Representative Gerald Allen (R-Cottondale) is so old school. He is now so concerned about the “homosexual agenda” that he is pushing a bill that would prohibit the use of public funds for “the purchase of textbooks or library materials that recognize or promote homosexuality as an acceptable lifestyle.”

Allen said that if his bill passes, novels with gay protagonists and college textbooks that suggest homosexuality is natural would have to be removed from library shelves and destroyed.

“I guess we dig a big hole and dump them in and bury them,” he said.

A spokesman for the Montgomery-based Southern Poverty Law Center called the bill censorship.

“It sounds like Nazi book burning to me,” said SPLC spokesman Mark Potok.

Gerald, Gerald, Gerald. Is this really the America you want to live in? One where if you don’t agree with something written in a book you can just bury it in a big hole? It’s certainly not the America, or the Alabama, I want to live in.

Beyond that Gerald, as this morning’s article suggests, who is going to be making the determinations about what books/articles/speakers say homosexuality is acceptable. As the librarian suggests, you could ban half the books in the library, depending on how the law is interpreted. Does the word “unconstitutional” mean anything to you?

I encourage you to contact Representative Allen and tell him what you think of book banning.

State House: Room 531
11 S. Union Street
Montgomery, AL 36130
(334) 242-7758
Tuscaloosa, AL 35407
Work Phone: (205) 556-5310
District: Post Office Box 71001
Home Phone: (205) 556-5310

**Crossposted at Polstate.com

**UPDATE: Mac has the appropriate response as well.

**UPDATE: Kenny comes out of the woodwork to comment on this one as well.

**UPDATE: Jesse at Hit and Run picked up on this as well and raises the issue of drawing the line as well.

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