Sarah Palin Wanted To Ban Books...

This is just scary and the Christian Right sees nothing wrong with this. From Crooks and Liars:

[Former mayor] John Stein says that as mayor, Palin continued to inject religious beliefs into her policy at times. “She asked the library how she could go about banning books,” he says, because some voters thought they had inappropriate language in them. “The librarian was aghast.” That woman, Mary Ellen Baker, couldn’t be reached for comment, but news reports from the time show that Palin had threatened to fire Baker for not giving “full support” to the mayor.

This comes from a TIME article filed from Wasilla, where journalists are busy doing the vetting that McCain left to a secretive ultra-right group, the Council for National Policy.

Think that this could not happen in 2008 - your wrong. From September 27 until October 4 is Banned Book Week. Still across this country of ours, people who think they have an "in" with their almighty god feel that can tell me what I and my children can and cannot read. How dare these people assume that they know what everyone should read!

From the American Library Association (ALA):

Each year, the American Library Association's (ALA) Office for Intellectual Freedom receives hundreds of reports on books and other materials that were "challenged" (their removal from school or library shelves was requested). The ALA estimates the number represents only about a quarter of the actual challenges. "Most Challenged" titles include the popular "Harry Potter" series of fantasy books for children by J.K. Rowling. The series drew complaints from parents and others who believe the books promote witchcraft to children.

Here is a list of the books that have been banned (or requested to be banned) and the reasons:

1. "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" by Mark Twain, for its use of language, particularly references to race
2. "It's Perfectly Normal", a sex education book by Robie Harris, for being too explicit, especially for children
3. "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou, for the description of rape she suffered as a child.
   
4. "Tripping Over the Lunch Lady" by Angela Johnson, challenged at the Magruder Elementary School for inclusion in the library for passages about war.
5. All Harry Potter Books because some Christians are scared of wizards and witches!?
6. "The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things", Carolyn Mackler, challenged for sexual content, offensive language, being "anti-family", and being unsuited for age group.
7. "And Tango Makes Three" by Peter Parnell, Justin Richardson, and Henry Cole, challenged for homosexuality and being "anti-family".

The best part of And Tango Makes Three is that this is a true story of two male penguins in New York City's Central Park Zoo. "They cuddle and share a nest like the other penguin couples, and when all the others start hatching eggs, they want to be parents, too. Determined and hopeful, they bring an egg-shaped rock back to their nest and proceed to start caring for it. They have little luck, until a watchful zookeeper decides they deserve a chance at having their own family and gives them an egg in need of nurturing. The dedicated and enthusiastic fathers do a great job of hatching their funny and adorable daughter, and the three can still be seen at the zoo today." - amazon I love that some crazy people out there want to ban this book. Are they afraid that since homosexuality happens in nature that means that it is not a choice. Cannot have that. Our kids will be scared for life. Also saying that it is "anti-family" when it shows true love for the offsrping they are entrusted with. God I hate people that try to make something out of nothing.