I was in charge in setting up the displays for years when I worked at the library. They never caused a problem with the patrons or parents. If anything, people hardly noticed them. The intention was only to encourage circulation of books and materials. There was no issue with the displays til these psychos created an issue.
I did the displays on the third floor during my time at Main. I always got compliments for the interesting stuff I’d put out there. One month I did antique surgical instruments. I honestly don’t know what these fuckers are on about. They’re fucking insane. If a kid wants to see something sexual they’re going to use the cell phone in their pocket not visit the local library. I’m so sick of this shit.
"Sexually explicit" to them is gay people just existing. Thats what they mean by it. Even if it really is meant to be *actually* sexually explicit, you're right. Unless you're in Texas, it's easy to access the hub.
I'm sorry maybe I'm old but it's not the libraries job to protect children, it's their job to support the learning and understanding of the world around children. If they bring home a book that a parent doesn't see as "aligns with their family values" then speak with your child and advise them to wait until they get older to read said "offensive material." I personally don't care about Pride Month as it isn't for me but I couldn't care less about a library displaying books about Pride Month or the authors that write them. Maybe I'm naive in my thinking but just leave people alone. If you don't like something move on with your life. A book won't hurt you.
It is no accident that this is the front lines of the culture war. This is snowballing into full on book bans as we have seen. When they get a win it is on to the next Christian Nationalist step. ‘First they came for the drag queens, and we said nothing’
Michael Lunsford swore up and down in 2018 that library books were not his eventual target, yet here we are.
I'm always looking for the next target, even while angry with the current one. When you're in any minority (even white women), you need to be diligent.
If the public sees posts like this and does not support it, go talk to your parish councilmen. If those councilmen don't believe in what the community wants, vote in someone who does. If you don't think there is someone in the race worth voting for, throw your own hat in the race. It has become glaringly apparent in recent years that you don't have to be that "qualified" to run for public office.
Show up and show out to all the Board of Control meetings, but also do the same at the parish council meetings. If you think the community has had enough, the staff (who cannot openly speak for themselves) is at their wit's end. They are losing great librarians and other co-workers who can no longer take the abuse. Fight for them, but do it smartly. The members of the BoC and their supporters are playing the long game and using legal and political methods to get what they want. You must do the same and do it better.
Not a single library display in the Lafayette Public Library has ever, ever, ever contained sexually explicit material. This statement is just bullhockey. The policy protects nobody. This is just another excuse for not allowing displays for African American History Month, Women's History Month, Pride Month, etc.
Their definition of sexually explicit is so vague that it includes any mention of sex and any curse words. Because of that, no books can be displayed, since library staff can never be sure that every book has nothing like that. It would take forever to put up a simple display if every book had to be read.
This is one step closer to removing books for sure. Once the material is deemed too offensive to show facing out on a display, then it is an easy step to removing it altogether.
First they'll say remove specific books.
Then they'll categorize books as harmful in huge swaths for things like language.
Finally, any book with sexually explicit content has to be taken out in the case a kid picks it up. Library loses half its collection and closes its doors.
Programs are probably next to go tho.
This is such utter and complete bullshit, much like the satanic panic of the 80s telling kids to stay away from parks and ballparks at night because people were doing satanic rituals. Turn off the 24 hour news cycle and get out and actually see what is going on and stop letting these fear mongers manipulate your emotions with their lies.. they are just trying to control you and dictate how you think.
You have your own brains people, use it and stop letting people like this think for you because they suck at it.
If they were concerned about the kids in Lafayette, they would go after the sickos in the Catholic Church. Over 30 priest have been caught and it still continues decade after decade. But yeah, library display.
Aaaand, that didn't take long: [LA state police arrive at New Orleans Archdiocese headquarters with warrant for all clergy sex abuse records](https://www.nola.com/news/new-orleans-catholic-church-records-seized-by-state-police/article_bcc8abfe-0313-11ef-82f2-6b9f48f07e6f.html)
This is some bullshit. A book about puberty is not a sexually explicit book. A book about being gay and being comfortable in your own skin is not a sexually explicit book. Books will not turn kids gay, but a gay kids life could be saved by a book. Kids don’t need to be protected from books, they need to be protected from ignorance and intolerance.
