Much of the left-of-center mainstream media just reported the "heartwarming" story of Chelsea Banning, a librarian from Ohio who just had her debut fantasy novel published. The "heartwarming" aspect of the story comes after Banning tweeted out that only two people showed up for her initial book signing and that she received tweets in support from the likes of bestselling authors Stephen King and Margaret Atwood.
Those were certainly kind and classy tweets sent by King and Atwood. The question I have is, would they – or any of the other liberals who lent their support to Banning – also offer words of encouragement and support to a conservative or faith-based author in distress?
KIRK CAMERON IS DENIED STORY-HOUR SLOT BY PUBLIC LIBRARIES FOR HIS NEW FAITH-BASED KIDS BOOK
As a very timely example, let’s offer up actor-writer-producer Kirk Cameron and his new children’s book titled: "As You Grow" published by Brave Books. Cameron’s book celebrates family, faith and biblical wisdom. It is seemingly being censored by a number of public – as in taxpayer supported, yet almost entirely staffed by liberals – libraries around the country.
Why?
Now, if well-known, left-of-center authors Stephen King and Margaret Atwood would reach out to a librarian-turned-author in support, would they also be willing to reach out to Cameron in support? Would they simultaneously condemn the perceived censorship of these taxpayer funded libraries?
More than that, as those on the left often list their "hate of discrimination" as the main motivating factor for their activism, would King and Atwood also like to speak out against the discrimination directed at conservative and faith-based authors by the major publishers in our country? Would they be willing to condemn attempts to "cancel" conservatives by liberal employees – who account for the vast majority of staff at these publishing giants?
Do King, Atwood and other seemingly liberal or even far-left authors truly believe in free speech? Do they believe that readers should be able to choose for themselves which books they read and then allow those readers to come to their own conclusions based upon their own judgment?
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While King may not want to hear it, as a young man trying to escape poverty, I dreamed of becoming an author. After reading his 1978 book , "The Stand," I wrote him a handwritten letter telling him how much his own struggling backstory and exceptional talent inspired me.
While he might put a Bic lighter to the letter now, that does not change the fact that I believe him to be a good human being and an immensely talented storyteller who did inspire me to keep writing in the face of industry rejection. King’s political or ideological views never mattered to me and still don’t. I strongly support his right to espouse any political point of view and would just as strongly defend him should anyone from the right try to censor him or his words.
The question being, does King feel the same way about conservative or faith-based authors being discriminated against or censored? He should.
King should be applauded for stepping up in a genuine way to offer words of encouragement to a librarian turned author. As a massively influential voice in the publishing world – who I will assume is still for free speech and against discrimination – will he now speak out in support of Kirk Cameron and against the discrimination being directed at him by multiple libraries seemingly run by liberals?
To not do so would be a free-speech-denying "horror" story with real-world negative consequences.
