September 5, 2008I’m no fan of Sarah Palin, but I’ve received numerous messages this morning purporting to contain a list of books Palin attempted to have banned from the Wasilla city library when she was elected mayor. This is clearly a myth.
First, this list has been circulating, in various incarnations, for ages and is just one of many lists of commonly banned books. Simple googling reviewed the most likely source.
Second, and most obvious even to the non-Internet user, some of these books weren’t yet published when Palin was elected mayor and inquired about the process for banning books (essentially firing and subsequently bowing to public pressure and relenting) the popular city librarian.
The list in question, one of books commonly objected to by Christian activist groups, might well represent books Palin would like to have banned… and it wouldn’t surprise me if she had used such a list when inquiring about banning books. But there is no evidence that she did so, nor any evidence that she ever actually banned a book.
I’m glad to see attention being paid to the scourge of book bannings (and don’t forget Banned Books Week at the end of this month), but it’s being overplayed here. Innocent until proven guilty. There are, however, plenty of other well-sourced facts about Palin demonstrating that she is a professionally unsuitable and personally and morally objectionable candidate…
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