Alabama Wants to Ban Gays From... Fiction Novels?

[Triggar]

http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnew...6768316400.xml

MONTGOMERY - An Alabama lawmaker who sought to ban gay marriages now wants to ban novels with gay characters from public libraries, including university libraries.

A bill by Rep. Gerald Allen, R-Cottondale, would prohibit the use of public funds for "the purchase of textbooks or library materials that recognize or promote homosexuality as an acceptable lifestyle." Allen said he filed the bill to protect children from the "homosexual agenda."

"Our culture, how we know it today, is under attack from every angle," Allen said in a press conference Tuesday.

Allen said that if his bill passes, novels with gay protagonists and college textbooks that suggest homosexuality is natural would have to be removed from library shelves and destroyed.

"I guess we dig a big hole and dump them in and bury them," he said.

A spokesman for the Montgomery-based Southern Poverty Law Center called the bill censorship.

"It sounds like Nazi book burning to me," said SPLC spokesman Mark Potok.

Allen pre-filed his bill in advance of the 2005 legislative session, which begins Feb. 1.

If the bill became law, public school textbooks could not present homosexuality as a genetic trait and public libraries couldn't offer books with gay or bisexual characters.

When asked about Tennessee Williams' southern classic "Cat On A Hot Tin Roof," Allen said the play probably couldn't be performed by university theater groups.

Allen said no state funds should be used to pay for materials that foster homosexuality. He said that would include nonfiction books that suggest homosexuality is acceptable and fiction novels with gay characters. While that would ban books like "Heather has Two Mommies," it could also include classic and popular novels with gay characters such as "The Color Purple," "The Picture of Dorian Gray" and "Brideshead Revisted."

The bill also would ban materials that recognize or promote a lifestyle or actions prohibited by the sodomy and sexual misconduct laws of Alabama. Allen said that meant books with heterosexual couples committing those acts likely would be banned, too.

His bill also would prohibit a teacher from handing out materials or bringing in a classroom speaker who suggested homosexuality was OK, he said.

Allen has sponsored legislation to make a gay marriage ban part of the Alabama Constitution, but it was not approved by the Legislature.

Ken Baker, a board member of Equality Alabama, a gay rights organization, said Allen was "attempting to become the George Wallace of homosexuality."

Aside from the moral debates, the bill could be problematic for library collections, said Jaunita Owes, director of the Montgomery City-County Library, which is a few blocks from the Alabama Capitol.

"Half the books in the library could end up being banned. It's all based on how one interprets the material," Owes said.

But I think Mag, Frog and Matt summed it up best:

<mag> Fuck Alabama NDABUT
<mag> Wait, no, even better.
<mag> Alabama is gay.
<MattxMosh> lets ban Alabama for teh US
<CDL-ObnoxiousFrog> OMG NO FAGGTS IN THGE BOOKS
<CDL-ObnoxiousFrog> ITS A FLAG NOT A RAG AND WE DONT WEAR IT ON OUR HEADS?

[OfaLoaf]

Ah ain't gunna let none of them li'l *** books go'n change MAH sexuality, nuh sir! Them's shuld all be BURNED with the holy spir't of th' Christ.
/redneck


Alabama's inbred.

[Biohazzard56]

This is really stupid. Its a backdoor way to keep authors from expressing themselves. Its not a big deal, for whatever reason an author has for making a gay charaectar its up to the author not the state of alabama to dictate what you read.

[EarlyDawn]

Bio has hit the nail on the head.

I don't think it'll happen, regardless. Clear violation of the constitution. In the process, this guy is just demonstrating how much of a bigoted fuck he is.

[Triggar]

The fact that people like this guy are in a position that influences the decisions of our government makes me want to vomit.

Next, he'll propose a ban on literature that says a non-Christian is responsible for developments in science and technology.

[AztecWarrior]

Wrong forum?

[Triggar]

Nah.

[AztecWarrior]

Originally Posted by Triggar

Nah.

Because, after all, the mods don't have to obey the rules.

SIEG HEIL

[Triggar]

...

We're not debating politics

We're not discussing politics

We're talking about the retardedness of this man

[Sputty]

Alabama is already on my long list of places not to go
Most Southern States, California, France, Spain, Portugal, Japan, Russia, China, Saudi Arabia, Rest of Middle East, All of Africa, New Guinea, Germany, Italy, lots of Eastern European coutries, most of South America and Mexico
I think that's it.

[DeepStrikeck]

What makes me wanna vomit is that people like Ted Kennedy and John Kerry who waste out tax dollars on stupid crap are in positions to lead this country.

Oh, and I don't mind this bill, as I'm strongly against homosexuality. And by the way, there is nothing wrong with feverently believing in something. There is nothing wrong with sticking to your beliefs (a biggot as you all deem) and not being willing to compromise your morals because of other's opinions.

[Sputty]

Stupid crap = more money for education and healthcare?

[Triggar]

[ObnoxiousFrog]

WWCED

Tell me, tell me true.

[Setari]

mmk. it's fiction. if they have deer that talk to people, they can have gay guys.