May 28, 2023
MOVCAC Contributor: Sean P. Keefe
Citizen action works. We have all witnessed the decline in our society. Whether it is shoplifting in California, assaults on subway platforms in New York, or men in woman-face dancing for children at Parkersburg City Park (Parkersburg Pridefest June 10, 2023). We have seen that law enforcement has taken a back seat and allowed these absurdities to persist. But just because law enforcement has decided not to act doesn’t mean we as citizens must just sit down and shut up. This is our community, and we have a stake in its future.
Wood County Board of Education – May 23, 2023
In the fall of 2022, The Wood County Library featured a Banned Books display. These are the most challenged books in the United States as identified by the American Library Association. Obviously, the title of the display is misleading as none of these books are banned. The book “Gender Queer” was prominently displayed on one of the lower shelves of the display which was situated less than 20 feet from the front entrance and was the first display one saw when entering the library. A small group, led by Jessica Rowley, attended a library board meeting and brought the book to their attention.
The attendees of this meeting, not associated with the library, believed that once the library staff knew there were books with graphic displays of sex on lower shelves prominently displayed where children would see them, they would be as shocked as we were. Not only were they not shocked, they defended this display. John Jackson, president of the board, even said he believed this content was appropriate for children. John Jackson was appointed to the library board by the Wood County Board of Education.
The ensuing weeks resulted in a flurry of demonstrations against the library and its upcoming levy. Concerned citizens spoke at City Council and County Commission meetings:
Parkersburg Council hears questions about library material – October 26, 2022
Wood County Commission hears library book complaint – November 4, 2022
Letters to the editor and local reports discussed the issue:
The hateful tune remains the same – October 29, 2022
Attacks on books reveal true agenda of far right – October 29, 2022
Library Director Brian Raitz even got in on the act:
Op-ed: Public libraries are wild and wonderful – October 15, 2022
And almost got censured:
Parkersburg City Council withdraws library censure resolution – November 2, 2022
All Jessica Rowley and her merry band of fascists were asking is that books with graphic displays of sexual acts be segregated so that children would not have access. In response, those hoping to protect children from graphic sexual material were likened to Nazis by a prominent local attorney (Richard Bush Letter to the Editor November 4, 2022). One would think that an educated man practicing law would understand the difference between banning a book and segregating it from young impressionable minds.
The following is an excerpt from an op-ed I wrote for the Parkersburg News and Sentinel (Op-ed: Lies of omission are still lies, November 5, 2022):
(EDITOR’S NOTE: The following guest column contains a description of content in a graphic memoir, which some readers may find offensive.)
***
Before we begin, please picture a girl standing with a strap-on phallic device. In front of that girl, on their knees, is a shirtless human with the phallic device inserted in their mouth. I use the word human and the pronoun “their” because the gender of the human in the illustration is ambiguous. If you believe that an illustration of a sex act that includes insertion is appropriate for children of all ages, there is no need to continue reading.
The “EDITOR’S NOTE” itself indicates that the material may be offensive. They are giving that warning to adult readers of the newspaper. Those adult readers are being protected from offensive material that is made readily available to our children in both government-funded public libraries and government-run school libraries.
Obfuscation has become the norm in our local media. Just before publication of this article, Christina Myer, Parkersburg News and Sentinel Editor, again referenced the objections to these books in a Memorial Day editorial (Work of freedom continues – May 27, 2023). Rather than address the filthy material being made available to our children, Ms. Myer again clothes herself in the attire of freedom and liberty. Here arguments are childish and ignorant. She begins with a reference to book burners and theocratic zealots:
“It is worth remembering, as we approach Memorial Day, just how many of those we honor and mourn died in military service fighting fascists, tyrants, book burners, dictators, theocratic zealots, nationalists and nativists, exclusionists, human rights violators and terrorists.”
And ends with her admitting to her ignorance and laziness:
“It has been brought to my attention that my use of potential copyright issues as an additional reason for removing book excerpts from a guest column last weekend was flimsy and misguided. I got lazy in trying to shore up my reasoning (though I continue to stand by it), and did no research before I mentioned copyright laws.
In reality, the Fair Use doctrine of U.S. copyright law does make it “permissible to use limited portions of a work including quotes, for purposes such as commentary, criticism, news reporting and scholarly report,” according to the U.S. Copyright Office.
I should have known better.
