Several intolerant Iowa citizens have come together to sabotage their own community by bullying the single library in the town into closing.
The Vinton Public Library has faced opposition from certain community members for not supporting their narrow worldviews for years, and a Pride book display this year seemed to be a bridge too far for those folks.
One resident, Brooke Kruckernberg, openly accused the library of having a “liberal agenda” at a city meeting in March, citing “the staff hiring decisions and the books that have crept in our children’s section of the library” as unacceptable points of contention.
”I don’t believe the library is representing our town well with hiring a majority of staff who are openly a part of the LGBTQ community,” she stated.
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The recent resignation of openly gay interim director Colton Neely, the latest in a string of departures from the library, was the final straw causing the library to close due to lack of personnel.
Related: Mob of conservative mothers demand library burn Pride display books
Among the previous employees the community has also lost to intolerance is former director Renee Greenlee, a nationally recognized and beloved librarian.
Greenlee received the I Love my Librarian award from the American Library Association — an honor only extended to ten people across the country annually.
Following her resignation in May, several local citizens spoke out at a city council meeting, chastising the community for chasing off such an accomplished and lovable figure.
“She’s a gem and shame on us for losing this,” stated Vinton council member Tami Stark
Related: Man ordered to take down rainbow lights by HOA won’t be dulling his shine any time soon
At the meeting in March, Kruckernberg’s mother also spoke up, stating, “For each book promoting the LGBTQ lifestyle, there should be a book on display that discusses how God created and designed people as either male or female from birth, for life.”
Greenlee later explained that, in reality, only 7 of the 5,800 children’s section materials involved queerness whatsoever. On the other hand, Christianity and Christian themes were featured in 173 Children’s books.
Sadly, the reality and bare numbers of the situation weren’t enough to assuage the queerphobic community members’ protestations. Clearly, they wouldn’t be happy until queerness was erased from the library shelves — and staff — entirely.
The library has recently been announced to reopen the coming Monday under entirely new leadership, but the fate of LGBTQ+ materials on the shelves under this new direction is yet to be determined.
At a recent city meeting, librarian Molly Rach warned Vinton residents of the direction the city’s climate has taken.
“This community has now run out two highly qualified, highly credentialed library directors in less than two years,” she stated. “This library is indeed going to suffer, but not because of diverse books or staff members who identify as LGBTQIA+, but because you are going to have a hard time finding anyone who’s willing to put up with being targeted by community members for simply doing their job.”
stefanoschild
I hope all their uptight assholes prolapse and their innards fall out into the streets where they stand, , and the birds peck them on the hot pavement.
CNY1983
thank you for that. you need to go on jimmy kimmel. more more more.
monty clift
XD
Chrisk
I’m surprised that these Jesus Freaks even knew where the Library was. There not exactly known for the intellectual curiosity.
“For each book promoting the LGBTQ lifestyle, there should be a book on display that discusses how God created and designed people as either male or female from birth, for life.”…As long as it’s in the fiction section where it belongs. Harry Potter has more credibility.
Brian
…and the remarkable thing is that there were more than 20 times as many Christian books. That sounds well-stocked. They whined anyway. These people are practically illiterate.
MystiRivers
“There not exactly known for the intellectual curiosity. ”
It’s “they’re” not “there.”
Ironic.
Vince
MystiRivers
Ha. The right wing trolls only concerned about proper grammar and not at all about the actual subject aka the right wings attack and silencing of a library.
Weird where your little trampanzi brain goes.
monty clift
That’s what makes them dangerous, it’s because they are so illiterate that they’ll believe in anything and act upon it.
Herman75
The Republican cult doesn’t read books anyway. I feel sorry for her kids. FYI I see her business in Vinton received a PPP loan from the “Nanny State” during the pandemic. What a beeotch, not making room for LGBTQ folks.
Cam
If people aren’t stupid they won’t keep voting for Republicans.
Covid Hermit
If you really want to improve people’s minds, get rid of the books about the nonexistent invisible god. Seriously, the best thing I ever did was to realize that Christianity is a load of BS. Check out the story of the Greek god Dionysus sometime and see how many parallels to Jesus you can find if you don’t believe me. (For one thing, both died and were resurrected, and both were born of a male god and a mortal virgin female).
Creamsicle
The fastest way to become an atheist is to read the Bible. That’s why so few American Christians every actually open one, and why even fewer study Christian history.
Hell, a shocking number of Americans are so aggressively ignorant that they don’t know that Catholics are Christians.