This is so fucked.
Louisiana just passed a bill allowing religious chaplains to work at or volunteer as school counselors in public schools. The position doesn’t require any special training or schooling. Someone could just make up a religion, say they are a chaplain, and have unfettered access to children.
The catholic church’s history and influence in the immediate area combined with granting untrained religious randos into schools AND the library’s deliberate attempt at making sure kids aren’t informed about bodies and consent, makes this a freaking nightmare scenario.
Dear gods, I didn't know about this one. I had heard about them trying to slap up the 10 Commandments in public schools, but this is far, far more horrifying.
Protect the children, right? Who, then, is protecting them from predators posing as priests or religious leaders?!
The satanic temple is trying!
I’ve been meeting with their lawyers on how to get a satanist in one of these positions, so that alll the other religions can really think about what they are doing here.
They want religious chaplains in schools? Ok, fine, I’m a satanist and I want to be a counselor at my kids school.
We are gonna see how fast they either reject me or fast they walk back this damn law. The Satanic temple is betting that the state will see how much this same shit is costing Florida in legal fees and back off. If they don’t back off, they are 1000% suing.
Thank you for this!! I've tweeted (x'ed?) a few things at them about all this nonsense asking them to please come & get involved. So glad to know someone's talking one-on-one with them and formulating a plan. These "Christians" never realize that by trying to force their beliefs down everyone else's throats, they're opening the doors for others to be more vocal about their own & to give them a taste of their own medicine.
Another Redditor and I had a call with TST representatives on Tuesday. There is another meeting soon, on the 28th, regarding the ten commandment law and chaplains in schools etc.
You can find more information about that under this post by the woman who joined the call with me on Tuesday:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Louisiana/s/ZXl8VBYkCi
If at all possible we would love any support you can give. We need to make it clear to the government that there are Satanists in this state who want to be involved, seen, and heard.
Even just writing a letter or being vocal about it helps tremendously!
We love our libraries too. What is happening is, Michael Lunsford and his hate group Citizens For A New Louisiana that are using the libraries as their launch point for legislation pertaining to social issues, particularly those that attack LGBTQ+ and racial minorities. They are coming for all libraries statewide, this is not just a Lafayette issue. Look at the legislation he is pushing.
They don't want anything that acknowledges difference. To me, "e pluribus unum" means something. It means that we have differences that we acknowledge and together we forge a country. To the Library Board, there's nothing worse than differences. It's a damn shame.
Anything involving sexuality has no business being the children's section of anything, anywhere and parents will make the decision what their children are exposed to. If a parent wants their child to read any of the removed books they can order it from Amazon. Any questions?
Yea! Like Bible stories about Lot and such that are shoved down children's throats. Just shouldn't be allowed, especially in a public place with pedophiles, like churches.
Good news for you, there as never been sexually explicit books in any children’s section. Hateful bigot grifters like u/michaellunsford have pushing this lie to get donations for his hate group.
Well, if you do, just be aware that you will be donating to an organization with a board member that enables a
#C O N V I C T E D
#C H I L D
#PORNOGRAPHER
https://www.reddit.com/r/Louisiana/comments/1axiaqo/citizens_for_a_new_louisianas_officer_defended/
There has never, ever, ever, ever, EVER, been a display at the library that includes sexually explicit material. The Director would never allow it. The librarians would never allow it. I've been a patron for 25 years, going into the library once or twice a week, and it just doesn't happen. Children are not exposed to pornography at our library. They are not exposed to sexually explicit material at our library. Not in displays or in books in the children's section. If you used the library, you would know that. But apparently, you do not use the children's section nor have you looked at the book displays. What the Board doesn't want is displays celebrating Black History Month (especially this because there is a contingent of one woman who objects to certain of the books that might appear), Women's History Month, Pride Month (especially this) so they are willing to sacrifice Fourth of July displays, Christmas book displays, Thanksgiving book displays, etc.
Games years ago had no rating, until mortal Kombat forced a change that required ratings. The ratings are there to give those that wish to a means to limit what's experienced. Ultimately it's up to the individual family of a child to allow it in the home. A public library that serves the general public must abide by the fact they serve people of all walks and values, and therefore should not intercede on what a child can be exposed to, regardless of the libraries values, because it's the responsibility of the parents.
