Tango Bango

Apparently, in Wisconsin there is a debate going on about a library containing books about homosexuality in Young Adult section (12-18 years old).  One book in particular is The Perks of Being a Wallflower, which was one of my favorite books in high school.

“Braun, who says he is president of a Milwaukee group called the Christian Civil Liberties Union, said he singled out the book because it “goes way over the line” with offensive language and descriptions of sex acts.”

Way over the line?  I don’t think this person has read many Young Adult books.  There are MANY books that depict issues like sex, rape, drugs, abuse, suicide, and other ‘adult concepts’ in sometimes very graphic portrayals.  Look at books like Go Ask Alice, which often times could appear to be “glorifying” because it was written from the viewpoint of a teenager who often justifies her drug habits in ways that children will identify with.

And just because I like to rile myself up with irritating quotes:

She and her husband also asked the library to obtain books about homosexuality that affirmed heterosexuality, such as titles written by “ex-gays,” Maziarka said.

“All the books in the young-adult zone that deal with homosexuality are gay-affirming. That’s not balance,” she said.

I don’t really know what to say here, except “ugh”.  This isn’t the Christian Young Adult section of the library.  What we need is not balance.  What we need is to raise open-minded, positive, accepting, kind, and understanding children.  How can we ever combat bullying being a major cause of child depression and suicide if we teach children through reading to single out groups of people who aren’t like them?