Lawmakers consider ban on gay novels

College Confidential Community
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<p>MONTGOMERY - An Alabama lawmaker who sought to ban gay marriages now wants to ban novels with gay characters from public libraries, including university libraries. </p>

<p>A bill by Rep. Gerald Allen, R-Cottondale, would prohibit the use of public funds for "the purchase of textbooks or library materials that recognize or promote homosexuality as an acceptable lifestyle." Allen said he filed the bill to protect children from the "homosexual agenda." </p>

<p><a href="http://www.al.com/news/birming%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.al.com/news/birming&lt;/a> hamnews/index.ssf?/base/news/1 101896768316400.xml</p>

<p>Yeah Alabama!</p>

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<p>I saw this on another forum and thought it was a joke. Oh my god.</p>

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<p>State Legislators introduce dumb bills all the time. There is no reason to belive this bill will pass.</p>

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<p>YEEEEE-HAAWWWW ALABAMA</p>

<p>Probability of passing: 0</p>

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<p>never say never....</p>

<p>alabama voters narrowly defeated an amendment to the constitution that would eliminate references to segregation b/c they felt they would be unfairly taxed by the federal government....</p>

<p>the theory went that changing the constitution to allow everyone access to education would force judges to increase taxes to pay for education. </p>

<p>dear lordy.</p>

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<p>I think this bill has a chance of passing. They ban novels all the time. Ex. To Kill A Mockingbird has been banned by various school boards.</p>

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<p>ignorance.... its a beautiful thing.... sigh</p>

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<p>Unless homosexuality infuriates you, you have to admit that a lot of contemporary fiction regarding gay characters is pretty good. Chuck Palahnuik's Invisible Monsters to mention one.</p>

<p>When the government wants to control what we read to THAT extreme, that is something to be afraid of.</p>

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<p>Now, I'm not especially into the fine-workings of government, but are they even close to being allowed to do that?</p>

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<p>Best line ever about banning books come from the West Wing ("Two Cathedrals") and a young President Bartlett speaking with his dad about the librarian banning books:</p>

<p>He banned Fahrenheit 451 which is about banning books!</p>

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<p>If it does not pass its good. If it does pass then it is also good because the government is always right in its actions.</p>

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<p>wow jaman, that's totally uncomprehensible. Government is not always rihgt in its action.</p>

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<p>thats called sarcasm....</p>

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<p>What a shame. Usually ignorant bigots like Alabamans have hope of seeing what the world is truly like as time passes and they become more moderate in values. I think at this rate however, they're only going to regress further.</p>

<p>Oh well, not that I was ever planning on moving to Alabama or Texas and I won't be missing much either I guess.</p>

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<p>we're talking Alabama here. Anything is possible :p</p>

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<p>...Er. You know. When you ban a book, doesn't that increase the chances of people actually <em>reading</em> them?</p>

<p>That's the way it works around here, anyway. Especially with children. "I'm not allowed to read that book? Okay! I'll try my best to get my hands on it." Great way to protect them from the blasphemous "homosexual agenda." (I'm being sarcastic, in case you haven't noticed.)</p>

<p>Personally, I think this is a ridiculous bill. Downright ridiculous. The idea of banning a book is enough to irritate me; the idea of banning a book simply because it contains evidence of a lifestyle you do not agree with simply aggravates me to no end.</p>

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<p>Lady Amalthea is right. If they really wanted to keep people from reading those books, they should find ways to stick it in people's faces at every chance possible.</p>

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<p>yikes, what about that gay love story movie with heath ledger and jake gyllenhal? I was looking forward to that...:(</p>

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<p>Funny, because the Alabama-is-full-of-idiots comments are exactly what lost the the liberals the elections (Pres, Senate, House, etc.). The liberals forced the agenda on everyone and ridiculed those who disagreed, rather than quietly working within the states, causing massive reactions in key states. Not saying the 'bama people are right, just stating a connection between the ridicule in this thread (and pre-election) and the election results.</p>