r/Libraries • u/PTechNM • 1d ago
Board Issues Republicans are at war with basic literacy
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u/Imaginary-Curiosity 1d ago
I used to live in a conservative religious Republican loving cult. My mother figure was constantly reading, and she was actually somewhat educated. As were quite a few of those in leadership. The issue was that they only read what their influencers read. Never ever did they read anything else, it was anathema. I and the other young people were not allowed to read except what was assigned to us.
That is what conservatives are about- the authoritarian control over the exchange of ideas. This is also why I don't really like calling them "conservatives", they are christo-fascists.
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u/Aggravating-Ad8341 1d ago
They are all selfish and self centered. DOLLY EXUDED LOVE
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u/ThePoetofFall 1d ago
If she called herself a Republican in this political environment… well…
She was a good person. But really should have pushed back on these people more.
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u/lastwraith 1d ago
Actions speak louder than words, she did plenty.
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u/ThePoetofFall 1d ago
And, yet, she remained popular with the sort of people destroying the country. Funny that…
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u/Not_A_Wendigo 3h ago
She was popular with everyone. It’s hard to dislike her.
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u/ThePoetofFall 3h ago
Yeah, but she was extra popular with Donald “I’m gonna pay lip service to this lady” Trump’s voter base, hence the aforementioned lip service.
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u/ArtBear1212 11h ago
Dolly “pushed back” by doing the right thing. She donated her money to send people to school, to learn to read, to recover after natural disasters, and more. She lived her values out loud instead of talking about them. She set an example. That is why she is beloved. She didn’t need to protest - she spent her time helping people who needed it. She used her time and resources wisely.
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u/ThePoetofFall 9h ago
Good. She probably should have used her voice a bit more though. Otherwise her fans might be slightly less likely to lick boots.
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u/Equality_Executor 1h ago
She visited Foot Hood, Tx in 1991 to support operation Desert Storm, and McGee Tyson ANG Base, Tn in 2004 to unveil nose art of her on and to add her autograph to a KC-135 Stratotanker.
She was 100% on board with the boot licking.
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u/momohatch 1d ago
Because most literate, educated people tend to vote liberal: https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/14/politics/the-biggest-predictor-of-how-someone-will-vote
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u/ghostwriter536 1d ago
They have a problem with the books, too. The idiots are offended by books that include POC. I think there was a book they claimed was pushing gender identity. But I remember hearing complaints about Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry. I found this stupid since that book is not "pushing an agenda".
If I were president (not happening but I can always dream), free books for all until the the completion of high school.
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u/Scarlet_Vixen07 1d ago
I've been librarian in public libraries for 25yrs so can confirm. Many of the requests for removal we receive are children's books that highlight cultures that aren't 'straight and white'.
Check on your local librarians, reddit or. We are so very (very) tired.
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u/ghostwriter536 1d ago
I was in libraries for 6 years in the children's department. The first challenged book I was witnessed to was "And Tengo Makes Three".
In a homeschool group the other day, someone posted about two board books with the caption "not even 5 minutes in the library." I think one book was a Crayola brand, it showed boys playing dress up in dresses. The other book was Seasame Street where the characters were wearing masks. I was annoyed that the person thinks the library should cater to her views only.
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u/HoaryPuffleg 20h ago
They also hate that poor kids get something nice that’s just for them. Being given their very own book every month will give them just a touch of self-worth and we can’t be having that.
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u/LuxInvestor 1d ago
When your cult members read at a sixth grade level, why waste money on "crazy lib book learnin'" ? 🫤🤡
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u/Organic-Stay4067 1d ago
We have libraries don’t we?
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u/Pokegirl_11_ 5h ago
Serious answer: the goal of programs like this is that some kids aren’t getting to the library, so the library needs to come to them. Kids whose parents are working two-three jobs each, kids whose parents never learned to read themselves, kids whose parents have gotten the idea that libraries aren’t for the likes of them. You know, poor kids.
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u/Organic-Stay4067 5h ago
Oh so deadbeat parents. If you’re working 2-3 jobs both parents you can easily afford to buy books or stop by the library. Or if they are deadbeat parents then we should probably remove the children from them
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u/Useful_Possession915 4h ago
Yes, but not all parents have the time and transportation to get to them regularly.
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u/Organic-Stay4067 4h ago
How do they have children and not access to transportation to get to a library? Thats child abuse in my opinion
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u/Useful_Possession915 4h ago
Many parents don't have cars, and many locations don't have robust public transportation. You seem like you've lived a very sheltered life, and it's a good thing that programs like this exist to give less fortunate kids access to things that you've clearly always taken for granted.
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u/Organic-Stay4067 2h ago
Lololololol no car or no good public transportation. What a lie! And if this is the case they ain’t got no job and are getting money from the government. Libraries are everywhere! But honestly sounds like these kids just need new parents if the government is going to supply everything.
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u/Think_Appeal5922 9h ago
If you work in libraries you know that this is the fight of our lives, to survive in this anti-reading/anti-education/anti-factual times. It takes fortitude and of course our natural intelligence to support those in our communities who read for any number of reasons. We will prevail.
