Former President Barack Obama has come under fire on social media after speaking out against the banning of books in public school libraries. The issue has gained attention following the discovery of sexually explicit material stocked in these libraries. In a letter addressed to the “dedicated and hardworking librarians of America,” Obama defended the importance of books written by diverse authors and featuring marginalized communities, calling the approach to ban such books “misguided.”
Obama emphasized that books by writers like Mark Twain and James Baldwin played a crucial role in shaping his own childhood. He argued that attempting to ban books, especially those authored by people of color, indigenous people, and members of the LGBTQ+ community, stifles free expression and prevents valuable opportunities for engagement, understanding, and learning from different perspectives.
Today, some of the books that shaped my life—and the lives of so many others—are being challenged by people who disagree with certain ideas or perspectives. And librarians are on the front lines, fighting every day to make the widest possible range of viewpoints, opinions, and… pic.twitter.com/txhCTfH3Gh
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) July 17, 2023
Despite Obama’s intentions to promote inclusivity and diversity in literature, his stance faced heavy criticism on Twitter. Followers mocked his position by sharing images from controversial “banned books,” including sexually explicit content from certain titles. Some, like former GOP candidate Robby Starbuck, challenged Obama to read books like “Gender Queer” and defend making such material available to children, insinuating that the former president would be hesitant to do so.
Several Twitter users argued that the issue wasn’t about banning books but rather about removing inappropriate and sexually explicit content from school libraries to protect children. They accused Obama of using crafty language to mislead the public and claimed that the real concern was preventing children from accessing pornographic materials and being exposed to left-leaning ideologies through mandated sex education.
“Were you a big fan of Gender Queer? Did it shape your life? Removing inappropriate content from schools isn’t banning books,” one Twitter user said.
“How about you encourage [Joe Biden] to do a public reading of these books in front of children; that should be right up his alley,” another posted.
“You are so crafty in your language and making the uninformed electorate[believe] the issue is really about banning books,” another account posted. “It’s about not providing access to pornographic materials to children and forcing children to read books that propagate left-leaning ideologies through mandated sex ed…”
In the past, First Lady Jill Biden expressed a similar view, stating that no books should be removed from school libraries, regardless of their content. She emphasized that in America, all books should be available, and banning books is not the solution.
“All books should be in the library,” Biden said at the time, as The Daily Wire previously reported. “All books. This is America. We don’t ban books.”
