For many public libraries, "diversity" begins and ends with a perverse drag queen story hour even though it is disapproving taxpayers whose dollars built the building and stocked the shelves. That is Kirk Cameron's conclusion after fighting for a room and a time slot to read his own children's book at public libraries across the country.
Many of those libraries and their liberal staff members have welcomed wig-wearing, scantily-dressed drag queens to read to innocent children, but Cameron's now-famous attempt to do the same was not met with such enthusiasm.
In a Tuesday radio interview on American Family Radio, Cameron reminded the audience he was promoting his children's book "As Your Grow" last last year around Christmas when he ran into roadblocks in library after library.
"I wanted to do a public library story time reading of my book," he recalled, "and I was denied by over 50 woke libraries that previously held drag queen story hours."
In a related story at the time, AFN reported book publisher Brave Books kept up with every denial and with the excuses, too, such as a "queer-friendly" library and an "inclusive" environment didn't fit Cameron's plans.
And so a culture battle kicked off, which Cameron didn't start, that pitted the quiet-natured actor against public libraries large and small that have been taken over and are now controlled by far-left zealots.
Cameron’s effort to counter drag queen events with his faith-based book was met with fierce resistance by the American Library Association, a non-profit group based in the U.S. The group says its mission is to “provide leadership for the development, promotion and improvement of library and information services in order to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all.”
InfluenceWatch.org describes the ALA as having a left-of-center approach to public policy, which is something of an understatement. The current ALA president, Emily Drabinski, is a self-described "Marxist lesbian."
Last week, a seven-member commission that oversees the Montana State Library voted 6-1 for its libraries to immediately sever ties with the ALA.
“I reminded [library staff] that this is the United States of America, built on biblical values and the Bill of Rights," Cameron said of that fight. "And if they continued with their discrimination, I would assert my constitutional rights in court."
Facing the threat of a lawsuit, library staff members unhappily backed down and Cameron showed up with his book. Thousands of families showed up to support him and to watch a normal-looking man read "As You Grow" to their children.
ALA commies won't give up
Cameron announced on AFR he is now planning a nationwide event Aug. 5 that he is calling “See You At The Library,” a take-off on the popular “See You At The Pole" prayer gathering.
Cameron is calling on Americans to gather at their public libraries and read books of Christian virtues to their children.
The Marxist-led ALA, however, is predictably fighting that effort with underhanded tactics. Brave Books reported in June it had obtained documentation ALA was seeking to prevent or disrupt the public book readings by guiding member libraries in ways they could oppose the Brave Books event.
Among the suggestions was to make meeting space unavailable.
“The First Amendment does not require the library to even offer meeting room spaces,” an ALA spokesperson can be heard saying in the video.
If that tactic is too strong or too obvious for local library officials, more subtle ways were suggested: Limiting meeting attendance to people who hold a library card; prioritize library-sponsored programs; and warn that consequences for not following library policies could include cancellation of the event.
“We’ve actually got the ALA trying to deny access to families to their own public libraries, paid for by taxpayer dollars,” Cameron said.
Thank you for publicity, protesters
Cameron’s book tour has encountered opponents at each stop but they have been a fraction of the children, parents and grandparents who have been eager to hear him read, he said.
“If you read them," he says of his faith-based books, "you'd find that they're about love, joy, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self control."
As far as protests, the actor-turned-author insists he is not concerned about them.
"If anything, it brings more attention to the events, and more people are finding out about it and want to be a part of them,” he said.
People interested in reading at their local public libraries for "See You at the Library" can find more information at the Brave Books website.
