Commentary: Before they open a book: the politicization of Orange County's public libraries
Politicization through book bans, extremely partisan city councils and physical signage has skewed our youngest readers' perception of literature. To combat literary politicization, the state of California recently chartered the Freedom to Read Act, restricting book banning in state-funded facilities. Will this be enough to protect Orange County children's right to read?
Every new parent is urged to create avid readers for a reason. Reading is key to a child's development. It is known to improve children's critical thinking and concentration, develop their senses of empathy and creativity, and introduce them to different cultures and experiences.
Orange County public libraries support families' reading goals with their children's sections and events such as story time, reading challenges and family book clubs. Yet our public libraries have faced roadblocks to free access in recent years.
According to the American Library Assn., book bans have been on the rise in the last few years, and nowhere is this clearer than in Huntington Beach. Although free access to literature is considered a protected 1st Amendment right under free speech, Huntington Beach officials have been among those who believe children's sections should be monitored. Just last year The Huntington Beach City Council ordered its central library to move books with 'sexual content' out of the children's section. The 'sexual content' in question? Books on potty training, puberty, and anatomy — subjects integral for children's development.
The state of California seeks to reduce such instances of book banning. The Freedom to Read Act, AB 1825, dictates that by Jan. 1, 2026, all state-funded libraries must write and publish a collection development policy. Collection policies cannot allow the removal, relocation, or restriction of books based on political, LGBTQ+, or racial content, topics that frequently justify book bans. This act would especially affect children's sections, cementing diverse stories on children's shelves. Supporters view this act with optimism toward a bipartisan state library system, especially for littles; in contrast, some municipalities, including Huntington Beach, expressed contempt for AB 1825 and seek to fight against it.
Book bans are not the only conduits of library politicization; city councils and infrastructure are politicized as well. While AB 1825 aims to reduce politicization of public libraries, it only focuses on library content. Despite librarians, volunteers and patrons alike voicing concerns about the presidential slogans on the Huntington Beach Public Library's 50th anniversary plaque, the City Council unanimously approved the design. When the plaque is unveiled, families will encounter politicized messages from both the left and the right before even cracking open a book. Despite its best efforts, AB 1825 will not eliminate politicization by a long shot.
Orange County citizens are responsible for protecting the integrity of our libraries, especially for our children. Community members can directly support public libraries by simply going to their local library and taking out a library card. This increases the library's door count and card count and can dictate its allocated resources. Advocate for children's free, bipartisan access to literature in public libraries by voicing concerns at city council meetings and reaching out to representatives. Relatives of school-age children can attend school board meetings and defend librarians and teachers. Parents should discuss what content their children should and should not be reading at their age while encouraging curiosity on diverse stories.
Orange County public libraries have encouraged both proper development through reading and love for books in thousands of children; it is up to its citizens to protect the libraries from politicization so thousands more can experience the benefits of free access to literature.
Meredith Starkenburg is a lifelong Orange County resident who studies education and English at the College of William and Mary.
