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Book Banning Is Only The Tip Of The Spear

Book Banning Is Only The Tip Of The Spear

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The Death of Privacy In America

The Death of Privacy In America

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America Sits At The Nexus of Fear, Rage, and Despair

America Sits At The Nexus of Fear, Rage, and Despair

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Who Was Responsible For Fake News?

Who Was Responsible For Fake News?

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When Billionaires Don’t Pay Taxes, People “Lose Faith in Democracy”

When Billionaires Don’t Pay Taxes, People “Lose Faith in Democracy”

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A Push to Remove LGBTQ Books in One County Could Signal Rising Partisanship on School Boards

A Push to Remove LGBTQ Books in One County Could Signal Rising Partisanship on School Boards

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Get Vaxxed If You Want To Play Indoors

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    The Death of Privacy In America

    The Death of Privacy In America

    America Sits At The Nexus of Fear, Rage, and Despair

    America Sits At The Nexus of Fear, Rage, and Despair

    Who Was Responsible For Fake News?

    Who Was Responsible For Fake News?

    When Billionaires Don’t Pay Taxes, People “Lose Faith in Democracy”

    When Billionaires Don’t Pay Taxes, People “Lose Faith in Democracy”

    Book Banning Is Only The Tip Of The Spear

    Book Banning Is Only The Tip Of The Spear

    A Push to Remove LGBTQ Books in One County Could Signal Rising Partisanship on School Boards

    A Push to Remove LGBTQ Books in One County Could Signal Rising Partisanship on School Boards

    Get Vaxxed If You Want To Play Indoors

    Get Vaxxed If You Want To Play Indoors

    There’s Something About Mary

    There’s Something About Mary

    End Of An Era

    End Of An Era

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      The Death of Privacy In America

      The Death of Privacy In America

      America Sits At The Nexus of Fear, Rage, and Despair

      America Sits At The Nexus of Fear, Rage, and Despair

      Who Was Responsible For Fake News?

      Who Was Responsible For Fake News?

      When Billionaires Don’t Pay Taxes, People “Lose Faith in Democracy”

      When Billionaires Don’t Pay Taxes, People “Lose Faith in Democracy”

      Book Banning Is Only The Tip Of The Spear

      Book Banning Is Only The Tip Of The Spear

      A Push to Remove LGBTQ Books in One County Could Signal Rising Partisanship on School Boards

      A Push to Remove LGBTQ Books in One County Could Signal Rising Partisanship on School Boards

      End Of An Era

      End Of An Era

      Death And Taxes: The Right’s Last Stand

      Death And Taxes: The Right’s Last Stand

      Rep Jeff Van Drew Calls For Fencing To Be Removed Despite Threats To Capitol

      Rep Jeff Van Drew Calls For Fencing To Be Removed Despite Threats To Capitol

      Democrats Look To Regain A Foothold in Middle Township With Quanette Vasser-McNeal

      Democrats Look To Regain A Foothold in Middle Township With Quanette Vasser-McNeal

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      There’s Something About Mary

      There’s Something About Mary

      Middle Police Arrest Suspect In Connection With Stolen Guns in Cape May Court House

      Police Detectives Charged With Lying About Bar Fight In North Wildwood

      Middle Police Arrest Suspect In Connection With Stolen Guns in Cape May Court House

      Middle Police Arrest Suspect In Connection With Stolen Guns in Cape May Court House

      South Jersey’s Sanctuary City Designations Are A Haven For Violent Extremists

      South Jersey’s Sanctuary City Designations Are A Haven For Violent Extremists

      New Jersey Man Steals Police Car, Fatally Shot After Chase

      New Jersey Man Steals Police Car, Fatally Shot After Chase

      “This Political Climate Got My Brother Killed”: Officer Brian Sicknick Died Defending the Capitol. His Family Waits for Answers.

      “This Political Climate Got My Brother Killed”: Officer Brian Sicknick Died Defending the Capitol. His Family Waits for Answers.

