In an open letter released Tuesday, 18 Alabama-based organizations called on the Alabama Legislature to oppose efforts to censor library materials.

The letter was written primarily in response to another letter sent by the state's two Moms for Freedom chapters in Madison and Baldwin counties, and was found in the state's public libraries to be considered offensive. They are calling on lawmakers to “protect children” from the materials they receive.

“We are deeply concerned about the misinformation being spread about Alabama's libraries by the extremist anti-government group Moms for Liberty., in a press release dated January 3, 2023,” the organizations said in the letter. “Emily Jones and Rebecca Watson, presidents of the Mamas for Liberty chapters of Madison and Baldwin counties, paint a picture of Alabama's libraries, resources, and the professionals who work within them,” they wrote in a statement. But that's completely untrue…The groups Mamas for Liberty and Clean Up Alabama are warning the people of Alabama that our libraries are full of pornography and that children are being “sexualized”. A lot of ink has been spilled trying to make people believe that they work because they are “handled and cared for”. Both statements are clearly false. ”

The Mothers for Freedom letter specifically focused on an incident in which a 9-year-old boy in Madison County allegedly checked out the book “All Boys Are Not Blue.”

“Because these books are what ALA is currently promoting, this will continue to happen to citizens of goodwill who support libraries,” the Moms for Freedom letter said. ing.

A new letter from groups including multiple chapters of the Reed Freeley Alabama newspaper, several Democratic organizations, and other groups in the affected areas will be posted in the Madison County Children's Corner titled “All Boys Are Blue.'' It is pointed out that it is not published. – year old boy checked the book and purchased it from the section intended for users 12 years and older. In Baldwin County, the book isn't even in the young adult section, it's in the biography section.

“This book is not in any library in the state in a section designated for library patrons as young as nine. What I don't want them to see is their platform on parental rights and “I don't want to co-parent with the government.'' Very inconsistent with their motto, the coalition wrote in the letter.

The letter also disputed Mamas for Liberty's description of the book as pornographic, pointing out that passages highlighted as pornographic were actually descriptions of incestuous sexual abuse.

“Here, the author's retelling of childhood sexual abuse is conflated with a pornographic or sexually explicit story, an allegation that is offensive to anyone who has experienced sexual abuse,” the Coalition said. wrote. “According to the latest data, Alabama is the state with the second-highest number of reported child sexual abuse victims per capita. It is also the state with the second highest number of reported child sexual abuse victims per capita. It is also designated as a state that has enacted a law., has one of the shortest statutes of limitations for survivors of childhood sexual abuse in the country. ”

The letter also urges Congress to resist actions proposed by Liberty for Moms and Clean Up Alabama, including withdrawing from the American Library Association and tying state funding to collections policy.

““A hasty legislative decision, such as withdrawing from ALA, could have dire consequences for many of Alabama's rural libraries, which receive funding for a variety of projects,” the coalition wrote. “ALA has launched more than $7 million in grants to help small, rural libraries, for example, make their spaces and programs accessible to people with disabilities. Alabama Five libraries in the state have already received grants in that first round of funding..

“We also encourage Alabama residents, including members of Congress, to visit their local libraries and attend local library board meetings to encourage Alabama libraries and librarians to review policies from collection development to We encourage you to learn about the extensive policies and procedures we already have in place.

“Finally, rather than tying state funding to our libraries to the censorship demands of members of this anti-government extremist group Mamas for Liberty, especially in light of these unprecedented backlash, We encourage Congress to invest more money in our library system overall. Critical public institutions continue to face challenges. ”

This letter is signed by the following organizations:

• Read Freely Madison County, Alabama Chapter
• Tennessee Valley Progressive Alliance
• Grace Presbyterian Church in Tuscaloosa
• tuscaloosa action
• Democratic Socialists of North Alabama
• fomor editing service
• Fairhope Public Library
• Women of Color Unite
• Birmingham Democratic Socialists of America
• defense of democracy
• Huntsville Urban Bike Share Co-op
• fem south
• Read the Mobile, Alabama chapter for free
• 1 mobile
• Mobile, Alabama NAACP
• prism united
• Friends of Fairhope Library
• Read the chapter on Cullman, Alabama for free.