Cynthia McClure

I met a new friend this week and they invited me to story time at the public library. I thought ‘sure, why not? Maybe it’s not as bad as I’ve made it out to be in my head, after all I’ve never actually been. ‘ So I went, and let’s just say I’m disappointed.

First, the story time itself. All the parents sit in a half circle with their little kids and one of the library staff stands in front and imitates a kids show in-person. I’m Gen-Z so I don’t really know if the kids show or the story time person came up with this style of entertainment, but it doesn’t really matter. They sing little jingles about saying hello, cleaning up, toast in a toaster, etc. Silly songs that get the kids involved with simple words and motions, I actually like this kind of thing at least in theory, though I’m not a huge fan of doing it myself.

The person in the front leading this shenanigan is wearing a weird cat button up and has two tone hair. Looks like a woman to me but I’m not 100% sure. God has reminded me to speak in love so I’ll do my best. I didn’t have a one on one conversation with this person, but she looks young and doesn’t give off the impression that she has kids of her own. Good on her for being brave enough to get up there and do goofy things for the sake of entertainment, I don’t think I could do that. I’m also not sure how I feel about my kid learning to take instructions from a questionable stranger and watching me affirm that over and over by singing the songs and doing the motions and trying to get my kid to do the motions.

The first book they read to the kids is about a bear that cries when they get dropped off and school but then has a good time and can’t wait to go back the next day. Maybe I’m cynical but it’s basically just grooming toddlers for public school.

At this point my child decides to explore the other side of the children’s section. She doesn’t really bother with the books and finds some blocks to play with. I, in my boredom and curiosity, decide to read some of the children’s books they have on display. Keep in mind these are board books, so they’re designed for toddlers. Some of them look okay, some of them are in Spanish, but the ones that stood out to me were the ones about pride and Juneteenth. Yes, right there on display, not tucked away on some shelf, are these innocent looking board books about buying from black owned stores on Juneteenth and celebrating pride day as a toddler.

This is not some well hidden communist propaganda like the giving tree or teaching horrid boundaries like breaking into your adult child’s house to rock them asleep. This is open grooming. Grooming your kid to think same sex relationships are normal and that buying from stores because the owner is the same color as you is something you should be thinking about. Talk about teaching racism!

So I decided I’m never going back to the children’s section of the library. In fact I don’t like going to the library at all. I love reading, and I’ll put books on hold and pick them up, but I don’t browse and I will (most likely ) never go to story time again.

I could waste my time getting angry about how my taxes are being used to groom the children in my community, and I definitely think it’s worth getting angry about, but let’s not focus on the negative. I have truly come to believe that you cannot fix a broken system. I might waste some time trying to get them to remove those children’s books from the public library just out of curiosity, but ultimately I think we just need something different.

So, imagine with me for a moment what a library could be. It’s beautiful for starters, wooden shelves and high ceilings and stained glass. It’s a work of art, a sanctuary of knowledge. It’s a private membership library, which means the members pay a fee and get some level of say on what gets displayed. It’s also a non-profit so people can make donations.

The children’s section is just as beautiful. There’s a joy school included in your membership fee so you can drop your younger kids off and enjoy learning with your older children. This allows stay-at-home mothers to actually take devoted time with their kids that are old enough to home-school.

There’s of course mommy and me programs (like the story time I attended, but lead by a mom) and craft programs, community events, seminars, guest speakers, etc. The building could also rent out to co-ops and other community programs.

This would be a curated library. That is not to say that all the books will agree with christian conservative views, the adult section should have a good variety of opinions and perspectives displayed including controversial ones. The children’s and teen’s section is a different story. My private membership library will not carry teen pornography. If romances have such nastiness in them they should at least be in the adult section, if they’re there at all. The children’s section will have no sexual grooming or racism. I’m not opposed to bilingual books or books from other cultures, but they will be vetted and if need be voted on by the members.

The library staff would be background checked and interviewed with christian values in mind. They would not be permitted to dye their hair or have excessive tattoos, they would also not be allowed to wear political propaganda at work (no more pride flags slipped into every outfit!)

The library we have might be fixable. If we raise enough hullabaloo and write some petitions and such we might be able to get them to change…I just don’t think I have the energy or the want to put a target on my back. Maybe it’s worth it, and I’ll definitely look into how difficult it really would be, but a part of me just wants to make something else entirely. Forget the public library and make something new and truly wonderful.

What are your thoughts? Did you know our library is this bad? If you don’t believe me you can always go check it out. The teen section is just as atrocious if not worse by the way. I photographed it years ago when I was a teenager because I was so appalled at the books they were pushing. It’s disgusting; it’s grooming. I know everyone wants to cry love and peace but the fact is that a lot of these people are evil, broken, and trying to steal your children to their cause. They ought to be fired without pension and publicly shamed for writing these books and allowing them near our children. That’s what I think.

Sorry to end on a negative note. Since becoming a mother myself I am no longer able to push the matter away. My baby will not be groomed for sexual purposes. I refuse to expose her.

C.M