Sapulpa Daily Herald - Library bill brings worries of censorship

Sapulpa Daily Herald - Library bill brings worries of censorship: "The state House of Representatives has approved a measure that would withhold state funds from libraries that do not segregate reading material with sexually explicit or gay themes.

House members voted 60-33 for the bill after more than two hours of questions and debate in which opponents said the measure was a form of censorship and an unfunded mandate that would remove local control from library boards.

The measure, which is opposed by the Oklahoma Library Association, now goes to the Senate, where opponents predicted it will be killed.

“It doesn’t seem that you can legislate morality,” said Rep. Debbie Blackburn, D-Oklahoma City.

Blackburn and other opponents said an advisory board charged with developing an annual list of homosexual or sexually explicit material that must be placed in separate areas is the first step in an attempt to cleanse libraries of books some people consider offensive.

“I refuse to live under the Taliban,” Blackburn said referring to the Islamist nationalist group that effectively ruled most of Afghanistan from 1996 until 2001. “I refuse to live in Iran. This is America.”"