The Inclusionary Oasis

 

This is a picture of Grace Epeiscopal's Reverend Kit at the Waycross/Ware County library as she donates a bicycle to a library patron in need. That kind of generosity makes me proud to be a member of Grace.  

Behind her, draped across the windows behind the library service counter, is a rainbow display meant to represent the diversity of library patrons and that all were welcome. And, yes, that includes the LGBTQ+ community.

It is a group of people that are often excluded, ignored, and, yes, demonized by some.  But that symbol lets them know that they are welcome at the library. They, and all others, are included in the library community.

Recently, one person objected to the rainbow display.  I won't go into all her objections.  The bottom line is that she wanted to exclude a group of people, at least in making them feel welcome.  To me, wanting to remove the rainbow display was just the beginning of what she would like to exclude.

She signed up to be a speaker at the next public meeting of the library board.  When this was known, the forces that wanted to stay inclusionary let the word out, and other speakers signed up, all to oppose her exclusionary point of view.  Even though they were only hours before the deadline to sign up to speak, over half a dozen signed up, including me.

By the time of the meeting, word of the meeting had gotten out.  I had never seen so many people at a library event (except Comic Book Day, which is more of a convention/festival).  They filled the room of the meeting.  They had to bring in benches.  They even had an overflow outside of the meeting room. And the crowd was overwhelmingly for inclusion!

The exclusionary woman had her say.  Again, I won't characterize all she said.  She was polite to the board, but she made it clear that her feelings were rooted in her faith, and she dropped the "indoctrination" word. There were visible groans at that monstrously inaccurate phrase.  I could write volumes on how nasty that is, but I want to stay focused.

Amazingly, when she was done, she and about a half-dozen of her friends left before she could hear any other speakers.  It was one of the rudest things I've ever seen.

Every speech given on the inclusionary side was heartfelt and compelling.  Whether members of the LGBTQ+ community or their allies, they all stressed what the open library meant to them.

I am posting my speech here mainly because it's the one I have a copy of.  This may not be word for word what I said.  I had a minute to speak and edited on the fly. Nevertheless, here it is -

When are there too few to count?

If there are only three patron families of Asian heritage, is that too few to have a display for not just May's Asian/Pacific Island Heritage Month but year-round?

If only two patron families have Native American heritage, is that too few to be welcomed, display their culture and accomplishments or their woes like the Trail of Tears?

If there is only one Jewish family, is that too few to be welcomed? Should their contributions be ignored, and no mention made of the Holocaust or one of the most important books of modern times, The Diary of Anne Frank?

The answer is clear. There is no such thing as too few. Everyone should feel welcome every day, all year round. Everyone counts—every single person.

It's interesting to note that the rainbow flag has black and white bars, representing allies of the LGBTQ community. And when you include these allies and supporters, I dare say they may very well represent the majority of the patrons walking through this library's doors.

That's interesting, but even if it was just one solitary individual, battered and badgered by some who may even consider them diseased and unwanted, who came to the library and saw the rainbow flag, knowing …Here, they are welcome…Here, they are respected…then it would be worth it.

Because in the rainbow of diversity that is our open, public library, everyone counts. Every. Single. Person.

The library board will not decide until its next meeting in October.  I hope the powers of inclusion are greater than the forces of exclusion.

We shall see.