The Fake News is busy building their narrative. You can read the latest HERE. First, the Springfield News-Leader reporter Marta Mieze labels the Christian County Commissioners as conservative, instead of concerned about age-inappropriate library materials--as are many citizens. The commissioners heard from their constituents and acted appropriately.
Second, a motion was made to investigate labeling of LGBTQ materials by Trustee Janis Hagen and it was voted on affirmatively by former Trustee Allyson Tuckness. That has yet to see any movement, and it has been several months. Here is the meeting in question--August 27, 2024:
Third, Mieze makes the same mistake that many make regarding the ILL (Inter Library Loan ) systems in question. Since MOBIUS, the expensive system now in place in the Christian County Library has more materials, it is assumed they are better than the Evergreen system. MOBIUS is primarily an academic library consortium, while Evergreen in a public library consortum. Big difference. Mieze might want to ask why most public libraries in Missouri use Evergreen.
Mieze finally does a decent job of writing about the search for a new executive director by quoting state statute: "While the same chapter of state law decrees that the board 'shall
appoint a qualified librarian' to be the chief executive, what
constitutes 'qualified librarian' is left undefined."
ON ANOTHER NOTE
Remember reporter Susan Wade, who recently stepped down from reporting for the Springfield Daily Citizen? You know, that media source that is dedicated to "unbiased coverage of the local news that affects each of us." Traditionally, reporters would not reveal their political bent and would try to stick to the facts regardless of their political affiliations. Well, it was really good of Susan to step down, because this is how she really feels (and no doubt felt) as she covered the Library for her media outlet:
If only there was a FAKE news boycott.
Is that what the lawsuit is about? Censorship?
EVEN MORE
Wait until you hear about the "nonpartisan" League of Women Voter members who've been attending library meetings. In a recent letter to the editor of the Springfield Business Journal (of all places), Emily Fessler and Liz Wertz -- co-presidents of the League of Women Voters of Southwest Missouri, opine on the importance of libraries to the community. As is usual with progressive-oriented individuals and organizations, the ladies assert their support for"access by all persons to public library services as a major
source of knowledge and information necessary for informed, active
participation in a democratic society."
This is the exact type of deceptive agenda the American Library Association (ALA) supports. No one on the current board of trustees is suggesting that the library should not be accessible to all. But, like commonsense people everywhere, not all materials should be accessible to all -- meaning there are some age-inappropriate and sexually explicit books that minors should be protected from. This has always been the crux of the matter. But organizations and individuals like those detailed in this post want you to believe that citizens are out to ban and censor books.
Further, the co-presidents write, "We are seeing a growing effort to hinder libraries' ability to
provide key and needed resources to our communities. This includes
sowing distrust in public libraries as institutions and the American
Library Association, a professional organization that has guided
libraries for over 140 years.
Worse still are the personal attacks on both board members and library personnel via social media or public comments."
How disingenuous of the ladies! If they truly cared about the community they would also want to protect the community's children from sexually explicit and age-inappropriate materials. But their decidedly leftist politics takes precedence, apparently. And their appeal to authority and accusations are logically incongruent with their apparent desire that libraries and tax-paying patrons support one another.
For more on recent events in the library, go HERE and HERE and HERE.
"Pride is a shameful and terrifying thing, which even turned angels into demons! It drove us from Paradise to earth, and now it wants to send us from earth to hell." -- St. Paisios the Athonite
Printed before the election for Speaker
The swearing in of new representatives and the election of a House Speaker in Jefferson City on January 8, 2024 was a sight to behold. Apparently, a two-page color printout of the representatives with Jonathan Patterson already noted as Speaker was handed out to media types before the election. HERE is Patterson taking the oath of office. Please note at the end as part of his oath he promises to "keep the secrets of the House." That last line of the oath is not in the Missouri Constitution. Under Art. VII, Sec. 11, it states, "Before taking office, all civil and military officers in this state shall take and subscribe an oath or affirmation to support the Constitution of the United States and of this state, and to demean themselves faithfully in office."
The House may want to revisit the Speaker's oath of office, as the People's business should be done in an open and public manner with no secrets or secretive behavior.
