What I Love the Most

 I love my family. I love my God. I love my neighbor.

What I love to do the most is read aloud. Whether it's community theatre, being a lector/reader at church, or reading for the banned books series, I love doing it.

But what I love most of all is reading to children. Seeing their joy and response fills my heart with gladness.

I have been able to read via Facetime to my granddaughter in New York. She is my toughest audience in that she likes to move around a lot and show us many things, but I recently had the great joy of her calling me "Grandpa" for the very first time, just as she was turning 25 months old.

I have been able to read at Story Time at two of our local libraries, mainly at Pierce County Public Library. I love coming in on Mondays and reading for their Story Time.

This is just one of the many things our local library does. It has crafting times, book clubs, computer/internet access, gaming groups, Summer Kids' Reading programs, bringing in Bluey, a Pokemon festival, Bingo, and learning programs/assistance—this is just the tip of the iceberg.

With all the incredible good the library does, it is hard to imagine that local politicians are trying to take it all down.

Why? I'm not sure. Nothing they're saying or doing makes any sense.

The investment in a public library far exceeds the cost. The help, particularly to the poor and disadvantaged, is immeasurable.  

So, why?

Rumors, lies, and innuendo.

They believe the worst rumors at face value without doing their due diligence. A small amount of investigation and verification will reveal what nonsense they are.

The worst part is that there are those in a position to challenge these misinformed individuals and don't do it. What if they were corrected right on the spot by somebody they respected?

Believing something to be true does not make it true.  

Much of this stems from the Ware County Board's self-created difficulties regarding the Waycross/Ware County Library. They want to take down a mural that declares the essential truth that Libraries are for Everyone because one of the 10 patrons has a rainbow heart in their picture.

That's it. Everything else is noise and fury. They don't want the library to acknowledge the LGBTQ+ community in any way, shape, or form. The library board has already stripped the library of virtually any displays. No book club displays, nothing for Black History Month, nothing for promoting anything. Now, there are blank bulletin boards, little to no displays of books, nothing. Why? In order to not being accused of discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community, they'll just take down everything.

Make no mistake. The goal is not to take down all displays. They just despise the LGBTQ+ that much. It is hard for me to fathom such a level of hatred.

To be fair, some are not motivated by the rampant homophobia that is being orchestrated by a few far-right Christian churches. They are motivated by fear and cowardice. They see the avalanche headed toward them, and they are ready to concede anything to preserve the library.

I understand the instinct—I really do. It's hard to deal with politicians who operate from a base of fear and misinformation. But the forces at play will not stop. They will not be placated. They will keep coming and coming, taking away books, clubs, events, and anything that doesn't meet their narrow bigotry until there is nothing left but a hollow shell.

There are other issues that I hope to address soon, including a potential move by Pierce to another library system. But I'll let that be for another post.

P.S.

I have not written much lately. My elbow was inflamed like I was carrying a golf ball, making writing difficult. It's not gone, but it's tamed considerably, so I plan to write more frequently now.