POLITICS: Alabama Bill to Ban 'Gay' books and Gay Authors

Republican Alabama lawmaker Gerald Allen is proposing a bill that will not allow Alabama public libraries to purchase books about gays or books written by gay authors. Originally, Allen wanted to include certain pieces of Shakespeare's literature in his ban, but after criticism, he has exempted "the classics."



I am sure this bill will be shot down by Alabama legislature due to it's clear violation of First Amendment rights. The scary thing to me is that the bill is brought up in the first place. The ability to remove certain pieces of literature from public libraries is not a good sign of progress. If gay books are banned, why stop there? Why not ban liberal books, or anti religion books, or anti government books?


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[edit on 27-4-2005 by mpeake]

Man, the Bible Belt never ceases to amaze me...I agree this will probably never see the light of day, but who is he to determine what people get to read or not? For one thing, just because an author is gay or a story has gay characters doesn't mean the book is promoting homosexuality. Even if it was, are we that stupid that we can't read a book and determine if it applies to us or not? What is so wrong about gay people anyways? I'll never understand that; it's not any business of anyone but the people in the relationship.

To take away free public access to classic and priceless collections of poetry like Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman, or books like Other Voices, Other Rooms by Truman Capote simply because they were written by gay men that deal with homosexual themes is to deny Americans their right to grow and develop....

Sure they can buy it at the store down the street...but many people use the library as their primary source for reading material because they have no other option and are seeking to gain knowledge, not to repress it.....

The idea of banning ANY book is preposterous....It's an abuse of power and a profound show of complete ignorance....

This kind of sensationalism and propaganda worked once before on a group of people who were swept of their feet by charisma and irrational logic.....And I think we all know that as a result, more than books were burned.....

Clearly the presence of this Bill is an indication that we have learned nothing…

Violations of the First Admendment has never stopped the goverment from banning books in public / school libraries. Look at the schools today, locally here,
books such as Tom Sawyer, Where the Buffulo Roam, Red Badge of Courage, Lord of the Flies are all banned books. You can only get the books from bookstores. One other thing, if a child attempts to do a book report on a banned book, it receives a failed grade. I just had that battle with the local school department and lost.

Here is a great link about banned books...

American Library Association

“Don't join the book burners . . . .” — Dwight D. Eisenhower, President of the United States, 1953–1961.

"Restriction of free thought and free speech is the most dangerous of all subversions. It is the one un-American act that could most easily defeat us."—Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas, "The One Un-American Act." Nieman Reports, vol. 7, no. 1 (Jan. 1953): p. 20.

“Intellectual Freedom is the right of every individual to both seek and receive information from all points of view without restriction. It provides for free access to all expressions of ideas through which any and all sides of a question, cause or movement may be explored. Intellectual freedom encompasses the freedom to hold, receive and disseminate ideas.”—Intellectual Freedom and Censorship Q & A

“[I]t’s not just the books under fire now that worry me. It is the books that will never be written. The books that will never be read. And all due to the fear of censorship. As always, young readers will be the real losers.”—Judy Blume

“Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by subduing the freeness of speech.”—Benjamin Franklin

“Without Freedom of Thought, there can be no such Thing as Wisdom; and no such Thing as publick Liberty, without Freedom of Speech.” — Benjamin Franklin

Get to know your political fundamentalist in your local government, the are there for a reason and is to shove their version of morality and bible wisdom down the throat of anybody else.

The next four years in our government and in our nation will be know as the years of the "Reconstructionist"

Get used to the term because is sure going to impact your life.

By the way they care less on what civil rights and constitutional rights they need to step on to get what they want.

For you to be force to worship their way and only way.



[edit on 27-4-2005 by marg6043]

Since when has it been public knowledge about the sexuality of some authors? True, some are rather blatant about it, but what are they going to do? Force everyone who ever gets a novel published to fill out a survey stating their sexuality? "Oh, you can't read this because the author SOUNDS gay!"? This is a waste of time.

Besides, since when is it okay to censor literature like that? What's the point in writing it if it never gets read?

It's severely disturbing to me that we are in the 21st century and this crap is still going on. I always like to think that maybe man has come a long way since the old days but it's just goes to show that the same thing keeps happening to this day.

why don't we all just get big picture windows put in our bedrooms.

so that all these perv politicians that keep inviting themselves there, wont have trouble voyuering anymore...

all the bedroom stuff right out in the open... because that is the only way to enforce these massively inquisitional laws...

The really funny thing is that the politicians that seem to make the most stink about what goes on behind closed doors, are also the ones that seem to have very closeted deviant/controversial behaviors when scandals come out years later...

I wonder what that guy looks like in drag? I think I see some eyeliner residue... maybe he should have used more makeup remover...
I DO... I DO RECOGNIZE HIM...
I think he was singing RESPECT at a show last year...
wasn't bad actually... needed bigger breasts though...

I think all parents in America who actually give a damn about their kids should get them the hell out of public school. Homeschool is the way to go, all the way.

And this legislator has a skeleton or three in his closet, guaranteed. Anyone remember Santorum or Helms?

Bastards. All mouth, no soul.