RickHeathen
I understand why the Romans fed people like this to the lions.
missvamp
truth
Herman75
She should change her name to Karen (the Kunt) Kronenberg
PubicHairus
Hear, hear!
Huron132
I worked as an assistant for the head of a very large library system. It was the biggest in the state. He had a saying that I truly love. “A library should have everything to to offend everyone.” He felt that everyone can learn anything from your neighborhood library. I have always felt this is the way I should live my whole life. Expand your mind with knowledge.
CNY1983
is it only me or does it seem like these “americas best christians” band together ala ginny thomas and are picking a fight with the gay community?
bring it
how to OUT and make americas-best-christians miserable on a daily basis: “….he’s got a friend of a friend who does her……” make it a million “oops, didnt mean to do that” moments.
see how they like it when the shit is turned back on them, then dont let up keep pounding.
Mr. Stadnick
This is just another example of the American Taliban’s growth and the rise of the totalitarian theocracy that is attempting to take over. Eliminate anything that doesn’t 100% follow their doctrine.
dgsea06
Absolutely. I read that someone called SCOTUS the American Taliban, but it’s obvious that the entire “Republican” Party is the culprit.
If 90% of the country opposes the Rethuglicons, then 90% must vote them out!
It’s not hyperbole, we got work to do.
Creamsicle
The most ironic part is that American Christians want to see themselves as persecuted SO BADLY that they’ll twist anything into an attack on their beliefs.
Remember the Starbucks cup with two hands holding? American Christians tried so hard to claim ot was a gay couple and that Starbucks was anti-Christian because of it.
bachy
The desire to erase understanding around the phenomenon of same-sex love, affection and desire erodes not just the intelligence of a community, but also a critical aspect of what creates community to begin with.
Jon in Canada
Religion is the chosen mental illness and it’s a dangerous one at that. The only good religion is one that has been cast off and thrown onto the junk heap of history.
Flamingo Falls
Shades of “The Music Man,” only not as fun.
overlarry
“For each book promoting the LGBTQ lifestyle, there should be a book on display that discusses how God created and designed people as either male or female from birth, for life.”
“Greenlee later explained that, in reality, only 7 of the 5,800 children’s section materials involved queerness whatsoever. On the other hand, Christianity and Christian themes were featured in 173 Children’s books.”
WHAT A GREAT IDEA!!!!!!!!
When the library re-opens, remove 166 of the books with ‘Christian’ themes! Then you could keep the 7 books which involve ‘queerness’ and keep ONE ‘Christian’ book for each of those 7!!
Problem solved! You’re welcome.
ondaboat0069
ALMIGHTY COD HATH CREATED THE
MIND FREE. ALL ATTEMPIS TO INFLUENCE
IT BY TEMPORAL PUNISHMENTS OR
BURTHENS.-ARE A DEPARTURE FROM
THE PLAN OF THE HOLY AUTHOR OF
OUR RELIGION…NO MAN SHALL BE
COMPELLED TO FREQUENT OR SUPPORT
ANY RELIGIOUS WORSHIP OR MINISTRY
OR SHALL OTHERWISE SUFFER ON
ACCOUNT OF HIS RELIGIOUS OPINIONS
OR BELIEF, BUT ALL MEN SHALL BE
FREE TO PROFESS AND BY ARGUMENT
TO MAINTAIN, THEIR OPINIONS IN
MATTERS OF RELIGION. I KNOW
BUT ONE CODE OF MORALITY FOR
MEN WHETHER ACTING SINGLY OR
COLLECTIVELY.
Thomas Jefferson
unreligious
Sadly Thomas Jefferson is held in disdain by both the right and left now days.
Richpontone
Like any Terrorist knows.
You don’t burn the Books, you burn the Librarians.
You kill one, you terrorize Millions.
Christianity died on The Cross.
Power Trumps Love.
Rock Star
I-OH-Way!
Theres nothing like the Iowa way to do things
if they do things which they may not do at all.
There an Iowa kind a special chip on the shoulder attitude
WHICH they implore
anyway you get my meaning. Trouble In River City
Terrycloth
Not all gay books are fairy tales…
q0045
I would create a display of all the Christian books and the few queer books at the front of the library. One would be labeled “Pride” section. The other would be labeled reading for “Almighty White-y Righties” !
Archie
I wonder if any gayborhood librarian would be fired for adding Christian books to the shelves?
CityguyUSA
Well it seems it’s going to take a revolution to put all these judgmental people back in their churches.
RickHeathen
Surely, I’m not the only one sick of seeing those Christians being Christian out on the streets where there are children. Their minds need to be protected from that filth.
zephyr69
Too many Republicans and not enough lions.