Arkansas library director refused to remove obscene materials from children's sections. Now she's out of a job.



The director of the Saline County Library in central Arkansas refused to relocate LGBT propaganda and content critics called "pornographic" from children's sections to age-appropriate areas in the county public libraries, despite an April court resolution requesting that she do so. On Monday, Patricia Hector discovered she herself had been removed.

Although the termination of an individual who unilaterally insisted on exposing children to inappropriate materials is ostensibly a win for concerned parents in the county and the democratic process, leftists are beside themselves. The ACLU of Arkansas has even made a thinly veiled threat of legal action against Saline County officials.

What's the background?

The Saline County Quorum Court convened in April to take up concerns about the presence of inappropriate materials in the children's sections of the county's public libraries. Members of the conservative group Saline County Republican Women were among those advocating for the relocation of "X-rated" material.

The meeting, during which 53 members of the community were given an opportunity to provide input, lasted two hours, reported KATV-TV.

The court ultimately passed a resolution, which reportedly paralleled Arkansas Act 372 — a law Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders ratified on March 31, exposing librarians to criminal charges and possible jail time if they distribute content that is "harmful to minors."

The all-Republican Saline County Quorum Court's resolution ensured that inappropriate content would have no home in the library's children's sections.

The Arkansas Advocate indicated the court recommended that the library "relocate materials that are not subject-matter or age appropriate for children, due to their sexual content or imagery, to an area that is not accessible to children."

Hector, executive director since 2016, publicly refused to follow the court's recommendation, suggesting relocating books "is the same thing as banning" them. Additionally, she singled out SCRW, suggesting they wanted "to erase people of color and marginalize LGBTQ people."

SCRW, which had supported both the resolution and Hector's firing, subsequently shared images from one of the sexually graphic books Hector allegedly kept in the children's section of the Bob Herzfeld Memorial Library, which depicted various sex positions; promoted gender ideology and LGBT neologisms; had a chapter on masturbation; was full of images of cartoon genitals; and discussed various birth control implements.

On July 16, SCRW passed another resolution urging the county judge and quorum court to remove Hector "at the earliest possible time" and "that the county remove Director Hector and replace the three remaining Democrats on the library board."

The people come out on top

After months of Hector flouting its recommendation, the court approved an ordinance in August giving it broader control over the library system.

The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported that the justices of the peace voted 11-2 on Aug. 21 to strip library board members of their ability to hire or fire employees and regulate their salaries. Additionally, the ordinance subjected the library to an annual third-party audit and required that it have its budget approved by the Saline County Quorum Court.

"It's been turned into something complicated," said Clint Chism, a member of the court. "All along all of this was protecting children. If the books had been moved, we wouldn't be going through this tonight."

Jennifer Lancaster, president of SCRW, underscored she was not "in favor of banning any books" and that the effort was about "protecting children."

On Monday, several weeks after firing and hiring decisions were handed over to the court, Saline County Judge Matt Brumley met with Christy Peterson, the county human resources director, reported the Democrat-Gazette.

Brumley allegedly indicated Hector's services were no longer needed.

Trevor Villines, a spokesman for the county, confirmed Hector is out of a job and that "Leigh Espey has been named interim director."

Hector once again singled out SCRW, calling them "reprehensible," telling the Democrat-Gazette after her apparent termination, "They will eventually find that book banners are always on the wrong side of history."

The axed librarian told KATV, "What they did is terrible for this county. ... It's none of their business what books people read and since they challenged three of them, one of them was about race and two of them were about LGBTQ."

"You can't fire somebody for upholding the law," she added. "And I have an attorney."

David Gibson Sr., the chairman of the Saline County Republican Committee, told KARK-TV, "She was more committed to books than she was to children's safety. ... This move has everything to do with children. It has nothing to do with politics."

Defenders of obscene materials in kids' sections pipe up

Following Hector's replacement, the leftist Saline County Library Alliance said in a statement, "It's a dark day for the residents of Saline County."

The alliance added that it "has been hard at work on a ballot initiative to strip the Quorum Court and County Judge of the ill-gotten powers they have granted themselves."

American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas executive director Holly Dickson said in a statement obtained by the Arkansas Times, "These Saline county officials, who have proved themselves determined to ban books and target their librarian in order to do it, are likely to get an expensive education in the law they could have obtained for free by listening to their librarian and people in the community."

Billboard sparking controversy in Saline Countyyoutu.be

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Actor in rainbow-colored monkey costume with fake penis, nipples, bare bottom appears at children's event at London library — and outrage erupts



An actor dressed in a rainbow-colored monkey costume outfitted with a fake penis, nipples, and bare bottom appeared at a children's event at a library in the United Kingdom, after which outrage erupted.

What are the details?

Video and images shared on social media over the weekend showed members of Mandinga Arts at Redbridge Libraries Summer Reading Challenge event at Goodmayes Library in east London, the Evening Standard reported.

The paper said the monkey costume included a fake penis and bare bottom; the Daily Mail reported that the costume also was adorned with fake nipples.

The event was meant to encourage children to read, the Evening Standard added.

