An organisation calling itself "Printemps Francais" - presumably wanting a revolution like the Arab Springtime movements - has allegedly been organising internet groups to visit over 30 local public libraries throughout France to rifle through the books and DVDs and demand librarians to withdraw what they consider "undesirable". These movements are linked to the "Manif pour tous" groups, opposed to gay marriage, "gender" teaching and other supposed leftie government policies (some of which are actually made up by extreme right wing supporters). The Minister for Culture Aurelie Filippetti denounced these actions, saying that public libraries are a major source of liberty of thought and expression. Other commentators remind us that it smacks of the Vichy and Occupation years when any thought or expression the authorities did not like was dangerous and books would be burned.
Val says The two books I remember when I worked in libraries we were asked to remove were the Maurice Sendak picture story Where the Wild Thing Are and the Koran. The Wild Things stayed and became a classic and the Koran was moved in to a shelf in the staff room. It was apparently blasphemous to have it exposed to public view.
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