      Florida Man Who Went Viral For Stealing Podium Identified

      Florida Man Who Went Viral For Stealing Podium Identified

      Defund The Police Was A Raging Success And Everyone Missed It

      Defund The Police Was A Raging Success And Everyone Missed It

      Non-Violence Isn’t A Just Moral Imperative, It’s A Superior Strategy

      Non-Violence Isn’t A Just Moral Imperative, It’s A Superior Strategy

      The Future Of The Supreme Court

      The Future Of The Supreme Court

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      When Billionaires Don’t Pay Taxes, People “Lose Faith in Democracy”

      When Billionaires Don’t Pay Taxes, People “Lose Faith in Democracy”

      Your Objections To Development Are Counter-Productive

      Your Objections To Development Are Counter-Productive

      Strong Grassroots Opposition Continues To Plague NESE Pipeline’s Fifth Attempt

      Strong Grassroots Opposition Continues To Plague NESE Pipeline’s Fifth Attempt

      The Power Of The People

      The Power Of The People

      Your Misplaced Loyalty Is Hurting Your Business

      Your Misplaced Loyalty Is Hurting Your Business

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      It’s Not The End Of The World, But You Can See It From Here

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        Strong Grassroots Opposition Continues To Plague NESE Pipeline’s Fifth Attempt

        Strong Grassroots Opposition Continues To Plague NESE Pipeline’s Fifth Attempt

        New Female Snow Leopard Arrives In Cape May County

        New Female Snow Leopard Arrives In Cape May County

        Jackson Park Project A Threat To Clean Water

        Jackson Park Project A Threat To Clean Water

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        Fixin Things Till They’re Broke

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          Book Banning Is Only The Tip Of The Spear

          Book Banning Is Only The Tip Of The Spear

          A Push to Remove LGBTQ Books in One County Could Signal Rising Partisanship on School Boards

          A Push to Remove LGBTQ Books in One County Could Signal Rising Partisanship on School Boards

          Award-Winning Children’s Author Greg Pizzoli Planning A Virtual Visit To Cape May

          Award-Winning Children’s Author Greg Pizzoli Planning A Virtual Visit To Cape May

          Gold, Lies, And Genocide In The New World

          Gold, Lies, And Genocide In The New World

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          Social Distancing Fails At Ocean City High School

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          The Covid Kids Are Alright

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          The Problem With The Pledge Of Allegiance

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          A Boat Full Of Holes

          Why I Don’t Worry About My Kids Falling Behind

          Why I Don’t Worry About My Kids Falling Behind

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          Any Plan To Reopen Schools This Fall Is Irresponsible And Negligent

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          There’s Something About Mary

          There’s Something About Mary

          Your Objections To Development Are Counter-Productive

          Your Objections To Development Are Counter-Productive

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          Mary, Covered In Roses

          Code Blue Is No April Fool’s Joke

          Code Blue Is No April Fool’s Joke

          Let the Voters Decide

          Cape May’s Untouchables

          The Cost Of Homelessness in Cape May County

          The Cost Of Homelessness in Cape May County

          The Myth Of American Justice: Falling Through The Cracks Part Two

          Falling Through The Cracks: Part One

          Falling Through The Cracks: Part One

          Invisible Walls

          Invisible Walls

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          America Sits At The Nexus of Fear, Rage, and Despair

          America Sits At The Nexus of Fear, Rage, and Despair

          There’s Something About Mary

          There’s Something About Mary

          The Shocking Kindness Of Ted Lasso

          The Shocking Kindness Of Ted Lasso

          What Your Ring Tone Says About You

          What Your Ring Tone Says About You

          Award-Winning Children’s Author Greg Pizzoli Planning A Virtual Visit To Cape May

          Award-Winning Children’s Author Greg Pizzoli Planning A Virtual Visit To Cape May

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          A View Of Goshen In Winter

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          New Female Snow Leopard Arrives In Cape May County

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          Peepers And Pizza: Spring Comes To New Jersey

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          The Power Of The People

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          Your Misplaced Loyalty Is Hurting Your Business

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              America Sits At The Nexus of Fear, Rage, and Despair

              America Sits At The Nexus of Fear, Rage, and Despair

              Get Vaxxed If You Want To Play Indoors

              Get Vaxxed If You Want To Play Indoors

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              There’s Something About Mary

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              Mary, Covered In Roses

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              Autism Awareness Day

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              Code Blue Is No April Fool’s Joke

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              The Disney Queue Of Vaccinations

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              It’s Going To Get Worse

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              Social Distancing Fails At Ocean City High School