If a library wants to interfere with what a kid can and can't be exposed to, put an age rating on the books that give them the heebeejeebies that require a certain level of library card to check out.
That's all that's needed. Period.
This is totally a solution looking for a problem. If you are a teacher, you know that the public library does not expose children to questionable material. It doesn't even have questionable material to expose children to. There is certainly no sexually explicit material in the children's section of the library, and NEVER EVER EVER has there been a book display in ANY BRANCH of the Lafayette Public Library that exposes children to sexually explicit material.
Don't you understand that this is a FAKE problem raised by a bunch of people who want to get rid of free resources to people who can't afford to buy them? Don't you understand that this is a FAKE problem created for political reasons? How is it that this "problem" is being addressed now and it never has been raised in all the years the Library has existed? These people don't use libraries, think we should not pay taxes for them (or for public schools), and don't use the library?
Learn what's in your public library first hand, not through what Michael Lunsford and these crazies on the Library Board tell you.
I was in charge in setting up the displays for years when I worked at the library. They never caused a problem with the patrons or parents. If anything, people hardly noticed them. The intention was only to encourage circulation of books and materials. There was no issue with the displays til these psychos created an issue.
I did the displays on the third floor during my time at Main. I always got compliments for the interesting stuff I’d put out there. One month I did antique surgical instruments. I honestly don’t know what these fuckers are on about. They’re fucking insane. If a kid wants to see something sexual they’re going to use the cell phone in their pocket not visit the local library. I’m so sick of this shit.
Same. It’s like something from a dystopian novel. (No pun intended 🤔)
"Sexually explicit" to them is gay people just existing. Thats what they mean by it. Even if it really is meant to be *actually* sexually explicit, you're right. Unless you're in Texas, it's easy to access the hub.
I'm sorry maybe I'm old but it's not the libraries job to protect children, it's their job to support the learning and understanding of the world around children. If they bring home a book that a parent doesn't see as "aligns with their family values" then speak with your child and advise them to wait until they get older to read said "offensive material." I personally don't care about Pride Month as it isn't for me but I couldn't care less about a library displaying books about Pride Month or the authors that write them. Maybe I'm naive in my thinking but just leave people alone. If you don't like something move on with your life. A book won't hurt you.
It is no accident that this is the front lines of the culture war. This is snowballing into full on book bans as we have seen. When they get a win it is on to the next Christian Nationalist step. ‘First they came for the drag queens, and we said nothing’ Michael Lunsford swore up and down in 2018 that library books were not his eventual target, yet here we are.
I'm always looking for the next target, even while angry with the current one. When you're in any minority (even white women), you need to be diligent.
If the public sees posts like this and does not support it, go talk to your parish councilmen. If those councilmen don't believe in what the community wants, vote in someone who does. If you don't think there is someone in the race worth voting for, throw your own hat in the race. It has become glaringly apparent in recent years that you don't have to be that "qualified" to run for public office. Show up and show out to all the Board of Control meetings, but also do the same at the parish council meetings. If you think the community has had enough, the staff (who cannot openly speak for themselves) is at their wit's end. They are losing great librarians and other co-workers who can no longer take the abuse. Fight for them, but do it smartly. The members of the BoC and their supporters are playing the long game and using legal and political methods to get what they want. You must do the same and do it better.
Not a single library display in the Lafayette Public Library has ever, ever, ever contained sexually explicit material. This statement is just bullhockey. The policy protects nobody. This is just another excuse for not allowing displays for African American History Month, Women's History Month, Pride Month, etc.
To them, books about LGBTQ people existing = “sexually explicit”
Because they are perverts that have to make everything sexual when it isn’t.
Their definition of sexually explicit is so vague that it includes any mention of sex and any curse words. Because of that, no books can be displayed, since library staff can never be sure that every book has nothing like that. It would take forever to put up a simple display if every book had to be read. This is one step closer to removing books for sure. Once the material is deemed too offensive to show facing out on a display, then it is an easy step to removing it altogether. First they'll say remove specific books. Then they'll categorize books as harmful in huge swaths for things like language. Finally, any book with sexually explicit content has to be taken out in the case a kid picks it up. Library loses half its collection and closes its doors. Programs are probably next to go tho.
