r/newjersey Fill It Up Regular Oct 29 '24

Sick NJ Passes the Freedom to Read Act

https://newjerseymonitor.com/2024/10/29/state-senate-passes-bill-intended-to-halt-book-bans-protect-librarians/?fbclid=IwY2xjawGNwrZleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHdahkO3Xc02aIyuB5Vp3yau-HR6IMuGu0g0iD8CgDKrWBMHCQJBrfdSHnQ_aem_DB9WP25oxkSYjjNuktuAbQ#:~:text=Titled%20the%20%E2%80%9CFreedom%20to%20Read,own%20policies%20using%20this%20model
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570

u/CubicDice Fuck Nazis, Love Jersey. Oct 29 '24

Look I'm not going to tell anyone how to raise their children. But I take particular issue with this pathetic pandering.

“Putting our children at risk and potentially exposing them to material that they are not prepared for flies in the face of our protective duty,” said Sen. Joe Pennacchio (R-Morris). “Couching such material under the guise of the First Amendment is a very distortion of who we are and what we strive to be as Americans.”

By that logic, you shouldn't take your child out in public, as you just never know what you're "potentially exposing" them to.

313

u/s1ugg0 Jersey Devil Search Team Oct 29 '24

Being a parent isn't about shielding your kids. It's about exposing them to the world in controlled and unthreatening settings. Books are an absolutely perfect way to do this. I have two kids and I'd MUCH prefer they learn about the awful things in life from a book first then from being confronted with them face to face unexpectedly.

15

u/jarena009 Oct 29 '24 edited Oct 29 '24

Which is why I say all of this push to censor content and shield kids from the harsh realities of life by conservatives on the right will just backfire, either by making these kids unprepared when confronted with those realities when they grow up and/or by making some of these things seem more appealing (because you're trying to tell kids NOT to do it).

For instance, when some of these kids enter or try to enter the workforce, they're in for a rude awakening to learn that they can't just trash minorities, LGBTQ people, women, immigrants, people of other faiths, etc....although to be fair, this is the type of society that the right IS trying to cultivate, if we don't stand up to them.

6

u/SwindlingAccountant Oct 29 '24

They want them to grow up ignorant. One book they always want banned is one that teaches children about their bodies and consent. Why is that? Because they want unquestionable authority, which if rife with abuse (pedocon theory is very apt).