Uncle Bobby's Wedding
Dissenting opinions - Controversy and blogs
October 22, 2008 - "Ayers' Agenda: First-grade Guinea Pigs"
"Our daughter also mentioned a book the teacher read aloud, "Uncle Bobby's Wedding,” about two male “gay” guinea pigs, promoted by the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Transgender Lobby for children. Since homosexual activists cannot reproduce their own children, recruitment to their cause (especially at a young age, before parents have raised such sensitive and controversial topics with their children) is essential to the political agenda of promoting homosexuality and “gay” marriage.
...Most parents would not consider a Q&A session with first-graders about homosexual marriage as an "age-appropriate" discussion. After our daughter’s revelation, we lodged a complaint with Chancellor Rhee's office, requesting an investigation, and asking what department in the D.C. government we can appeal to for restoration of our child's sense of innocence?"
-Margaret Hemenway
August 23, 2008 - it would be impossible to link to the hundreds of blogs (and thousands of responses) about the book. Here's one from today: "Uncle Bobby Under Fire Again"
August 15, 2008 - Another patron in Colorado has challenged Uncle Bobby's Wedding. Jamie Larue tells the story:
"...our library received yet another challenge to "Uncle Bobby's Wedding," apparently based on my earlier response.
First, this new patron stated her belief that the topic of a gay wedding is inappropriate because same sex marriage is illegal in 48 states, and specifically, in Colorado. Second, she claimed that she knows at least 100 people ready to fill out a petition against the book."
July 19, 2008 - Lou Franklin's blog
"Recently I stumbled upon a very disturbing blog entry written by a librarian trying to justify the placement of homosexual propoganda in the children's section of the library. At issue is the disgraceful book entitled Uncle Bobby's Wedding." read more
July 18, 2008 - Many articles and blogs have posted about the challenge. Among others:
July 14, 2008- Uncle Bobby's Wedding has been challenged (which usually means a patron has requested that the library remove the book from its shelves) at the Douglas County Libraries in Colorado. Read librarian Jamie Larue's response.
May 9, 2008 - Brent Bozell III in townhall.com:
"The American Library Association (ALA) has released its annual survey of offenses to "intellectual freedom," the books whose place in public schools and public libraries is the most "challenged" by the public....Already we can predict how the ALA next year will complain about any objection to a book called "Uncle Bobby's Wedding," the story of a young guinea pig who worries that her Uncle Bobby won't play with her anymore after he "marries" his boyfriend Jamie. The book ends at the "wedding," with Chloe as the enthusiastic flower girl.
In other words, the ALA doesn't favor open discussion and debate with parents -- which is what the "challenges" represent. Its idea of "freedom" is emboldening librarians to be brave enough to indoctrinate children with what they really need to know, whether their parents object or even know about it."
Responses:
Oliver Burkeman in The Guardian: "Spluttering fury from Brent Bozell III, president of the Media Research Center, America's last defence against the liberal media. This week he's exercised about Uncle Bobby's Wedding, a picture-book telling "the story of a young guinea pig who worries that her Uncle Bobby won't play with her any more after he 'marries' his boyfriend Jamie". By astonishing coincidence, as the blog Sadly No! points out, part of his column on the book echoes, almost word-for-word, a review in the gay newspaper Bay Windows."
Dana Rudolph in Mombian: "Yes, it is unfortunate that we must still deal with censorship and narrow minds. I say, if you don’t believe in the message of such books, make sure to stay involved with your children’s education so you can teach them otherwise. Be aware, though, that while you still may be able to censor books, it will be harder to censor the many children of LGBT parents who are talking about what they did with Mommy and Mama during summer vacation, or having their dads pick them up from soccer practice. Teaching about LGBT families is not about “promoting” some abstract “homosexual agenda.” It is about teaching children to respect their peers and develop into good citizens in today’s society.
Sadlyno.com: "But, you see, Brent is so busy working himself into a moral tizzy over the possibility that homosexual rodents might weaken the moral fiber of our offspring, he doesn’t always have time to read the books he works so hard on behalf of America’s non-reading parents to condemn. Note, if you will, his blue-nosed chicken cluck over an obscure tome called Uncle Bobby’s Wedding..."
April 6, 2008 - L. A. Catholic blog:
"Next time some liberal tells you there's no such thing as a homosexual agenda, tell him about Uncle Bobby's Wedding. That's a book -- a picture book from Putnam, by Sarah S. Brannen, for children ages 4-8 -- glowingly reviewed in today's San Francisco Chronicle....
Don't look now, but if you care about the children and families in your flock, you need to start publicly and in no uncertain terms warning everyone about the existence of homosexual propaganda such as this. You need to start warning parents that their children are in danger, that the homosexual lobby is targeting the little ones."
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