{"id":2159545,"date":"2024-01-25T18:38:02","date_gmt":"2024-01-25T23:38:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/west-virginia-considering-bill-allowing-prosecution-of-libraries-for-obscene-books\/"},"modified":"2024-01-25T18:44:06","modified_gmt":"2024-01-25T23:44:06","slug":"west-virginia-considering-bill-allowing-prosecution-of-libraries-for-obscene-books","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/west-virginia-considering-bill-allowing-prosecution-of-libraries-for-obscene-books\/","title":{"rendered":"West Virginia may pass a bill to prosecute libraries over explicit books"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fwest-virginia-considering-bill-allowing-prosecution-of-libraries-for-obscene-books%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2159545&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>West Virginia\u2064 Legislators Consider Bill to Prosecute\u200c Libraries\u2064 for Carrying Obscene Books<\/h2>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\">In a controversial move, \u200dlegislators \u2062in West Virginia are currently \u200cdeliberating on a bill that could \u200bhave serious implications for libraries \u2062across the state. House \u2063bill 4654, which was initially scheduled for consideration by the West Virginia\u2064 House Judiciary Committee on Monday, has\u200b now been put\u200d before a public hearing. If\u2063 passed, this bill would remove the previous exclusions that protected schools, public libraries, and museums from prosecution for\u200b displaying \u200cobscene material to minors, even\u200b when accompanied by a parent or guardian.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-style: inherit;font-weight: 400\">According\u200c to the \u200dParkersburg News and Sentinel, the state code defines obscene matter as anything that an average person believes \u2063depicts sexually explicit conduct, nudity, sex, \u2064or certain bodily functions. It\u200b also includes anything that a reasonable person would find lacking\u2063 serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value. Under State Code\u200d 61-8A-2, any adult who \u2062knowingly and intentionally displays obscene matter to a minor could <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/s-c-house-passes-heartbeat-abortion-bill\/\" title=\"S.C. House passes heartbeat abortion bill\">face felony charges<\/a>, a fine of up to $25,000, and up to five years\u2063 in prison\u2064 if convicted.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\">Supporters of the bill made their\u2064 case during the public hearing by reading excerpts from books they deemed obscene,\u200d such as &#8220;Let&#8217;s Talk About \u2064It&#8221; and &#8220;Me, Earl and the Dying Girl.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\">The bill&#8217;s\u2064 sponsor,\u200d Brandon \u2063Steele, R-Raleigh, argued \u200bthat it\u2064 is necessary to eliminate the \u200bsafe\u200b haven that\u2063 allows \u2062children to access \u2063material\u2062 that\u200b would\u200b be considered illegal outside of libraries and schools. He expressed a sense of urgency in \u200bmoving the bill \u2063through\u200c the\u2062 House quickly so that it can \u2063be considered by the Senate.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\">Carol Miley, a retired\u2062 Kanawha County librarian, voiced her support for the bill, emphasizing that it is not about banning books but rather about protecting minor students \u200bfrom\u2062 potential \u200bharm. She referred\u2063 to it as &#8220;mind \u2062rape&#8221; or \u2064&#8221;word pornography.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\">Minister Daniel Curry of the Camden Avenue \u2064Church of Christ in Parkersburg also spoke in favor of \u200bthe bill, stating that it is our \u200bresponsibility, given by God, to protect our children. He\u200b questioned the need \u200cfor obscene material in schools and libraries.<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> What are the\u2063 potential implications of \u2062prosecuting libraries for \u2063carrying books deemed obscene?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  , this \u2064bill would allow for libraries \u200cto be prosecuted for carrying obscene books.<\/p>\n<p>The bill, introduced by Delegate Joe Jeffries, aims to\u200b redefine the state&#8217;s obscenity laws and \u2064hold libraries accountable for the materials they provide to the public. It argues that libraries \u200dhave\u200b a responsibility\u2063 to uphold\u200d community standards and protect children from explicit and offensive \u2063content.<\/p>\n<p>However, the \u200bproposed legislation has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/blm-riots-dragged-democrats-down-in-2020-data-shows-but-peaceful-protests-helped-them\/\" title=\"BLM Riots Dragged Democrats Down In 2020, Data Shows \u2014 But Peaceful Protests Helped Them\">sparked intense debate<\/a> and raised concerns about its potential impact on freedom of\u200b speech and\u200c intellectual freedom. Critics argue that it infringes upon\u2064 the First Amendment rights of both \u2064library users and librarians.