AP: "Book on male penguins tops complaint list" Promotes homosexuality??

[AZBlue]

Updated: 12:27 p.m. MT Aug 28, 2007
NEW YORK - Not all penguin stories are equal in the public’s mind.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20480366/

“And Tango Makes Three,” an award-winning children’s book based on a true story about two male penguins who raised a baby penguin, topped the American Library Association’s annual list of works attracting the most complaints from parents, library patrons and others.

(snip)

“And Tango Makes Three,” by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell, was published in 2005 and named by the ALA as one of the year’s best children’s books. But parents and educators have complained that “Tango Makes Three” advocates homosexuality, with challenges reported in Southwick, Mass., Shiloh, Ill., and elsewhere.

(snip)

The ALA, the American Booksellers Association and others in the publishing community will hold their 26th annual Banned Books Week from Sept. 29 to Oct. 6, highlighting works that have been banned or were threatened with removal.



This is absurd! I'm going to have to write the ALA in support of this book! And, find out about Banned Books Week activities in my area. This is beyond reason and has got to stop!

[KellyW]

1. Is there a link ?

?

[AZBlue]

3. Added it!

Sorry about that - knew I was forgetting something!!

[Ellen Forradalom]

2. Obviously pro-gay marriage

They are both wearing tuxes.

[AZBlue]

6. LOL!

[valerief]

4. When did the whole country become South Carolina? I'm befuddled. nt

[Sapphocrat]

5. Ancient history.

So ancient that Roy and Silo have since broken up (no kidding). But I'm glad you've heard about it now. Please do write the ALA.

A couple of older stories:

Return of the gay penquins
http://uk.gay.com/headlines/10835

Battles Rage Over Children's Books With Gay Themes
http://www.afterelton.com/Print/2007/6/childrensbooks?page=0%2C2

[AZBlue]

8. I'm not only writing, I'm buying the book!

I'm sorry to hear Roy and Silo are on the splits! Happens to the best of us - even penguins.

But, as we saw in "March of Penguins," their relationships only last during mating and rearing of that baby - then they move on. (which is why I never got the fundies touting the film as a pro-monogamy movie - obviously they didn't really watch the film, they just saw the trailer!)

[Sapphocrat]

14. Well, you know...

They were young, and Silo had a wandering eye... Actually, that's exactly what did happen. From the NYT, September 24, 2005:

Male penguins' breakup at zoo makes a big splash

And Silo and Roy looked so happy together.

The two male chinstrap penguins had found each other in the big city. They had remained faithful. They had even raised a child.

But then, not too long ago, they lost their home. Silo's eye began to wander, and last spring he forsook his partner of six years at the Central Park Zoo and took up with a female from California named Scrappy.

Of late, Roy has been seen alone, in a corner, staring at a wall.

. . .

...things began to fall apart in May 2004 after the two were kicked out of their nest by two aggressive penguins.

. . .

Still, Gramzay said that humans should not divine too much from the split. "People read so much into the gay thing, and the gay thing is necessarily a human constraint that's put on top of them." That has not stopped many from doing just that.

. . .

More:
http://www.detnews.com/2005/nation/0509/29/A12-331450.htm

The piece goes on to explain that exclusive homosexuality in nature is rare (and how idjits like James Dobson were celebrating the penguins' breakup)...

But wait! There's more! "For the last two seasons, Tango has paired up with another female named Tazuni." :D

(I have no idea who Tango is shacking up with these days, or if poor Roy has found love again.)

[gatorboy]

17. Well, heel! How can you turn down a girl name "Scrappy"?

[AZBlue]

18. I hope Roy found love at last!!

"...staring at a wall." Oh, that's heart-breaking!

[orleans]

9. they broke up? oh, thanks for the SPOILER! here, i had just read the op

and i thought it was so cute, and nice, and then several posts down you tell us they broke up! it's an emotional rollercoaster around here lately! damn! a person can't even be happy for a couple of penguins without coming down in a matter of seconds.

(ok, so i'm teasing..exagerating slightly--why did they break up? i was about to get invested in the tango story...:-) you see, sometimes i really should get a life)

[Sapphocrat]

15. LOL

Sorry to be the one to break the bad news! But it does happen, even in the best of families. (See my previous post for the explanation.)

At least the breakup happened after the book came out, so readers won't go to bed depressed. And Silo (the cheating little jerk) is happy, and Tango turned out to be, well, lesbionic... :D

[TygrBright]

7. Some people just don't have nearly enough to do.

Seriously.

The only conclusion this story leads to is that the American economy has NOT GOTTEN CRUMMY ENOUGH YET.

If the morons running around flapping their hands and squawking about a kid's book about a couple of penguins had to work three jobs just to earn enough substandard food to stay alive, maybe we'd get enough of a breathing space for sanity to stick its nose around the doorframe...

wistfully,
Bright

[HardRocker05]

10. anything other than saying gays are evil perverts is 'advocating,' don't you know? nt

[Nutmegger]

11. Think of the childreeeeen!

What will we tell the children about this book promoting the gay agenda!!!

Teh horror!!!111!!!11!

[sakabatou]

12. Not "teh gay!"

:eyes:

[Hekate]

13. Thanks for the reminder to go buy the book! Fundies have dirty minds!

Freud would have a field day analyzing their twisted little psyches.

Hekate

[Ellen Forradalom]

16. No kidding. I would never have connected the gay to this book

had I not read this thread.

[AlCzervik]

19. Does this book come with a conversion kit and a teachers guide?

i officially give up.

[in_cog_ni_to]

20. Tinky Winky, Spongebob and now Penguins?

These people are mentally ill. Honestly. Do they ever think of anything besides sex???