An update on Oklahoma House Bill 2158. Fear of recruitment, a list of books that are deemed inappropriate, and other conservatives tactics to take even more rights away from GLBT families.

Read the text of the letter I sent to my State Representative as published in the Tulsa World on 3/26 after the jump.

Crossing the line?

I am outraged that Sally Kern, R-Oklahoma City, has proposed limiting funding to libraries unless they self-censor and restrict access to materials. This is a clear and undeniable attempt to restrict the rights and liberties of all Oklahomans, no matter their age.

I firmly believe that laws like these are being passed in an effort to provide legislative solutions to a parental problem. Why are representatives not passing resolutions urging parents to become more involved in their children’s lives instead of threatening libraries? Why do we have to give up civil liberties to provide a sanitized, day care-like library environment?

I propose an alternate solution. Why doesn’t Kern rewrite her proposed law to provide a list of books acceptable for our libraries? Wouldn’t it resolve many issues if librarians did not have to research and manage a wide variety of books on different topics and with different viewpoints? Think of the savings if the Legislature did the work for librarians by approving what is available for public consumption.
Where does this stop? What happens when research material is no longer available? What happens when people can no longer freely read books about topics and values they find important? What happens when people such as Kern succeed in closing libraries and removing all homosexual content? What is the next target? Books about divorce? Books about single parents?

Please stop this encroachment on our civil liberties. Do not destroy libraries. Encourage Oklahomans to become involved in their children’s lives. This is not a legislative issue; this is a parental issue.
Justin Davis, Tulsa