A federal judge has struck down key parts of an Arkansas law that would have allowed criminal charges against librarians and booksellers for providing so-called “harmful” materials to minors
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Good, hopefully more to come like that. How idiotic that hate speech and hateful actions are protected and that our libraries are expected to uphold close-minded and hateful perspectives on literature.
I would bet anything that those protesting the librarian's choices have children who watch porn on their phones, computers, friends' computers, dad's computer, etc.
These people must live under a rock to think "harmful to kids" things are in a library.
We should allow librarians to distribute any material and books that the school approves of, obviously we can’t allow parents to dictate what happens in America’s schools
Arkansas, the state that is sure to keep incest in the family.
in Arkansas you are considered worldly if you marry your second cousin and not your first.
how the hell can anyone sane live in that miserable, backwards state?
Arkansas wants to jail librarians, outlaw reproductive care and put 12 year olds to work in meat processing plants. Looks like they are on target to place #50 in education, healthcare and quality of life.
Why in the fuck would anyone ever want to live in any Red State?And why in the fuck doesn’t Merrick Garland do his fucking job and rid these states of their blatant and openly corrupt politicians and judges? And let’s not forget the crooked police forces throughout this country. Garlands a disgrace.
We need to force our sitting officials to come to the bargaining table with us, through voting with our wallets (plan how you can reduce or completely boycott big business) and starve the oligarchy out in mass protest beginning Jan 1.
Public librarians and booksellers had standing for two sections. School library sections were not challenged by anyone willing to litigate. But they probably wouldn't survive a challenge either. It goes against the Pico decision 40 years ago.
38% of Arkansonians can barely read well enough to be employable, 24% can Not read at all. they are the last state that goes to the library for anything but to ban books they can’t read.
To the liberals who insist on just moving out of Republican strongholds -
1. Your party just proved that it cannot be trusted to protect LGBT rights.
2. Moving is expensive and there are multiple factors that can make moving unfeasible.
3. All states are a shade of purple.
Also, that's *exactly* what the Republicans want and probably why they're passing so many hostile laws. More safe red areas to give them more power while people who oppose them concentrate themselves into blue cities and states for ease of voter opression.
Look, it’s a classic collective action problem. Maybe we don’t fault individuals for trying to get out of harm’s way, even though it would be better for everyone if leftist voters distributed themselves around the country such that they made up a majority in as many places as possible.
I don’t disagree! I just want to acknowledge individual circumstances really vary (especially as I’m a very privileged educated white guy who lives next to berkeley, ca).
Exactly. An individual will decide what they will and will be treated accordingly. A blanket call to just flee is a concession to fascism. We must stay and fight for as long as we can.
That’s a big win for liberty and the American way of life. Knowledge is power. Libraries and book sellers are the very life blood and soul. We should cherish and support them.
Was at my local library this morning. Said this to the staff. We're glad that is not happening here for the titles mentioned in other posts. Australia.
I would love to see a law that holds politicians liable for doing harmful things to minors, or for nominating people who do harmful things to minors, but we all know this really isn’t about protecting children.
Not just minors. I think it's about time to start suing law makers for the harm they are causing. Politicians are making medical decisions for women without having a medical license. I think every woman who has suffered as a result should sue every single lawmaker for medical fraud.
All my love to my Arkansas library people back home. I worked in a public library 2005-2007 and never had to mess with any more than a few content complaints, which went away once the person had to fill out a form in complete sentences. Do not underestimate how much stress they've been through.
The first major race of 2025 is fast approaching—and the implications are enormous. This election will determine the balance of the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Susan Crawford is fighting to preserve her seat while her opponent, rightwing extremist Brad Schimel, is trying to grab the tie-breaking vote.
This concept of high-mindedness to 'protect children' must be difficult for its promotors to agree on & therefore to enforce even if accepted. Given that the bible appears to be included not for its violence, but for its sexual content.
Honestly, when Idiot Parents don't want their curios children, tell the teacher you object and see if they'll let you choose another ( 99% will let you), but don't take away the right of other children to read them. And tell me: what he heck is in a Wrinkle In Time for people to want to ban it?
This is why President Biden's Federal Judge appointments are so crucial right now. His unprecedented move is so appreciated. A light at the end of the Trump fascist tunnel.
Why anyone still lives in that dystopia is beyond me. Homeless people can travel across the country so no excuse for living in hell with Satan Sanders.
Who in the hell villanizes a librarian? A bookstore owner will bring the demise of civilization! Someone's been drinking on the toilet while reading Marvel comics. That's where shit ideas come from.
In fact, how DO parents keep themselves busy in the US?
The teachers and churches and shopkeepers and bus drivers and Google and security guards have to take responsibility for their children.
The parental responsibility is not accepted by the parents at all.
If you’re extremist Christian, the idea that people are born queer runs counter to every narrative you’ve been told about sin and God. Because the belief is that infants are only born with Original Sin, the idea is that something must be “corrupting” them during childhood if they come out as adults.
We should take a lesson. Had we not marched, Vietnam War for many more years and lost lives. We are now lazy asses.
BOYCOTT CNN
Start at 12:01 am January 19th and continue until 11:59 pm January 20. Gives people enough time in advance of inauguration to get comfortable
Obscenity is people in Arkansas not understanding that selling weapons to Gaza and Congo is an obscenity far worse than any library book. Let kids read and be critical thinkers for themselves.
