LIBRARIES: What is 'smut' anyway?

I KNEW IT! I just knew, when the legislature passed legislation banning books for children, I knew they would come right back to restrict books for everyone. Now books that contain “smut” will be locked up to be checked out after signing under scrutiny of a camera (under regulations being considered by the board of CLN). What is “smut” anyway, any reference to sex explicit or implied, hetero or homo? I don’t think I’ve read a novel in the past several years that someone out there wouldn’t consider smut. I think some of these book-banners don’t read books, certainly not novels!

Once the protections for freedom of the press and speech are violated whoever is in power will prohibit political and historical material. 

Once they ban books they’ll move on the movies and other forms of expression. I’m old enough to remember the Hays Code which regulated the content of movies back in the ’40s and early ’50s and banned any expression of physical love, except maybe chaste kissing. Married couples were never shown in the same bed, always twin beds. Maybe we’re moving back that way (Good-by Bridgerton, also Call the Midwife).

Defend our libraries and librarians! Stop the banning of books and other forms of expression! 

RICHARD CRIPE 

Coeur d’Alene