Again, it does not change my stance that there is an enormous difference between something printed for a general audience and distributed in a way that limits the publisher’s ability to know who might read an item, and something printed in a format that can be sought out by individuals looking to read exactly that content — who then go to a bookstore or library with the intent to purchase or check it out.”
In the last paragraph above, Ms. Meyer defends protecting her readers from materials being made readily available to fourteen- and fifteen-year-olds. If the book excerpts are okay for our teenage children, why are they not okay for the tax-paying adults who fund their existence in public places? And this argument of book banning and burning is so childish. Anyone can get on Amazon or any other book retailer to purchase these books containing graphic sexual material. No one is banning them.
Is it any wonder our public is so ignorant when those running the institutions empowered to educate the public have no understating of basic terms like book-burning, book-banning, and age-appropriate material. Ms. Myer is a gatekeeper. From her position of authority as an editor of the newspaper of record for our community, she is basically telling her readers that they are not prepared for the information that is being discussed and they should just trust her interpretation of the issue and rely on her judgement. That is the complete opposite of a Free Press.
If I show you that books are available in our government-run schools and government-funded libraries that teach kids about cunnilingus and anal play and you as the public deem that material appropriate for your teenage children, then so be it. You are informed and have approved of it. That is how a free republic works.
What I have learned in the last couple of years is that some people do want to sexualize children. They do want them to see graphic pictures of sex. They do want them to understand how to pleasure themselves and others. Grooming is real and somehow we have made grooming the norm to the point that an educated member of the BAR Association is willing to advocate for a book where children are taught to suck on a strap-on dildo while they explore their gender fluidity.
What a grownup person does in their private lives is their own business. When they impose that private life on, not only our society, but on the impressionable minds of our youth; they have crossed a line. Why they wish to impose this on society and our children, I cannot explain. In fact, this entire issue has nothing to do with sex, gender, or censorship – it has to do with protecting innocent minds from adult themes until those minds are evolved enough to critically explore those themes. We don’t allow children into ‘R’ or ‘X’ rated movies. Do we call that censorship? Blood, guts, gore, foul language and sexual content are all segregated from children in all other walks of life. But somehow our government-run schools and government-funded public libraries are open season for graphic sexual content?
Our society used to pride itself on protecting the innocent. Now that society seems hell-bent on their destruction.
None of these protestations slowed Jessica and her merry band. She went to local church pastors and local and state politicians. I was with her the day she delivered by hand the details of these graphic books to Governor Jim Justice. She has spoken directly with Pat Lefebure, Wood County Prosecuting Attorney. No actions resulted from any of these discussions. Still, Jessica persisted.
The Wood County Board of Education was slated to vote on the nomination of their choice for the library board at their meeting on May 23, 2023. Chad Conley noted in his public comment that he was told directly from a BOE member that they have traditionally accepted the recommendation of the library while making their appointment. He asked that they delay their vote and consider him as a candidate.
Jessica spoke about the “Let’s Talk About It” book challenge that was submitted and ultimately deemed an appropriate book for the current category by the library. She also voiced her support for the nomination of Chad Conley to the library board.
[Turn On the Closed Caption by Pressing the CC Button on the video]
Jeff Smith agreed that appointing Chad Conley would be a positive step. He also spoke about how the assertion by Michael Erb, Wood County Schools Communications Coordinator, in a September 26th WVPolicy.org meeting at the Judge Black Annex that books with this type of material were not available in the Wood County government schools prompted the team to dig further into the library catalog.
Charles Roberts spoke about the book “George” which explores gender fluidity in adolescence. He also voiced his support for Chad Conley’s nomination.
Finally, I read from “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl,” a book currently available in the Parkersburg, Parkersburg South, and Williamstown High School libraries and in the teen section of the Wood County Public Library. I wish the words you are about to read and the words I recited from this library book in front of the Board of Education were not necessary. It is terribly uncomfortable to speak in front of a group, and speaking with these words to an audience of educators, women, and Christians is difficult but necessary. The excerpt that I read talked about eating pussies and buttholes graphically and at length. I told the board that there are many things I can protect my granddaughters from, but that only they could protect my granddaughters from this filth. I also gave my support to Chad’s nomination.
[Turn On the Closed Caption by Pressing the CC Button on the video]
I am no teetotaler nor am I a prude. I spent four years in the U.S. Navy and can still be as salty as the next sailor. But as my mom taught me, there is a time and a place for everything. How are we to let the community know what is being peddled to our children if we are afraid to use the words that are in the books?
