Dear MoveOn member,
Former President Barack Obama sent an open letter last week thanking the "dedicated and hardworking librarians of America" for fighting book bans and censorship.1
He lamented, "Today, some of the books that shaped my life—and the lives of so many others—are being challenged by people who disagree with certain ideas or perspectives."2
And the former president wrote, "Michelle and I want to thank you ... for the work you do every day—work that is helping us understand each other and embrace our shared humanity."3
Andra, librarians are under attack and need our support. That's why MoveOn just printed a big batch of these "Support Your Local Librarians" stickers and is giving them away for free—while supplies last.
Click here or on the image below to order your free sticker now.
A Missouri librarian explained, "I've been called a pedophile. I've been called a groomer. I've been called a Communist pornographer. I've been called all kinds of things. And I know many of my colleagues have been as well."4
A librarian from a small town in upstate New York said, "They're coming for us."5
Librarians face years of imprisonment and tens of thousands of dollars in fines for providing what the MAGA Republicans believe to be sexually explicit, obscene, or "harmful" books to children under a spate of new state laws that permit criminal prosecution of school and library personnel.6
The Houston Chronicle reported that the police have been called to Texas school and public libraries at least five times since 2021 to examine books for illegal content.7
Andra, let's join together to support our local librarians, who, as President Obama wrote are "on the front lines" of the MAGA war against books that talk about race and sexual identity or expression.8
Click here to get your free sticker and put it somewhere visible for people to see.
In addition to threats of criminal prosecution, librarians are being inundated by hate mail and harassing phone calls and are being verbally attacked while on the job.9
It's so bad that the Texas Library Association started a volunteer-staffed help line to offer support to librarians being intimidated into censorship.10
At the American Library Association's recent annual meeting in Chicago, there were training sessions on fighting book bans.11
And librarians in Arkansas just sued to block a new law that could jail them for providing books to children.12
Thanks for all you do.
–Kelly, Elizabeth, Amanda, Vickie, and the rest of the team
Sources:
1. "President Obama Extends Support to American Librarians in an Open Letter," American Library Association, July 17, 2023
https://act.moveon.org/go/179252?t=6&akid=358176%2E53570607%2EU3vx5V
2. Ibid.
3. Ibid.
4. "The Librarians Are Not Okay," The Atlantic, March 15, 2023
https://act.moveon.org/go/179253?t=8&akid=358176%2E53570607%2EU3vx5V
5. Ibid.
6. "School librarians face a new penalty in the banned-book wars: Prison," The Washington Post, March 18, 2023
https://act.moveon.org/go/179239?t=10&akid=358176%2E53570607%2EU3vx5V
7. "Obama takes to TikTok to support libraries' fight against book bans," The Washington Post, July 17, 2023
https://act.moveon.org/go/179238?t=12&akid=358176%2E53570607%2EU3vx5V
8. "President Obama Extends Support to American Librarians in an Open Letter," American Library Association, July 17, 2023
https://act.moveon.org/go/179252?t=14&akid=358176%2E53570607%2EU3vx5V
9. "The Librarians Are Not Okay," The Atlantic, March 15, 2023
https://act.moveon.org/go/179253?t=16&akid=358176%2E53570607%2EU3vx5V
10. Ibid.
11. "Librarians train to defend intellectual freedom and fight book bans at Chicago conference," Associated Press, June 24, 2023
https://act.moveon.org/go/179254?t=18&akid=358176%2E53570607%2EU3vx5V
12. "Arkansas librarians sue to block new law that could jail them over explicit books," NBC News, June 2, 2023
https://act.moveon.org/go/173242?t=20&akid=358176%2E53570607%2EU3vx5V
Want to support MoveOn's work? Book bans have skyrocketed thanks to right-wing state laws which have forced teachers to remove books from their classrooms. In response, MoveOn is launching a "Banned Bookmobile," filling it with books that the far right has banned, and driving it around to hand out those books, for free, in highly trafficked areas that will attract media attention. To keep the Banned Bookmobile up and running into 2024, we need your help.
Will you chip in to power our critical work?
PAID FOR BY MOVEON POLITICAL ACTION, https://pol.moveon.org/. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. MoveOn Political Action - PO Box 96142, Washington, D.C. 20090-6142.
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