Missouri bill proposes 'parental library review boards' that could land librarians in jail

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

A new bill proposed in Missouri aims to prevent inappropriate sexual content from getting into the hands of kids, but critics are warning it amounts to censoring and could land public librarians in jail.

The bill was introduced earlier this month by Missouri State Rep. Ben Baker (R), who has argued that the measure is meant to protect children when they visit their public libraries.

"The main thing is I want to be able to take my kids to a library and make sure they're in a safe environment, and that they're not gonna be exposed to something that is objectionable material," Baker told local news station KOAM. "Unfortunately, there are some libraries in the state of Missouri that have done this. And that's a problem."

The bill would ban libraries that receive state funding from allowing minors access to "age-inappropriate sexual material." To identify what that content is, the bill would include the creation of "parental library review boards" made up of five locally elected community members. The boards would then review what content it considers appropriate.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/missouri-bill-proposes-parental-library-review-boards-that-could-land-librarians-in-jail/ar-BBZ02ql?li=BBnbcA1&ocid=hplocalnews

Here's a thought. Why not be a parent and monitor what your child is reading?

[struggle4progress]

1. "I was shocked to see the book had girls in it! I don't want my son exposed to stuff like that!"

[Ohiogal]

2. Figures the idiot sponsoring it is an R.

The party of less government intrusion.

[rockfordfile]

3. The un-American Nazi is trying to censor.

[SWBTATTReg]

4. From bible beating part of SW Missouri...it's a shame and I don't see how they are going to ...

enforce or pass such a strict bill (in the eyes of readers what is age inappropriate material?) I can imagine that with the billions of books currently on the shelves of MO libraries, and the tens of thousands of new books published monthly, that these 'review committees' will be bogged down forever.

Censorship in its ugliness and as you say, Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin, the parents should be doing this job, why are you taking this function away from parents? Is this pointing out your own failures as a parent?

Thanks for posting, YMBL, my sister actually lives in Neosho MO, part of the bible thumping portion of SW Missouri (where Ashcroft, Blunt, and all of the others have come from, in the MO Senate/House). I'm going to ask my sister about this bill/person. I think that she would agree with you, YMBL, that parents should be doing this role, not the librarians. By the way, I already thought that a lot of libraries already have such a review process in place already somewhat, when they decide what to buy or not buy, I could be wrong.

[Girard442]

11. Since libraries can't possibly buy everything, they absolutely do have to pick and choose.

I'd guess the criteria vary widely from one library to the next.

[Kaiserguy]

5. In other words

only books that contain his brand of religious views should be available to kids and to make sure of that the people who run for the review board will be hand picked by the church.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

6. "objectionable material"? I object!

I've seen religious books in libraries. I don't want my children exposed to such provably destructive material.

There are Republicans in my state legislature. These creatures are dangerous to civilization and should be banned.

Let's introduce an amendment to each state's constitution which will demand the immediate expulsion from office of any person who promotes religious dogma.

[Grins]

9. Heh-heh-heh...

I wonder what Rep Baker’s reaction would be if one of those locally selected library boards declared the Bible sexually and morally objectionable?

Maybe some paper who thinks this is stupid will publish a story with the lede: “State Rep. Wants To Ban Bible!”

[Hermit-The-Prog]

10. he should be bombarded with Old Testament quotes

It would be rated "R", or maybe even "X", for extreme violence and sexual deviancy.

[maxrandb]

7. "When she carried on her whoring so openly...

and flaunted her nakedness, I turned in disgust from her, as I had turned in disgust from her sister.

Yet she increased her whoring, remembering the days of her youth, when she played the whore in the land of Egypt and lusted after her lovers there, whose members were like those of donkeys, and whose issue was like that of horses.

Thus you longed for the lewdness of your youth, when the Egyptians handled your bosom and pressed your young breasts.”

---------------------------------------
Oh wait, the above is from the Bible... sorry

[bronxiteforever]

8. +1 Genesis has Noah getting busy with his daughter

“That night they got their father to drink wine, and the older daughter went in and slept with him. He was not aware of it when she lay down or when she got up.”

[jmowreader]

12. The same thing happened to Lot

Except it happened to him twice: Moab and Ammon are both products of incestuous rape.

[sinkingfeeling]

13. So much for "the land of the free".