Defense of Democracy Podcast
Friends. Allies. Americans. Folks taking small steps towards big change. The Defense of Democracy podcast tells their stories. Hosted by Karen Svoboda.
Defense of Democracy is made up of people from all walks of life passionately committed to nonpartisanship. We welcome anyone who is interested in protecting their fellow Americans - in particular those in marginalized communities - from oppression.
We advocate for legislators, educators, and administrators who will work to maintain communities as well as a public education system that supports and enhances our shared experiences regardless of religious beliefs, cultural background, or sexual orientation.
Find out more: https://defenseofdemocracy.org/
Podcast produced by the Volunteers of Defense of Democracy
Defense of Democracy Podcast
The Role of Volunteers in Advocacy and Defending Libraries
In this episode Karen speaks with Angie Hayden from Read Freely Alabama about the grassroots efforts to combat book bans and protect LGBTQ-inclusive literature in Alabama's libraries. They discuss the challenges posed by extremist groups, the importance of consent education, and the legislative threats facing libraries. Despite the difficulties, Angie shares a hopeful outlook on the growing community support and the diverse coalition forming to defend public education and civil rights.
Conversation Highlights:
- Read Freely Alabama started as a grassroots organization in response to book bans.
- The group faced significant opposition from politically-backed extremist organizations.
- Library staff faced threats and harassment during the book banning efforts.
- Legislative measures are being proposed that could criminalize librarians for not removing certain books.
- Community support has grown, with over 3,000 members joining the fight.
- The fight against book bans is seen as a David and Goliath situation in a red state.
- Consent education is being targeted by those opposing LGBTQ-inclusive materials.
- The movement has united people across various political and religious backgrounds.
- Extremism in education is a growing concern, impacting marginalized communities.
- There is hope for the future as more people recognize the importance of defending public education.
Resources:
Read Freely Alabama website: https://www.readfreelyalabama.org/
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