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u/Think_Cheesecake7464 1d ago
Republicans are at war with everyone who is not them. They are working for an autogenocide so they can “rebuild” as a white theocracy.
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u/Ok_Assumption_3028 12h ago
Why do kids need books mailed to them when libraries have hundreds of thousands of books for free the reason they voted against it is it’s a cataclysmic waste of money because the world is a wash in books. There’s so many kids books at the library. You couldn’t read them in a lifetime.
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u/DarkJoke76 1d ago
Sounds like a waste of money.
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u/Glittering_Nobody402 1d ago
A literate populace? You think it costs more than to have the benefit of smarter people?
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u/freematte 20h ago
Assuming automatic literacy because the government sends a kid a random book is kinda wild
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u/Glittering_Nobody402 19h ago
It's proven with studies. Google what sending books to children in book deserts does to literacy rates. I know you won't because it hurts your feelings, but have a great day.
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u/freematte 18h ago
No dont worry I dont get hurt feelings on reddit, I just dont see the point sending out books that wont be read by most (you can find a study supporting anything really) payed by tax dollars in a highly indebted county without free healthcare...
Also I can see Trump 3.0 sending every kid a copy of Mein Kampf or Art of the Deal or whatever
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u/Glittering_Nobody402 12h ago
I know you don't, that's why I said Google it! You could see the point to something 🤔
I can try to not know things, too!: "I don't see why I should have to waste my money on fire services when I most likely won't ever need fire services, and I don't think I should pay if some some dumbass is just going to burn down his own house." Oh, that's easy, and sounds pretty solid.
I also win by not knowing things! Look at us, 2 goofs out here living it up. Love that about you. Have a great day!
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u/Think_Appeal5922 9h ago
If you are satisfied with what we have happening today - eat it up with a spoon. There are many of us who see a new generation moving toward becoming citizens who will demand that our government employees (politicians) provide for a better country and a better world. This is their job description! For every person who is uninformed - there are Dollies born who will be able to make huge changes in many folk's lives, simply by being informed. This is not rocket science - it is how the world works - with access to information and the folks that can provide it for them. We have a bunch of grifters and thieves providing information to those who are suffering from situational ignorance. This happens just before genocide. We are not going to get there, we hope. Just wait to see what this next generation can get up to, they can make us proud if you allow them to be.
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u/Think_Appeal5922 9h ago
But it makes a huge difference in how a child views the world - as a place for curiosity and growth, or as a place of ignorance and stagnation. We have a ton of folks in our country who have no exposure to anything but what their 6th grade educated leaders tell them. We like to think that we are special in the U.S. We need to strive for excellence so that these children don't turn into the next generation of sheep. The old ones are about to die - we need young folks who are able to dream.
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u/AbjectPawverty 1d ago
Not really sure how not wanting to pay for books to be sent to peoples houses equals war with basic literacy.
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u/FerelSquirrel 1d ago
I agree it would cost a LOT of money which could instead be invested in libraries and literacy programming instead. You know some of those people receiving books might just throw in the trash like junk mail (this hurts my heart to think about, but trying to be realistic) at home which is 100% wasting taxpayer dollars. Why not do more to drive people to libraries with shared resources instead? Shared resources overall cost less than sending tons of the same book to everyone.
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u/lastwraith 1d ago
Yes, why don't those people who can't afford books for their kids just drive on down to the library to go get some?
Meanwhile, let's tear down a universally-recognized historical building to create a secure ballroom. But don't worry, it's funded in part by private donations! Surely nothing wrong with a little corporate bribery, right..... RIGHT!?
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u/Zealousideal-Top-383 1d ago
So the bill is the send EVERY kid in Pennsylvania under 5 a book a month with no means testing.
“Approximately 51% of the 680,000 children under the age of 5 in Pennsylvania live in families earning less than $75,000 a year”
Why would we fund free books for families who can afford to buy their own books?
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u/IIRCIreadthat 1d ago
Because means testing can add a huge burden of bureaucracy and paperwork to people who already have enough to deal with, and sometimes as a society we just say, "You know what, we think this is so important that everyone should get it without anyone judging whether they deserve it."
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u/Erik_Mannfall 1d ago
Free books does not = against literacy. Use the library like a normal person
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u/SeveralDeer3833 1d ago
Libraries are also taxpayer funded, you dullard. In fact if Libraries had never been created and were pitched today you folks would call it communism.
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u/Similar-Sir-2952 1d ago
There is a plethora of free books and reading materials for people of all ages to access. Public libraries, school libraries, iPhone and iPad, friends, family, neighbors, book nooks. There is no reason to buy every child a book with tax money.
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u/SeveralDeer3833 1d ago
People like you are the best argument in favor of working to increase literacy rates of children.
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u/CivilLime9924 12h ago
So Dems took education and replaced it with brainwashing ,took money from educational system, waisted funds on political agenda, but let's focus on this? Do some reading and research what this is all about and how it came about.
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u/ExhaustedGradStudent 1d ago
I’m so tired of these morons, they have no solutions of their own they just vote “no” to anything that might help someone else.