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              The Death of Privacy In America

              The Death of Privacy In America

              Death And Taxes: The Right’s Last Stand

              Death And Taxes: The Right’s Last Stand

              South Jersey’s Sanctuary City Designations Are A Haven For Violent Extremists

              South Jersey’s Sanctuary City Designations Are A Haven For Violent Extremists

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              The Godless Piety Of American Idealism As Reality Television

              The Godless Piety Of American Idealism As Reality Television

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                The Death of Privacy In America

                The Death of Privacy In America

                America Sits At The Nexus of Fear, Rage, and Despair

                America Sits At The Nexus of Fear, Rage, and Despair

                Who Was Responsible For Fake News?

                Who Was Responsible For Fake News?

                When Billionaires Don’t Pay Taxes, People “Lose Faith in Democracy”

                When Billionaires Don’t Pay Taxes, People “Lose Faith in Democracy”

                Book Banning Is Only The Tip Of The Spear

                Book Banning Is Only The Tip Of The Spear

                A Push to Remove LGBTQ Books in One County Could Signal Rising Partisanship on School Boards

                A Push to Remove LGBTQ Books in One County Could Signal Rising Partisanship on School Boards

                Get Vaxxed If You Want To Play Indoors

                Get Vaxxed If You Want To Play Indoors

                There’s Something About Mary

                There’s Something About Mary

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                End Of An Era

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                  The Death of Privacy In America

                  The Death of Privacy In America

                  America Sits At The Nexus of Fear, Rage, and Despair

                  America Sits At The Nexus of Fear, Rage, and Despair

                  Who Was Responsible For Fake News?

                  Who Was Responsible For Fake News?

                  When Billionaires Don’t Pay Taxes, People “Lose Faith in Democracy”

                  When Billionaires Don’t Pay Taxes, People “Lose Faith in Democracy”

                  Book Banning Is Only The Tip Of The Spear

                  Book Banning Is Only The Tip Of The Spear

                  A Push to Remove LGBTQ Books in One County Could Signal Rising Partisanship on School Boards

                  A Push to Remove LGBTQ Books in One County Could Signal Rising Partisanship on School Boards

                  End Of An Era

                  End Of An Era

                  Death And Taxes: The Right’s Last Stand

                  Death And Taxes: The Right’s Last Stand

                  Rep Jeff Van Drew Calls For Fencing To Be Removed Despite Threats To Capitol

                  Rep Jeff Van Drew Calls For Fencing To Be Removed Despite Threats To Capitol

                  Democrats Look To Regain A Foothold in Middle Township With Quanette Vasser-McNeal

                  Democrats Look To Regain A Foothold in Middle Township With Quanette Vasser-McNeal

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                  There’s Something About Mary

                  There’s Something About Mary

                  Middle Police Arrest Suspect In Connection With Stolen Guns in Cape May Court House

                  Police Detectives Charged With Lying About Bar Fight In North Wildwood

                  Middle Police Arrest Suspect In Connection With Stolen Guns in Cape May Court House

                  Middle Police Arrest Suspect In Connection With Stolen Guns in Cape May Court House

                  South Jersey’s Sanctuary City Designations Are A Haven For Violent Extremists

                  South Jersey’s Sanctuary City Designations Are A Haven For Violent Extremists

                  New Jersey Man Steals Police Car, Fatally Shot After Chase

                  New Jersey Man Steals Police Car, Fatally Shot After Chase

                  “This Political Climate Got My Brother Killed”: Officer Brian Sicknick Died Defending the Capitol. His Family Waits for Answers.

                  “This Political Climate Got My Brother Killed”: Officer Brian Sicknick Died Defending the Capitol. His Family Waits for Answers.