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The Hill
2 hours ago
- The Hill
Formerly ‘DeFuture,' DeSantis is diminished as 2028 GOP nominee
Pop quiz for political junkies: What do Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) all have in common? Answer: They are all two-term Republican governors who once made headlines as presidential contenders before failing utterly and fading into obscurity. But 'obscurity' only partially applies to DeSantis, since he is still the popular incumbent governor of the nation's third-most-populated state. Given that term limits will end his governorship in January 2027, the website Florida Politics accurately summarized DeSantis's unique situation when reporting a poll showing his approval rating at a net plus-six, reflecting 'steady in-state support even as his national profile cools.' 'His national profile cools' is a phrase you would not have expected about DeSantis after Nov. 8, 2022, when he won reelection in a 19-point landslide in what was then still considered a top-tier battleground state. The following day marked the most memorable media moment of the midterm elections. Rupert Murdoch's New York Post published a full-page cover photo and headline calling DeSantis 'DeFuture.' Translation: 'DeWhite House future.' It was a flaming Murdoch spear aimed at then-former President Trump's ego, but it facilitated what I call 'DeCurse.' The 2028 presidential campaign is now well underway. Potential candidates are conducting 'invisible' primary campaigns — refining their messages, chasing headlines, growing their social media presence, identifying wealthy donors and recruiting top advisors. Media outlets are obsessed with horse-race candidate rankings, with political betting sites considered trending indicators. Feeding the frenzy is the term-limited Trump, who recently teased his 2028 MAGA 'dream ticket,' of Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. In my writing on 2028, I have also injected Donald Trump Jr. into the mix — a fan-favorite among the MAGA faithful when Trump's legacy and possibly a dynasty are looming large. So, what happened to Ron 'DeFuture?' Answer: President Trump. Second answer: Layers of 'what not to do' lessons for campaign management and political science classes. Although there is no DeSantis 2028 groundswell, he could eventually make a comeback. The young governor turns 47 in September. Nonetheless, for the rest of this decade, DeSantis's moment appears 'DeMinished.' 'Moment' as a political concept is crucial for understanding DeSantis's presidential default. In 2022, months before his landslide reelection, the governor and his wife Casey — his closest and many say only political advisor — believed that 2024 was 'their moment.' In my June 16, 2022, piece headlined 'Ron and Casey DeSantis: 2024's formidable couple are 'spooking' Trump,' I discussed their White House aspirations, with Casey 'cheerleading his presidential run.' Included was a telling quote from a June 11 Washington Post report about the potential 2024 candidates. As a Florida voter, I believed it accurately reflected DeSantis's mindset then: 'The couple believes that the governor's skills are uniquely matched to the current political climate, and are wary of waiting six years, by which time the tides may have shifted.' Considering the post-Jan. 6 climate of 'it's time to turn the page on Trump' that stretched into 2022, Ron and Casey correctly perceived a moment when an anti-Trump pendulum could have knocked him off the stage. Moreover, two Republican catchphrases were circulating about DeSantis: 'Trump without the baggage' and 'Trump without the crazy.' 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At least for 2028, DeSantis is a non-factor whose name is barely mentioned. A popular betting site shows the governor with only a 3 percent chance of winning the GOP nomination. A primary poll average has him supported by just 10.7 percent of Republican voters, although he leads Rubio, who has 8.6 percent. Vance is the one now enjoying the 'moment' dreamed about by Ron and Casey DeSantis. Years out, Vance has 49 percent support among Republican primary voters, and at two leading betting sites, a 55 percent and 53 percent chance of winning the nomination. For DeSantis, nagging questions remain: Where will the former governor land in January 2027? How will he stay relevant and newsworthy? Will he join Trump's administration? (He was briefly mentioned as a potential replacement for the then-embattled Pete Hegseth to run the Pentagon.) DeSantis could run for Senate in 2028. However, he appointed Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody to fill Rubio's vacant seat, and in 2026, Moody is running to complete Rubio's term. She was recently endorsed by Trump, making her a shoo-in and more likely to run in 2028 for a full six-year term. Nevertheless, if by late 2027, DeSantis declares, 'I want that job,' then cue the fireworks. The Senate potentially offers DeSantis a cushy long-term perch with a chance to rebrand. He could build a national reputation and get reelected twice. Then, in 2044, at age 66, the White House gates may swing open. By then, MAGA might be history, and DeSantis could have his presidential moment — two decades later than predicted — if that is his destiny. There are political lessons from the DeSantis story: Wear sunglasses when your star shines like the sun, because your eyes are blind to reality. Listen to alarm bells warning against entering the arena before your time, where a wild bull is waiting to gore you into obscurity.
