on the "list" of supposedly banned books in Alaska...

[acroyear]

snopes.com: Books Banned by Sarah Palin:

According to that same article, no evidence has been uncovered that any books were actually censored or removed from Wasilla's library as a result of these discussions:

Were any books censored [or] banned? June Pinell-Stephens, chairwoman of the Alaska Library Association's Intellectual Freedom Committee since 1984, checked her files and came up empty-handed.

Pinell-Stephens also had no record of any phone conversations with Emmons about the issue back then. Emmons was president of the Alaska Library Association at the time.

Given that, as yet, there is no documentation of any books having been banished from the Wasilla library by Mayor Palin, or even of which books she may have had in mind when she broached the subject, whence comes the considerable register of tomes now being circulated as "the list of books Palin tried to have banned"? The purging of the selections enumerated here from a public library would surely outrage any educator or book lover, with the listing including classics of literature by authors from William Shakespeare to William Faulkner, works by popular contemporary writers such as Stephen King and J.K. Rowling, and even such seemingly bland reference works as Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary.

One obvious clue that this list must have been cobbled together from some source other than discussions that may have taken place in Wasilla in 1996 is that several of its entries (most notably the books in J.K. Rowling's popular Harry Potter series, which began in 1997) hadn't yet been published back then. In fact, versions of this list have been circulating since at least as far back as 1998, and is actually a catch-all collection of titles said to be "books banned at one time or another in the United States."

This isn't saying the conversation with the librarian didn't take place, only that a specific list of books that's been going around in an email associated with Palin's name is bogus.

Comments

The real underlying issue is ......

[shalandara.livejournal.com]

As i see it the real issue is her wanting to fire people who disagree with her. She tried to get the Librarian fired, there's the issue of firing the guy who wouldn;t get rid of her ex-brother-in-law. I've heard that she sacked people left and right while Mayor.

I understand about administration change, but I see a pattern of her not wanting people around her who won't do what she says without question. I do not find that a desirable trait in a president (or someone who could be one at a moment's notice).

People are getting distracted by the "glamourous" issues. I'm seein an underlying trend and do not like it at all.

Re: The real underlying issue is ......

[ladyaelfwynn.livejournal.com]

There are a lot of her political beliefs that just make me spitting mad.

• I agree wholeheartedly with you on her desire to fire people who aren't in lock step with her


• I have issues with people even wondering aloud about how one would go about banning books. It sends up all sorts of red flags.


• Teaching the controversy concerning creationism vs. evolution. There is no controversy. Evolution is a proven concept (why do we keep needing different flu vaccines and new forms of anti-biotics?) Teaching creationism as fact just makes our science students unable to compete on the wider market and makes them look stupid to boot.


• Teaching abstinence only. There are scientific studies that prove that it doesn't help prevent pregnancies and are generally a waste of time and money. Sex ed is to help make young people make informed choices about their bodies not just tell girls, "Don't have sex until marriage."

Focusing on her good looks and her daughter's pregnancy is detracting from the real issues and how she really is at odds with a great many Americans believe.

source of the banned books email

[petricat666.livejournal.com]

I thought I'd find it on urbanlegends@about.com The list has been circulating for several years as a listed of books banned in the United States. It can't be from Palin in 1996 because at least 4 of the books were published since then. The story comes from the librarian of Wassila who was asked by Palin how She would react if asked to remove an objectionable book, not that Palin asked her to remove any books.

[eiredrake.livejournal.com]

The town of Wasilla did release a list of books that people had complained about. However the list only contains 4 books since 1986. My theory on it is that Palin asked about the process, but never went through with it because she was too busy bilking money from the town. Someone got her knickers in a knot and it became this left wing panic about book banning religious nutjobs.

Unfortunately nobody's been able to find the librarian in question to ask her so who knows.