                  Florida Man Who Went Viral For Stealing Podium Identified

                  Florida Man Who Went Viral For Stealing Podium Identified

                  Defund The Police Was A Raging Success And Everyone Missed It

                  Defund The Police Was A Raging Success And Everyone Missed It

                  Non-Violence Isn’t A Just Moral Imperative, It’s A Superior Strategy

                  Non-Violence Isn’t A Just Moral Imperative, It’s A Superior Strategy

                  The Future Of The Supreme Court

                  The Future Of The Supreme Court

                  Trending Tags

                  • Justice
                • Business
                  When Billionaires Don’t Pay Taxes, People “Lose Faith in Democracy”

                  When Billionaires Don’t Pay Taxes, People “Lose Faith in Democracy”

                  Your Objections To Development Are Counter-Productive

                  Your Objections To Development Are Counter-Productive

                  Strong Grassroots Opposition Continues To Plague NESE Pipeline’s Fifth Attempt

                  Strong Grassroots Opposition Continues To Plague NESE Pipeline’s Fifth Attempt

                  The Power Of The People

                  The Power Of The People

                  Your Misplaced Loyalty Is Hurting Your Business

                  Your Misplaced Loyalty Is Hurting Your Business

                  It’s Not The End Of The World, But You Can See It From Here

                  It’s Not The End Of The World, But You Can See It From Here

                  You Are Not Welcome Here

                  You Are Not Welcome Here

                  Trending Tags

                  • Environment
                    Strong Grassroots Opposition Continues To Plague NESE Pipeline’s Fifth Attempt

                    Strong Grassroots Opposition Continues To Plague NESE Pipeline’s Fifth Attempt

                    New Female Snow Leopard Arrives In Cape May County

                    New Female Snow Leopard Arrives In Cape May County

                    Jackson Park Project A Threat To Clean Water

                    Jackson Park Project A Threat To Clean Water

                    Fixin Things Till They’re Broke

                    Fixin Things Till They’re Broke

                    Trending Tags

                    • Education
                      Book Banning Is Only The Tip Of The Spear

                      Book Banning Is Only The Tip Of The Spear

                      A Push to Remove LGBTQ Books in One County Could Signal Rising Partisanship on School Boards

                      A Push to Remove LGBTQ Books in One County Could Signal Rising Partisanship on School Boards

                      Award-Winning Children’s Author Greg Pizzoli Planning A Virtual Visit To Cape May

                      Award-Winning Children’s Author Greg Pizzoli Planning A Virtual Visit To Cape May

                      Gold, Lies, And Genocide In The New World

                      Gold, Lies, And Genocide In The New World

                      Social Distancing Fails At Ocean City High School

                      Social Distancing Fails At Ocean City High School

                      The Covid Kids Are Alright

                      The Covid Kids Are Alright

                      The Problem With The Pledge Of Allegiance

                      The Problem With The Pledge Of Allegiance

                      A Boat Full Of Holes

                      A Boat Full Of Holes

                      Why I Don’t Worry About My Kids Falling Behind

                      Why I Don’t Worry About My Kids Falling Behind

                      Any Plan To Reopen Schools This Fall Is Irresponsible And Negligent

                      Any Plan To Reopen Schools This Fall Is Irresponsible And Negligent

                      Trending Tags

                      • Education
                    • Housing
                      There’s Something About Mary

                      There’s Something About Mary

                      Your Objections To Development Are Counter-Productive

                      Your Objections To Development Are Counter-Productive

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                      Mary, Covered In Roses

                      Code Blue Is No April Fool’s Joke

                      Code Blue Is No April Fool’s Joke

                      Let the Voters Decide

                      Cape May’s Untouchables

                      The Cost Of Homelessness in Cape May County

                      The Cost Of Homelessness in Cape May County

                      The Myth Of American Justice: Falling Through The Cracks Part Two

                      Falling Through The Cracks: Part One

                      Falling Through The Cracks: Part One

                      Invisible Walls

                      Invisible Walls

                    • Culture
                      America Sits At The Nexus of Fear, Rage, and Despair

                      America Sits At The Nexus of Fear, Rage, and Despair

                      There’s Something About Mary

                      There’s Something About Mary

                      The Shocking Kindness Of Ted Lasso

                      The Shocking Kindness Of Ted Lasso

                      What Your Ring Tone Says About You

                      What Your Ring Tone Says About You

                      Award-Winning Children’s Author Greg Pizzoli Planning A Virtual Visit To Cape May

                      Award-Winning Children’s Author Greg Pizzoli Planning A Virtual Visit To Cape May

