960.jpg)
As reported in School Library Journal, The conservative Illinois Family Institute is calling for a boycott of Scholastic's Book Fairs and Book Club Catalog because the company is including the elementary level book "Love Ya Bunches" by Lauren Myracle in its middle school book fairs and in its catalog.
Why? Because one of the book's four main characters has two moms.
The IFI is urging parents to call and email Scholastic to inform them
"that as long as they are carrying books that affirm homosexuality as moral, you will not purchase books from them."
And so Scholastic has what it initially feared. But from both sides.
We Liberals are upset with them that they tried to censor the book in the first place, and then tried to mollify us by saying they'd include the book with the lesbian moms intact in some of their fairs (only not for the target age range.)
Conservatives are upset that Scholastic is carrying the book anywhere with the two mom characters intact.
And here is where it gets to be such a wonderful opportunity for Scholastic to STAND UP FOR WHAT THEY BELIEVE, rather than simply being reactive to angry protests from one side or the other.
At the end of the day, it's all about character. And I don't mean the two mom characters. I mean the character of Scholastic as an organization.
What do they stand for?
If Scholastic supports freedom of expression, and author's rights, and the reality of hundreds of thousands of children being raised by Gay parents, they'll stand by the book - conservative boycott or not. I hope they do.
It will be interesting to see what Scholastic does next.
(And if I can suggest: an apology for asking for the de-gaying, as part of a statement of support for the Gay Parenting community, would be a wonderful first step.)
7 comments:
Here is my question: would this group even have known about the two moms in the book if Scholastic had just included it in the first place and there hadn't been the kerfluffle?
Not sure if you saw the RT I did last night of a comment fielded by Phil Bildner on a school visit. It was, "No, I don't want to be president. Then I'd have to be black." This was in an elementary school. Parents are responsible for that kind of bigotry, as is the case here. When will the human race find across-the-board humanity? Maybe these so-called Christians should discuss that with Christ, who loved and accepted everyone equally.
I agree with Jacqui above. Scholastic shot themselves in the foot by trying to bully Lauren Myracle. I really doubt "Luv Ya Bunches" would ever have caught the eye of the Illinois conservative whatever group otherwise.
I agree, Scholastic needs to take a stand. Based on their "Mission and Credo" (http://www.scholastic.com/aboutscholastic/missionandcredo.htm), they need to take the side of inclusiveness and diversity in their book fairs.
"STAND UP FOR WHAT THEY BELIEVE""
They're a business. What they believe in is money, and their decision will reflect that.
Sorry I'm so cynical, but I am.
I think it's shameful and abhorrent how hatred and intolerance have become the norm for a religion and faith originally based on love and acceptance.
Jacqui and Ellen have excellent points. The IFI represents premeditated hatred instead of any moral stand.
But if these political-religious fanatics would just read their bible they would discover the marriage they've entered into is doomed for divorce. And they will come out the worse for it. It's in Revelation. The Harlot Church.
In the meantime we're kind of stuck with them. All we can do is hope Scholastic sees a bigger profit in offering the books than in not.
If Christians, and people who purport to be Christians, would spend more time reading their bibles and living the life Jesus commanded, they would have a much better image in the world.
And they would actually be pleasing God.
But all of this hatred and intolerance just makes us all liars.
They say they want freedom. Just not for everybody.
I'm thinking/hoping that author/Scholastic editor David Levithan is working hard against this?
Are we really at this place of censorship in 2009?
Post a Comment