The American Library Association wants to silence Christian author and actor Kirk Cameron. They instructed libraries nationwide to make public meeting rooms unavailable for Brave Books story hours events. Religious discrimination is unlawful and we’re requesting an investigation.
In June, an American Library Association official—who holds the Orwellian title, “Director of the Office for Intellectual Freedom”—criticized our clients for encouraging local community members to use libraries to read books with a religious perspective.
The same official provided guidance on how to prevent story hours held by Brave Books, a Christian children’s book publisher, from happening at libraries. At the same time, however, the ALA has continued to promote “Drag Queen Story Hours” that expose minors to sexual topics.
We sent a letter calling for an investigation of religious discrimination, arguing that ALA officials are targeting our clients based on their religious beliefs. We explain that as federal grant recipients, the ALA may not utilize taxpayer funds to openly violate the First Amendment and federal regulations.
– First Liberty Senior Counsel Jeremy Dys
Brave Books is launching its “See You at the Library” campaign on August 5. They are “calling on all families who love God and love America to gather at our local public libraries to pray, sing, and read BRAVE Books and other books of virtue.” Approximately 250 of these story hours are planned out all over the country.
But the Name Here Library in Huntsville, Alabama recently canceled a Brave Books story hour event citing “security concerns.” We immediately responded and sent a letter asking the library to reschedule the book reading. Libraries must comply with federal law. They cannot discriminate against religious groups.
U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida—along with Sen. Mike Braun of Indiana and Sen. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota—sent a letter recently to the Institute of Museum and Library Services demanding an investigation into the ALA’s potential misuse of taxpayer dollars to censor Brave Books.
“The ALA is actively discriminating against Brave Books on account of their faith and is likely doing so with taxpayer funds,” the senators explain in their letter. “Brave Books deserves the same opportunity to host and organize events in public libraries as other groups.”
Denying people of faith access to a meeting room of a public library is unconstitutional and illegal. Federal law requires public libraries and other government agencies to treat religious individuals and organizations the same as everyone else, including equal access to public spaces.
Instead of ensuring that our nation’s libraries remain open to a diversity of viewpoints and equal treatment of all groups, the ALA is conspiring to deny access to thousands of citizens based upon open intolerance of their religious beliefs, speech and expression.
Please give now and join First Liberty in the fight for religious freedom. Your support is essential in helping us defend—and win—for Kirk Cameron, Brave Books and people of faith all across America.
*If contributions exceed the immediate needs of a specific project or case, First Liberty may redirect funds at its discretion to provide support for other religious liberty matters.
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