Saturday, September 22, 2007

News

I found this story at USAToday.

JoAn Karkos was "horrified" by the contents of It's Perfectly Normal: Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex & Sexual Health . Instead of burning the books, which she describes as "pornographic," the Maine mother borrowed copies from two local libraries and refused to bring them back.

"Since I have been sufficiently horrified of the illustrations and the sexually graphic, amoral abnormal contents, I will not be returning the books," Karkos wrote in a letter the Lewiston and Auburn public libraries last month, according to the Associated Press. She enclosed a check for the MSRP of the book.

The librarians are threatening to call in the cops. "It is clearly theft," one librarian tells the Sun Journal .

That doesn't seem to faze Karkos, who wrote in a recent letter to the editor of her local paper that the book: promotes promiscuous sex by illustrations and written content specifically intended to distort, undermine, and destroy wholesome traditional family values. It teaches children they have a right to sex, and that their bodies and others' bodies are toys made for recreation. Innocence is stolen and minds are imprinted with activities that rob children of the natural progression of sexual investigation. ... Sexual predators have got to love this book, which promotes sexual excitement in children, and gets children past the stage of embarrassment, blush and shame, and engaged in its activities.

What do you think about this issue? Does this woman have the right to steal a book from the library based on her morals. What is this teaching her children?! It's okay to steal, just don't look at porn?! What a quack!

6 comments, add yours here:

katherine. said...

well...having not actually ever read the book myself I can't comment on the content....but let's pretend it is one of the most vile in content.

I think the library will just replace what she has stolen. I think they should prosecute her and make her bring them back or personally replace them. Not just send money.

I think her stunt gave a ton more free advertising to the book. People who agree with the content will now buy more. People who are just curious will now expose the content to their minds.

I think book banning is one of the first steps to the loss of freedom.

Does the Library have a restricted section based on age? Its been a while since I seriously went to one...

Tawnya Shields said...

I'm not into banning books. That smells of fascism. Everyone has their opinions. If you don't like it don't read it. I think she is like that crazy church lady on that reality wife show. She needs to be fined for stealing.

Travis Cody said...

She should be prosecuted for stealing. It isn't up to her to personally define what others read.

She has a right to her opinion, and she has a right to educate her own children. But she has no right to impose her own morality on others.

If she is opposed to the content of the book, then there are legal ways to protest.

Linda said...

I totally agree with everyone else here, she had no right to steal the book from the library and just sending them the money doesn't exonerate her of the crime. Who is she to judge what other people should or should not read?

It's like TV - if you don't like a show, change the channel. And like Katherine said, this just gives more exposure to the book which I'm sure is not what she wanted. Or did she???

Anonymous said...

I haven't seen the book but I think that book banning is wrong. So she should be fined like any other person who doesn't bring the books back. However, since it said she paid the msrp the library just needs to buy them again.

This brings up the same issue I said with Imus and other things people do not like to hear. You can not take free speech away. If you don't like what you hear change the channel. If you don't like what you see in a movie don't go. If you don't like a song don't buy the album. Teach your children respect, values and morals and then you won't have to worry about some silly library book. The worst thing someone can do that doesn't like a book is make a big deal. Thats free publicity. See now we all never heard of this book and probably never would of if she didn't say something but now I bet we all googled it.

Amazing Gracie said...

AMEN!!! I agree with all of you. The woman is a pinhead and I don't want her around my kids! Well, grandkids....
Parents need to know what their kids are watching, reading, listening to - it they don't, then shame on them! I remember my oldest daughter bought a raunchy tape and I gave her the money she spent on it and tossed it. We had a nice long talk on why I objected to the material (really ranchy sex and violence). Then we went out together and she bought another tape. I was pretty open to most of the stuff they brought home but I never believed in the, "Well, she bought it, I guess she'll have to keep it," concept.
I think anyone who tries to force their beliefs on the whole population has serious mental problems.