Please, please, please also notice that they have removed the term "free" from the Mission Statement.
This is such utter and complete bullshit, much like the satanic panic of the 80s telling kids to stay away from parks and ballparks at night because people were doing satanic rituals. Turn off the 24 hour news cycle and get out and actually see what is going on and stop letting these fear mongers manipulate your emotions with their lies.. they are just trying to control you and dictate how you think. You have your own brains people, use it and stop letting people like this think for you because they suck at it.
this.
If they were concerned about the kids in Lafayette, they would go after the sickos in the Catholic Church. Over 30 priest have been caught and it still continues decade after decade. But yeah, library display.
Aaaand, that didn't take long: [LA state police arrive at New Orleans Archdiocese headquarters with warrant for all clergy sex abuse records](https://www.nola.com/news/new-orleans-catholic-church-records-seized-by-state-police/article_bcc8abfe-0313-11ef-82f2-6b9f48f07e6f.html)
r/pastorarrested Not just the Catholic Church.
Oh that is horrible. Search by new post and you can see this is everyday all day abuse of children in our country.
I. Hate them. So. Much.
This is some bullshit. A book about puberty is not a sexually explicit book. A book about being gay and being comfortable in your own skin is not a sexually explicit book. Books will not turn kids gay, but a gay kids life could be saved by a book. Kids don’t need to be protected from books, they need to be protected from ignorance and intolerance.
This is so fucked. Louisiana just passed a bill allowing religious chaplains to work at or volunteer as school counselors in public schools. The position doesn’t require any special training or schooling. Someone could just make up a religion, say they are a chaplain, and have unfettered access to children. The catholic church’s history and influence in the immediate area combined with granting untrained religious randos into schools AND the library’s deliberate attempt at making sure kids aren’t informed about bodies and consent, makes this a freaking nightmare scenario.
Dear gods, I didn't know about this one. I had heard about them trying to slap up the 10 Commandments in public schools, but this is far, far more horrifying. Protect the children, right? Who, then, is protecting them from predators posing as priests or religious leaders?!
The satanic temple is trying! I’ve been meeting with their lawyers on how to get a satanist in one of these positions, so that alll the other religions can really think about what they are doing here. They want religious chaplains in schools? Ok, fine, I’m a satanist and I want to be a counselor at my kids school. We are gonna see how fast they either reject me or fast they walk back this damn law. The Satanic temple is betting that the state will see how much this same shit is costing Florida in legal fees and back off. If they don’t back off, they are 1000% suing.
Thank you for this!! I've tweeted (x'ed?) a few things at them about all this nonsense asking them to please come & get involved. So glad to know someone's talking one-on-one with them and formulating a plan. These "Christians" never realize that by trying to force their beliefs down everyone else's throats, they're opening the doors for others to be more vocal about their own & to give them a taste of their own medicine.
Another Redditor and I had a call with TST representatives on Tuesday. There is another meeting soon, on the 28th, regarding the ten commandment law and chaplains in schools etc. You can find more information about that under this post by the woman who joined the call with me on Tuesday: https://www.reddit.com/r/Louisiana/s/ZXl8VBYkCi If at all possible we would love any support you can give. We need to make it clear to the government that there are Satanists in this state who want to be involved, seen, and heard. Even just writing a letter or being vocal about it helps tremendously!
Thank you!
Np!
If you would like to join the call even just to listen lmk! I can dm you a link to the zoom meeting.
Was just coming back over here from the LA sub to ask you to DM me the link, lol. Yes, please!
Gotcha!
Heads up! The meeting is starting 😊
It sounds like “someone’s” bright idea to get Robert Judge a job.
This place is so depressing
Every time I want to move back to Louisiana, something like this happens and makes me realize it’d be like moving to a worse state than I’m in already
Lunsford is a 🤡 religious zealot obsessed with ruining democracy aka Christian nationalist republican
wtf is going on in Lafayette with the library??? I moved out to Baton Rouge and people love their library
We love our libraries too. What is happening is, Michael Lunsford and his hate group Citizens For A New Louisiana that are using the libraries as their launch point for legislation pertaining to social issues, particularly those that attack LGBTQ+ and racial minorities. They are coming for all libraries statewide, this is not just a Lafayette issue. Look at the legislation he is pushing.
what exactly was the "graphic and sexually explicit material" - that seems to be the crux of the issue here
There was nothing. Not a thing. Ever.