I say eviscerate their power base with proper education. What more can you do without resorting to eugenics administered on a sliding scale based off compassion quotient?

A lame attempt to excise gays from the culture by enforcing ignorance.

But this is nothing compared to what's coming. Should the Reconstructionist types get their way, they will impose a Final Solution on gays, not to mention anyone else that doesn't want to live by their rules. They are absolutely in love with the death penalty (in particular, by stoning), and seek to apply it to all manner of "crimes" including homosexual behavior, apostasy, and premarital sex.

We need to go after the Santorems of the Republican party and the joe Liebermans of the Democratic party and get back to a separation of church and state.

We need more tax revenue--We need to force congress to start taxing the friggin religions that want to raise support for politicians--and that goes forboth parties.

Marge is right--if we don't do something about the influence of the radicaL religious, we will be in the middle of a new religious reconstruction, and it won't be pretty--it never is when religion is in control of the people.

So i guess that these politicians would prefer a "see no evil, speak no evil, and hear no evil" type country...

Yeah... that seems to work extremely well for catholic school girls...

actually... I am suddenly all for legislation to control our exposure to sexual activites...
PARTY... ORGY AT MY HOUSE!!! bring your own toga!

"It's not healthy for America, it doesn't fit what we stand for. And they will do whatever it takes to reach their goal."
Gerald Allen,
Alabama State Representative

Ok, is not healthy for America or he means his version of American, it doesn't fit what we stand for, so I guess gay persecution and banning is what Americans wants plus stepping also on everybody's constitutional rights.

I guess if this people could change the constitution they will do it in a hart bit.

I wonder if he has a copy of playbody somewhere in his house

Originally posted by marg6043
Get to know your political fundamentalist in your local government, the are there for a reason and is to shove their version of morality and bible wisdom down the throat of anybody else.

VOTEregister, get involved and vote!

All the crying in the world changes nothing. People that vote decide YOUR future.

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When an old woman living in a 3rd world nation can vote the 'educated' should be able to find their way to the polls as well
.
.

Voting's proved real effective...

Especially since people vote based off the information they have, which is all lies, false promises, and hollow talk about 'values' which are never pinned down.

It's a farce.

The most effective societies are small. When a society gets this large, breakdown is inevitable.

Of course, we now have the capability through the mass media and high speed communications to run the country appropriately...

But that will likely never happen because of the system of capitalism that desires caste maintenance.

Villages may not offer the same sort of technological advances as cities and nations..but if only the rich can afford these miraculous life extenders and comfort allowances, why bother maintaining their luxury at the cost of your sweat? The greater good? hah...

That's a good one. Edging up on communism even...

This is just the latest farce of politics. It really sickens me to think that people in positions of power think with such an ignorant mind. Ban gay literature? What's next, a ban on Gay arts? Well, say goodbye to most live theatre, at least half of film, a large portion of music, and MOST fashion designers.

*sigh* Orwell was more right than he ever could have known.

*applies for a job at "The Ministry of Truth"*

Originally posted by WyrdeOne
Voting's proved real effective...

Especially since people vote based off the information they have, which is all lies, false promises, and hollow talk about 'values' which are never pinned down.

It's a farce.

Great 'cop out.' People whine and don't participate to change things. IF and when a draft pops up lots of 'I was never for it' chanting will fill the air as well.

Don't vote, whine instead

Originally posted by MCory1
Man, the Bible Belt never ceases to amaze me...I agree this will probably never see the light of day, but who is he to determine what people get to read or not? For one thing, just because an author is gay or a story has gay characters doesn't mean the book is promoting homosexuality. Even if it was, are we that stupid that we can't read a book and determine if it applies to us or not? What is so wrong about gay people anyways? I'll never understand that; it's not any business of anyone but the people in the relationship.

Well this sounds good to me, gays are sick people, either in the head or just plain sick... And it might not others buisiness what to consenting sick people wish to do in there own homes, but that doesnt mean we should have to put up with it in public, or encourage our kids into thinking its ok....

It's not a cop out, I just don't find puppet theatre engrossing enough to hold my attention.

Maybe you're easily amused by the colors of their single ice cream flavor (lying liars), but I've grown tired of it. Same agenda, many faces.

Participate in what exactly? Throwing a ballot into a box (obviously a metaphor since we all know the new and snazzy ways of rigging the vote don't require ballot boxes) is supposed to make me feel fulfilled as a person, even knowing what I know about politics and advertising and human psychological response to visual stimuli?

Nope.

I am not entertained. I refuse to root for the puppet on the left, just because other people are rooting for the puppet on the right. I know they're both puppets, and I know I'm a human being, so what do I do? I cut some firewood, shingle my barn, prepare dinner, and kiss my wife goodnight.

Enjoy the theatrics, but I refuse to waste another election season trying to find redeeming qualities in whatever two dandy fops have been elevated to pre-naturally visible status in preparation for the farce election.

Get involved they say...

Sure thing..just as soon as the system is changed to hold liars and thieves of all income levels accountable. When the Justice system dispenses justice, when the government reigns in wasteful spending, when our oligarchs are disembowled by laughing, ethnically diverse children, I'll participate.