                      A View Of Goshen In Winter

                      A View Of Goshen In Winter

                      New Female Snow Leopard Arrives In Cape May County

                      New Female Snow Leopard Arrives In Cape May County

                      Peepers And Pizza: Spring Comes To New Jersey

                      Peepers And Pizza: Spring Comes To New Jersey

                      The Power Of The People

                      The Power Of The People

                      Your Misplaced Loyalty Is Hurting Your Business

                      Your Misplaced Loyalty Is Hurting Your Business

                      Trending Tags

                      • Sports

                        Trending Tags

                        • Health
                          America Sits At The Nexus of Fear, Rage, and Despair

                          America Sits At The Nexus of Fear, Rage, and Despair

                          Get Vaxxed If You Want To Play Indoors

                          Get Vaxxed If You Want To Play Indoors

                          There’s Something About Mary

                          There’s Something About Mary

                          Mary, Covered In Roses

                          Mary, Covered In Roses

                          Autism Awareness Day

                          Autism Awareness Day

                          Code Blue Is No April Fool’s Joke

                          Code Blue Is No April Fool’s Joke

                          You’ve Been Fully Vaccinated, Now What?

                          You’ve Been Fully Vaccinated, Now What?

                          The Disney Queue Of Vaccinations

                          The Disney Queue Of Vaccinations

                          It’s Going To Get Worse

                          It’s Going To Get Worse

                          Social Distancing Fails At Ocean City High School

                          Social Distancing Fails At Ocean City High School

                          Trending Tags

                          • Healthcare
                        • Opinion
                          The Death of Privacy In America

                          The Death of Privacy In America

                          Death And Taxes: The Right’s Last Stand

                          Death And Taxes: The Right’s Last Stand

                          South Jersey’s Sanctuary City Designations Are A Haven For Violent Extremists

                          South Jersey’s Sanctuary City Designations Are A Haven For Violent Extremists

                          We Need Amy Kennedy Now

                          An Open Letter To Congressman Van Drew

                          Donald Trump Must Be Held To Account For His Crimes

                          Donald Trump Must Be Held
                          To Account For His Crimes

                          All Our Sons

                          All Our Sons

                          It’s Not Enough For Joe Biden To Simply Be Human

                          It’s Not Enough For Joe Biden
                          To Simply Be Human

                          We Have To Stop Trusting Our Leaders To Do The Right Thing

                          We Have To Stop Trusting Our Leaders To Do The Right Thing

                          The Godless Piety Of American Idealism As Reality Television

                          The Godless Piety Of American Idealism As Reality Television

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                          Why We Can’t Talk About It

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                          Book Banning Is Only The Tip Of The Spear

                          byDavid Todd McCarty
                          3 months ago
                          inEducation, Local, New Jersey, Politics
                          Reading Time: 10 mins read
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                          Book Banning Is Only The Tip Of The Spear

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                          The radical Right is turning to the levers of local government in their culture war for white Christian supremacy

                          By David Todd McCarty | Tuesday, February 22, 2022

                          School Boards have once again become the chosen battlefield of conservative activists interested in fighting a culture war at the local level. We saw this in the 80s when there was also a groundswell surge to ban books, music, video games, and movies. Back then, it was less partisan, with elements from both sides of the political aisle worried about the impact of sex and violence on the youth of America.

                          For years, there was a school of thought that assumed that children would model behavior they saw in the media and would become more aggressive if they were exposed to violent content in television, movies, and video games. The theory does have an intuitive, simplistic appeal and happens to fit well into the narrative put forth by moral advocates. Unfortunately, after decades of study, there is no evidence to support the claim that being exposed to violent entertainment translates to violent behavior. (1)

                          If you take this same fallacious logic and apply it to the fear that being exposed to stories about LGBTQ characters will somehow turn your children gay, you might consider it equally intuitive, and yet it is still unequivocally false. We don’t choose our sexual orientation purely based on our options. On the other hand, LGBTQ youth who are denied their identity are at grave risk for depression, suicide, substance abuse, and self-harm.

                          Books about the Black experience in America, specifically ones that try to explain how we got here, can provide greatly needed insight into the Black experience for those who have not experienced it first-hand. For Black students, it can be an enlightening opportunity to understand the systematic nature of racism and how we’ve all been trapped by its evil logic.

                          The point is that reading a book about someone who is like you could have great benefits, including self-confidence and feelings of acceptance, just as reading a book about someone who is not like you can open up a world of empathy, compassion, and diversity of thought.


