[Update: Sunday, 9/14, 11:30 a.m. Eastern: Michael Willhoite, author of Daddy’s Roommate (discussed below), has responded in the Huffington Post to Palin’s actions.]
I’ve been quiet so far on the issue of Sarah Palin and the possibility that she tried to censor books in the Wasilla, Alaska Public Library. As far as I can tell, all we know for sure is that she asked the librarian what her reaction would be if she was asked to censor books. There has not been any hard evidence that Palin asked her to do so. Factcheck.org, from the Annenberg Public Policy Center, agrees.
Now, however, the New York Times reports that:
But in 1995, Ms. Palin, then a city councilwoman, told colleagues that she had noticed the book “Daddy’s Roommate
” on the shelves and that it did not belong there, according to Ms. Chase [Laura Chase, Palin’s campaign manager during her first run for mayor in 1996] and Mr. Stein [former mayor John Stein, Palin’s predecessor]. Ms. Chase read the book, which helps children understand homosexuality, and said it was inoffensive; she suggested that Ms. Palin read it.
“Sarah said she didn’t need to read that stuff,” Ms. Chase said. “It was disturbing that someone would be willing to remove a book from the library and she didn’t even read it.”
The book, by Michael Willhoite, is one of the classic first books featuring an LGBT family. It seems strangely late after the censorship news broke to be coming up with specifics, however. Much as I don’t want to defend Palin, neither do I want to spread lies. I think it remains an open question whether she did in fact try to censor or remove Daddy’s Roommate, or if a detractor is trying to smear her here. Let’s smear her, though, for the many verifiable deceptions the McCain-Palin campaign has put out. There’s no need to stoop to lying in return. If true, however, this tale of censorship only adds to the list of reasons I won’t support her.
More to come, I’m sure . . . .