Posted on 09/23/2008 8:29:32 AM PDT by GATOR NAVY
WASILLA — Responding to news reports about then-Wasilla Mayor Sarah Palin asking a librarian how she would feel about banning books, a San Francisco man has donated two children’s books dealing with homosexuality to the Wasilla Library.
Mike Petrelis, a 49-year-old who files Freedom of Information requests for a living, said he was aghast to read reports of Palin’s 1996 inquiry about banning certain books at Wasilla’s library.
The news — old news in the Mat-Su Valley, but new in the Lower 48 — prompted Petrelis to send to Wasilla “Heather Has Two Mommies” and “Daddy’s Roommate,” both children’s books that explain gay lifestyle.
“I said, ‘I’m going to send copies of both books just to make sure they’re on the shelves,’” Petrelis said.
The story of Palin’s book removal question caught national attention after reporters arrived in town to probe Palin following Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain’s surprise Aug. 29 announcement. In the ensuing barrage of media attention on Wasilla, the inquiry as to the librarian’s feelings on pulling some books became one of the many old Palin stories that suddenly became new again when it reached the Lower 48.
There is no evidence that Palin ever banned any books from the library, although many Outside media outlets have incorrectly reported to the contrary. One book with which Palin reportedly had a problem was “Pastor, I am Gay,” by Howard Bess, a Valley resident and now-retired minister of the Church of the Covenant in Palmer.
Still, to Petrelis, Palin’s asking about removing books from the shelves was an attempt at censorship.
Whether “Heather Has Two Mommies” or “Daddy’s Roommate” will make it onto the shelves of the Wasilla Public Library is unclear.
Library Director KJ Martin-Albright said she has received the books but, like any donation, they have to go through a process that determines what to do with them.
There are two options for donations, she said. Either the library puts the book on the shelves or gives it to Friends of the Library to be sold. Martin-Albright said factors such as the author’s reputation, importance of the subject matter to the library’s collection, space availability in the library and a litany of other factors are used to determine the fate of donated materials.
As of Monday, there is no timeline for when a decision on the books Petrelis sent will be made, and Martin-Albright stressed every donated book goes through the same process.
“It’s the only way to be fair,” she said.
Petrelis’ idea to send the books seems to be well received in Alaska’s gay community. Bent Alaska, a blog chronicling gay news and events in the state, praises the donation on its Web site.
Tim Stallard, owner of Out in Alaska, a gay and lesbian guide service, said he thinks Petrelis’s effort is well-placed.
“I think it’s a good statement,” Stallard said. “I think in a free society like ours, openness and education and information are always important.”
Stallard added the timing is right after the Wasilla Public Library was thrust into the spotlight when Palin was named to the Republican ticket.
For Petrelis, his timing is even better because Banned Books Week, the American Library Association’s celebration of the freedom to read, begins Sept. 27. And more books dealing with homosexuality could be donated to Wasilla library soon. On his blog, Petrelis Files, Petrelis said he hopes to donate another gay-themed book, “And Tango Makes Three,” to the library.
Petrelis said while a book like “Heather Has Two Mommies” may not show a lot of circulation, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s not being read.
Contact Michael Rovito at Michael.rovito@frontiersman.com or 352-2252.
That’s fine. They can file them in the brand new section in the dumpster outside. Wonder if San Francisco would accept if I donated some books to their “PUBLIC” library? How about it Freepers....let see how tolerant they are. I will donate a copy of “Liberal Facism” and even pay for shipping.
The “No Filth Left Behind” or “No Childs Behind Left Alone” act..
What Palin asked was “What would you do if someone asked you to ban books?” Snopes.com has found no evidence to prove anything to the contrary.
Just like a bunch of militant faggots to want to turn a beautiful state like Alaska into a liberal hellhole like San Francisco.
The left is so childish. They need to grow up.
Same with these San Fran "lifestyle" books. No doubt public spirited citizens in Wasilla will find them to be quite useful as bird cage liners (once they're checked out and all).
Then other public spirited citzens can send San Fran's libraries books on dressing moose and hunting hares and rabbits (the one with the enormous pile of dead bunnies on the last leaf).
Another liberal looser...who gives a sh!t if he's appalled...this is nothing but a news stunt!
If you have been in Wasilla for a while, then you shared my sorrow when Denali Steak House closed. Nobody has the a rootbeer float to match.
This is what the top shelves are for- the ones that require the ladder to reach.
Hasn’t NAMBLA published a children’s book yet? I’m sure Newsom would give it a brass band welcome in the SF Library if someone makes the donation.
Then they wouldn't be "left" anymore.
After a few weeks of watching horrendous treatment of their fine first lady by the lower 48, I would not be surprised if Alaska seceded.
Hope someone promptly drops this garbage in the nearest receptacle where it belongs.
The Left likes to talk about “censorship,” but the real question is, “Who gets to choose?”
Should the librarian have an absolute right to impose her personal views on the community, such that any disagreement with her constitutes “censorship”?
Should some gay activist living a thousand miles away get to decide what is on Wasilla’s shelves?
Or should the community, itself, decide on a process for accepting or rejecting books, based on some consensus on community standards?
If the majority of people Wasilla don’t want their little kids propagandized about how “normal” homosexuality is, shouldn’t that matter?
The truth is, I used to spend a lot of time at our public library when I was a kid. My parents would drop me off. But I wouldn’t turn my grandkids loose in any public library, now. The librarians’ “professional” association are Leftist propagandists. The librarians have to let street people in to hang out and look at pornography on the internet, if they want. It’s just another public institution that has been ruined.
I have no problem with gay-themed books in libraries. Even gay-themed childrens’ books. But I don’t necessarily want them on the shelves where my kids might stumble upon them. This doesn’t make me homophobic, just discerning about when my children will learn about certain topics.
My gay hairdresser and personal advisor on all things homosexual, agrees with me.
But liberals don’t believe in parents’ rights to controll the messages their children receive, do they?
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