It’s not hidden: they are going hard after the First Amendment. The suit against the Iowa pollster and paper, banning books, librarians, a small WI station, bibles in schools, limiting protests, and more.
1A is the bedrock of our freedom and trump et al., wants to take it away.
Really, Arkansas?
38th - Education
47th - Health
40th - Child-well-being
16.8% - Residents live in poverty
22% - Children live in poverty
40.2% - Low income
If the parents do not want kids to see these books, the parents should be the ones monitoring the kids, not the state, not the govt, not the librarian.
Anyone that continues to live in these ass backwards red states either get out or stop complaining. Your fellow maggots voted for poverty and ignorance 😑🇺🇸
Yeah….no, that’s not an answer. Uprooting your entire family and starting over in a new state is not always feasible. I’ll continue to complain AND vote. You’re right on one point: the maggots continue to vote for ignorance, and they outnumber sane voters.
Rather than give credibility to RedHats rage at the millions of offensive things that make their eyes bug out maybe we should send them to adulting school, in a library.
We know they love to criticize but don’t can’t take being criticized so at least we’ll have the documentation of their grades.
Ignorance abounds! Why in the world would this have ever been a thing? Where did the people come from who would even want to criminalize reading—oh wait, never mind!
The book it self is no more harmful then Greek mythology and no more valid. The people that pimp it and make shit up that’s not even in it … those are the most destructive people.. so yeah the people preaching the Bible are horrific ..
As a librarian...I'm stunned that laws that allow criminal charges (bc parents would "feel" like a book could harm their kids when at the same time they hold up the Bible) would actually be a thing. But I'm also not living in the US
Obviously glad the ruling was struck down, but WHY is it even a thing??? Unreal. Librarians, doctors, and teachers shouldn't have to worry about going to jai because of MAGA lunatic policies.
Magats in my neighborhood petitioned the county to have the tiny library in our park removed. An overwhelming number of neighbors signed a petition to have it restored. One person who lives next to the park focused a security camera on it with a warning. A small bit of sanity in deep red Florida.
Now would be the time to take justice a step further and fine the people the amount of money, time, and effort it took to propose this hateful law, the amount of time and money it took to clog the system, and the amount time and money it took away from passing real laws.
I don't know why people keep voting against books. Illiterate fucks probably can't read anyhow. My parents came from Arkansas. They didn't have an education. That probably explains my Trump loving siblings.
Exactly what “harmful materials” do Arkansas lawmakers think librarians have access to? If they’re trying to keep books on bomb-making out of children’s hands, great. If, as I suspect, they’re trying to keep books with LGBTQIA and/or BIPOC protagonists out of children’s hands, then fuck all of them.
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It’s local politics that cause the most harm. For the whole country.
These people must live under a rock to think "harmful to kids" things are in a library.
Somehow, I don't think it's about the kids.
Arkansas (proudly) we also jail librarians
in Arkansas you are considered worldly if you marry your second cousin and not your first.
how the hell can anyone sane live in that miserable, backwards state?
Arkansas ranked:
* 47th OVERALL worst state based on 7 metrics
* 4th least educated state with Louisiana, Mississippi and West Virginia ranking lower
* 45th in the nation for child poverty
* 46th in life expectancy @ 73.8 years
* 42nd in literacy rates
* 47th most obese
Corrupt cult needs to go.
(I'll be posting how to get involved for Jan. soon)
MTG confirmed for us, it's majorly corrupt, across all branches.
America needs a practical deconstruction and new deal.
Or everyone is cooked, any fascists reading on as well.
O- Oppresive
P- People
Bibles should not be allowed in any k-12 school.
https://www.nsdoku.de/en/historic-site/koenigsplatz/book-burnings-1933
1. Your party just proved that it cannot be trusted to protect LGBT rights.
2. Moving is expensive and there are multiple factors that can make moving unfeasible.
3. All states are a shade of purple.
This isn't twitter.
What’s this I see? Could it be yet another “L” for Arkansas Republicans?
Want some salt with that “L”, Sarah?
All of these absurd laws have to pass legal muster.
Most will not.
Only people who belong to jail are these crazy politicians
WHERE ARE THE PARENTS?
WHY do parents try to push their own responsibility to educate their children according to their own standards, off on everyone else???
The teachers and churches and shopkeepers and bus drivers and Google and security guards have to take responsibility for their children.
The parental responsibility is not accepted by the parents at all.
BOYCOTT CNN
Start at 12:01 am January 19th and continue until 11:59 pm January 20. Gives people enough time in advance of inauguration to get comfortable
For example, I was born in Texas. Didn't grow up there, but I have family in the South. Some of them are good people.
Obscenity is people in Arkansas not understanding that selling weapons to Gaza and Congo is an obscenity far worse than any library book. Let kids read and be critical thinkers for themselves.
1A is the bedrock of our freedom and trump et al., wants to take it away.
38th - Education
47th - Health
40th - Child-well-being
16.8% - Residents live in poverty
22% - Children live in poverty
40.2% - Low income
Book bans are déclassé... but Sara Huckabee can't read the room.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/librarians-read-sarah-huckabee-sanders-160135225.html
We know they love to criticize but don’t can’t take being criticized so at least we’ll have the documentation of their grades.