A Texas county has mandated public libraries move a well-regarded children's book documenting the mistreatment of Native Americans in New England — Colonization and the Wampanoag Story — from the "non-fiction" section to "fiction." The decision was made after the government of Montgomery County, under pressure from right-wing activists, removed librarians from the process of reviewing children's books and replaced them with a "Citizens Review Committee."
No it is not fiction, it is a documented history which includes parables, simple stories illustrating a moral or religious lesson. That is why the Library of Congress and numerous others classify the book as nonfiction. Your comment about people who "were ignorant of many things" demonstrates your own lack of knowledge of the history of Native American tribes.
I'm guessing that you are unaware, for example, of the influence that some Native American governance structures had substantial influence on the content of the U.S. Constitution. The following article is from JStor, a digital source which makes available articles from scholarly (i.e. not "popular literature") publications.
Thank you Judd for unearthing another revelation of right wing censorship that brings ignorance and lack of freedom to all of us. Freedom to choose what to do with our physical bodes, where to live, what to read, what to say, what to think, who to vote for. Our "Great" country grew out of abuse and slaughter of AMERICAN INDIANS. Happy Indigenous Peoples' Day!
Now their struggle has been reduced to fiction. We already had another Texas publisher try to pass off Black slaves as "guest workers" in their revisionist re-telling of history.
As a retired library studies professor, I especially appreciate this report, Judd. It reminds me of a Leonard Cohen lyric “Yes, you who must leave everything that you cannot control/It begins with your body, but later runs round to your soul. . .” (Sisters of Mercy)
When politicians, not librarians, determine the quality of books available, truth and reality disappear. This is unconscionable! The restrictions on public education and libraries, the very institutions that support reality and history, lead to uneducated people who allow emotions to support their politicians which lead to dictatorship and destruction of democracy. Critical thinking is essential to truth.
This is just horrendous!! What can we do to stop these ridiculous groups being able to just change things how they want? You take librarians off the committee? I mean come on, once you do that you don’t care about the truth or books!! I’m so mad!
You can support the work of organizations like The Freedom to Read Foundation (affiliated with the American Library Association), Unite Against Book Bans and the ACLU. They are on the ground and in the courts fighting attempts to suppress first amendment freedoms like the freedom to read.
This, and so many other things like it, already are happening all over the country. That is why journalism like this is so important, as well as us following up to stop them from happening. The right seems to have picked up on something the left has forgotten: think globally, act locally. If we let them, "two moms" can get together and get their way at local school libraries regardless of who is in the White House.
A preview of how the naga cult will destroy public education and libraries throughout the country. They're SHOWING us exactly who they are and what they stand for
There already is a longstanding attempt to erase the Palestinian people from history. Now, there’s an attempt to erase them entirely, even as we watch it live. Be sure to archive what’s happening, and safeguard it well, before this, too, gets moved to the fiction section.
True. And I ask, why don’t we have anything in place to prevent this Fascist take-over? In the past the FBI or CIA “took care” of certain people. Are they too undependable? No one seems to be protesting much. We should strongly demand that the Harris/Walz admin get SCOTUS impeachments going one minute after the win. This is why a BLUE Congress is extremely critical!
The Bible isn't even original. It's a collection of favorite stories and events from the past that some people wanted to remember in their own perspective, like Judaism, or early Christianity. It's a bit like what Texas and other states are trying to do less originally by just moving books around.
As a retired Library director this whole thing is appalling but this particular sentence stood out to me. "The book is then considered by the Citizens Review Committee at a meeting that is "closed to the public except for the Resident who made a formal request for review." The decisions of the Citize's Review Committee are final, and there is no appeals process." This to me seems like it should be illegal as it is the tax dollars that pay for the library making all decisions transparent and open to the public. I hope there are some attorneys that can see their way to suing.
When I was getting my Master’s in Library Science in the mid-2000’s I could see the writing on the wall, I once had a fellow student accuse me of making everything “political”—I unequivocally told her that it already was, and if she didn’t understand that it was going to be a problem for her at some point…well here we are…now it’s a problem for all of us.
“1492. As children we were taught to memorize this year with pride and joy as the year people began living full and imaginative lives on the continent of North America. Actually, people had been living full and imaginative lives on the continent of North America for thousands of years before that. 1492 was simply the year sea pirates began to rob, cheat, and kill them.” - Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
So, Texas librarians can start cataloging the Bible as fiction now, right? And the right wing propaganda can go in the fiction shelves too, right? 😡
Evangelicals have fun trying to explain the contradictions within the Bible. They could work for Cirque du Soleil with those gymnastics.
There aren’t words that describe my disgust that this can be done..how can there be so many people that don’t care about the truth?
There aren't very many of them, but a few can cause a whole lot of damage.
It is fiction, it’s parables and tales told during a time when people were ignorant about many things.
No it is not fiction, it is a documented history which includes parables, simple stories illustrating a moral or religious lesson. That is why the Library of Congress and numerous others classify the book as nonfiction. Your comment about people who "were ignorant of many things" demonstrates your own lack of knowledge of the history of Native American tribes.
I'm guessing that you are unaware, for example, of the influence that some Native American governance structures had substantial influence on the content of the U.S. Constitution. The following article is from JStor, a digital source which makes available articles from scholarly (i.e. not "popular literature") publications.
https://daily.jstor.org/the-native-american-roots-of-the-u-s-constitution/
I was talking about the Bible.
