Sarah Palin Isn't Not Not Dis-Un-Lying About Banning Books

My grandmother Grace was a librarian in a tiny northern town. (Population 20,000. Average annual snowfall 11 feet.) She was a little old Irish lady. Flinty. You'd have liked her. She'd help you find a book. So, while I know there are lots of other, better reasons to dislike Sarah Palin, bullying the librarian is mine.

You might think that makes me sound like someone with a petty grudge, but I prefer to think of it as rising above politics and putting the family first.

If my grandmother had been a rape victim, I'd probably be more annoyed that Sarah Palin made rape victims pay for their own exams. And wants to make them deliver their rapists' babies.

If my grandmother had been a wolf, I'd probably think Palin's least attractive proclivity was hurting animals for fun.

We may never know exactly what happened between Sarah Palin and Wasilla's librarian, Mary Ellen Emmons. Alaska under Palin has replaced war as the province of uncertainty. But we can certainly agree that the mayor wanted the librarian's head.

We also know that Palin asked Emmons three times about banning books in the library, and Emmons refused and Palin tried to fire her. But does that prove Palin wanted to ban books? "It's an old wives' tale," Palin told Charlie Gibson, in a statement that only resembles a denial from a distance.

Everything gets slick in Alaska, I guess. Even the past. Palin admits that she had at least one discussion with Emmons but, according to FactCheck.Org:

Palin characterized the exchange differently, initially volunteering the episode as an example of discussions with city employees about following her administration's agenda. Palin described her questions to Emmons as "rhetorical," noting that her questions "were asked in the context of 
professionalism regarding the library policy that is in place in our city."

She wasn't asking Emmons to remove the books. She was sounding out Emmons on her feelings about an agenda. Of removing the books.

This statement, by McCain spokesman Brian Rogers, looks a lot more forceful:

"The fact is that as Mayor, Palin never asked anyone to ban a book and not one book was ever banned, period."

That's true, as far as it goes, but look at it again. Fans of Jesuitical hair-splitting might think the wiggle room here comes from the distinction between asking someone whether you can ask them to do something and asking them to do it. But that's not it.

Ignore "period." Look at the place where he might have said "dependent clause." The important words are:

"The fact is that as Mayor,"

Sarah Palin never asked anyone to ban a book as Mayor. As Mayor -- of a Wal-Mart and a snowmobile trail -- she was only interested in censorship in general.

As the New York Times reported this weekend, she only pushed to ban books by name when she was on the city council.

I hope that clears up everything.

Why was it so important for Brian Rogers to slip in the words "as Mayor" a week ago, before anyone had heard about Sarah Palin's city council campaign to protect Alaska from Daddy's Roommate?

The fact is that when silent, Brian Rogers isn't lying.

Period.

--

Brian Rogers kind of reminds me of something John McCain said during the national pig/lipstick crisis last week:

"Senator Obama chooses his words very carefully, okay? He shouldn't have said it. He shouldn't have said it. He chooses his words very carefully."

He's right. You've got to despise people who act like that.

--

Speaking of choosing words.

As FactCheck.org points out, when Sarah Palin said her questions were "rhetorical," she probably meant they were "hypothetical."

Sometimes you'd almost swear the person John McCain wants breaking ties in the Senate is a numbskull.

Comments

[XME]

20,000 residents probably seems huge to the former mayor of Wasilla!

[janye]

It looks like the "straight talk Express" of John McCain has been derailed.

[krivka]

Why do people believe that less government is a good thing? What exactly is is about the "governement" that irks you? Librairies are BAD? Health care is BAD? But iyt is OK for government to tell me that science takes a back seat to the bible? That abortion is murder? Killing during war is OK because the governemtn says it is. So without government, war would violate a commandment? What a bunch!
Why is it that you think that the government owes you DEFENSE but not much else? I know not all Republicans believe in the uber-right wing neo-fascist agenda that the party has embraced, and I think there wll be a fairly large number of Independents and real life conservatives that will vote for the Democratic ticket this year. I think that the Repbublicans of yore are coming back soon to displace the aliens that now occupy the Party's head. The end of the two party system is pretty close now. The creationist/church going movement will soon find itself out of business.

[PurplePhase]

ABBA recorded an interesting song that answers your question.

Money, Money, Money

[Zan-Gah]

A few days ago hardly anybody in the country (1 in 5000?) had heard of this lady. Now they want us to put her a heart beat from the presidency. McCain is an old man in very imperfect health. He could die the first week in office.

And the more we hear about her, the worse she seems.

