The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

To the Editor,

Dayton Library Board Meeting February 27, 2023—I was greeted by protestors carrying signs wanting to have a book banned from the library. The meeting room filled up mostly with protesters. Prior to the board’s discussion of the book. There was a lecture about our 1st Amendment rights conducted by Dr. Tamara Meredith. She talked about the rights of each individual to see and receive information from all points of view without restrictions. After the board discussed the book to be banned. The chairperson stated that if you had actually read the book, now was the time for comments. There was no reply. She asked again and got no reply. Apparently, not a single outraged protestor had actually read the book in question. In my point of view, there were a lot of self-righteous people with egg on their faces.

I am writing this letter for the brave ladies that walked past the protestors to view the meeting. And for the Library Director and Board members that voted to keep the book in the library. Protecting all of our 1st Amendment rights.

Gerald M. Kaiser

Dayton, Wash.