[Publib] Publib Pet Peeve and anti-gay protestors

[Roseanne Biver]

Ignorance.
 
-----Original Message-----
From: philh at mrlib.org
To: publib at webjunction.org
Date: Thu, 18 Sep 2008 13:38:55 -0400 (Eastern Daylight Time)
Subject: RE: [Publib] Publib Pet Peeve and anti-gay protestors



I think the discussions are much more interesting in dangerous territory.
What's the capital of dangerous territory BTW?

> Ok PUBlibers we are heading once again into very dangerous territory with
> fact verses opinion.  Please keep your opinions to yourself and offer only
> the facts with regard to library policy and what you or you know other
> libraries have done in these similiar circumstances.   Your opinions and
> personal stories regarding homosexuals and their situations is not
> relevant
> to this thread.  The groups mentioned that give libraries a hard time have
> their own beliefs whether they are correct or not in the expression of
> that
> belief.  It's the ongoing problem in so many debates with so many issues.
> The arguments for or against an issue are out there, but are just not
> being
> made in the most effective way.
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: "George Hazelton" <ghazelton at mail.henry.public.lib.ga.us>
> To: "'Connie Jo Ozinga'" <cjo at elkhart.lib.in.us>, "'publib'"
> <publib at webjunction.org>
> Cc:
> Date: Thu, 18 Sep 2008 12:17:12 -0400
> Subject: RE: [Publib] Publib Pet Peeve and anti-gay protestors
>
>
> Hi Connie –
>
> I agree; if publib isn’t exactly what you want you can “grin 
and bear
> it,” or use that delete key, or find another venue.  Life is like 
that,
> we
> rarely get exactly what we want.
>
> Ah, those “good Christians!”   Where is the love and 
forebearance?  Do
> they really think that anyone would willingly become a member of an
> oft-despised, oft-persecuted minority?  Who would just decide one fine
> morning to do that?  Of the few gays I’ve known who spoke about 
their
> travails, all went through a lot of difficulty coming out, both to others,
> family, and themselves.  The odds are good that some of these
> “Christians” have family members or friends who are gay; odds 
are good
> that some of them are themselves closeted gays or are supressing such
> tendencies. When I read of these folk with an apparent phone line to the
> Almighty I’m reminded of a line in the Rubiyiat which asks 
“what, did
> the Potter’s hand slip?”
>
> Your board prez sounds like a worthy person in a difficult position.  Is
> there any legal means to stop what begins to sound like harrassment?  Does
> the local ACLU have any thoughts?  Have you contacted any of the gay
> support
> organizations for suggestions, perhaps Lambda Legal?
>
> Please keep us posted.  Good luck!
>
>
>
>
>
> From: publib-bounces at webjunction.org
> [mailto:publib-bounces at webjunction.org]
> On Behalf Of Connie Jo Ozinga
> Sent: Thursday, September 18, 2008 11:06 AM
> To: publib
> Subject: [Publib] Publib Pet Peeve and anti-gay protestors
>
> “I just signed up for PubLib last week and am seriously considering
> reversing
> that decision.”
>
> My pet peeve:  people who are new to the list who complain that publib
> isn’t what they expected, and we must change to make them happy.
> We’ve
> had a couple of these recently.
>
> I’ve been on this list for over ten years.  Sometimes we get goofy,
> sometimes, we argue, and we have many of the same conversations over and
> over and over again.  If publib isn’t what you expected you can 
sign off
> without complaining to the entire list.  Though I know you could care less
> if you make Connie crabby.  (Unlike my staff.)
>
> I’m already crabby.  Last night the crew of good Christians 
(“all
> right
> thinking Christians would agree with us”) came once again to the 
board
> meeting to address their issue of books related to homosexuality being in
> our library.  As they started once again into their spiel about the public
> health issue of homosexuals in our community the board prez, shut them up:
> We listened to you two months ago, we responded in writing, and we are not
> willing to revisit this over and over again.  They wouldn’t shut 
up, one
> board member walked out, it was almost as exciting as the first time they
> came and three times as many representatives of the gay community showed
> up.
>
> They have made it clear they intend to inspect every book in the
> children’s dept to make sure it deals with homosexuality 
appropriately
> –
> which means not at all. They will fill out recommended purchase forms for
> books about ex-gays and curing homosexuality, and now that they have had
> the
> process explained to them, I expect them to fill out a request for
> reconsideration form for every book related to homosexuality they can
> identify.
>
> At the previous meeting they opened by announcing that if you searched
> homosexuality in the PAC you would receive over 300 hits.  In a tone and
> style that made it clear this was a very bad thing. And the Board Prez
> says,
> yes, that’s not many out of over 300,000 books.
>
> So this is not going to stop, and in my middle age I am losing patience.
> I’ve been dealing with this stuff throughout my career, and 
I’m tired
> of
> it.  Getting my name in Rolling Stone due to such a battle was exciting
> when
> it happened, (I am right under the headline “Kurt Kobain recovers 
from
> suicide attempt”) but I would rather not have had the whole thing 
happen
> to begin with.  I’ve already won intellectual freedom award and 
have no
> desire to qualify for another.This current bunch come across to me as
> bigoted and intolerant, and I have to bite my tongue when dealing with
> them.
>  They also gave each board member a giant binder from NoSpecialRights.net,
> Lovingly opposing the homosexual agenda.  It appears this group formed in
> response to “homosexual activism at Notre Dame.”  (our 
neighbor to the
> west.)
>
> So I have my own stress reduction techniques etc., and I expect I will get
> flamed by one or more of you for this, but any advice on making these
> people
> go away is welcome.  This seems to be an organized effort from a group
> called Citizens for Community Values in Indiana.
>
> If you have dealt organized groups on this topic I would love to hear from
> you.
>
> Connie
>
> Connie Jo Ozinga, Director  cjo at elkhart.lib.in.us
> (574)522-3333  www.myepl.org
> Elkhart Public Library Elkhart, IN  46516
>
> The Elkhart Public Library provides access to resources which inform,
> educate, enlighten and entertain our diverse community.....Books are just
> the beginning.
>
>
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>





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