(LifeSiteNews) — Christian actor and author Kirk Cameron has lined up nearly 270 libraries in 45 states to host his “See You at the Library” event this Saturday.
The reading hours, where citizens will read patriotic and Christian books, is meant to counteract “drag queen story hours” and other pornographic and sexually inappropriate content at public libraries, is persevering despite efforts by the American Library Association (ALA) to stop it.
Cameron faced denials earlier this year when he attempted to set up story hours of his own to read his new book from Brave Books, as previously reported by LifeSiteNews.
“It should be an amazing day. The battle is here, and we’re confident that good is going to triumph over evil,” Cameron told the Washington Examiner for an August 3 story. “Parents are excited. … We’re told the public libraries are expecting thousands in attendance, and that will equal tens of thousands nationwide.”
“The American Library Association still doesn’t want this to happen,” Cameron said in comments to the Examiner. “They’re hoping it’s a great big ‘nothing-burger’ and it’s a big fat dud, but the opposite is true. Thousands of families are gathering in the public square to contend with the values that will lead to their children’s blessing.”
A recording obtained by Brave Books appear to show the ALA “circulating guidance to sabotage conservative or Christian parent groups from gathering in public libraries on August 5th. One ALA director gave suggestions on how libraries could block public meeting room use under the pretext of the space already being taken for other activities,” Brave Books noted.
The opposition to open and equal access to Cameron is in direct contradiction to the claimed values of the ALA to promote freedom of expression and the First Amendments. The ALA is currently led by a self-professed “Marxist lesbian.”
“Libraries are major sources of information for society and they serve as guardians of the public’s access to information. The advent of the digital world has revolutionized how the public obtains its information and how libraries provide it,” the ALA states on its page. “As the digital world continues to evolve, libraries help ensure that people can access the information they need – regardless of age, education, ethnicity, language, income, physical limitations or geographic barriers.”
“Core values of the library community such as equal access to information, intellectual freedom, and the objective stewardship and provision of information must be preserved and strengthened, now more than ever,” the group wrote.
The ALA also claims to be against “banning books,” yet it appears to be attempting to limit access to citizens to come and hear from Cameron and hear his book. That too is in direct contradiction to its stated values.
“Banned Books Week celebrates the freedom to read and spotlights current and historical attempts to censor books in libraries and schools,” the ALA states. “For more than 40 years, the annual event has brought together the entire book community — librarians, teachers, booksellers, publishers, writers, journalists, and readers of all types — in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas, even those some consider unorthodox or unpopular.”
Three Republican senators have since requested information from the ALA on whether taxpayer funds, which subsidize the ALA, are being used to block Cameron’s equal access rights, according to Fox News.
Senators Marco Rubio, Kevin Cramer and Mike Braun said the library group “should not be eligible to receive federal funding should an investigation find that the ALA violated the First Amendment rights of Americans.”
Fox News reported the ALA did not respond to requests for comment. LifeSiteNews also contacted the group on August 3 to ask for comments on the Cameron situation and if it planned to investigate the comments about blocking the events. It did not respond as of the afternoon.
The CEO of Brave Books told the Washington Examiner how the events will promote Christian views and ideas. “See You at the Library allows Christian conservative families to actively create the culture in their community and shows them they do not have to sit back and concede public spaces that shape our children like libraries and schools to the godless Left,” Trent Talbot said.
Families interested in an event near them can find a map here.