Letters to the Editor

To the editor,

Some, leaders of countries, cults, and religions know that if you keep most of your people uneducated or undereducated they are easier to control to that leader's viewpoint. That is one of the reasons our early U.S. leaders promoted public education for all, including women. Until then most female children did not have access to learning to read.

Ignorance increases hate!

Those backing the proposition to dissolve our Columbia County Rural Library will cause all of us to lose our library. What will they, put in its place? Ignorance and hate? How long and how much money from taxpayers would it take to restore a library? What will they tell those with less resources than them how to find compatible library services? Where will those with less financial resources go to find books and information?

Is this a Christian value reflecting how to help the poor?

When you know better–you do better. We all know better than to destroy our public library because some are unhappy with parts of it. The good they think they are doing for children is nonexistent compared to the harm their proposition will do to ALL children and community members.

Voters need to know that those wanting to dissolve our library used a lot of made up and exaggerated situations about the library. This is an effort to weaken our community.

Yes, there are some questionable books in the library, also a lot of books and items that are valuable for all of us. A good library has something for everyone, no matter their religion or political views. Having a collection of books in a library that may be inappropriate for certain ages does not indicate anyone is a pedophile or is grooming children. That was a terrible hurtful lie some people had spread.

If you know of and have evidence or information on any child that has been abused or sexually traumatized you should IMMEDIATELY report it to Child Protective Services and the police. Doesn't matter if it's a parent, older child abusing a younger one, relative, close neighbor on someone in the community. Sexual abuse most commonly takes place in the home or from trusted relatives or friend. Educate your children, at their age level, how to protect themselves and let them know it's OK to tell responsible adults.

We live in the United States of America. Destroying a library is ridiculous.

Vote NO on the proposition to dissolve our Columbia County Rural Library.

Carol Anderson

Dayton, Wash.

To the Editor:

Does anyone else besides me think that the issue facing the Dayton Library is very dangerous.? I am very bothered by it and think it has impact way beyond Dayton. The first public library was founded in 1731 by Benjamin Franklin and some of his friends. Is now the time to pick them off one by one because we have a few differences? I hope that folks will turn out for their meeting on Monday. I don't know much about the issue but I am guessing that it is not about books. Dolly Parton in her campaign to share books with children, was in our state very recently. She stated in her remarks: "I really think we just need to have a little more kindness, just think a little harder. Instead of just seeing what all we can do to each other, let's see what we can do for each other."

Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal added: "We're not all supposed to be alike--remember what they say about variety being the spice of life--but that doesn't mean we can't be good neighbors, that we can't be good people." Thank you for your consideration.

Charles Wheaton

Walla Walla, Wash.

To the editor,

Our wonderful town of Dayton has unfortunately become a tragic representation of what is heartbreaking in our country today. Democrats vs Republicans, Conservatives vs liberals. We moved here in 1986 and I have never seen us so divided. I want to see our library saved. But I was shocked to see the content that were in books that had recently been located in the children's library section. Actual pornography, detailed directions on how to perform oral sex acts, molesting young boys, and books suggesting/questioning young children if they want to determine what sex they think they are, just to name a few. Books of this nature should be at the discretion of parents, whether their child should see, read, or check out books on those topics, not our local library staff or management. Although I must say, I do not know any parents who would look at any of those types of books and say, "OH Johnny would love this book!"

A public Library should be a safe environment where parents can let their children browse for books without the fear of them picking up something inappropriate. I do not believe in burning books, but I believe that books with sexual nature should be at adult level and out of the reach of children.

Those who I have talked to, that have been fighting this from the beginning have lost faith in the library management and believe that if the library remains opened and their ballot issue fails, they are convinced the library will eventually put those same books back in the children's section. They feel that way because of the way they have been treated at the board meetings.

I still want to believe that Dayton is filled with people who want to respect the rights of parents to monitor what their children are exposed to. This seems like a no-brainer to me. The Library Board should pass a policy that states all books with sexual content be in an area clearly marked and out of the reach of small children. Movies by law are rated so parents can determine what movies are ok for their children to see. Shouldn't libraries have the same standards?

I realize I'm old school, I was shocked to hear from my daughter's that they cannot get medical information on their children 13 years and older from the doctor without the child's permission. Even though they are the ones that pay the doctor bills. Luckily with all my grandchildren that's not a problem. However, this is another example of the battle young parents have to fight in order to protect and instill Christian values in their children, with some in society thinking they know better what children need to know.

If you know a Library Board Member, please encourage them to update the policy that directs library management and employees to protect children from easy access to sexually explicit books.

