An Alabama lawmaker apparently wants to confirm every stereotype available of conservatives, Christians, and the South by proposing a sweeping ban of books that contain gay characters. Rep. Gerald Allen wants such literary materials pulled from public libraries and universities that use public funds:

An Alabama lawmaker who sought to ban gay marriages now wants to ban novels with gay characters from public libraries, including university libraries.

A bill by Rep. Gerald Allen, R-Cottondale, would prohibit the use of public funds for "the purchase of textbooks or library materials that recognize or promote homosexuality as an acceptable lifestyle." Allen said he filed the bill to protect children from the "homosexual agenda." ...

Allen said that if his bill passes, novels with gay protagonists and college textbooks that suggest homosexuality is natural would have to be removed from library shelves and destroyed.

"I guess we dig a big hole and dump them in and bury them," he said.

Allow me to weigh in with the proper conservative position, which is that the Alabama GOP ought to find Allen a properly padded room somewhere and hand him a copy of William Shirer's Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. (Hey, it's linked on the right column of my blog.) It's one thing to object when public schools use Heather Has Two Mommies as required reading for primary-school children, but to declare a ban on gay characters in all literature available to the public is insane. I'm shocked that an American lawmaker wouldn't already know that.

Not only is Allen's proposal unconstitutional and politically inept, it's just plain mean-spirited and wrong. Conservatives and liberals should both condemn Allen and his initiative. (via Memeorandum)

Trackback Pings

TrackBack URL for this entry is