Politico
2 hours ago
- Politico
Mamdani and Obama also have this in common
With help from Amira McKee A changing of the guard. An invigorated youth vote. A foreign-sounding name. Zohran Mamdani's rise to prominence echoes Barack Obama's barrier-breaking 2008 presidenti al campaign in many ways — as Al Sharpton, Letitia James and other Democrats have noted — albeit on a much smaller political battlefield. But Obama and Mamdani also have the common experience of being Donald Trump's bogeyman. Years ago, Trump promulgated the conspiracy theory that Obama, a Hawaii native, wasn't born in the United States. Now, as president, he's questioning Mamdani's citizenship and labeling him a communist, though the Uganda-born Democratic mayoral nominee is a naturalized U.S. citizen and a democratic socialist. Mamdani confirmed Thursday to reporters that Obama called him after his stunning June primary win to offer him guidance on leading in a harsh political climate. The two Democrats discussed the role of hope, the animating theme behind the momentous campaign that made Obama the country's first Black president, Mamdani said. Their conversation was first reported this week by the New York Times. 'We spoke about the importance in a moment such as this, where politics is often characterized by a language of darkness, the necessity of hope in how we speak and how we orient ourselves to the world,' Mamdani said Thursday at a campaign stop in the Bronx. Mamdani is poised to come into power opposite the MAGA president in a political landscape far more divided and partisan than it was two decades ago. The young state lawmaker has sought to make Trump a target in his general election campaign, embarking on a 'Five Boroughs Against Trump' tour and linking his top competitor in the race — former Gov. Andrew Cuomo — to the president. 'Calling President Obama a Muslim, a socialist, not born here and somehow un-American, none of that was true,' independent political analyst J.C. Polanco told Playbook of Trump. 'Mamdani, on the other hand, actually fits that mold. He is Muslim, a socialist, born in Africa, and his name is not exactly Tom, Dick or Harry, easy fodder for those focused on otherizing.' Mamdani, if elected, will have to face off against Trump far more directly than Obama did, especially as the president threatens federal funding cuts to New York City and vows to arrest Mamdani if he interferes with deportation efforts. 'Mamdani will likely take office as mayor when Trump has been at his most authoritarian, whereas Obama intentionally only weighs in selectively during Trump's presidencies,' Democratic strategist Trip Yang told Playbook. At his anti-Trump tour's Staten Island stop on Wednesday, Mamdani faced jeering protesters in the only borough Trump has won in each of the past three presidential elections. The candidate remarked Thursday that it was a sign of the political times. 'I had to walk through a number of New Yorkers who told me to go back where I came from,' Mamdani said. 'I know that those New Yorkers are representative just of themselves. And yet, sadly, that is what politics has become for far too many.' — Emily Ngo HAPPY FRIDAY, and a bittersweet farewell to POLITICO New York intern Amira McKee, whose work on Playbook and more has been invaluable all summer long. Got news? Send it our way: Jeff Coltin, Emily Ngo and Nick Reisman. WHERE'S KATHY? In New York City with no public schedule. WHERE'S ERIC? Schedule unavailable as of 10 p.m. Thursday. QUOTE OF THE DAY: 'There is only one candidate in this race who is standing up to a corporate-dominated politics driven by billionaires. That candidate is @ZohranKMamdani. And I am proud to support him.' — Sen. Bernie Sanders in an X post responding to Andrew Cuomo's video bragging he's the only candidate who passed a bill supported by Sanders, lowering college tuition costs for certain New Yorkers. ABOVE THE FOLD LYNCH TO THE CAMPAIGN: A close adviser to Gov. Kathy Hochul will depart the administration next month to join the reelection campaign, POLITICO Pro exclusively reports this morning. Chief of Staff Stacy Lynch is set to leave after Labor Day, according to the governor's office. Lynch will serve as a senior adviser to Hochul's campaign effort as the governor runs for a second full term next year. 'I am extremely fortunate to have had Stacy Lynch serve as my Chief of Staff for the past three years, and I am grateful she will continue to advise my campaign going forward,' Hochul said. 