                          It starts with banning books, but the real intention is to control information—to control what is presented as the truth. For centuries, our schools taught a false or whitewashed version of American history. It was so effective that now that historians have begun to unravel the false narratives and look at the reality of what happened, the outcry from the Right is that they’re trying to rewrite history. It would be pretty comical if it weren’t so tragic to realize that those who wish to revisit our understanding of history are the ones trying to get it right, while the groups crying about their precious history are merely trying to maintain the fairy tale. 

                          It’s no accident that simultaneously, Evangelical churches are experiencing falling numbers, especially among young people. The fairy tale is no longer working, and that has the white Christian establishment terrified as they see their power waning, along with their population.

                          When it comes to book burning/banning, these new radical activists are attempting to use state and local governments to push an ideologically-slanted view of the world in order to restrict what children learn about concerning American history, government, culture, race, and religion. They want to control the narrative.

                          But it’s not just schools they want to influence. Their efforts are an attempt to legislate a conservative form of ideology mixed with a fundamentalist Christian theology in order to reimagine the United States as a white, Christian state of their own design. It’s nothing more than white supremacy masquerading as morality police, but it is attempting to undo democracy, free speech, and liberty for all.


                          They’re not alone in the world, these radical warriors. Radical, fundamentalist Islamists have been running this same gameplay for decades. They created madrassas—religious schools that taught a particularly austere version of Islam—and prohibited any education that they deemed to be in conflict with their world view, including educating girls. Within Islam, there is a statement called the Shehada, and it’s the most basic definition of Muslim faith. It says simply, “There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his messenger.” 

                          It’s a message of exclusivity and exceptionalism that should be quite familiar to the radical Christian fundamentalists in America. In the Old Testament, it goes, “I am the Lord thy God, thou shalt have no other gods before me.” 

                          But when asked what the greatest commandment was, Jesus, the Messiah and Son of God, answered, ‘Love the Lord your God, with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

                          This would seem to be a decidedly different message concerning what should or should not be a priority in the lives of Christians—literally those who claim to follow Christ. Where is the “love thy neighbor” part, because all I ever hear in these meetings is, “My kid isn’t going to do this or that or be subjected to this or that.” Me, me, me, and mine. No one seems to be worried about their neighbor, unless their neighbor agrees with them.


                          So what are these books they want banned? What are the subjects they feel are creating such a disturbance in the force that it requires them to mobilize to stop it? Mostly books on race, gender, sexuality, and history. Either they disagree with the premise, or they believe that no one of school-age is capable of understanding the subject matter, a second-grader being in the same boat as a 17-year-old high school student.

                          The fear is that reading a book might normalize a student’s thinking towards marginalized groups such as LGBTQ persons, as well as ethnic and religious minorities. It’s a gross attempt to maintain white Christian supremacy in America as the dominant cultural force. 

                          They include such books as “To Kill A Mockingbird,” the classic American novel by Harper Lee, “The Bluest Eye” by Toni Morrison, “The Hate U Give” by Angie Thomas, “George” by Alex Gino, “Speak” by Laurie Halse Anderson, “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” by Sherman Alexie, and “Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You” by Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds.

                          There are hundreds of other books challenged or banned simply because they discuss race, gender, sexuality, or have characters that fail to exhibit normative attitudes towards gender, sexuality, or race. Everything isn’t about sex, though. 

                          It’s also about power. Male-dominated, white, Christian power that is restricted to heterosexual marriages and single-family units, and promotes a near libertarian view of the world, where there is little to no government oversight or interference in the lives of its citizens. The irony, of course, is that they wish to use the power of local government to enforce their beliefs over the beliefs of others, a decidedly un-libertarian ideology.


                          In a rather ironic twist, for the past few years, it’s been the political Right that has been railing against censorship and calling for free speech on school campuses. They claim that social media sites censor political speech by conservatives, for which there is no credible evidence to support. They’ve also been critical of left-wing groups “canceling” conservative public speakers on college campuses—speakers such as Ben Shapiro and Milo Yiannopoulos—who have messages deemed by many to be hate speech directed at ethnic and religious minorities, as well as the LGBTQ community. 

                          These groups might present themselves as just a bunch of concerned parents coming together to petition their school board, but in reality, these are coordinated attacks, funded by wealthy right-wing donors, designed to alter public education by sidestepping legislative avenues. 

