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Florida Library Bans ‘Fifty Shades of Grey,’ Soccer Moms Freak Out

Fifty Shades of Grey
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E.L. James’ ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ has taken the publishing world by storm, with many deeming the steamy erotic novel “soccer-mom porn.”

And while it certainly isn’t suitable for children, a lot of adults are upset that the libraries in Brevard County, Fla. have banned the book from its shelves.

Cathy Schweinsberg, library services director, pulled the novel from circulation after reading it, a move that’s galvanized anti-censorship advocates.

“We absolutely think it was a violation of the First Amendment,” said Maria Kayanan, associate legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida. “It’s undemocratic and it’s un-American, and if people don’t want to read it, they shouldn’t read it. [But] they can’t just remove the book from the shelves based on one individual’s misguided sense of moral propriety.”

Judith Doan, a 75-year-old local artist, says the ban makes Brevard County “look very narrow-minded and biased, like we don’t have the intelligence to decide what to read and what not to read.”

But for the time being, Brevard is standing by its decision, citing the library system’s policy that “materials are selected to serve the broad, general interest ranges of [residents],” and that responsibility for the books on its shelves “rests with the local library director.”

What do you think? Should ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ be available at your local library?

[USA Today]

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