<\/p>\n<p>Libraries play a crucial role in providing access to a wide range of materials, including\u2062 books that cover a diverse\u2064 range of topics and perspectives. They \u200bare often seen as \u200da \u2063symbol of intellectual freedom and a cornerstone of democratic \u200csocieties.\u2062 By prosecuting libraries\u200b for carrying books \u200cdeemed obscene, \u200dthis \u2064bill could <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/hawley-gets-pushback-from-banking-groups-for-bill-to-cap-credit-card-rates-at-18\/\" title=\"Banking groups oppose Hawley's bill to limit credit card rates at 18%.\">severely limit access<\/a> to information and\u200b stifle intellectual inquiry.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore,\u200c determining what constitutes obscenity is a \u200bsubjective\u2063 and often contentious matter. \u200dWhat may be offensive to one person may be considered\u200d a valuable piece\u2064 of literature by\u200c another. By placing the burden \u2063of censorship on libraries, this bill could lead to\u200b a chilling effect on free expression and discourage libraries from \u200cacquiring potentially controversial but\u2064 important works.<\/p>\n<p>Advocates for the bill argue that it is necessary to protect children from exposure to\u2062 explicit and inappropriate material.\u200d They believe that libraries should prioritize the well-being and moral development of young readers \u200dover\u2062 the right to access all types of \u2064literature. However, opponents argue that it is\u2062 the\u200d responsibility of parents\u200b and guardians to monitor and guide their children&#8217;s reading\u200d choices, not\u2064 the role of the library or the government.<\/p>\n<p>It is\u200c important to note that libraries already have mechanisms in place to label and categorize materials based on their content.\u2064 These systems, such as\u200d rating systems for movies\u2062 or age recommendations for books, provide \u2063guidance for library users, allowing them to make \u200binformed \u200dchoices based on their \u200bown personal values and beliefs.<\/p>\n<p>Rather than imposing punitive measures on libraries, a more constructive\u2063 approach would be \u200dto invest in education and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/group-that-allegedly-committed-10-armed-robberies-in-30-minutes-caught-on-camera-its-very-shocking\/\" title=\"10 armed robberies in 30 minutes caught on camera by alleged group, shocking.\">community outreach programs<\/a> that promote\u2063 critical thinking and media\u2062 literacy. By empowering individuals \u2062to navigate complex and potentially offensive material, we can \u2063foster a more informed and inclusive society.<\/p>\n<p>In conclusion,\u200c House bill 4654 represents a significant challenge to the principles of intellectual freedom\u2064 and freedom \u200dof speech.\u2063 While\u2064 protecting children from\u200d explicit material is\u2062 a valid concern, the proposed legislation undermines the \u2064important role of libraries in providing access to information\u2063 and stifles diversity of thought.\u200c It is crucial for legislators to consider\u200b the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/analysis-if-joe-biden-cant-defend-his-own-skin-from-the-sun-how-can-he-defend-america\/\" title=\"Can Biden protect America if he can't protect himself from the sun?\">potential long-term \u2064consequences<\/a> of restricting access to books and supporting \u200dalternative solutions that respect both the\u2064 rights of individuals and the important societal function that libraries serve.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Legislators in West Virginia are reviewing a bill that could hold libraries accountable for stocking books deemed obscene. House bill 4654, initially set for discussion on Monday, was rescheduled for a public hearing on Wednesday. The bill aims to eliminate previous exemptions granted to libraries<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":60,"featured_media":2159546,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[541],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2159545","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-daily-wire"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2159545","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/60"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2159545"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2159545\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2159546"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2159545"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2159545"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2159545"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}