The Sarah Palin library/ book banning issue update

[ellen_datlow]

Here's the most recent (and seemingly most accurate) update on VP candidate questioning the Wassila librarian about banning books.

In December 1996, Emmons told her hometown newspaper, the Frontiersman, that Palin three times asked her -- starting before she was sworn in -- about possibly removing objectionable books from the library if the need arose.

Thanks to Constance Ash for the link

Comments

[mecurtin.livejournal.com]

Earlier today, hederahelix href="http://hederahelix.livejournal.com/377837.html">said ():

I am always amazed that anyone ever thinks it's a good idea to ask librarians to remove books. Seriously. I just want to ask people who do that if they've ever, you know, met a librarian.

Exactly. Librarians are the essence of mild-mannered, except about THE BOOKS. Do not mess with a librarian's books, dudes.

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

Yeah... no kidding!

[mecurtin.livejournal.com]

arggh ... mucked up the link. here ya go (http://hederahelix.livejournal.com/377837.html).

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

ta.

[innocentsmith.livejournal.com]

Palin told the Anchorage Daily News then that the letters were just a test of loyalty as she took on the mayor's job

She was originally planning to mail them lengths of silk rope, but was dissuaded by the cost of importing the material.

...Seriously, the hell? A "test of loyalty"? Who does that? Mob bosses? Why would it be that vital to have city functionaries' deathless loyalties in Wassila, Alaska?

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

Because you know it's soooo close to Russia that they might be SPIES!!!!

[innocentsmith.livejournal.com]

Yes, librarian spies seeking to lead innocent Americans astray by disseminating Marxist literature, and meanwhile holding in the vast storerooms of the Wassila Library Special Collections secret documents pointing to the existence of extraterrestrial mind control powers passed on through exposure to a crystal...

...oh, wait, that was the plot of the last Indiana Jones movie. Sorry.

Even the cover story makes no freaking sense. She just should have said something like, "But there was PORN in there! And books with witchcraft! I was only preparing for the inevitable public outcry, knowing where she stood on protecting our children!" I mean, loathsome as that would be, it at least sounds like it would press the right buttons for her target demographic.

[pdlloyd.livejournal.com]

Yes. The weird thing is that her excuse (like so many offered by Republicans, recently) so often goes unchallenged. As if it's somehow acceptable.

[innocentsmith.livejournal.com]

You're right, and it baffles me. Is it just that people's attention spans are that short, or that they distrust the media that much? Or do they distrust everything that's said ever, and vote purely on the "values" issues candidates espouse, or what their hair looks like?

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

I've always been told that most voters vote on the economy and how things are going for them. I understand that somewhat but for me the social issues are so much more important--like the stacking of the Supreme Court with reactionaries. Now that to me is as important as pocketbook issues.

[innocentsmith.livejournal.com]

There's also the war, and that vague sense of "people dying and spending my money doing it is bad" vs. "but we need to have someone in charge who'll kick foreign ass! otherwise they'll take advantage!" And, lately, gas prices. There are days when this election seems to be all about gas prices and teen pregnancy - or maybe I've just been forced to read too many stupid commentary articles.

[pdlloyd.livejournal.com]

I think that part of the shift to the right that we've seen with the Republican party reflects a genuine disconnect on social issues that has become systemic, not just within the party, but within much of the electorate, as well. Plus, many voters don't pay close attention to the candidates; they catch the occasional news program, but there are plenty of other distractions and they don't realize how much they miss of what's really going on.

My son who works as a cook for a retirement community told me Friday night that one of the older female managers was telling the young girls who work as waitresses that they should vote for McCain. My son plans on voting for Obama, but mostly because having heard bits of both Obama and McCain speak, he wants to vote for the guy who impressed him as intelligent and reasoned in his approach. But, he hates the news and hasn't really informed himself on the issues, so he didn't have anything he could say to these girls about why they might want to consider voting for Obama. I filled his ear, while wishing that he would take the time to educate himself, but at the same time I know that he's acting just like a lot of average working Joes. They have only a vague sense of the issues, so their decisions are often made from their gut sense about who they like, rather than from an informed position.

