“Our Mission is to protect children from explicit materials and grooming,” say those seeking the recall of four of five members of the Boundary County Free Library Board, sparing the only member who voted “their way.” Their arguments appear plausible to some, but they are wrong. It is time for those in our community who recognize their aim and don’t buy the rhetoric to stand firm and deliver to these usurpers a loud and unequivocal, “no.”
They attempt to tar our library with the self-same brush this far right-wing movement is employing nation-wide; that it is bent on adding titles that this particular group finds offensive so as to defile and abase the youth of our community.
On June 16, the library board adopted a policy that “recognizes that given the increasing emphasis on frankness and realism of materials including those that explore social, sexual and ethical issues, some members of the community may consider some materials to be controversial and/or offensive,” the policy reads. “Selection of materials will not be affected by any such potential disapproval, and the Boundary County Library will not place materials on ‘closed shelves’ or label items to protect the public from their content. In the case of controversial issues or views, the Boundary County Library will not advance one perspective without regard for the other(s).”
Somehow, in the minds of those advocating the recall, that fair-minded statement was construed as a deliberate effort “to expose our children to adult only material and books as they would allow all ages to have access.”
To bolster their contention, they cite books they find offensive; “Gender Queer,” “Fun Home,” “It’s Perfectly Normal.”
Theirs might be a noble and laudable assertion were it not for two facts; the Boundary County Library has not one copy of any of the books mentioned and the list, and allegations follow a national playbook encouraging such far right attacks on library boards across the country.
The mission is not to protect children, but to unseat existing library boards so as to replace them with those of their ilk, their faithful, to perpetrate a lawful coup. To disrupt, stir contention, raise doubts.
Those involved in this attempt are active and vocal, working diligently in high-traffic places to convince Boundary County voters to sign their petitions so as to put the recall to vote.
That is their right.
It is the right of those who see through their ploy to ignore them.