Exposing Kids to Gay Themes in Library Books

Re “Trouble With Gay Characters,” Jan. 1. The word “censorship” is perhaps one of the most misused words of our time. When a public librarian uses discretion by not purchasing a children’s book with gay themes, it never fails to amaze me the way the far left is so quick to cry “censorship.”

It is quite an outrageous proposition that such books belong on the shelves of our public-school libraries, where children are free to access them without the knowledge or consent of their parents. Parents should have absolute control and discretion as to whether these issues are introduced to their children, at what age they are introduced and how they are introduced, not the wacky left and authors like Martha Freeman. It is encouraging that so many librarians have done the right thing and used common-sense discretion in refusing this book.

Charles Campbell

City of Commerce

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So another protest to a library by a “Christian” results in a book being pulled off the shelves. Even worse, prior restraint results in the book not being purchased for fear of giving offense.

As a nonbeliever in this land of theists, I have learned that many people hold views I do not share. Am I to demand the removal of all material that offends me? Should I demand Christian books be placed in a corner where I will not see them? Perhaps books about lions could go there, too.

With all respect to the librarians of the world, theirs is not a job that demands much by way of physical courage. If they cannot find the intellectual strength to recognize narrow-minded bigots when they meet them, perhaps they should look for another line of work.

Peter Adams

Sparks, Nev.

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Regarding your story about the entirely understandable and unremarkable fact that a significant number of people are uncomfortable about their young children being exposed to unconventional lifestyles such as same-sex parents: Isn’t the only truly newsworthy aspect of this subject the fact that your paper not only thinks it newsworthy but also believes it merits Column One coverage? Indeed, doesn’t this treatment make it difficult to conclude anything other than that The Times’ editors -- feeling obligated, no doubt, to be at the forefront of political correctness -- also feel obligated to view the world through “gay-colored” glasses?

Robert Grunburg

San Diego

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Your Column One article reveals how much power those in the Christian right wing wield, despite their constant complaints of being disenfranchised by secular heathens, and also how much people truly loathe homosexuals. A children’s book cannot be allowed a passing reference to a gay couple that says nothing more than that they exist. To do so, it seems, is to further the dreaded “homosexual agenda,” which gets in the way of the homophobes’ own agenda: persistently demonizing homosexuality.

Kevin Dawson

Sunland