Wisconsin Library Director Censors Showing of Pro-Life Film in 'Public Meeting Room' :: Political News and commentaries

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March 28, 2011

Wisconsin Library Director Censors Showing of Pro-Life Film in 'Public Meeting Room'

Topics: Abortion, Life Issues, Political News and commentaries

It appears that Marathon County (Wisconsin) Library Director Ralph Illick has a pro-abortion political agenda, and he's letting it interfere with legal, perfectly appropriate, public use of the library. After all, how else does one explain Illick's banning the showing of an anti-abortion film in the library's 'public meeting room' because the film's topic - abortion -would "interfere with normal use of (the) library"?

ChristianNewsWire reports (emphasis mine):

[...] Thomas More Society attorneys issued a letter today to Marathon County library officials demanding that the library rescind its decision to cancel a showing by the Wausau "40 Days for Life" group of the pro-life documentary, "Blood Money." The director of the library, Ralph Illick, had cancelled the showing of the movie in one of the library's "public meeting rooms," because he determined that the film's topic -- abortion -- would "interfere with normal use of our library."

"Having to demand that a library not engage in censorship is outrageous," said Peter Breen, executive director and legal counsel for the Thomas More Society. "The library's own policy declares that meeting rooms are to be allocated without regard to the beliefs of those using the rooms, but here, the sincerely held religious beliefs of Wausau '40 Days for Life' that all life is sacred has barred this group from use of these purportedly 'public' rooms. We stand ready to take immediate legal action if the showing of the film is not allowed."

In the letter written to Director Illick, Thomas More Society attorneys cited the library's own "Bill of Rights," which guarantees that, "VI. Libraries which make exhibit spaces and meeting rooms available to the public they serve should make such facilities available on an equitable basis, regardless of the beliefs or affiliations of individuals or groups requesting their use."

Apparently, the library's "Bill of Rights" applies only to those that agree with Mr. Illick's political convictions.

The Thomas Moore Society's entire letter to Mr. Illick can be read here ...

Here's the trailer to the movie Ralph Illick doesn't want the citizens of his county to be able to watch: