And Tango Makes Three

In 2005, writers Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell wrote a children's book called And Tango Makes Three. For the third consecutive year, this book has managed to make it to the top of the American Library Association's (ALA) Top Ten list of the Most Frequently Challenged Books of 2008. More books on the list include:

"His Dark Materials Trilogy" (Series), Philip Pullman
Reasons: Political Viewpoint, Religious Viewpoint, Violence

"TTYL"; "TTFN"; "L8R, G8R" (Series), Lauren Myracle
Reasons: Offensive Language, Sexually Explicit, Unsuited to Age Group

"Scary Stories" (Series), Alvin Schwartz
Reasons: Occult/Satanism, Religious Viewpoint, Violence

"Bless Me, Ultima," by Rudolfo Anaya
Reasons: Occult/Satanism, Offensive Language, Religious Viewpoint, Sexually Explicit, Violence

"The Perks of Being A Wallflower," by Stephen Chbosky
Reasons: Drugs, Homosexuality, Nudity, Offensive Language, Sexually Explicit, Suicide, Unsuited to Age Group

"Gossip Girl" (Series), by Cecily von Ziegesar
Reasons: Offensive Language, Sexually Explicit, Unsuited to Age Group

"Uncle Bobby's Wedding," by Sarah S. Brannen
Reasons: Homosexuality, Unsuited to Age Group

"The Kite Runner," by Khaled Hosseini
Reasons: Offensive Language, Sexually Explicit, Unsuited to Age Group

"Flashcards of My Life," by Charise Mericle Harper
Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Unsuited to Age Group

Want to know the reasoning behind why And Tango Makes Three is on the list?
Reasons: Anti-Ethnic, Anti-Family, Homosexuality, Religious Viewpoint, Unsuited to Age Group.

The story deals with the true story of two male penguins living in New York City’s Central Park Zoo who took care of an orphaned egg. So why is this a big controversy? For the fact that it shows how a homosexual relationship (even in another species) can work. Author Justin Richardson says, "[There is a] great deal of anxiety, especially among conservative parents when it comes to talking to children about gay families. The notion that telling a child about gay people will increase his chances of becoming gay is scientifically untenable, but it sure endures.”

Deborah Caldwell-Stone, deputy director of the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom had this to say on the matter:

"Books, magazines, and other reading materials should reflect the diverse views and the rich multicultural tapestry of our Nation. While not every book is right for each reader, every reader has the right to choose reading materials for themselves and their families and should be able to find those materials in libraries, classrooms, and bookstores. Our goal is to protect one of our most precious fundamental rights—our freedom to read."

So not only are they attacking our right at marriage, happiness and equality, but they are now trying to take away our rights to what we can read. If that doesn't sound the least bit Fascist, then I don't know what is. But again, my opinion....