Bill restricting gay (& sexual) material at Okla. libraries passes house

[kskiska]

The Oklahoma house voted late Wednesday to withhold state funding from local libraries that do not segregate reading material with sexually explicit or gay themes from reading areas for children and young adults. House members voted 60–33 for the bill after more than two hours of questions and debate in which opponents said the measure was a form of censorship and an unfunded mandate that would remove local control from library boards.

The measure, which is opposed by the Oklahoma Library Association, now goes to the senate, where opponents predict it will be killed. "It doesn't seem that you can legislate morality," said Rep. Debbie Blackburn, a Democrat from Oklahoma City.

Blackburn and other opponents said an advisory board charged with developing an annual list of gay or sexually explicit material that must be placed in separate areas is the first step in an attempt to cleanse libraries of books some people consider offensive.

"I refuse to live under the Taliban," Blackburn said, referring to the nationalist Islamic fundamentalist group that effectively ruled most of Afghanistan from 1996 until 2001. "I refuse to live in Iran. This is America."

more…
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid28063.asp

[sakabatou]

1. Who will think of the children?

[Missy Vixen]

2. Excuse me? Did I miss something here?

>do not segregate reading material with sexually explicit or gay themes from reading areas for children and young adults.<

The last time I went to the library, there was NO literature featuring "sexually explicit or gay themes" in the children's section. As for young adults, is it not up to their parents to oversee what is being read? What about if the young person in question is doing a research project for school about breast cancer, for instance?

I am so weary of those who believe they know better than the rest of us what is "decent", especially since an uncomfortably high number of the "overseers" seem to have issues in their own families they're not dealing with.

Julie

[Left Is Write]

3. Exactly.

I get to decide what my children should read/look at/see. Not the government.

[Maat]

4. Exactly!

And, as a former social worker (Child Protective Services worker), I wonder how long it is before a social worker will be coming to my house after I read "King and King" to my daughter.

To the defeat of that bill! I'll be praying (or 'using my consciousness,' if you prefer) for its defeat!