On libraries

In the news this morning:

Supporters of the Patriot Act countered that the rules are potentially useful and argued that the House was voting to make libraries safe havens for terrorists.

“If there are terrorists in libraries studying how to fly planes, how to put together biological weapons, how to put together chemical weapons, nuclear weapons,…we have to have an avenue through the federal court system so that we can stop the attack before it occurs,” said Rep. Tom "Wanker" Feeney, R-Fla.

The dangers of reading have long been underestimated. Books blatantly threaten the peaceful existence of our country. Libraries are clearly rampant breeding grounds for terrorism and therefore should be shut down. Book shops must be closed and their contents confiscated. Anyone with a library card or book club membership will be arrested. No one must read lest he or she learn how to build a bomb.

In fact, we must burn the books – we must burn all books. Start with Harry Potter so that children will not be tempted by witchcraft. Burn histories so that we can forget shameful episodes of our past. Burn textbooks because learning is the work of Satan.

We can, we will, we must eliminate our collective knowledge because it is obviously that knowledge which undermines freedom and democracy.