We are just having fun reviewing and discussing comic books, graphic novels, manga, anime/animation, music and movies that we have recently read, listened to or watched.
The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund’s website has an interesting article talking about the Rockefeller Bill mandating a study into media violence and their effects. Even though this went through the Supreme Court once before showing there was no cause and effect with media violence and cultural behavior. The link is provided below so you can read the complete article.
http://cbldf.org/2012/12/new-legislation-mandates-investigation-of-video-games-and-violent-behavior/
The Brentwood Public Library Board of Trustees, in Missouri, voted to keep Uncle Bobby’s Wedding by Sarah S. Brannen on it’s shelf after a parent challenged it as being illegal to have in the library because of it’s content being about same sex marriage. Here are a some parts of the letter of explanation that the board used to keep this picture book on it’s shelves. (“In the end, with all due respect, we have decided to keep the book in the collection.” and “the purpose of a library is to encourage literacy, and there’s no right or wrong type of material to do that….[W]hat is legal or acceptable can change, and it’s up to the patron to determine what is acceptable for her household.”
Thanks to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund for relaying this story. If you would like to read the full article follow the link below:
http://cbldf.org/2012/11/challenge-to-uncle-bobbys-wedding-rejected-in-missouri/
The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund’s website has a couple of articles concerning a library in Seattle that is having an issue with a Yaoi Manga and a parent. The parent sent her child in that loves manga to check out some books. This child was unsupervised with the parent staying in the car. Even though the library had policies concerning parents are responsible for what their children check out and even have a policy that will allow a parent to place restrictions on a child’s card, this parent didn’t deem it necessary.
When the parent looked through the manga, later at home, she was surprised that it had two men making love. She returned the book to the library and wrote a letter to the library that it needed to revise it’s check out policies when dealing with children. Here is what is on hand:
Parents and guardians are responsible for their children’s behavior, safety and welfare while their children are in the library or on library grounds, which includes their children’s access to library materials and electronic resources.
KCLS strongly recommends that a parent, guardian or other responsible party be present to supervise children ages 12 and younger. KCLS staff is available to assist parents, guardians and their children in the use of the library; however, KCLS staff cannot act “in loco parentis” (in place of a parent) for children in the library.
and
KCLS encourages parents/guardians to talk to their children and teens about the kinds of materials they think are suitable for borrowing or accessing. If a parent/guardian wishes to limit the number of items their child or teen can check out and/or the level of filtering…assigned to their cards, they should contact a staff member to have the child or teen’s library card appropriately blocked.
This goes to show you that even with a good policy in place a library can still come under fire. Besides having a parental control over filtering what a child can check out, libraries can also try to educate parents on what graphic novels and manga. Let them know that their are adult titles in the collection and that they are shelved appropriately and then a parent has more knowledge on to make a decision on using a blocking policy.
Here are the links back to CBLDF for the related articles so you can read them in full:
http://cbldf.org/2012/10/library-director-responds-to-seattle-manga-challenge/
http://cbldf.org/2012/10/cbldf-expresses-support-for-seattle-librarys-response-to-manga-challenge/
The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund website has an article by Becca Hoekstra about Facebook “Like”s. In Hampton, Virginia six employees of the sheriff’s department were fired for supporting an opposing candidate in an upcoming sheriff election. Three employee’s were dismissed because of “Liking” the opposing sheriff candidate. The employee’s took the issue to the courts and a U.S. District judge determined that “‘liking’ a Facebook page was insufficient speech to merit constitutional protection”. Facebook and the ACLU are challenging this decision that “Liking” on Facebook should be consider free speech, under the U.S. Constitution. Read the full article at the link below:
http://cbldf.org/homepage/facebook-and-aclu-challenge-the-ruling-that-likes-are-not-free-speech/
Over on Comic Book Legal Defense Fund’s site, Becca Hoekstra has an article were she talked with Camilla d’Errico about censorship of Women Artists and the woman body. D’Errico recounts that earlier in her carrier as an artist she enjoyed creating works with nude women in them, but after several conventions where people came up to her and told her that it was improper to display this artwork she stopped. Today being a few years older she is beginning to take a different approach. One of her highest selling prints at the San Diego Comic Convention was a nude print. To read the complete article follow the link below:
http://cbldf.org/homepage/camilla-derrico-talks-about-the-censorship-of-womens-bodies-in-art/
The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund has joined the National Coalition Against Censorship and the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression in writing a letter to the Greenville County Public Library, in South Carolina, to defend Alan Moore’s Neonomicon. The following is the letter from http://cbldf.org/homepage/cbldf-teams-with-ncac-and-abffe-in-defense-of-alan-moores-neon. I thought it was very well written and worth the space to place it within this blog for librarians to read. I have not altered it and you can connect to the link above to read the same letter on CBLDF’s website.
“Dear Board Members,
“On behalf of the National Coalition Against Censorship, the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression and the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund we strongly urge you to keep Alan Moore’s Neonomicon in the Greenville Public Library. This book has reportedly been challenged by a member of the community who claims its “sexually graphic” images make it inappropriate for the library.
“Removing this book because of objections to its content is impermissible under the First Amendment. As the Supreme Court said in Board of Education v. Pico, the Constitution does not permit “officially prescribed orthodoxy” which limits what people may read, think, speak, or say. The fact that we are confronted with images and not words does not make a difference—the courts have ruled that images, like words, constitute symbolic expression and are protected by the First Amendment.