                          In states where Republicans hold the reins of power, they’re also passing draconian laws that prohibit what teachers can teach and what books libraries can purchase. The penalties for falling afoul of these new laws are criminal.

                          Just because you have a legal right in America to be ignorant does not mean it’s a morally-defensible choice. Choosing to delude yourself into creating your own reality is not intellectually honest—it’s inherently dangerous to freedom of any kind.


                          There is a house bill that was recently introduced in Florida, which has been dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. Under the bill, a Florida school district “may not encourage classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity in primary grade levels or in a manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students.” 

                          The bill doesn’t specify what constitutes age or developmentally appropriate, but it does give parents the ability to sue school districts if they believe a school has violated any provisions in the law.

                          What this bill intends is to remove any and all conversations that might legitimize the existence of LGBTQ people, in essence, to deny their existence. It’s not enough not to avoid advocating for the rights of the LGBTQ community, but one must deny they exist, like an ostrich with its proverbial head in the sand as a means of hiding itself. The danger is so prevalent that merely talking about it is enough to cause it to spread.

                          It should not be lost on us that the radical Right’s warped adherence to anti-intellectualism goes beyond race and sexuality. It encompasses anything that does not celebrate white American history as less than the will of God Almighty Himself.


                          There is really not much difference between those who want to ban books versus those who want to burn books, except that those who ban books attempt to do so with an aura of legitimacy as concerned parents and educators. But the entire point of censorship is to obfuscate the truth so that people cannot be exposed to it any longer. This is also what genocide is. The attempt to erase a culture from public life and record. Burning books. Destroying art. Ethnic cleansing. Erasing a people. It’s all the same evil.

                          That’s not hyperbole; that’s history. That’s what has happened time and time again, whenever one group tries to deny the existence of another; the whitewashing of human history, the denial of identity, and the destruction of a culture by erasing any memory of it.

                          This was the same strategy they tried to use during the pandemic when they chose to deny the existence of science. “If we ignore it, it will go away. If we ignore it, it doesn’t exist. It only exists if we give it credibility by acknowledging it.”


                          The real wickedness in this protectionist thinking is that it’s all about supremacy: race, religion, political, ethnic, cultural, and sexual. It stipulates that there is a right way to do things and a wrong way. The fact that the groups advocating for censorship have decided they are the hand of God is not relevant, but it is scary. 

                          They preach that being white, Christian, heterosexual, and wealthy enough to be worthy of their own merit gives them rights not afforded to others. It’s a form of supremacy—no matter what the flavor.

                          It says these books are not about me or mine. They do not represent my history or my worldview. They do not reflect my religious or political beliefs, and therefore, they must not exist. The sheer arrogance of this delusional exceptionalism—in a country that proclaims to celebrate liberty, diversity, free speech, and meritorious reward rather than hereditary entitlement—is simply mind-boggling.


                          Just yesterday, the Supreme Court agreed to hear the case of Lorie Smith, a Christian Denver-based web designer who plans to expand her services to wedding website designs. Smith has said that due to her Christian beliefs, she will decline any requests from same-sex couples to design a wedding website. (2)

                          The Founding Fathers regarded free speech as so vital to our survival that they took care to include that Right in the First Amendment to the Constitution. Thomas Jefferson even famously wrote in 1787 that “were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.” In 1722, Benjamin Franklin wrote, “Without freedom of thought, there can be no such thing as wisdom; and no such thing as public liberty, without freedom of speech.”

                          It’s all well and good for the radical Right to promote free speech when it suits their needs, such as advocating for school prayer or their desire to refuse service to someone they disagree with. But for a group that loves to claim to be Constitutional originalists, their stance is completely incompatible with the founders’ vision for American democracy.

                          There can be nothing more unpatriotic, more unAmerican, or less democratic than banning books because you don’t agree with what they say, all the while advocating for exclusionary policies that give you and your tribe an unfair advantage. That’s not freedom. It’s not liberty. It’s not patriotic, and there is nothing to be proud of.

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                          David Todd McCarty

                          David Todd McCarty

                          David Todd McCarty is a writer, director, photographer and designer. You can follow him on Twitter @davidtmccarty.

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