A Night for (and against) the 'Brave’ in Bettendorf

It's probably for the best that I didn't know what was going on inside the library.

It’s a bit of an embarrassing admission for someone who is supposed to be good at asking questions, (y’know, the whole “Inquisitive” thing?) but: last week, I participated in a protest outside the Bettendorf Public Library and didn’t realize until after I got home that I hadn’t been fully aware of what I’d been protesting against. Allow me to explain:

A week or so before the event, I’d seen a Facebook post about an upcoming “read-in” of banned books that would take place outside the library.

Once the night of the event rolled around, I was tired after work and didn’t really feel like going. But I rallied when I remembered my friend who makes awesome protest signs, (and who in fact is the person behind a locally famous T-shirt), would be there. (How can you not go when you have a friend like this?)

It was a lovely evening when I arrived, and I was pleased to see the crowd. Many people (including me) wore T-shirts supporting the cause. There were banned books laid out on tables. People set up lawn chairs, friends and acquaintances greeted each other and chatted, kids ran around. Members of the media interviewed attendees, and we posed for a group pic. I enjoyed meeting and talking with other like-minded people.

The thing is, though, that part — the gathering with others who are troubled by the new Iowa book ban law and the spike in challenges across the country — is basically all I thought I was doing. Standing up to show solidarity for librarians, teachers, libraries as a whole. “Pro” freedom of information and freedom of speech! “Pro” access to information for all! Yay rah!

And in my defense, the Facebook post for the Read-In (see below) hadn’t said anything about a protest against a specific event or group. I only learned later that it had been organized by a member of the Scott County Banned Books Club, (which I also didn’t know existed), in response to a planned “takeover” of the upstairs at BPL.

Facebook post promoting the event

What I hadn’t known was that inside, the library’s upper level was packed with families attending a local version of “See You at the Library,” a series of events being held across the country featuring products by a company called Brave Books. An event which I would later learn from the Quad-City Times had included readings of titles like — wait for it — Little Lives Matter. And [cough], Elephants are not Birds.

I’m going to assume you don’t need me to translate.

The storytime, according to the newspaper, “opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and a prayer,” but (according to someone quoted) “was not affiliated with any group or organization.” Mmkay. But how about that Brave Books logo in the top corner of this promotional image for the storytime, and the rumor that the so-called Moms for Liberty group had endorsed and promoted it?

I also learned after the fact that these Brave Books propoganda-sessions-disguised as-storytime events have a tie-in to Kirk Cameron, as explained by Andy Kopsa of "No Heartland." It doesn’t appear that the artist formerly known as Mike Seaver appeared at the Bettendorf stop on the tour. If the former teen heartthrob had been inside, the grade-school version of me would’ve raced over to see my crush and get him to sign my BOP! magazine. But oh how the mighty cutie has fallen in my eyes! 

image from here

Had I known, I would’ve protested even harder than I did. If I’d understood that a storytime at a public library was touting “faith-based children's books with traditional values,” I would’ve been tempted to run inside and make mean faces at the people attending. Not faces that could actually see, mind you, because I’d hide behind my protest sign. (And even if they did see me, they would not actually be intimidated, because I’d be making the repressed-anger Midwest version of a “mean face,” but still. I’d have passive aggressively given them a disgusted look.)

Oh, and one more thing, don’t blame BPL for hosting this event. Public libraries are supposed to able to provide access to events and information that represent all people and perspectives. It’s part of that whole democracy thing.

As is the right to express dissent.

photos courtesy of Julie Ross

• See “Bettendorf Library Inadvertently Hosts Both Sides on Book Ban Issue” from the Quad-City Times and this report from WQAD.

• Related:

  • In the days since this event, we’ve learned that Mason City, Iowa schools banned books with the help of AI.

  • read fellow Quad Citizen and Iowa Writers’ Collaborative member Ed Tibbetts’ post on the truth about Iowa’s book ban.)

---

---

The Inquisitive Quad Citizen is a proud member of the Iowa Writers' Collaborative, a service created to link readers and writers who share an interest in our state. Please support these writers by subscribing to their columns and sharing their work, or signing up to get the Sunday morning roundup of all their columns in your inbox. 

---