Prairie State Wire

The Illinois Freedom Caucus has accused the American Library Association (ALA) of undermining Constitutional rights and attacking the country's moral foundation, citing the ALA's hostility towards religious Americans and promotion of gender ideology to children.

The Caucus is particularly concerned about the ALA's influential role in programming and support for library associations nationwide.

“The American Library Association (ALA) has become an organization that is undermining our country's Constitutional rights and attacking its moral foundation, especially under its current leadership,” the Illinois Freedom Caucus said in a letter. “The ALAs deliberate hostility towards religious Americans and its obsession with the promotion of gender ideology to children are especially concerning because of its de facto status as the umbrella organization that controls programming and organizational support for state, local, and religious library associations across the country.”

“We cannot stand idly by as our own tax dollars are used to intimidate millions of Americans, trample their parental rights, and control their access to information. On behalf of the millions of Americans that our groups represent across all of our Freedom Caucus states, we call on the state and religious affiliates of the ALA to sever their relationships with this problematic organization, We further call on state legislatures to ensure that no taxpayer dollars can be used by these associations or by state and local libraries to support the ALA in any way. Additionally, state executives must scrutinize ALA's practices to see if the civil rights of their citizens have been violated and Congress must cease funding eligibility for the ALA.”

The Illinois Freedom Caucus highlighted the ALA's impact on the libraries' real purpose for the community.

“Most Americans love their local libraries and their local librarians. Libraries are true community hubs for learning, research, and fellowship. The ALA's radical agenda - advanced by its self-professed Marxist president - strains the community-centered missions of these local libraries. The facilitation of drag queen story hours, promotion of sexual content and gender ideology targeted to children, and codification of the leftist social control mechanisms of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and Critical Race Theory (CRT) are core missions for the ALA. They are not core concerns for average library users and their families who expect to be able to read, learn, research, and work without being forced to contend with LA's political agenda.”

“Even more troubling is that the ALA staff are not merely operating as free speech essentialists-they are on record actively tutoring librarians on how to combat the presence of religiously-affiliated organizations and to prevent them from using local library spaces and resources Appallingly, state and local libraries are literally paying for the privilege of this political domination by the ALA. State and local library associations use dollars from taxpayer-funded grants that are dispursed through states to pay dues and conference attendance fees to the ALA.”

“Library associations with religious affiliations are using their donors' and co-religionists' money for the same indoctrination. All these associations should sever their ties with the ALA. State legislatures should ensure that no taxpayer dollars can be used by these associations to support ALA in any way. There is no risk to the federal funding of these state library associations and systems because as the ALA itself notes 'the bulk of [Library Services and Technology Act] funds are distributed to each state through the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) according to a population-based grant formula*. The ALA would simply cease to be a motive force in programming decisions."

“State executives, such as State Attorneys General, aiso have a role to play in examining the activities of the ALA. The allegations of coordinated attacks on religiously-affiliated organizations raise fundamental questions about violations of the First Amendment. Additionally, the ALA'S ceaseless promotion of obscene materials targeted at children could run afoul of numerous state and federal laws that protect against the proliferation of harmful materials to minors. Congress has a responsibility through the appropriations process to ensure that the ALA, given its legally questionable and morally harmful recent track record, is not eligible to receive federal funding or support.” 

“Our libraries are local treasures. We will not let them be overrun and held hostage by a radical organization acting well outside what its core mission should be. The United States of America must move on from the American Library Association as currently constituted and state and local library associations and the govemment entities that support them must lead the way.”

The Caucus noted its letter on Facebook, encouraging Illinoisans to sign it.

“The American Library Association has betrayed the communities and children, which its state and local members are supposed to serve. Sign on to our Coalition Letter below!! https://forms.gle/ArVJtjs6W87m1m7AA,” the Illinois Freedom Caucus said on Facebook.

The letter aims to withdraw support from the ALA at the local level. Community members are encouraged to sign it and present it to their local institutions with the goal of removing them from the ALA.

The move comes after ALA President, Emily Drabinski, noted her dedication to Marxism in a tweet. The Caucus has suggested Drabinski will use her position to promote extreme ideologies, leading them to call for disassociation from the ALA and its alleged shift towards a "woke agenda,” Prairie State Wire previously reported. 

“I just cannot believe that a Marxist lesbian who believes that collective power is possible to build and can be wielded for a better world is the president-elect of @ALALibrary. I am so excited for what we will do together. Solidarity! And my mom is SO PROUD I love you mom.' (@edrabinski),” Drabinski said on Twitter after getting the job. 

The State of Montana notably pulled out of the ALA after Drabinski was named president.