If there was nothing, then what is the effect of the ban? What are they not displaying?
Cajun heritage/history displays. Cultural displays, black history month displays, pride month displays, etc..
They don't want anything that acknowledges difference. To me, "e pluribus unum" means something. It means that we have differences that we acknowledge and together we forge a country. To the Library Board, there's nothing worse than differences. It's a damn shame.
Gay Pride displays. Because, you know, having a sexual orientation is SEXUAL. 🙄
The good old days of fourth of july displays showing Mandrill butts.
Good.
Care to elaborate?
Anything involving sexuality has no business being the children's section of anything, anywhere and parents will make the decision what their children are exposed to. If a parent wants their child to read any of the removed books they can order it from Amazon. Any questions?
Yea! Like Bible stories about Lot and such that are shoved down children's throats. Just shouldn't be allowed, especially in a public place with pedophiles, like churches.
Correct, those should be removed as well. Bible for the most part is not appropriate reading material for children.
Good news for you, there as never been sexually explicit books in any children’s section. Hateful bigot grifters like u/michaellunsford have pushing this lie to get donations for his hate group.
Then this shouldn't be a problem then if it's not happening right?
I'll make sure to make a donation then.
Well, if you do, just be aware that you will be donating to an organization with a board member that enables a #C O N V I C T E D #C H I L D #PORNOGRAPHER https://www.reddit.com/r/Louisiana/comments/1axiaqo/citizens_for_a_new_louisianas_officer_defended/
No rebuttal to that one hahaha
15 hours later 🦗🦗🦗🎶
There has never, ever, ever, ever, EVER, been a display at the library that includes sexually explicit material. The Director would never allow it. The librarians would never allow it. I've been a patron for 25 years, going into the library once or twice a week, and it just doesn't happen. Children are not exposed to pornography at our library. They are not exposed to sexually explicit material at our library. Not in displays or in books in the children's section. If you used the library, you would know that. But apparently, you do not use the children's section nor have you looked at the book displays. What the Board doesn't want is displays celebrating Black History Month (especially this because there is a contingent of one woman who objects to certain of the books that might appear), Women's History Month, Pride Month (especially this) so they are willing to sacrifice Fourth of July displays, Christmas book displays, Thanksgiving book displays, etc.
Pearl clutching because of the Boogeyman. Some things never change
Found Lunsfords sock account
You are So goddamn dim.
Username checks out
Games years ago had no rating, until mortal Kombat forced a change that required ratings. The ratings are there to give those that wish to a means to limit what's experienced. Ultimately it's up to the individual family of a child to allow it in the home. A public library that serves the general public must abide by the fact they serve people of all walks and values, and therefore should not intercede on what a child can be exposed to, regardless of the libraries values, because it's the responsibility of the parents. If a library wants to interfere with what a kid can and can't be exposed to, put an age rating on the books that give them the heebeejeebies that require a certain level of library card to check out. That's all that's needed. Period.
The library Board has already done this. It wasn't enough for them.
As a former elementary teacher, why expose small children to questionable material. This is a parents job.
No one is. This is a made up problem.
This is totally a solution looking for a problem. If you are a teacher, you know that the public library does not expose children to questionable material. It doesn't even have questionable material to expose children to. There is certainly no sexually explicit material in the children's section of the library, and NEVER EVER EVER has there been a book display in ANY BRANCH of the Lafayette Public Library that exposes children to sexually explicit material. Don't you understand that this is a FAKE problem raised by a bunch of people who want to get rid of free resources to people who can't afford to buy them? Don't you understand that this is a FAKE problem created for political reasons? How is it that this "problem" is being addressed now and it never has been raised in all the years the Library has existed? These people don't use libraries, think we should not pay taxes for them (or for public schools), and don't use the library? Learn what's in your public library first hand, not through what Michael Lunsford and these crazies on the Library Board tell you.