Let's intimidate the college kids

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

That's depressing. Luckily, the Democratic party has been signing up new voters--a lot of them. Whether their votes will be counted --that's the question, isn't it? Mistrust my government...Oh yeah.



In the meantime, Nathan Ballingrud has posted this lovely item: In Virginia, someone is trying to scare college students into staying home on November 4. According to InsideHigherEd.com, a press release in Montgomery County read:
Let's intimidate the college kids (http://nballingrud.livejournal.com/43622.html?mode=reply)

Re: Let's intimidate the college kids

[pdlloyd.livejournal.com]

Yes, well, I just spoke to my son and it turns out I had part of the story wrong. It was not a manager, but one of the residents. So, that's one less thing to be depressed about. Please accept my apologies; I should have checked my facts before making my comments.

There are so many stories about voting issues. While trying to find more information about the story in the article in nballingrud's post, I discovered this Truthout article about mass mailings of voter registration materials in Ohio marked "Do Not Forward."

[jeresylvia.livejournal.com]

If so, you're dating myself. It's not so much that Gov. Palin looks like a particular individual. But she's a dead-ringer for a stock character that frequently appeared in sit-coms back in the s and s.

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

I think perhaps she thought it would never come up again--that she shut up everyone in Wassila.

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

At least it's coming out that she did it.

[innocentsmith.livejournal.com]

Good point. I suppose she couldn't exactly have predicted the internet or her nomination at that time, and the fact that she thought this was a good/necessary strategy at all says something about her usual M.O.

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

There are so many issues the Republicans can be nailed by but first and foremost: economy. Highest unemployment rate in six years. Recession/national debt. The Republicans have been in power for most of the past 8 years (actually most of the last 20 years) and what have they done for YOU as an American? Not effing much.

[innocentsmith.livejournal.com]

A sufficiently determined Republican can still find a way to justify it all as either sad but inevitable/the result of acts of god, or somehow blame the Clinton administration for being bad at foreign policy, thus letting the terrorists take hold, thus making the war necessary, thus...well, the Clintons are just plain weasely, it's gotta be their fault. Trust me, I'm currently sharing a house with one. And this is someone who's pro-choice, anti-censorship, pro-gay rights. I just...I have no idea.

(I seem to be on a mission in your post here to use my Calvin & Hobbes icons; here, have this one, it's my favorite.)

[sistercoyote.livejournal.com]

I'm also seeing a lot of folks argue elsenet that it doesn't matter if she asked, because she didn't ask about specific books.

No, this argument doesn't make any sense to me, either.

[makeda42.livejournal.com]

What I don't understand is why the librarian is expected to respond to the mayor's wishes. Surely they aren't in the same org chart?

(marian)

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

Purely intimidation, I'm sure.

[(Anonymous)]

Wasilla is a small town - and it was even smaller under Palin. The city's rules gave her permission to fire several people including the librarian which is odd compared to most places but I think it was just the way it had always been and never caused any problems in the past. The librarian quit when Palin was elected to her second term and is in Fairbanks now - I think. She's been on vacation and has not responded to the zillion requests for interviews. It will be interesting to see if she says anything.

I'm Alaskan and I didn't vote for Palin but I will say that most folks who did chose her because the guy she ran against (our incumbent) was one of the most hated politicians in AK history. Long story, but a box of rocks would have beaten him in the primary. As to the general election, she ran against our previous governor and he had his own baggage to deal with (not corruption but a lot folks were angry with him over job cuts, etc.) She really sailed into office on a fresh face type mantra and it has only been in the last year that she has started to stumble.

Also keep in mind that AK is incredibly rich with oil money right now and so of course Palin is popular - the idea to give an additional $1200 to every resident next week from the oil money was all hers. Everyone loves her now because she is doing pretty good things for them. She has not tried to change the abortion laws, or the sex-ed laws, etc. The thought seems to be that she has not had much time to worry about social issues - they've mostly been dealing with energy issues and the corruption problems with our US Senator and the ethics charges against our US Congressman. (It's been a wild year.)

She is very very very socially conservative but she sells the message wrapped in a velvet glove. I don't think anyone realizes (in AK or anywhere else) just how conservative she is.

I know my husband and I didn't.

Colleen - chasingray.com

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

Thanks for this Colleen.