Banned Book Week ignites present day controversies

by Jason Sanders | October 3, 2008 at 10:19 am

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Banned Book Week is just ending, but it found itself in the centre of arguments concerning ex-gay literature, Sarah Palin, and teen sex. Banned Book week is an annual event that 'celebrates' our literary past by promoting books that have been banned.

Focus on the Family used Banned Book Week to protest some libraries' refusal to carry books that included alternative viewpoints of homosexuality. Some students from the local high school joined the protest, saying that the libraries were censoring their beliefs.

In partnership with the group Focus on the Family, they had attempted to donate religious books that, among other things, purport to show how gays and lesbians could change or suppress their sexual orientation. Many students complained their views were being discriminated against, since there were hundreds of books accepting of homosexuality present in school libraries, according to the students and Focus on the Family.

A fake email about Sarah Palin's banned book list has been making the rounds since early September, but gained new revival during the week due to the subject. Turns out the email list is fake and was the result of a 1996 article in the Anchorage Daily News in which Governor Palin asked the librarian about removing certain books from the library:

WASILLA -- Back in 1996, when she first became mayor, Sarah Palin asked the city librarian if she would be all right with censoring library books should she be asked to do so.

According to news coverage at the time, the librarian said she would definitely not be all right with it. A few months later, the librarian, Mary Ellen Emmons, got a letter from Palin telling her she was going to be fired. The censorship issue was not mentioned as a reason for the firing. The letter just said the new mayor felt Emmons didn't fully support her and had to go.

The final fallout from Banned Book Week actually began back in August when a public library in Galway, New York removed a book written for teenage girls, called “Hang-Ups, Hook-Ups and Holding Out: Stuff You Need to Know About Your Body, Sex, & Dating." A parent had asked for the book to be removed on "the basis of factual errors, philosophy and perceived bias."

“[Venditti brought up concerns] due to factual errors, philosophy and perceived bias,” the minutes read.

Poulin said the book was removed from circulation and Venditti was given a form to fill out listing her reasons for wanting the book removed permanently. Venditti couldn’t be reached for comment Thursday.

Poulin said a copy of the book was delivered to Dr. Anneke Pribis at the Galway Family Health clinic. “We’ve asked Dr. Pribis to read the book to see if it is medically accurate,” Poulin said. “We haven’t heard back from Anneke yet.”

Trustee Arlene Rhodes said she has been on the board since the library was founded 12 years ago and this is the first time a patron has asked to have a book selection reviewed.

Jason Sanders, I like this story. It's good stuff.

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