A display in the Mesa County CO Library commenting on the morality of homosexuality, adultery and divorce has attracted the attention of the American Civil Liberties Union and even Comedy Central’s “The Colbert Report.”
Under the name “Christians for Healthy Families,” Mesa County resident Carol Anderson, 64, created the display, which quotes multiple Bible verses, in response to a pro-gay marriage photographic exhibit displayed in the same place last August called “Love Makes a Family.” It advocated for nontraditional families, including gay and mixed race.
The display uses paper bowls to depict marriage, and pink and blue paint to depict males and females. Pink and blue paint mixed in the bowl results in a “beautiful purple,” according to the posters. If the pink and blue mixes outside the bowl, “a big mess” results. When pink mixes with pink or blue with blue, “nothing special happens.”
The basic story from The Daily Sentinel and the Denver Post, and some clearly less objective and diametrically opposed points of view from Stop the ACLU and Queerty.
Seems reasonable
It seems reasonable to me. The whole concept of mixing paints into a lovely purple is a bit strained, but why should the guy not be able to express his opinion in the space designated for public displays.
I’m not that interested in what other people do with their lives to hang out in the paint department at Home Depot, but why make a federal case out of it.
It is not obscene, it is not inciting a riot, heck it is less offensive than the Westboro Baptist Church.
Re:Seems reasonable
“I can prove that gay marriage is bad by using paint. See, it doesn’t mix, so gay marriage is evvvvill.”
idiotacy.
On another not, my boss tried to convert me to Christianity last week (I’m a pantheist). We have two Jewish librarians were I work-I can’t imagine what would have happened if she tried to convert them.
Re:Seems reasonable
I fail to see how that relates to the story at hand or my comment. If you want to tell others about pantheism then put up a display in the Mesa Library.
If you boss does not understand that she should not try to push her religion on people at the office then call her boss and complain.
Re:Seems reasonable
It doesn’t seem reasonable to me. I would guess by the name “Christians for Healthy Families” that there is a group which presupposes that homosexuality is some kind of sickness. It isn’t, and it’s that simple. What this is, is not a “pro-family” display as the Sun Sentinel called it; it is actually anti-family and pro-authoritarian.
Aside from that, it appears very much to be one individual’s exercise in free speech.
on the subject of homosexuality…
not about the Mesa Library exhibits, but related, and I wanted to point it out to anyone who is interested…
an article in today’s New York Times. The pink, blue and purple theorists (I personally like both pink and blue AND purple, but am less enthusiastic about yellow) reminded me…”Some Tormented by Homosexuality Look to a Controversial Therapy”, or “Can (or do we want)a Leopard [to]Charge His/Her Spots.”
Re:Seems reasonable
Aside from that, it appears very much to be one individual’s exercise in free speech.
And as such, we join hands together demanding the ACLU cease any attempt to retrict this public library’s right of local control?
Re:Seems reasonable
I didn’t say the content seems reasonable. I don’t care about the content. It seems reasonable that anyone is free to put up a display about that which they feel strongly (as long as it is not obscene).
It could have been perverts for Hillary, or Islamofascists for Nixon for all I care as long as it was not obscene the person presenting the display has just as much right to the space as anyone else.
Re:on the subject of homosexuality…
Why the hell are people so concerned about who other people are screwing.
I don’t care – unless it is me- and then it is not anyone’s business except the person (or people for that matter) I am screwing.
I don’t care what Paris Hilton is wearing, I don’t care what is drinking, I don’t care what A.N. Smith died from, and I don’t care who the person next door is screwing.
If you want to change change, if not then enjoy yourself but please don’t feel a need to tell me.
Re:on the subject of homosexuality… π
Your last sentence answers your first sentence.
Re:on the subject of homosexuality…
I know. I have no idea why people insist on telling things that are best left private. Several decades ago it was left private and we didn’t have the public discourse we do now. People just need to STFU,
Re:Seems reasonable
“When pink mixes with pink or blue with blue, “nothing special happens.””
They didn’t say anything about mixing three parts pink with one part blue, so I guess I’m ok. π
I’m with Matt
Whether it’s a group of one or a thousand, I too think they should be allowed to use the public display at a library.
Having dueling displays each month could not only generate buzz for the library, but also insulate the library from charges of ideological bias. The KKK comes to put up a display extolling their virtures? Great. The next week or month the local ADL and NAACP chapters have a display that begs to differ.
The only two conditions that I’d put on them (and hopefully would pass court muster would be):
1) Authenticated contact information for the group/person coming up with the display must be either posted or available upon request.
2) Nothing in the display could advocate violence against persons or destruction of property.
Libraries as hotbeds of civic discourse – I like it!
Re:Seems reasonable
No, because it only appears to be an exercise in free speech. What, pray tell is not being reported? Perhaps one should wait until one has enough information — real information, not knee-jerk reactionary faux-information — before making a determination.
Re:Seems reasonable
Where does one sign up for that?