emmons, pledged to “resist all efforts at censorship,” Ms. Kilkenny recalled. Ms. Palin fired Ms. Emmons shortly after taking office but changed course after residents made a strong show of support. Ms. Emmons, who left her job and Wasilla a couple of years later, declined to comment for this article.

In 1996, Ms. Palin suggested to the local paper, The Frontiersman, that the conversations about banning books were “rhetorical.”

So much for 1st amendment rights.

[RobMoney$]

I guess these types of threads are fine as long as they're not about your candidate, huh Brett? Because the liberals are always the victim, right.

CHANGE - SCHMANGE!

It smells like good old-fashioned mud-slinging politics as usual to me.

[DroppinScience]

I guess these types of threads are fine as long as they're not about your candidate, huh Brett? Because the liberals are always the victim, right.


Are you that dense? I have made several threads criticizing Obama, too. In fact I made one criticizing his health care plan just a few days ago. No, they're not the types of criticisms you're interested in hearing because they carry validity and speak beyond the cliched GOP talking points of the "inexperienced" or "celebrity" vein.

I know you also don't like my threads because I don't go about quoting forwarded messages from your e-mail inbox written by anonymous people pretending to be top DNC insiders.

I deeply apologize if a NY Times article about Palin's dalliances with censorship upsets you so much. I know you don't think books are worth a lick anymore. And I know how you feel about people who actually go bother to read a book every once and again.

I'll try to rise up to your high standards. Maybe I should go find some YouTubes of out of context clips Obama acting like a fool. I know you like those.

[QueenAdrock]

These types of issues should not go ignored, from EITHER party. I'm strictly anti-censorship and intellectual freedom is a cornerstone of what I believe in as a librarian. To think that she'd support banning books is sickening to me.

Either way, I don't get how bringing up legitimate issues is 'mud slinging.' Mud slinging is taking people's personal lives or seemingly non-issues (such as "Barack Obama and Michelle fist bumped and that shows they're terrorists" or "Barack didn't wear a flag pin today, he hates America") and beating them to death. Talking about someone and their ACTIONS is not mud slinging. Censorship should be an issue that matters to everyone. Bush is the worst president when it comes to control of information and what gets released and what doesn't. He's quite authoritarian about it, actually. So, her wanting to censor and control information in the library speaks very clearly to her priorities and what she would do if she were in office.

[RobMoney$]

It's a story about a woman who can't be located and books that can't be identified.

Journalism at it's best.

I don't care if it was printed on the Holy Grail, just because it was in the Times doesn't mean it's a credible story. The source of info is town residents? In other words, RUMORS. You blasted me when I posted that article about the anonymous DNC donor who blasted Obama (and you're still blasting me for it in this thread) because no one signed their name to it. Shoe's on the other foot now Lambert, but apparently it's a perfect fit for you.


Maybe it's time to take off the Democratic colored glasses you've been wearing.

[Ali]

Here's a NY Times article that gives us a glimpse of Palin's past as mayor of Wasilla, Alaska. Among other things, she apparently was interested in banning some books from the town's public library.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/03/us/politics/03wasilla.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

Here's the library-specific portion of the article:



So much for 1st amendment rights.
Is The Origin of Species on her ban list?

[QueenAdrock]

It's been reported elsewhere, including in Alaska itself: http://www.adn.com/politics/story/515512.html

"Sarah said to Mary Ellen, 'What would your response be if I asked you to remove some books from the collection?" Kilkenny said.

Palin herself, questioned at the time, called her inquiries rhetorical and simply part of a policy discussion with a department head "about understanding and following administration agendas," according to the Frontiersman article.

So yes, she did inquire as to how to ban books. Then, Mary Ellen's job was threatened because Palin felt she "didn't support her and had to go." Seeing as how the only time that she talked to the librarian was to see if she'd be willing to ban books, to which she said "absolutely not," the reason why she was fired because she wasn't going to be one of Palin's lackeys.

I'd like to hear Palin respond to this issue.

[ToucanSpam]

Until I see a list of books she was interested in banning, this is pretty minor. Yes DS, it does feel a bit like a violation of the 1st amendment. However, what if she was interested in banning books like Mein Kamf (sp) or something promoting supremacy of a particular race/religion? Maybe it's a long shot but we don't know until we see a list. No, I'm not being coy.

[QueenAdrock]

Mein Kampf shouldn't be banned either. You, as a history major, should be the first one to know this. I read Mein Kampf. I am not a neo-nazi, nor do I support anything written in that book. I read it for historical knowledge. Censorship of any material should never be permitted, all books have value. Just banning something because you don't agree with what is written isn't a good enough reason to ban it.

Intellectual freedom is a basic human right, as defined by Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Article 19 states:

Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

You may not agree with what they have to say, but they damn well have the right to say it. As Voltaire said, "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." That applies to everyone.

[ToucanSpam]

Mein Kampf shouldn't be banned either. You, as a history major, should be the first one to know this. I read Mein Kampf. I am not a neo-nazi, nor do I support anything written in that book. I read it for historical knowledge. Censorship of any material should never be permitted, all books have value. Just banning something because you don't agree with what is written isn't a good enough reason to ban it.

Intellectual freedom is a basic human right, as defined by Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Article 19 states:

Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

You may not agree with what they have to say, but they damn well have the right to say it. As Voltaire said, "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." That applies to everyone.


You're absolutely right. Thank you for correcting me.(y)