[magen]

Isn't not, not dis-un-lying.

Awesome!!!!!

Makes my head spin more than listening to Rove or Kristol.

[S1m0n]

I beg to differ on the "we may never know what happened" claim. We already know a great deal; in fact, most of the important details are already on the record. Sarah Palin asked Mary Ellen Emmons what she do if Palin ordered her to remove certain books from the library. I'd do nothing, Emmons told her. Palin repeated this same question at least one more time; some witnesses claimed three. Shortly thereafter, Palin fired Emmons claiming that emmons didn't 'support' her.

I don't believe any of this account is under dispute. Palin concedes all the above, but claims the questions were hypothetical and the firing was unrelated to them. She has, as far as the record shows, advanced no alternate explanation for the firing.

That's more than enough information to understand all that's necessary about this issue, given Palin's continuing failure to offer a better explanation of herself.

[buckeyeannie]

First I would like to thank anyone who "helped" with postings on the Gretawire blog.
I started posting there, hoping to present the Obama issues and where McCain/Palin are
failing us. It's a tough sell over there, but I think there are some "independents" that
might hear the message. So, if there are any takers, I'm over there from time to time under
the same name buckeyeannie. Thanks for the help. Obama/Biden 2008

Will be back here, too, still cleaning up debris from our mini hurricane in Ohio--trees down and
shingles off-- roofer supposed to come today. See ya soon.

[abbinormal]

My daughter started reading BEFORE kindergarten. She's 7 and read 100 books this summer. At this age, I'd prefer she read books about trains, and animals, and pumpkins and balloons. IF I want her to know that some kids have two mommies, or two daddies, or daddy has a room-mate, I'll tell her. I don't need somebody with a "hypothetical" or "rhetorical" agenda to introduce her to homosexuality at her age. For this reason, I think "questioning" certain books is not only prudent, but absolutely necessary. I would think LESS of someone who was not looking into what my child was exposed to. EVERYTHING should be age-appropriate.

[fscottnm]

Why are you, as a parent, not paying attention to what your daughter reads? Why should you - or Palin - decide what books are available in a public library for my children to read? Why should my child not learn tolerance for loving families with two mommies or daddies?

[gooseisloose]

And that's absolutely your perogative not to introduce her to such books. I assume you, or another adult, accompanies her to the library and can therefore guide her to subjects you find appropriate. That said, I welcome the availability of books that introduce children, in what I consider an age-appropriate way, to families structured differently than our own.

[bigbingtheory]

So you want to censor what other kids can read too? Instead of that, how about you not be a lazy parent that expects the public spherer to raise your child? How about you teach your child your bigotry at home and let the rest of us learn about tolerance? I couldn't think less of you.

[USBrit]

Wow! My Dad was reading the local newspaper at age 3. He graduated from high school at age 13, finished 5 bachelor degrees in 4 years at university in easy subjects like physics, mathematics, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering and astronomy. He had 17 patents to his name. He also knew that evolution was real, environmental destruction is extremely dangerous and the most Americans have not one clue about anythingg. Let me know when your child matches that. Until then, keep your hands off the books in the library and perhaps monitor yourself what the little bright spot reads. Ta, dear.

[S1m0n]

Nothing and one is stopping you from supervising your child's reading. We're stopping you from supervising OUR children's reading.

[boo127tx]

All I can say here is if you work for Palin or she has any power over your job in anyway

,you have to be a yes person and not disagree with her at all or you'll be gone.

It is said,"put a person in a possition of authority and find out their true idenity"

Perfectly spoken about Ms. Palin.

[moreupnorth]

Am I missing something here. Even if you are hypothetically discussing banning books doesn't that go DIERCTLY AGAINST THE US CONSTITUTION? Freedom Of Spech?

[gisellestwocents]

Oh, so you're still doing well on Wall St, huh? And you don't care what a nightmate deregulation has created. Okay...

[MeritRs]

I want less government not more - That's way I am voting Republican.

[jacqmac]

This had better be a joke, right? LESS government? When someone who has a political agenda sends you a letter saying you hadn't 'supported her government enough', that's LESS government?
When someone alludes to a censorship battle or even initiates one-THAT'S LESS government?
When someone talks about teenage pregnancy being a 'decision' but would 'choose life' every time and really doesn't seem like the type to just 'live and let live', especially when she states that it is HER mission to overturn ROE v. WADE, thus inflicting HER decision on EVERYONE? That's LESS GOVERNMENT? Let's see-the GOVERNMENT funds Police and Fire Departments, sidewalks, schools, trash removal, sewage treatment, water mains, electrical lines, ROADS, LIBRARIES---WHICH ONE OF THESE DO YOU WANT LESS OF?

