A group of Mobile-area residents are concerned about inappropriate material in the children's section of the city's library, and now they say the City is trying to stop them from talking about it.
Melissa Gates has been vocal about sexual, social and political materials she has identified in both Mobile and Baldwin Counties public libraries. She has addressed councils several times to alert them to the problem.
However, when she attempted to speak at the Mobile City Council, she was told she could not talk about the books. Gates said she was told she could only speak about the library's financial part, and she believes that is a violation of her constitutional rights.
"The city council gave $8.2 million to the libraries," she told the council. "Y'all also appoint your own person for the library board."
Gates said taxpayer money going to the library should be enough of a reason for the public to comment on the materials available to children. Gates said the group of concerned citizens has approached the library board to help them relocate books, but the board has not been responsive.
Along with a list of books, Gates brought a book from the children's section of the West Regional Library titled, "My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness." She called the book child porn. The cover of the book shows two naked females on a bed.
"I have several with me but this is just the most horrific because that's child porn on the cover," Gates said.
In response, District 2 Councilman William Carroll compared the book's sexual content to the Holy Bible. He pointed out that Gates had a Bible with her and said the library has Bibles, which include similar topics as the books being challenged.
"Which leads me to believe that if we're worried about contents of books, in the Bible you can find prostitution, adultery, fornication, wars, you can even find what's called a eunuch. Like, when you talk about gay and lesbians and mens with their lower extremities and testicles removed."
"So, when we talk about information in books, just be careful of what we're asking for because if that's what it sounds like, some of us might even want the Bible taken out of the library," he continued. "And that would be, you know, extremely, you know, suggestive, you know, but it could happen if we start doing that."
Carroll said kids can get information just as easily with the internet.
"We've gotten so subjective to what we think we want people to see and learn and understand," he added. "It's gotten to a point where so many people are so far to the right or to the left on how they're thinking as opposed to what we're truly out to do."
"I mean, information is information," Carroll said. "We worry about libraries, but a kid can pick up a telephone and right now hit the internet and get more than anything he ever wants to get without even going to the library."
Gates told 1819 News the Bibles in the children's sections of libraries are typically age-appropriate. She also said taxpayer dollars do not go towards cell phones for kids, but they do go towards purchasing books for the library.
District 4 Councilman Ben Reynolds suggested a special section in the library could be the answer for some sensitive materials.
"I agree in many respects that some of this stuff might not be just in plain view for everybody to get, but parents have responsibility to not let the children check [these out]," he said. "You know, striking that right balance, I think has obviously been a challenge for our state and everybody else."
"You know, we are a body of seven that requires five votes," he said. "That's something to keep in mind as well, that we may be able to find some resolution to this. We may not know, but I look forward to digging into it and see what I can do to help the process along."
Gates said she doesn't want the books banned but removed from the library's children's section.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email erica.thomas@1819news.com.
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