Book lovers of all ages gathered Saturday morning at the Proletariat, a local pub in downtown Perry, to buy books and to make an appeal: Don’t ban books!
The bids were flying as auctioneer Tom Burkgren sold some 50 books, including many signed or inscribed editions. The books were donated by bookstores and individuals and by Annie’s Foundation, raising $2,000 for Dallas County Democrats.
Sen. Claire Celsi of West Des Moines, a member of both the Iowa Senate’s Education and Government Oversight committees, said Republican policies that indiscriminately ban books interfere with the freedom to learn and understand.
Celsi also spoke out against Iowa’s new laws that funnel taxpayer money into unregulated charter schools, resulting in reduced funding for public schools.
Three Perry high school students read aloud from banned books. Ethan Jackson read from Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird.” Olivia Christensen read from “The Diary of Anne Frank,” and Andres Zarate read from Dr. Seuss’ “The Lorax.”
“Dr. Seuss’ Lorax is pretty dark,” said Zarate, introducing his reading. “Also, it’s pretty critical of American capitalism. Can kids handle it? Book banners say ‘no.’
“We say, ‘Yes!’”
