ACLU threat returns 'sex' books to library shelves
Pete Chagnon - OneNewsNow - 9/11/2008 7:00:00 AM
It took Randy Jackson two years to get the books "The Joy of Sex" and "The Joy of Gay Sex" removed from the Nampa library. The books came to his attention after the teenage son of a friend found one of the books lying on a table within reach of any child.
Since then the American Civil Liberties Union of Idaho has sent a threatening letter to the library demanding that the books be put back. The library caved to the demand, according to The Associated Press, as "a matter of fiscal responsibility," noting that the library board heard from the city attorney that it could cost "hundreds of thousands of dollars" to fight a free-speech case.
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Now Jackson and Bryan Fischer of the Idaho Values Alliance are determining the best course of action. "[T]hese two books are particularly objectionable," says Fischer. "The Joy of Gay Sex contains very graphic, leave[s] nothing to the imagination [with] depictions of every variety of homosexual sex imaginable. It even has a chapter in it entitled 'Daddy/Son Fantasies.'" Other chapter titles include "Exhibitionism and Voyeurism," "Fisting," "Sex with Animals," and "Tearooms and Back Rooms."
Fischer says the ACLU's argument against removing the books is unfounded. "They argued that the policy violated the First Amendment's freedom-of-speech provision," he points out. "But this is clearly in error of the founding fathers. When they enacted the First Amendment [they] intended to protect political speech, not pornography."
He also argues that the "bullying tactics" employed by the ACLU are typical of that group in its efforts to "trash community values" with threats of an expensive lawsuit. "It's an abysmal state of affairs when a single letter from cultural thugs can undo two years of patient and pain-staking work...," he laments.
Fischer and Jackson are currently exploring all legal options available to respond to the situation.
What possible motivation could the ACLU have in forcing libraries to have sexually explicit material on their shelves?
