ACLU misinformed...

The West Bend Community Memorial Library Board on Tuesday evening postponed consideration of a complaint filed over gay-themed books in the library’s young adult collection. Over 200 people came to the board’s scheduled meeting, including a representative of the ACLU of Wisconsin. When the library takes up the issue, the ACLU of Wisconsin believes it should follow young adult policies that ensure materials are accessible, inclusive, and appropriate for young readers

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"The ACLU of Wisconsin will continue to monitor development in West Bend closely.”

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The ACLU is misinformed about what our requests are pending before the West Bend library board.

In accordance with ALA policy, we are seeking more speech, balanced speech, not less. We are asking for inclusiveness of additional titles so that the entire collection regarding gayness is not gay-affirming or gay promoting. We are asking for critical literature about leaving the gay lifestyle and materials that explain the effects of the gay lifestyle.

We do not feel it is too much to ask that no books in the juvenile section of our library contain pornographic explicit descriptions of sex acts.

Every time a librarian makes a decision about what books to buy, keep and throw, they are part of the editorial decisionmaking, i.e., censorship, process. We expect our librarians to use wise editorial judgement pursuant to their own policies. If citizens have no input on this editorial process, then our library would be turned into a private library paid for by taxpayer money.

Just because a book is aimed at children does not mean it is appropriate for children. The publishers who are benefitting from the sale of these books have a biased interest.

If our librarians feel that homosexual books for our youth and books with explicit pornographic sex acts are appropriate for our youth, then we feel they are exercising poor judgement and should not be supported by taxpayer money.

Accountability is the hallmark of government; therefore, we are holding our library accountable for the choices it is making for our youth and our community.