A Texas lawmaker has sent a letter to every Republican governor in the United States, asking them to follow Texas in leaving the American Library Association.
As reported by The Dallas Express, Rep. Brian Harrison (R-Midlothian) called on the Texas State Library and Archives Commission to leave the association. The commission announced last week that it would be doing so. Midland County also recently voted to end its connection with the national library group.
In a letter sent to Republican governors on Thursday, Harrison said:
“There may be no greater responsibility you and I share than to be good stewards of tax dollars, and therefore I feel duty bound to make you aware that your constituents’ hard-earned money is not just being wasted but is being weaponized against them by the American Library Association (ALA).”
“The ALA recently elected Emily Drabinski, a self-proclaimed ‘Marxist lesbian’ and member of the Democratic Socialists of America, as their President,” he continued. “Taxpayer-funded indoctrination has no place in our states.”
He went on to claim that the ALA was fighting to keep “pornographic materials in public libraries.”
“I respectfully ask that you do the right thing for the hard-working taxpayers who elected you by cutting all ties, financial and otherwise, with the ALA,” Harrison wrote. “By sending tax dollars to the ALA, you are forcing your constituents’ money to be weaponized against them, their values, and their children.”
Harrison’s month-long push against the ALA prompted some detractors to denounce him on social media.
Alexander Montalvo posted on social media, “Look!!! A Republican [Texas Legislature] member sharing with all how much of a f—ing idiot he is!! WOW!!” He went on to call Harrison a “Fascist” for urging states to end their voluntary partnerships with the ALA.
Another social media user, Shane Hardin, shared the letter on Twitter, writing, “You know who hated books … Nazis.”
In an emailed statement to The Dallas Express, Harrison said:
“No taxpayer should have to subsidize a Marxist and socialist led organization like the American Library Association. I am proud to have successfully led the fight against them in Texas and am now asking every Republican Governor to protect their constituents’ hard-earned money from being weaponized against them, their values, and their children.”
“If the American Library Association wants to promote dangerous Marxist ideology, they should do that on their own dime,” he added.
Amidst the mounting political pressure for governmental bodies to disassociate from the ALA, the library group has defended itself, claiming it is a non-partisan organization focused solely on library systems education.
In a statement provided to The Dallas Express after Midland County voted to leave, the ALA said, “[ALA] is a non-partisan, non-profit membership organization that develops, promotes, and improves library and information services and the profession of librarianship in order to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all.”
“Despite the decision in Midland County this week, ALA remains committed to providing essential support, resources, and opportunities for every library and library worker in every state and territory across the nation to help them better serve their communities,” the organization continued.
