Proposed Gay Book Ban for Alabama LibrariesFollow

This news article from The Birmingham News (AL), discusses a recently proposed bill to eliminate any positive references to homosexuality from the state’s libraries (including University Libraries). This includes novels, plays and textbooks that depict homosexuality (and homosexual acts) as positive or natural. This includes such items as Tennessee Williams’ Cat On A Hot Tin Roof, as well as books like The Picture of Dorian Gray, The Color Purple, and Brideshead Revisited.

His suggestion for what to do if his bill passes is rather simple.

“I guess we did a big hole and dump them in and bury them.”

I came across a blog while searching for other news on the issue. There are some great links to the bill itself, as well as other points of reference regarding homosexuality and libraries, as well as free speech issues and libraries.

Also, a bit out of date, but still interesting, is this article from the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions that provides a look at the history of homsexuality in libraries.

In my opinion, this bill probably doesn't have much of a chance, but still, it drives home the fact that there are still times when book destruction and censorship are considered to be a positive thing in our culture. It disturbs me that people think that completely erasing any mention of something (be it homsexuality, or anything that they are uncomfortable with, or that they disagree with) is a positive way to deal with an issue.

I'd like to hear other opinions on this, and on censorship in general. My apologies if this has already been discussed, or if it's not a topic of interest. I've never created an Asylum topic, and so I'm a bit unsure if this is appropriate.

I'm always baffled by people who view homosexuality as something with which they should agree or disagree with, or that it's something they can choose to believe in or not.

I don't agree with blonde hair. I just don't believe in it.

Seems pretty insane that anyone would even think of proposing a bill concerning book censorship of such a broad and vague and odd scale.

Though the fact that a fair people have spoken seriously about amending the constitution to instituitionalize gay bashing probably means that there will be even more screwy things popping up like that.

Also considering the ******** that went about over a breast being shown at a super bowl kinda shows that people are into having things filtered. Many probably want to simply live in a bubble and not think that anything that contradicts their core views could exist.

I remember reading about all the crap that went on with just the book "Catcher in the Rye" which made me lose all faith in humanity. People going off about the book having foul language and promoting pre-marital sex and such.

It seems like people don't really pay any attention to what happens in the past so I'm guessing there is going to be another "final solution" suggested by Bush in the next few years.

What Catcher in the Rye is about.

Edit>> Also here, is a link to the the books themes, which is the real reason it's controversial, I suppose.

Edited, Sat Feb 12 06:06:15 2005 by Miravelle

I suppose that's a reason as well.

Hooray for bookburning! With the shi[b][/b]tty state of Alabama's economy, how else will they keep the schools heated?

People scare me.

Thank Bob i don't live in Alabama, people like this should never be aloud to run for public office.

they've got actual books in alabama?!?! not just **** and 'guns and ammo'? oh yeah, and what about the bible? there's lots of sex and violence in it.

That goes without saying, m'dear.

goes down okay, but leaves you with heartburn

It's sad they people waste all this energy on trying to get rid of us. You will never be able to get rid of us...it's ya know, a mother nature thing.