Editor’s Note: The EAN welcomes Letters to the Editor on LOCAL topics. You can email your letter to [email protected]. Please include your full name, town of residence and a phone number for verification.
Letter from Adam Hunt
Prattville resident
Dear Editor, I am writing in response to Mike Ray’s Letter to the Editor ( AUG 25th 2023 ). I would like to clear up some misinformation he is spreading. His response is completely lacking any factual information.
I hope you are ready for some tea, because I’m about to pour you a big glass. Sit back and sip with me. Mr. Ray says Angie tried to make villains out of heroes. By definition, a hero is someone who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements or noble qualities. None of which CUP/CUA has exhibited. They have continuously spread lies. I feel that if you have to lie to make your side “win” that’s just shameful. They have compared the lgbt community and specifically trans people/kids to pipe bombs. That’s right. Pipe bombs.
They admit to teaming up with “Moms for Liberty,” who have quoted Hitler in their newsletter. They have said over and over that “pornographic” books are in the children’s section of the Autauga Prattville Public Library. That is not true. There are some spicier books in the young adult section but that’s where they belong. It’s funny how they said, at the City Council meetings, that they didn’t want to destroy books. They just wanted them moved. But almost all of their reconsideration forms that have been submitted have called to remove and destroy the books.
Reading book excerpts at the City Council meetings was stopped because Hannah Rees and her sheep were reading excerpts from young adult books. These meetings are uploaded to YouTube where anyone can view them. This potentially exposes children under the age those books were intended for because no one expects to hear the phrases Hannah read when they are watching City Council meetings. Again, these books are in the Young Adult section of the library. Not anywhere near the children’s library.
Hannah told members of the City Council that “Nick and Charlie” is a book recommended to elementary school children. She knew that was a lie when she said it. It’s pathetic. They want any inclusive literature removed or destroyed. Mike Ray also says that our library is full of filth. I would say he probably hasn’t been in the library in quite some time.
Our library offers a very large collection of books that includes everyone and it’s pretty amazing. Clean up Prattville and Clean up Alabama have been coaching people on what to say on their reconsideration forms through their website cleanupprattville.com.
It is obvious that they are attacking the lgbtq+ community and have shifted to other books to hide their true agenda. But they won’t stop there. They are also coming after books like “The Hate You Give,” as they believe it is to “woke.”
Mike is wrong when he said this started when “a concerned parent” “stumbled upon” sexually explicit books in the children’s library. The book he is referring to is The Pronoun Book. Has Mike even read The Pronoun Book? I would love to have him explain to me which part of that book is sexually explicit. If these people don’t want their kids to read books about people who are different from them, or may use different pronouns, then they don’t have to allow their children to read those books.
The library is not a babysitter, and they have a policy in place that children under thirteen should be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. These people are asking the PUBLIC library to help them raise their kids. That isn’t their job. The library is there to offer free access to books that give information to everyone. It is up to you whether or not you want your kids to read about families with 2 moms, or people with different pronouns.
But WE EXIST and we WON’T be going ANYWHERE. We deserve to have inclusion in the public library. Not for your kids to read about, but for our kids. For us. For people who want to learn. I will end this by saying that Mike has shown his true colors once again and now everyone knows what kind of man he is. “Christian values” should not dictate what is in the public library. Educate yourself on how a librarian has to go about deciding if a book should be in a library. They know what they are doing. On that note I want to thank all of the Prattville Library staff. Ya’ll have been through it. Just know you have a lot of people on your side. If you support the library, email them or give them a call. They would really appreciate it, I think.