Jeannie Lyonnais

Dayton, Wash.

To the editor,

I am all for "protecting the children". But, you aren't "protecting" anyone by closing the library. What good is another empty bldg in town? Where will the community functions go, that take place there now? Doesn't the world have enough disagreement and divisiveness going on? Be a good example, be gracious and just discontinue going to the library. Save yourself from the depravity you think exudes there. You and your family will be happier and so will the rest of the community who don't share your views about these books. They will be able to continue to make their own choices to use a wonderful resource. This is about American rights, not politics or religion.

This is about freedom of speech, freedom of religion and freedom of choice. American Liberties afforded to us ALL. For you, for me, for everyone, just as our founding fathers intended. They believed that our new nation required complete religious freedom and SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE. That means your religious beliefs are no more important than mine. That is freedom! That is Choice. I have the right to read the books you disapprove of. You have the right NOT to read them. You protect your children by supervising them when they are in the library. That is your responsibility, not the responsibility of the library. You're concerned about "field trips and after-school programs"? Don't give them permission to go or attend with them. That is your right as a parent. It's not your right to prevent other children from going. Not everyone shares your values, morals or beliefs and they don't have to. Weigh the good and bad and I think you will find, the library does a lot more good than bad. There are more good books in the library than the ones you disapprove of.

I don't understand how a few books, a few people personally disapprove of, are a "drain on the community"? Instead of removing the library from your midst, it would preserve everyone's rights, if you removed yourselves from the library. Our rights in a community and in America are what is at stake here.

I believe the library did a good job with trying to compromise and address your concerns, by creating the new "parental section" in the library. You were heard and action WAS taken. The minority does not get to dictate to the majority. That is not Democracy. Compromise is a basic societal norm, to accommodate or negotiate, to get along with each other, to work together. Something we should all be teaching our children. Some adults need to be reminded about how to compromise. Give and take, not "my way or the highway". Nobody agrees 100% of the time, with everyone else, on everything. That's life.

You help your children choose the books you approve of and consider appropriate. I'll do the same for my children. I support the library. My mother was a librarian and is rolling in her grave now, with all the book banning going on in America. We don't live in Hitler's Germany (history). Banning books is a slippery slope. Are you going to ban the Bible too? (Rape, slavery, beatings) We are free, free to choose what we support or don't. Not free to bully other people about their choices. Libraries serve the WHOLE community. Libraries are for ALL Americans, left, right, middle, religious, atheist, black, brown, white, young, old, male, female, LGBTQ+ and nonbinary.

Sex happens. LGBTQ+ people exist. Perversions have existed since time began. Black, brown, Asian and Indigenous People have been persecuted. You can't erase facts or reality because you don't like them. Putting on blinders or denying these things exist, does not make them go away. If a child is uncomfortable to learn about slavery or any of the many despicable acts white people imposed on other races, it is a good thing for the child. It instills and teaches empathy. It will make the prospect of those things happening again, less likely. Learning about truthful history. Access to information is FREEDOM!

Fortunately, you don't have the right to tell me what I can or can't read or what I can and cannot teach my children. You can choose not to frequent the library. But you cannot take away my freedom to choose to frequent it. Again freedom of choice. You don't have the right to deprive everyone else access to information, to explore the world, gather knowledge, obtain personal improvement and/or entertainment for themselves. Something pointed out in another letter, that any child can access the material you find objectionable on their home computer, Ipad or phone. The morals and values you instill in your children, will help them make the choices you approve of. For now, at least, until they grow up and have a mind of their own. It will happen. Our children will grow up with the values we instill in them. That is our job, that is our responsibility, that is our right, to help them become the best people they can be. To make good, healthy choices. But NOT at the cost of someone else's rights and freedoms.

Terry Pieper

Renton, Wash.

To the editor,

I'm writing in response to the following Crypto Graph puzzle I recently completed during a sleepless night time:

Books are the main source of our

YXXZN GAS OCS BGJV NXDAWS XP XDA

Knowledge out reservoir of faith

ZVXMTSLFS XDA ASNSAQXJA XP PGJOC

Memory, wisdom, morality, poetry,

BSBXAE, MJNLXB. BXAGTJOE, UXSOAE,

PHILOSOPHY, HISTORY, AND SCIENCE.

UCJTXNXUCE, CJNOXAE, GVL NWJSVWS.

Author unknown.

Libraries are a fantastic source for everyone to experience the joy of reading. Dayton Library is a continued needed facility.

Anita Baker, Dayton 2nd grade teacher, long retired

Waitsburg, Wash.