'Stacy leaves our administration and our state stronger, and I am deeply thankful for her leadership, partnership, and friendship.' Hochul credited Lynch with helping negotiate state budgets and rent relief for New York City Housing Authority tenants, bolstering New York's response to the migrant crisis and leading an investment in the SUNY Downstate Medical Center. Lynch also established the state Office of Faith and Nonprofit Development. 'After three years in the New York State Executive Chamber, I will conclude my service as chief of staff and join Gov. Hochul's reelection campaign,' Lynch said in a statement. 'I am grateful to Governor Hochul for her friendship, trust, clarity of purpose, and the support she gives me to do the work, and I am excited to get to work helping her win re-election in 2026.' The departure comes as the governor is preparing for a challenging 2026. Federal cuts to the state are expected to widen a budget gap that's already projected to be $7.5 billion. Her potential Republican opponent, Rep. Elise Stefanik, has wasted little time attacking the governor this summer on a variety of issues, including public safety. 'Stacy Lynch is an extraordinary asset to any team: smart, strategic, and deeply connected to the communities she serves,' said Hochul campaign manager Preston Elliott. 'Bringing her on as senior political advisor is a win — not just for our campaign, but for the people of New York. With Stacy's help and Governor Hochul's leadership, we will inspire voters and chart a path to a safer, more affordable New York.' — Nick Reisman CITY HALL: THE LATEST A LIST CAUSE: Cuomo said Thursday he would not release a list of clients who paid his legal consulting firm, Innovation Strategies, during his time out of the public eye. During a Thursday press briefing, the independent mayoral candidate flatly declined to publicize his client roster, continuing a posture he has held since the primary, as POLITICO previously reported. 'They were private clients, and there's an attorney-client privilege,' Cuomo said. 'But there was no representation before any city government or state government.' As governor, Cuomo pursued new ethics rules that mandated the disclosure of legal clients who paid state legislators and sought to limit exemptions for attorney-client privilege. And while he has said he did not advocate for clients before local governments, a Bloomberg report found that the former state executive worked as a paid adviser to a cryptocurrency exchange facing a federal investigation. A separate report in POLITICO also found Cuomo failed to disclose millions of dollars in stock options from a nuclear technology company he received via his consulting company as compensation for being on the firm's advisory board. The client list has become part of a back and forth between Cuomo and frontrunner Mamdani, whose rent-regulated apartment paperwork has been sought by Team Cuomo. — Joe Anuta CUO OUT EAST: Cuomo's going back to the Hamptons this weekend where he'll attend a fundraiser hosted by Andrew Stein — weeks after the former New York City Council president briefed his longtime friend Trump on the mayoral race and pitched Cuomo as the strongest candidate to defeat Mamdani, as The New York Times reported. Stein and his brother, media executive Jimmy Finkelstein, are among the hosts of a Saturday night Cuomo fundraiser in Southampton, according to an invitation reviewed by Playbook. Also co-hosting is Finkelstein's wife Pamela Gross, a close friend of Melania Trump who held an unpaid White House role advising the first lady. And tonight, Cuomo's raising bucks in Bridgehampton where the host list includes billionaire investor Greg Hymowitz and his wife Marcella. She previously donated $150,000 to pro-Cuomo super PAC Fix the City. Cuomo has made a habit of the Hamptons, spending at least three other weekends out east since losing the primary. After all — it's where the money is. And Cuomo's allies have been trying to convince people with second homes to switch their voter registration back to the city, the Post reported. Cuomo's campaign declined to comment on the fundraisers. — Jeff Coltin TURKEY DAY: Erden Arkan, the Turkey-born construction company owner who pleaded guilty to giving straw donations to Adams, is due to be sentenced in Manhattan federal court at 11 a.m. today. He's hoping to get no prison time for the scheme, Playbook reported. More from the city: — The NYPD allows unlicensed psychologists to perform assessments that can cost would-be cops their jobs. (City & State) — Chinatown residents confront the city over 'Megajail' designs at the first public workshop. (Documented) — Mamdani could learn valuable lessons on city-run grocery stories by looking at the struggles of municipal broadband ventures. (Vital City) NEW FROM PLANET ALBANY REDISTRICT THE VOTE: Erasing New York's independent redistricting commission may not pass muster with voters. A survey of deep blue California found voters by a nearly two-to-one margin prefer an independent panel drawing House boundaries. The result comes as Hochul, in response to red state redistricting efforts, said this month she would support disbanding the voter-created independent commission in charge of New York's House maps. The poll is heartening to supporters of the commission — namely political activists on the right and nonpartisan government watchdog groups — that oppose partisan redistricting. 