From "Right Wing Watch," People for the American Way, June 24, 2005:
U.S. Rep. Walter B. Jones (R-NC) appeared on the June 21 "700 Club" to discuss his proposed "Parental Empowerment Act ," which would require every school board in America to create review committees made up of parents who would choose books for school libraries. Jones' bill would deny federal education funds to states unless they create these review boards. Congressman Jones is concerned that children's books that include pro-gay themes - such as King and King by Linda de Haan and Stern Nijland - are showing up in public school libraries.
Jones: "We're just asking the school system, the principal, to set up a parental review committee to look at the books that are coming in.I just think this is an effort by the extreme left to desensitize or brainwash the elementary age children of America . And, if we're going to help maintain the Judeo-Christian principles that this nation was founded on, then we've got to help the parents protect their children."
Robertson: "Ladies and Gentleman. 1%. Count it. 1% of the population, at best, is considered lesbian. 2%, at best, homosexual. So here it is, 3% of the population trying to lead the other 97% around by the nose and, as Congressman Jones said, desensitize people to this lifestyle and show them it's normative when it's not normative at all. The state of normality is men marrying women and having children in stable families. That's what's normative and anything other than that is not normative. And, to try to impose that through the school system is wrong. It's a misuse of taxpayers' money. But at the same time, God bless him. I think it's a good initiative but I just don't think the federal government ought to get into this one."
[View the video highlight: Broadband | Dial-up .]
Last updated: June, 2005 |