Letter to the editor: On books, whose beliefs matter more?

When I read the article “ ‘It’s a small number of people who are very loud’: Local libraries grapple with book challenges, bans” (Aug. 22, TribLIVE), I was somewhat taken back by the headline and further by the story.

The story described how the number of people who had issues, especially with books on LGBTQ subject matter, were small but very loud. The librarian quoted in the story stated, “My role is to listen, no matter what the (patron) is saying.” I took that as an indicator that she disapproved of these patrons’ views.

In 2017, the percentage of LGBTQ people in the United States was 4.5%. It has ticked up to 7.1% in 2022, which I attribute to media/political attention. I, along with a large majority, would recognize these percentages as “a small, very loud number.”

A simple question could and should be asked: What makes these small number of people’s beliefs any more important than the number of people’s beliefs who challenged the books? But of course with the hypocrisy seen every day by the media and politicians, this should not come as a surprise.

Richard Bell

Ligonier Township