Stoopid Michigan!

Damn! Another Chris Crutcher book is under fire in Michigan, this time the fabulous Whale Talk.

It seems so patently ridiculous: "In Grand Ledge, administrators sent a letter home to parents, warning them about the profanity and letting them read something else if they so chose. But Himebaugh says that's not good enough. 'I would like for them to pull the book.'"

Even better is that the dissenting parents claim God is on their side: "Reverend Himebaugh says a higher power stopped these kids from reading 'Whale Talk' on Monday, and he'll take his case to the school board Monday night so it stays that way."

Chris has posted an eloquent response to this latest mess, which reads in part: "To those who say their children don’t have those kinds of lives, I say this: Don’t be so sure, but if you’re right, they still spend six hours a day sitting in a room with other children who do have those kinds of lives, and learning to lead lives of inclusion couldn’t be such a bad thing for them. You do not protect your children by keeping them ignorant."

Amen.

I almost never bring up matters of religion here, but why is it that so many people who do things in the name of Christianity seem to have skipped over the parts where Christ admonishes us to love our neighbors (Matthew 19:19, 22:39, Mark 12:31, Luke 10:27, Romans 13:8, 13:9, Galatians 5:14, James 2:8)? I don't ever remember reading the part where He said not to love certain groups or to keep from learning about others in order to keep from developing compassion. Maybe I have a different book?

Sigh.

Anyway, thankfully, the principal at the school in this latest case seems to have his head squarely on his shoulders. Hopefully, the School Board will as well.

And I hope that Chris sells a gazillion more copies of his amazing books as a result of this nonsense. Hell, I am considering buying an extra copy of Whale Talk to give as a gift! (I don't know to whom, but I know plenty of people who would appreciate it...)