My daughter is Native American.
Thank you Judd for unearthing another revelation of right wing censorship that brings ignorance and lack of freedom to all of us. Freedom to choose what to do with our physical bodes, where to live, what to read, what to say, what to think, who to vote for. Our "Great" country grew out of abuse and slaughter of AMERICAN INDIANS. Happy Indigenous Peoples' Day!
Now their struggle has been reduced to fiction. We already had another Texas publisher try to pass off Black slaves as "guest workers" in their revisionist re-telling of history.
"Guest workers"? There isn't an adjective to describe that level of Disgusting!
As a retired library studies professor, I especially appreciate this report, Judd. It reminds me of a Leonard Cohen lyric “Yes, you who must leave everything that you cannot control/It begins with your body, but later runs round to your soul. . .” (Sisters of Mercy)
Another example of white people washing American history.
It does seem to be a dependable formula for massive wealth accumulation for white people.
I see you avoided the obvious pun while making a most salient point. Hats off to you Randy!
The pun route was too easy. I prefer the road less traveled. 😃
And they can white wash all they want, but they can’t change history.
Damn right!
Small minded know nothings actually to impose their ignorance & bigotry on the rest of us
Remember, the MAGA Cheeto Jesus loves the poorly educated
When politicians, not librarians, determine the quality of books available, truth and reality disappear. This is unconscionable! The restrictions on public education and libraries, the very institutions that support reality and history, lead to uneducated people who allow emotions to support their politicians which lead to dictatorship and destruction of democracy. Critical thinking is essential to truth.
"truth and reality disappear." That's a perfect description for the horror we are undergoing now as a nation.
This is the tipping point for Democracy. If Trump wins, we lose it all. I am terrified and I’m a white woman in her 70’s.
Same gender, same age, same race, same terror.
Heaven help us - they are dragging us back to the middle ages (citizens review committee my ass)
This is just horrendous!! What can we do to stop these ridiculous groups being able to just change things how they want? You take librarians off the committee? I mean come on, once you do that you don’t care about the truth or books!! I’m so mad!
You can support the work of organizations like The Freedom to Read Foundation (affiliated with the American Library Association), Unite Against Book Bans and the ACLU. They are on the ground and in the courts fighting attempts to suppress first amendment freedoms like the freedom to read.
Thank you! I will definitely support these groups!
What would you expect? It's Texas!
Texas! Florida! What’s next?
The entire country if we allow them to win the elections next month...Vote Blue
This, and so many other things like it, already are happening all over the country. That is why journalism like this is so important, as well as us following up to stop them from happening. The right seems to have picked up on something the left has forgotten: think globally, act locally. If we let them, "two moms" can get together and get their way at local school libraries regardless of who is in the White House.
Iowa is well on the way down this road too.
Being from Iowa, I am embarrassed by their book bans. It used to be that Iowa education was outstanding, now it is a joke.
I know. Used to have one of the best, if not the best, public education systems in the nation.
A preview of how the naga cult will destroy public education and libraries throughout the country. They're SHOWING us exactly who they are and what they stand for
There already is a longstanding attempt to erase the Palestinian people from history. Now, there’s an attempt to erase them entirely, even as we watch it live. Be sure to archive what’s happening, and safeguard it well, before this, too, gets moved to the fiction section.
And the erasure is almost entirely funded by our tax dollars.
Keep following the money when it comes to genocides.
Texas has managed to become a totalitarian state within a democratic nation. Essentially, Project 2025 has been implemented in Texas.
True. And I ask, why don’t we have anything in place to prevent this Fascist take-over? In the past the FBI or CIA “took care” of certain people. Are they too undependable? No one seems to be protesting much. We should strongly demand that the Harris/Walz admin get SCOTUS impeachments going one minute after the win. This is why a BLUE Congress is extremely critical!
Excellent point.
The Bible isn't even original. It's a collection of favorite stories and events from the past that some people wanted to remember in their own perspective, like Judaism, or early Christianity. It's a bit like what Texas and other states are trying to do less originally by just moving books around.
As a retired Library director this whole thing is appalling but this particular sentence stood out to me. "The book is then considered by the Citizens Review Committee at a meeting that is "closed to the public except for the Resident who made a formal request for review." The decisions of the Citize's Review Committee are final, and there is no appeals process." This to me seems like it should be illegal as it is the tax dollars that pay for the library making all decisions transparent and open to the public. I hope there are some attorneys that can see their way to suing.
I wouldn't be surprised to see the ACLU get involved in this.
When I was getting my Master’s in Library Science in the mid-2000’s I could see the writing on the wall, I once had a fellow student accuse me of making everything “political”—I unequivocally told her that it already was, and if she didn’t understand that it was going to be a problem for her at some point…well here we are…now it’s a problem for all of us.
Good for you for getting your MLS and for correcting your classmate! I got mine in the seventies. Librarians rock. Keep standing up for the truth.
“1492. As children we were taught to memorize this year with pride and joy as the year people began living full and imaginative lives on the continent of North America. Actually, people had been living full and imaginative lives on the continent of North America for thousands of years before that. 1492 was simply the year sea pirates began to rob, cheat, and kill them.” - Kurt Vonnegut Jr.