“Neonomicon is a horror graphic novel which explores themes present in the works of fantasy writer H.P. Lovecraft, delving into complex issues of race, crime and sexuality. Moore and artist Jacen Burrows use the visual nature of the graphic novel medium to more fully examine the subject matter found in Lovecraft’s original work, achieving a commentary both on Lovecraft and on the horror genre itself. The authors deliberately disturbing depictions of sexual violence are included as a critical comment on how such subject matter is handled elsewhere within the genre. The book recently won the Bram Stoker award for “Superior Achievement in a Graphic Novel.” Its critical acclaim testifies to its artistic value which is aided, not eclipsed, by its sexual content.
“Alan Moore is one of the most influential and acclaimed authors in both the graphic novel category and the larger literary culture. His body of work includes Watchmen, which Time Magazine named one of the 100 best English-language novels published since 1923. His works also include the graphic novels V For Vendetta, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, From Hell, and Lost Girls, all of which have enjoyed tremendous critical acclaim. Neonomicon continues Moore’s explorations in appropriating classic literary characters and themes in the service of post-modern storytelling. It is an essential work by an author who is indisputably a master within his field.
“The book was appropriately shelved in the adult section of the library. The fact that it was withdrawn by a minor, whose mother had given written permission for her to borrow materials from the adult section, is no basis for removing the book—an action that infringes the First Amendment rights of adult library patrons. Indeed, the removal of the book during the review process is itself problematic, since any government suppression of material because of objections to its viewpoint or content transgresses constitutional boundaries. As a legal matter, the harm has been done, even if it is later rectified.
“The book meets the criteria that form the basis for the library’s collection development policy. Removing it because of sexual content not only fails to consider the indisputable value of the book as a whole, but also ignores the library’s obligation to serve all readers, without regards to individual tastes and sensibilities. If graphic violent and sexual content were excluded from the library because some people object to it, the library would lose ancient and contemporary classics, from Aeschylus’ Oresteia to Toni Morrison’s Beloved.
“We strongly urge you to respect the rights of all readers to read and think freely, and to reject the notion that the views of some readers about the value of literature, or its “appropriateness”, maybe imposed on all. By keeping the books on the library shelves you will demonstrate respect for your readers and their choices, for the professionalism of the librarians who serve the reading public, and for the First Amendment and its importance to a pluralistic democratic society.
“Please consult NCAC’s resource “Graphic Novels: Suggestions for Librarians” (http://ncac.org/graphicnovels.cfm) or contact us if there is anything we can do to help.
“Sincerely,
Joan Bertin Executive Director National Coalition Against Censorship
Chris Finan President American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression
Charles Brownstein Executive Director Comic Book Legal Defense Fund”
Neonomicon by Alan Moore and Jacen Burrows has recently been challenged at a library in Greenville, S.C. Neonomicon is a Bram-Stoker “Superior Achievement In A Graphic Novel” award winner and is intended for a mature audience. The library had it properly shelved in the adult collection. However, a mother let her 14 year old daughter check it out. She, like most people, thought that even though it was in the adult section of the library, it would be alright for her daughter to check out. This is where libraries and librarians could take a proactive step and educate parents. Let parents know that graphic novels are for every age group and some titles are not appropriate for children. Link below to Comic Book Legal Defense Fund’s website for the complete article.
http://cbldf.org/homepage/alan-moores-neonomicon-challenged-in-south-carolina-library/
Comic Book Legal Defense Fund has a great story about a young Alaskan boy that used comic books in his science fair to work around his teachers ban on comic books in the classroom. The young man contacted Chris Wilson, with the Graphic Classroom website, via Skype and asked him several questions and Chris even sent him a PowerPoint on the topic. The young man’s project, about comics in education, went to the Alaska State Science Fair where it won 1st place. Great job! Link below to Graphic Classroom’s website.
http://cbldf.org/homepage/intrepid-alaska-third-grader-overcomes-classroom-comics-ban/
http://www.graphicclassroom.org/
http://www.graphicclassroom.org/2012/04/comics-ban-sparks-science-fair-project.html
The case of Ryan Matheson crossing the border, with manga on his laptop, into Canada were he had his computer confiscated for possible possession and importing of child pornography and was later brought up on charges for same acts, has been dropped by the Crown. Even though the charges were withdrawn Matheson still has to pay legal fees. Some of the fees were covered by generous donations, however he still has a fee of $45,000.00, to be paid to the court. Since the charges have been dropped he will not have any criminal record or be registered as a sex offender. For the full article follow the link below to Comic Book Legal Defense Funds site:
http://cbldf.org/homepage/criminal-charges-dropped-in-canada-customs-manga-case/
The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund and ICv2 have reported that comic books in the DC area are coming under fire again. The news story concentrates on comic books not being for little kids any more. That’s been the case since the 1980’s. The companies have also placed age level warnings on their comic books to let purchasers know what age demographic it is targeted for. The shift in story writing has been to allow artists to write and do artwork that is more artistic. Because of that, the medium has produced some great stories and a wide variety of art styles that are beautiful to view. There are books and movies that are made for specific audiences, the comic medium is no different. There are comic books made for different age groups that are available. To me it all falls back on the parents. The parent decides on what their child can read and/or watch as a family unit. You cannot decide what other family units believe is right for their family units to read and/or watch, otherwise you start corrupting what the Constitution stands for. The psychologist in the report states that the imagery could influence children, well I guess you better not take you child to an art museum because they will see the same type of imagery. There is a statement that their is violence, sex and adultery in comic books, well children can find all of that in David’s story in the Bible. Sometimes I just shake my head in wonderment. To read the stories follow the links posted below.