What is happening to the freedoms the framers of our democratic government worked so hard to establish and hundreds of thousands of Americans have died to protect? The Sept. 24 Metro article “Warren County library gets temporary reprieve as book debate continues” reported that Samuels Public Library in Front Royal, Va., with roots dating to 1799, is being pressured to restrict young people’s access to books with LGBTQ+ themes or lose 80 percent of its operating funds, which come from the county.
What is to be feared from such books? Youths who are contemplating their sexuality should be able to receive sound information from a reputable source. For many, doing so has been lifesaving. For youths who are clear about their sexuality, reading about LGBTQ topics still provides helpful information and will not change who they are.
The freedom to read reliable, science-based publications of whatever kind is basic to the freedoms we enjoy in a democracy. The Bill of Rights, which protects citizens from government’s encroachment upon their natural and inalienable rights, was inspired by Thomas Jefferson and drafted by James Madisonright here in Virginia. Perhaps they are spinning in their graves to know that book-banning is gaining a foothold in their state.
County leaders are not elected medical researchers or doctors, nor are they trained in the complex subject of sexuality. Left alone by politicians, kids are able to quietly access information they need, and libraries and schools can be the safe, supportive communities that allow our students to become the well-adjusted, clear-minded and respected adults they were born to be.
The United States must continue to be a nation of cherished, established freedoms; we become anything less at our peril.
Jane McKeel, Falls Church