'We believe the more independent a commission is, the better off the public is,' Conservative Party Chair Gerard Kassar told Playbook. Kassar's group backed a successful effort to sink a 2021 state constitutional amendment that would have weakened the commission. He expects a similar campaign will be run if state lawmakers propose a constitutional change to end the independent commission. 'Money plays a role and I'm hopeful we'll be able to come up with the resources to bring the case to the public and I anticipate we'll win,' he said. — Nick Reisman More from Albany: — Environmental lawyers slammed the Department of Transportation's climate policy. (POLITICO Pro) — Hochul says Mamdani needs a reset with the NYPD. (NY1) — Regulators approved rate hikes for two upstate utilities. (POLITICO Pro) KEEPING UP WITH THE DELEGATION CORNERED: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is raring to discuss the Republican megabill cutting social services on national TV. He's far less eager to answer questions about Mamdani, the candidate heavily favored to become the next mayor of Jeffries' hometown. CNBC hosts hammered Jeffries with questions Thursday about Mamdani, his proposals, including freezing rents, and the race for mayor — until the top House Democrat grew visibly frustrated. 'I'm trying to understand why you would spend a significant amount of time asking me about the Democratic nominee who's not even the mayor,' Jeffries said when asked about free market advocacy versus democratic socialism, saying it's Trump 'who is regularly attacking the free market economy, bullying corporations, bullying universities, bullying law firms.' Jeffries and Mamdani met last month in Brooklyn, but Jeffries is among the Democratic leaders who have yet to endorse the party's pick for mayor. In the CNBC interview, the minority leader commended Mamdani's focus on lowering living costs, but he indicated that he believes Mamdani still has work to win over more voters in November. 'He ran a strong race in the primary, obviously, relentlessly focused on affordability, which is a big problem,' Jeffries said. 'But now during the general election, he's going to have to demonstrate to a broader electorate, including in many of the neighborhoods that I represent in Brooklyn, that his ideas can actually be put into reality.' — Emily Ngo More from Congress: — Congress is lukewarm on RFK Jr.'s plans. In the states, they're catching fire. (POLITICO) — The Democratic National Committee will consider two Gaza-related resolutions at its meeting this month. (Semafor) — Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer's fictional Long Island family, the Baileys: A joke, or tribute to the overlooked voter? (Newsday) NEW YORK STATE OF MIND — So-called 'zombie debts' can haunt New Yorkers for decades. (New York Focus) — The Buffalo mayor and city comptroller are in a standoff over a bonding dispute. (Buffalo News) — Faith leaders held a jailhouse vigil in response to Nassau County's ICE policy. (Newsday) SOCIAL DATA MEDIAWATCH: New York City Council Member Carmen De La Rosa introduced a resolution Thursday condemning the owner of the New York Daily News and calling on private Alden Global Capital to reach a deal with its reporters union. 'New York's Hometown Paper' has been fighting for a contract for more than four years. MAKING MOVES: Jack Lobel is now press secretary to City Council Member Julie Menin. He was previously a special assistant to Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine and press secretary for Voters of Tomorrow. HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Brian Romero, chief of staff to state Sen. Kristen Gonzalez … former state Sen. Michael Ranzenhofer … DGA Group's Ryan Toohey … Parkside's Jake Herring … Tiana Betancourt … C&V's Lauren George … Gil Quiniones … Rachel Haot … Jorge Fanjul … Puck's Leigh Ann Caldwell … Devin O'Malley … MSNBC's Richard Hudock … ABC's Mariam Khan … Kevin Hall … AP's Juliet Linderman … Larry Cohen … (WAS THURSDAY): Jay Horwitz (8-0) … David Samson … Carol Levin … Ester R. Fuchs … Raphaela Neihausen Missed Thursday's New York Playbook PM? We forgive you. Read it here.