Conservative campaigner Has Ahmed tweeted, "Apparently this is meant to encourage kids in Redbridge to pick up reading for summer. Please tell me the rationale behind these indecent costumes that were shown to families and done so publicly. Is this really necessary?"

Apparently this is meant to encourage kids in Redbridge to pick up reading for summer. Please tell me the rationale… https://t.co/idaveg6jnm

— Has Ahmed (@HasAhmed_) 1625942397.0

Columnist Janice Turner tweeted that she "would really love a detailed breakdown of the commissioning process" that let loose "Rainbow Dildo Butt Monkey as a means to teach children to read."

I mean how many librarian/councillor eyes had to behold the Rainbow Dildo Butt Monkey before he was released into t… https://t.co/EaWXtrpooK

— Janice Turner (@VictoriaPeckham) 1626003562.0

Redbridge Libraries have apologized and ensured it "will never happen again."

"During an event put on at the library today there was a performance by a Carnival Arts Company. Unfortunately one of the animal costumes was inappropriate which we were not aware of at the time of booking," the library tweeted. "We deeply apologize for the offense caused. This is being looked into ..."

However, the Daily Mail reported that the libraries initially said on social media, "if you've got it, flaunt it" in reference to the event.

Redbridge Council said that it did not arrange the event and that it was organized by Vision Redbridge Culture and Leisure (RCL), a registered charity and a non-profit organization, which has "since apologized to residents," the Evening Standard said.

Labour councillor Jas Athwal tweeted: 'I was appalled by the incident in Redbridge Libraries on Saturday. Completely inappropriate and deeply offensive performers were hired by independent contractor Vision who manage Redbridge libraries and leisure centers. As soon as I was made aware of the performers, I immediately contacted Vision and the event was stopped. I have launched a full and thorough investigation into how these performers were hired by Vision and will put stringent measures in place to ensure something like this can't happen again."

I was appalled by the event our independent leisure contractor organised at Redbridge Libraries on Saturday. I h… https://t.co/5c8LTWzWQQ

— Jas Athwal (@Jas_Athwal) 1626093044.0

Website of group behind monkey costume is down

Mandinga Arts tweeted, "We apologize for the offense caused while raising awareness of the reading campaign by Redbridge Libraries on 10 July. We never intended to offend residents. We respect everyone's individual opinion with no offense to any part. Actions are being taken, more information to follow."

And while the group's website as well as its Facebook and Instagram pages were down Tuesday, it appears folks already got a look at some of what the group features and shared their findings.

@Mandinga_Arts1 Pigs in bondage gear, references to stroking each other, wtf https://t.co/DHNsLquDvM

— Susan “The Actual Susan” McDonnell 💜🤍💚 (@sleeepysandy) 1626041224.0

Here's another tweet with an image we elected to not show. Content warning: Potentially offensive imagery.

The following clip shows images apparently from Mandinga Arts. Content warning: Potentially offensive imagery:

Mandinga Arts - Mandinga Walkabouts - Monkey Mayhemyoutu.be

Lincoln Project founder John Weaver admits to sending 'inappropriate' messages to young men



John Weaver, a longtime establishment Republican operative who co-founded anti-Trump Super PAC the Lincoln Project, admitted last week that he has sent "inappropriate" sexually charged messages to multiple young men throughout his career in politics.

Weaver's admission came after several young men came forward on social media in recent days similarly alleging that the veteran operative sent unsolicited and sexually suggestive messages to them, often alongside promises to advance their careers or political pursuits.

Drawing more scrutiny to the swirl of allegations, the Lincoln Project quietly scrubbed its website of any mention of Weaver last week, erasing his profile from the organization's "Our Team" page and removing a separate biographical page.

What did he say?

"The truth is that I'm gay. And that I have a wife and two kids who I love. My inability to reconcile those two truths has led to this agonizing place," Weaver told Axios in a statement on Friday.

"To the men I made uncomfortable through my messages that I viewed as consensual mutual conversations at the time: I am truly sorry. They were inappropriate and it was because of my failings that this discomfort was brought on you," he said.

"I have the most beautiful, loving and courageous family who I deceived all these years," he continued. "I don't deserve you. But I love you with all of my heart and I'm so sorry that you have to suffer my mistakes."

In his statement, Weaver also took a shot at his critics, saying, "I want to state clearly that the other smears being leveled at me by Donald Trump's enablers as a way to get back at the Lincoln Project ... are categorically false and outrageous."

What's the background?

Weaver, who spent most of his career serving as an adviser for Republicans such as John McCain and John Kasich, became a leading voice in the "Never Trump" movement during Donald Trump's rise to the presidency.

In 2019, he co-founded the Lincoln Project with other ex-Republican operatives. The organization spent millions of dollars in the 2020 election cycle supporting Democratic candidates.

The Washington Free Beacon reported that the Lincoln Project "began as an anti-Trump organization but has gradually evolved into a pro-Democratic political operation after raising millions of dollars from wealthy liberals."

A spokesperson for the organization told Axios, "John's statement speaks for itself."

Weaver announced that he will not be returning to the Lincoln Project.