A New Bill In Louisiana Would Criminalize Librarians and Libraries Who Join the American Library Association ( bookriot.com )

The House Bill 777 was introduced on March 25 by Representative Kellee Dickerson, who helped fund the Louisiana Freedom Caucus. The bill would criminalize library workers and libraries for joining the American Library Association.

The bill says that "no public official or employee shall appropriate, allocate, reimburse, or otherwise or in any way expend public funds to or with the American Library Association or its successor". Whoever violates the law could face up to two years in prison.

The American Library Association (ALA) is the largest and oldest professional organization for library workers in the nation. It was founded in 1876.

[Edit typo.]

TehPers ,

Genuine question, but is this bill even constitutional? Article says no, but doesn't explain why. Still, a similar bill could easily say that people are not allowed to join any other kind of organization (except presumably a religious one), right?

Chuymatt ,

Freedom of association?

ulkesh ,
@ulkesh@beehaw.org avatar

Louisiana, like all southern states, is garbage. I visited New Orleans once. I wasn’t fond of smelling literal garbage and shit while walking through the French Quarter. I won’t be going back.

So there is no real surprise that the bills they produce in Baton Rouge smell just as bad.

BevelGear ,

I think this is absurd. Libraries are places of knowledge and curiosity. If people aren't thinking critically about what they read, the government shouldn't put the blame on libraries and librarians. They need to be more worried about educating the public by funding schools to teach students through critical thinking instead of memorization. Yes, that'll be harder to achieve, but the change will be transformative.

ShellMonkey ,
@ShellMonkey@lemmy.socdojo.com avatar

People not thinking critically is the goal not the problem...

BevelGear ,

If that's the government's goal and people are are willing to let that happen without a fight, then we may as well give up our free will and just obey as we're told. This is a disgrace imo.

BigMacHole ,

Jailing Librarians for choosing to be Librarians is called FREEDOM!

LadyMeow ,

What in the dystopia is going on in the south? Grief.

Kwakigra ,
@Kwakigra@beehaw.org avatar

If Southern governments didn't do things like this to their populations this country would look much different. This is why Southern governments want as few white people voting as possible and do everything they can to ensure that. Restricting public services so that only the voting class has access to basic accommodations through private means is another way of keeping oppressed people away from the political process.

Maeve ,

Lee Atwater wanted poor whites to vote.

https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/exclusive-lee-atwaters-infamous-1981-interview-southern-strategy/

Kwakigra ,
@Kwakigra@beehaw.org avatar

To re-phrase: as few people voting as possible in general, and among these voters as few challenges to established US white supremacy as possible.

Maeve ,

Next, libraries. Next, women reading. Next, anyone not in a specified socioeconomic class reading.

storksforlegs ,
@storksforlegs@beehaw.org avatar

Or just books, period.

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