Los Angeles Times
3 hours ago
- Los Angeles Times
A judge restricted LAPD's use of force. Then journalists were beaten with batons
Less than a month after a temporary restraining order restricted the use of force by L.A. police on journalists covering protests, three reporters left an immigration demonstration bruised and bloody after being struck by officers' batons. Among them was Sean Beckner-Carmitchel, an L.A. Press Club member, who experienced heavy bruising on his left ribs that doctors said indicated a probable fracture after he was repeatedly jabbed by a baton while documenting an Aug. 8 protest outside the Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown L.A. 'I think that this is another in a long line of LAPD refusing to obey even the most basic elements of the 1st Amendment,' he said. 'The TRO [temporary restraining order] was designed specifically to prevent this exact situation, and I think it is extremely likely they are in contempt of a federal judge's order.' Earlier this summer, the L.A. Press Club and investigative reporting network Status Coup filed a lawsuit against the Los Angeles Police Department to protect journalists' 1st Amendment rights in light of numerous injuries suffered by members of the press during immigration protests. On July 10, a federal judge granted a TRO that blocks Los Angeles police officers from using rubber projectiles and other so-called less-lethal munitions against reporters covering protests. It also forbids officers from intentionally assaulting a journalist who is gathering information at a protest or preventing a journalist from being in protest areas that have been closed off to the public. Now the plaintiffs allege that the LAPD violated the TRO during the Aug. 8 protest when at least three journalists were injured by police batons and two reporters were detained. On Wednesday, they filed a contempt motion asking a federal judge to further restrict L.A. police use of force against journalists. 'We've asked the judge to set a hearing on the contempt motion and hopefully tell them, 'When I said you couldn't shoot them, I didn't think I also had to tell you you couldn't beat them,'' said the plaintiffs' attorney, Carol Sobel. The LAPD did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the contempt motion. In response to the initial TRO, L.A. Police Chief Jim McDonnell said in a statement 'The LAPD trains our officers to identify and respect working journalists during protests and we remain committed to protecting the rights of the press.' The contempt motion includes photos and videos of injuries suffered by Beckner-Carmitchel, photojournalist Nick Stern and Status Coup reporter Tina Berg. Stern can be seen in a video being hit by an officer's baton while displaying his press credentials, suffering a cut to his chin that then bled onto his pass. Berg was shoved by officers and suffered a deep cut to her hand — also while wearing press credentials. 'When people held up their press credentials and they slam them with batons, that violated the court's injunction, that violated the court's decision, that violated state law,' said Sobel. The motion further alleges that police violated the TRO on Aug. 8 by detaining and zip-tying reporters for one to two hours and ultimately transporting two photojournalists to LAPD detention facilities at Temple and Los Angeles streets. Journalists' request to speak to a supervisor or public information officer about their treatment was denied, the motion alleges. 'Defendants' actions evince a blatant disregard for the First Amendment and an unwillingness or an inability or both on the part of the City to take steps necessary to ensure compliance with this Court's Injunction,' states the motion. The plaintiffs are asking the judge to update the TRO to 'expressly encompass' the use of batons and any other type of force. They are also asking that the LAPD have a designated liaison from the office of operations at every protest. The Los Angeles Police Department has a long history of violating reporters' rights while they are covering protests. The initial lawsuit complaint detailed extensive lacerations, bruises and severe injuries reporters suffered from less-lethal munitions while covering immigration protests in June. Earlier this month, the city of L.A. tentatively agreed to pay $500,000 to two Knock LA journalists who claim their constitutional rights were violated when police arrested them at a 2021 protest in Echo Park. The city has previously paid out millions of dollars in settlements and jury awards related to lawsuits brought by reporters and demonstrators who were injured by law enforcement during the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests. Times staff writer Libor Jany contributed to this report.
