Who Are We?
Louisiana Citizens Against Censorship is an all-volunteer, grassroots organization dedicated to fighting attempts to ban or restrict books based on subjective standards of inappropriate content. We believe that informed citizens are good citizens, and access to information is the cornerstone of a functioning democracy. To that end, we oppose any legislation aimed at restricting citizens' First Amendment Rights, as well as the right to read freely.
What's the Problem?
Public libraries and the First Amendment are under attack in Louisiana. In the last few years the number of book challenges at our public libraries have increased exponentially, fueled by a small minority of individuals spreading misinformation about the amazing work our librarians do and the vital role libraries play in our communities. When books are challenged or banned, it means one person or group feels they have the right to decide what everyone should read based on their beliefs. When librarians are told they must not order or display certain books, community members are either left out, or miss the opportunity to read about experiences or lives different from their own. We believe that parents should have the right to guide their own child's reading, but that right should not extend to limiting or restricting what someone else's child can read.
What You Can Do.
Poll after poll shows that Louisiana voters agree - book bans are wrong, and only families should make decisions about what books they should read. Recently, it has become popular among some politicians to attack our librarians and threaten our libraries with the loss of funding if they don't comply with censorship efforts But WE CAN FIGHT BACK. It will take the efforts of ordinary citizens, demanding that our elected representatives listen, but we can reclaim our right to read freely, before it's lost forever.