"By proscription and bills of outlawry."

I can't stand it when media tries to create news rather than report it. So, when I read this article which was mass-emailed by an outraged grad student, I just shook my head in disbelief.

Now, here's what I want you to do: read as much of it as you can stand, then, when you've had about as much of this "objective reporting" as you can tolerate--skip to the "Editor's note" that I highlighted at the bottom.

Ok, ready? here's the article [more commentary below]:

Alabama Bill Targets Gay Authors

(CBS)A college production tells the story of Matthew Sheppard, a student beaten to death because he was gay.

And soon, it could be banned in Alabama.

Republican Alabama lawmaker Gerald Allen says homosexuality is an unacceptable lifestyle. As CBS News Correspondent Mark Strassmann reports, under his bill, public school libraries could no longer buy new copies of plays or books by gay authors, or about gay characters.

"I don't look at it as censorship," says State Representative Gerald Allen. "I look at it as protecting the hearts and souls and minds of our children."

Books by any gay author would have to go: Tennessee Williams, Truman Capote and Gore Vidal. Alice Walker's novel "The Color Purple" has lesbian characters.

Allen originally wanted to ban even some Shakespeare. After criticism, he narrowed his bill to exempt the classics, although he still can't define what a classic is. Also exempted now Alabama's public and college libraries.

Librarian Donna Schremser fears the "thought police," would be patrolling her shelves.

"And so the idea that we would have a pristine collection that represents one political view, one religious view, that's not a library,'' says Schremser.

"I think it's an absolutely absurd bill," says Mark Potok of the Southern Poverty Law Center.

First Amendment advocates say the ban clearly does amount to censorship.

"It's a Nazi book burning," says Potok. "You know, it's a remarkable piece of work."

But in book after book, Allen reads what he calls the "homosexual agenda,"
and he's alarmed.

"It's not healthy for America, it doesn't fit what we stand for," says Allen. "And they will do whatever it takes to reach their goal."

He says he sees this as a line in the sand.

In Alabama's legislature, the reviews of Allen's bill are still out on whether to lower this curtain for good.

Editor's Note: When the time for the vote in the legislature came there were not enough state legislators present for the vote, so the measure died automatically.

Hey CBS--what the hell are you doing? I'll tell you what. You're insidiously trying to plant in people's minds an exaggerated sense of fear of Southern Republicans. This ridiculous "story" is poorly disguised liberal propaganda: it even invokes the specter of Nazi bookburning, for crying out loud! And notice how it opens by invoking Matthew Sheppard--as if to say, "Who could possibly want to silence this boy's tragic story?"

The point is that the editor's note proves that it's a non-story. Why was it run? It says that the "curtain could soon be lowered" and that "soon, it could be banned in Alabama." Well, NO, they can't and won't because the bill "died." But on top of that the article is so deeply biased I don't know who to believe. This guy Allen is probably an idiot--who knows? Don't school boards already screen books--why do we need to make a law? On the other hand, perhaps he has a point (somewhere) about the kinds of material that we expose our children to. Why didn't CBS choose these other angles on the story?

The article clearly presents him as a caricature given the works of literature discussed. But what if the books in question were written by Ku Kluxers or Neo-Nazis? (extreme examples, yes) Then what would all of these outraged librarians be saying? Better yet, I wonder if schools in Alabama are allowed to teach Huckleberry Finn? Just curious.

UPDATE (4/30/05; 8:27am): Make no mistake, I completely agree with Andrew Stuttaford's assessment--I make my living by books, after all! But I don't trust CBS as far as I can throw 'em, so I refuse to get all up-in-arms about this supposed "story." If Allen is an idiot, well and good, but that's not what this story is really about, I fear. It is intended to get people to shake their heads and say, "Yup! You see how bigoted they still are down there in the Deep South? Why, they're a bunch of Nazi book-banners down there!" That's what has me pissed off at CBS (and this AL lawmaker).

UPDATE (4/30/05; 1:05pm): Welcome, Corner readers, and thanks to Andrew Stuttaford for linking to this posting--in response to Tim Graham's observation, which articulates my position much more succinctly.