'Jack of Hearts' is off the shelf

Happy Tuesday! Feeling around 40% healthy, so let’s just dive right in.

“Jack of Hearts (and Other Parts),” a book that Commissioner Diana Finegan labeled pornography, is banned from the Citrus County Library System.

“Jack” was one of 26 books temporarily removed from the shelves while Library Director Adam Chang reviews them for appropriateness. A Floral City man wants all 26 bumped because their subject matter is of the LGTBQ variety.

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Chang’s review so far has covered 13 of the 26. “Jack” was the only title removed; others were either left where they are, transferred to other sections of the library, or simply do not exist.

I don’t like what’s happening to the libraries. The self-righteous Library Guy Gang claims to have the community’s best interest, when in reality they only want to place the marginalized under their thumb. It sickens me.

Well. We can either pretend the issue isn’t here or deal with it straight-on. You know my approach.

As much as I detest these antics, the county needs to cover its base. If there’s a flaw in the logical order of things, let’s take a look at it with eyes wide open.

To sum up, a small group believes the libraries are rife with books designed to harm children. Specifically, any book of an LGBTQ nature. Doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see through this charade. These folks want to eliminate LGBTQ books because of their own narrow-minded standards.

One man filed a complaint and listed 26 books. The county procedure is to temporarily remove the books while the director reads each one to determine if there’s anything to the complaint.

Chang’s decision so far is telling.

Chang, had specific criteria for offensive books: “LGBT grooming agenda targeting minors.”

That is super significant. It’s not enough to ban books that portray LGBTQ characters in ways that perhaps make us straight folks uneasy. He wanted to make sure books crossed the line from bothersome to dangerous.

“Almost all of the books reviewed have contained LGBTQ characters with the exception of one (Julian is a Mermaid),” Chang said in an email to Community Services Director Eric Head. “While LGBTQ characters are featured in the majority of these books, the overall theme of the stories isn’t ‘material that targets minors with the LGBT grooming agenda,’ as indicated in the request for reconsideration.”

OK now, there you go. A clear distinction. Just because a book covers LGBTQ material, that doesn’t mean we burn it.

“Jack of Hearts,” however, crossed a line.

The book is “graphic and suggestive,” Chang said in a letter to the complaining citizen in explaining why he removed it from the library’s collection. (Disclosure: I haven’t read it. There’s probably a public record floating around with book excerpts if you’re interested.)

A good chunk of this discussion is actually about where books should be located — “young” adult section or adult. That’s a fairly subjective call; Chang moved two books from one category to another but kept six in the young adult section.

Oddly, the library doesn’t even have three of the books complained about. They’re on the book inventory but no longer exist. (Chang removed the titles from inventory.) I mean…these aren’t best-sellers. 

Where do we go from here? The review is half done. The Floral City man can appeal Chang’s decision to the library board. I think we should expect that.

This is our world today. Some people want to shut the doors to folks who are unlike them. It’ll take strong-willed citizens, government officials, and commissioners to stand up for the weak.

It isn’t easy. Doing the right thing never is.

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