Naked power. Naked pride. It's so good to see it exposed in such a blatant manner. A short primer on why we are currently dealing with a tyrannical system in the Missouri House is ably explained here in this 8-minute video:
Missouri resident Jennifer Ann Explains the Problem with Missouri's Legislative Leadership and the Fight for House Speaker Between Patterson and Sparks. #moleg
She originally posted this video on FaceBook and it is re-posted here with her permission. It captures the perceptions… pic.twitter.com/q1aE6I1waf
Virtually all of the Democrats voted for John Patterson. The Democrat nominee (who withdrew in order to back Patterson) was effusive in her support of him. Of course, it's natural for a Democrat to back a RINO (aka Democrat) who supports their positions. What is unnatural is for Republicans to cheer wildly when a Democrat-supported RINO is elected House Speaker. And the cheers were LOUD.
That Democrats supported JP (as he is called by friends) is another huge blunder the Uniparty pridefully indulged in yesterday. A much better tactic would have been for Dems to support a Democrat candidate, thereby giving cover to the old 'Democrat versus Republican' tactic. The hubris of the machine in Jefferson City exposed them. We know they act as one--sold out to special interests and their lust for power. Now they proved it to us. It's so good to see the evil exposed so clearly. Thanks guys!
Ten brave representatives stood up for principle and the party platform over the Party Machine. The rest of the Republicans caved and voted for Patterson. Whether through fear, ambition, or misguided principles, it's pretty well known that important positions in the legislature are gained by large donations to the House Republican Campaign Committee Inc., (HRCC), a political action organization comfortably camped out in the Capitol.
The HRCC purports to help get Republicans elected. It wields a lot of power in Jefferson City because it has a lot of money. Power, but poor results for the Republican Super Majority that we so often hear about. The majority that manages to keep turning our state leftward in terms of taxes, bloat and constitutional changes that voters oppose. Patterson spoke about the need for unity and working with both sides of the aisle during his speech on Wednesday.
Jon Patterson, flanked by Alex Riley (R) and Chad Perkins (L)
Why would a SUPER MAJORITY need to be unified with the opposition? Just ponder that for a moment.
The gentleman from Jefferson who nominated JP for Speaker thought nothing of talking about the impressive golf game he and Jon had played when they first met and how it proved Patterson was humble because he didn't mention he was a surgeon. I kid you not.
Taking a look at the new Majority Floor Leader, Alex Riley, we find he has made contributions to the HRCC to the tune of $165,389.83 since 2019:
Let's talk about Rep. Chad Perkins, who has been named Assistant Speaker of the House. Perkins, pictured above with Speaker Patterson and Majority Floor Leader Riley, has only contributed $8,420 to the HRCC. Perkins has other issues, though:
“A Missouri
lawmaker is accused of using his former role as a police officer to
get a 'sexual favor' from an intoxicated teenage girl.
Republican state
Rep. Chad Perkins, 42, allegedly accepted 'sexual favors from a
teenage girl while on duty' back when he was a cop in 2015, according
to a report from a local police chief.
His boss is also
accused of later attempting to block a probe into the claims because
of Perkins' run for political office.”
This is your Republican leadership, fellow Missourians. These are the Republicans your representatives are supporting.
These are the representatives leading the way forward. This is the beginning of overturning the Machine and electing representatives who actually represent the people.
Rep. Bryant Wolfin's nomination of Rep. Justin
Sparks, who spoke simply and eloquently about the
importance of representative government was in stark contrast to the fellow who nominated Patterson. Watch:
WE THE PEOPLE WERE RELEGATED TO THE BASEMENT
To top it all off, citizens who arrived at the Capitol to watch the swearing-in ceremony and speaker election were relegated to the Capitol's basement to watch the proceedings on a screen. Family and friends who were provided tickets were able to watch from the visitors' gallery, but regular citizens were not. No ticket, no access. The slight was not lost on those who had traveled to watch the proceedings in person. It did expose the arrogance of whomever arranged and approved of such a move. And, perhaps fear, no? There was a good bit of booing that went on in the basement. :-)
There's a saying that exposure of evil is two-thirds of the battle. The last third destroys itself. May all the secrets of the House Machine be exposed quickly!
Today after being told that they were committing political suicide - that their “political aspirations” would be over and that their committee assignments would be in jeopardy - 10 Representatives voted against the status quo anyway. They chose to listen to their constituents and… pic.twitter.com/LtFvtzq29v