[Svendem]

I'd be more interested to know how they imagine there's significantly less government NOW than there was eight years ago.

And no, just because they're not doing their jobs properly doesn't count.

[BARRISTER]

MeritS, "Less government" has caused the Wall Street melt down. Are you insane???

[degenerate1991]

Wall Street caused the meltdown with their own stupidity. They should suffer the consequences accordingly; if that means that some bankers (or people stupid enough to invest in those banks) lose their money, then let them burn.

[Gidster]

MeritRs is a paid forum troll

[Berettasskeeter]

I'm always tickled at how you folks are keeping up the trail of lies and half-truths about Palin! It is sure to garner her much additional, favorable, ratings, given that most of the country is right-of-center, politically.
She never attempted to have any books banned! A conversation with the librarian is not an attempt, period!
Semper fi

[vernonbc]

How about her 'conversation' with the librarian when Palin fired her? And after a big outcry and threats of a recall, Palin reversed her decision and two weeks later hired her back. Nooooo, Palin didn't try to have some books banned.

[Berettasskeeter]

You jump to some interesting conclusions! What evidence do you have that she fired the librarian for the reason you believe? No one has reported that she was fired for any reason other than the one stated by the town, which was that she did not believe the librarian to be "on the team". You may make your own conclusions, but they could be wrong, couldn't they?
Semper fi

[Gidster]

So a conversation about killing a President is not inappropriate, or a conversation about deserting your duty station?
She asked a librarian how to go about banning books, "Hypothetically" (Her exact phrasing was Rhetorically) Why would you even want to know how to censor something?
Given that the country was screwed into the dirt by a Republican administration that could not be bothered with the rule of law, de-regulated companies that put profits before integrity, or security.
McCain offers four more years of continued economic rape!
I think the center point is shifting!

[degenerate1991]

"So a conversation about killing a President is not inappropriate, or a conversation about deserting your duty station?"

No. There is nothing inappropriate about speaking one's mind; just as long as they don't actually kill the president or desert their post, etc.

[Berettasskeeter]

Why would you NOT want to know how to do things? Knowledge is power! And, knowledge used wisely is power used well.
Semepr fi

[trubbyboy]

Berettasskeeter is also a paid forum troll that doesn't want people to go to www.FactCheck.org. They might find out that MOST of the country is NOT right-of-center, and just want the truth, which is sorely lacking in the McCain camp.

Maybe your problem is being "Always Faithful" to a party instead of truth and INTEGRITY.

Open your eyes.

[Berettasskeeter]

Sorry, you are wrong. I WANT people to look at FactCheck. They report that she attempted to ban NO, repeat NO, books. Questions of a librarian are not bans. You might check your facts to determine YOUR truth and integrity.
Semper fi

[Nightengale]

- regular people don;t seem concerned about this

I guess I mean non readers?

" which books did she want to ban?" - DOES IT MATTER?

Maybe children will read romances with lurid sex scenes ( rather than act them out?)

By all means let them shoot guns- books are so dangerous

You can have my books when you pry them from my cold dead fingers

[degenerate1991]

Both books and guns can be dangerous, but both are worth having and no one should have the right to deny these things to you.

[bigbingtheory]

Yes, did you read that story of how little Jimmy accidentally killed himself with the "Pokey Little Puppy?" Or how about the time that bank robber used a copy of "The Communist Manifesto?" Guns are by far more dangerous than books.

[Scipio]

*Daddy's Roommate,* eh? Hmm, sounds like one of those books with a homosexual agenda. Since the anonymous author of Leviticus and that raving misogynist Paul condemned homosex as an "abomination unto the Lord" (!), the far right wingnut loonies of the evangelical-Dominionist movement have had an agenda of their own: make gays go straight and completely obliterate the wall between church and state. (Jebus can't achieve Dominion with homos running around a nation that allows infidels, Wiccans, and other monotheistic religions to flourish.) So, hey, Gov. Failin' only wants to remove from libraries books that are offensive to her mindset and that threaten, somehow, the agenda of other Dangerous Lunatics. As Veep, she probably will put us in stocks if we don't go to church on Sunday. Oh, er, no, the Bible requires us to be stoned to death, doesn't it?

[trubbyboy]

Do you REALLY want to know what she would have us do on Sunday?

Check this out....http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bruce-wilson/sarah-palins-churches-and_b_124611.html