Certain topics are not used in certain crowds. Certain words are not used with certain people. Women and children have been held up on a pedestal since I was a kid. Our language, temperament, and discussion points must always be tailored to the audience. That is our entire point; no one wishes to ban books, but there are certainly genres, language, and topics that should be off limits in certain situations. If a parent wishes to indulge their child’s gender confusion, that is their choice. If a parent wishes to introduce sexual topics to their child at home, that is their prerogative. However, if a parent does not wish for these topics to be presented to their child, they should not have to investigate every teacher and every bit of the curriculum to ensure their child is not exposed. Some topics do not belong in the public sphere where children are present.
To their credit, the board members listened. After the public discussion period ended, Board President Justin Raber motioned to have the superintendent create a process for vetting nominees to the library board. Judy Johnson asked that the motion be amended to include all appointments done by the board to outside entities. The motion passed unanimously. Ms. Johnson also assured the library board’s nominee who was in attendance that the lack of vote for her at this meeting was not a reflection on her. I would like to reiterate Ms. Johnson’s sentiment. Our point to the board was that an open, honest and transparent process should be in place. The current process has resulted in a library where graphic sexual material is available to minors. That process cannot continue.
Our community owes Jessica Rowley and her team a debt of gratitude. A motivated and organized group of volunteer citizens can make a difference in their community. They turned their talk into action and engaged in their local political process. Persistence and the Truth are a winning combination.
Parkersburg City Council – May 23, 2023
Our interest in the filth being made available to children in our government-funded public libraries eventually landed us in front of the Parkersburg City Council. They not only fund the library; they are also responsible for appointing board members. We spoke individually with several city council members in the fall of 2022 and eventually a resolution to censure the library board director was proposed. The night that the censure was to be voted on, well over 100 citizens filled the seats in the city council chambers. That evening, we again heard how trying to segregate books with adult themes and graphically depicted sex was akin to Nazi book burning and banning. The resolution was rescinded and never brought up for vote.
The evening of November 1, 2022 was quite boisterous during the public comment section. Local attorney Rick Bush even held a sign in the chambers referring to the Nazi regime. After the meeting ended and citizens were speaking with council members, Mike Reynolds commented on the need to revisit the public comment format for the meeting.
Fast forward to the meeting on May 23, 2023 and low and behold, a resolution was on the agenda to limit public comment to only those issues on the night’s agenda.
It should be noted that the public comment section of these meetings is the only time a citizen can speak directly in front of their political leaders who wield power over their lives. This is the only time their grievances can be heard with media present. Limiting the topics covered to only those topics recognized by those political leaders may deny the public from learning about issues about which city council remains willfully ignorant.
Former city council member Cammy Murray spoke during the public forum and noted that if the council members did not want to hear from their constituents, then perhaps they need to find something else to do entirely. That point is well taken. If a public servant is looking to remove or curtail the public’s ability to redress their grievances, then perhaps they are not there to serve the public.
Marie Lewis-Krinock spoke about the resiliency center being built on the river and how it falls under the purview of the city at least somewhat since they are responsible for parking and frontage. She also addressed her time being cut over a minute short at a previous city council meeting where she was discussing the resiliency center. Both of these topics would have been disallowed if the council limited public comments to only agenda items.
In the end, one of the sponsors of the public comment measure, Mike Reynolds, did not attend the meeting; and there was not enough support to bring the resolution to vote. The public forum will remain as is for the time being. However, knowing that at least some council members favored curtailing the public’s ability to speak, we must remain vigilant and assure that the public continues to have a voice in their own republic.
The lesson from May 23, 2023 is that YOU can make a difference. Our collective efforts have affected the way the Wood County BOE selects their library board members and staved off the city council’s desire to silence the public.
These institutions do not belong to those we elect to serve within them. These institutions belong to We The People. A democratic republic is a participatory form of government. We must learn how it works and how we can affect its functioning. If we don’t, those hungry for power will gravitate to these institutions and slowly degrade the public’s influence. We have seen this at the national, state and local levels.
If we lose our liberty and ability to affect our government processes, we need only look in the mirror for the cause. It is our job to bring issues to our governmental entities, and it is their job to act on those concerns. If we sit silently by and allow them to run their own meetings and ignore public concerns, we have only ourselves to blame.
A big thank you to those activated to speak on Tuesday evening. A bigger thank you to those who attended in support of those speakers.
Together, we will fix these institutions and preserve our nation, state, and local communities.
