A man checked out 100 library books. Then he burned them.
Last month, a man in Ohio checked out 100 books about Black, Jewish, and LGBTQ culture and history from the Beachwood Public Library. According to authorities, he allegedly posted a video on
Advertisement
Police have not identified the man.
During this very politically fraught moment, with the Trump administration demonizing history and culture that they perceive as a threat to white supremacy, it's one of the first known recent instances of book burning. But with history as a solemn guide, it seems unlikely that it will be the last.
Get The Gavel
A weekly SCOTUS explainer newsletter by columnist Kimberly Atkins Stohr.
Enter Email
Sign Up
In a statement, Kent Smith, a Democratic Ohio state senator, condemned the book burning as
'Libraries are designed to be community-based safe harbors of free thought. Libraries offer ideas,' he said. 'This is their fundamental role in our democracy and why they are so vital. This act of violence is not just a crime against the public catalog of literature that was destroyed but also is a violation of the marketplace of ideas that is a bedrock principle of American life.'
Advertisement
That bedrock principle, and not just books, is under assault.
This incident has led some to evoke
The clear difference between what happened in Germany in 1933 and Ohio in 2025 is that the latter was neither sanctioned nor carried out by the government. But in purging certain books for what his administration calls "
The titles of the books that the man checked out from the library have not been released to the public.
Katie Cohen, left, and Krysta Petrie stand next to the Little Queer Library book-share box they built outside their Waltham home.
Lane Turner/Globe Staff
In front of their Waltham home in 2020, Krysta Petrie and Katie Cohen built what they called the '
This was happening as there were public debates in the city over a parent's request that two books, "
Advertisement
'Our mission with this is to try to get more books out there that have positive LGBT representation, because although we've made strides in a lot of ways of being more accepting, there's still a lot of people and a lot of things out there in general out in the United States that are bad things that are impacting the community and representation,' Cohen
'And reading about somebody who's different than you is important,' she said. 'Also seeing yourself in the books is really important.'
A purge never simply takes away a book. It is about eradicating the concepts and cultures the books explore, whitewashing history, and ignoring accountability or acknowledgment of harms done and how to correct them in this still less-than-perfect union.
And it's about burying the achievements of people of color, women, Jews, Muslims, and the LGBTQ community in favor of deifying the version of history in which the Great White Man can only stand tall because he's standing on everyone else.
But just as book purges can lead to book burning, such acts can also engender even more nefarious responses from those threatened by ideas and cultures that no longer center or look like them.
Renée Graham is a Globe columnist. She can be reached at
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
21 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Kash Patel Sends Ominous Threat in Response to L.A. Protests
The FBI says it will act on its own to squash the Los Angeles anti-ICE protests. FBI Director Kash Patel issued an ominous threat to the city and its residents late Sunday night, claiming that his agency would intervene in the multiday anti-Trump display without explicit direction. 'Just so we are clear, this FBI needs no one's permission to enforce the constitution,' Patel posted on X. 'My responsibility is to the American people, not political punch lines. LA is under siege by marauding criminals, and we will restore law and order. I'm not asking you, I'm telling you.' In a move that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem should agree with, California announced it would sue the federal government Monday, arguing that the Trump administration's order to send hundreds of National Guard troops toward Los Angeles, without coordination with the state's governor, was an unconstitutional breach of power. Hours earlier, FBI Public Affairs Assistant Director Ben Williamson shared that Patel had gotten off a call with 'senior leadership' addressing what they referred to as 'riots' in L.A., specifying that Patel and FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino had 'offered all necessary resources from FBI HQ' to address the situation. Williamson said the pair 'reiterated the position that any perpetrator who attacks or interferes with law enforcement will be aggressively pursued and brought to justice.' Bongino made it plain that one of the agency's primary targets would be individuals suspected of assaulting officers, writing on X that he and Patel had notified all FBI teams to pursue suspected individuals 'long after order is firmly established.' 'We will not forget. Even after you try to,' Bongino posted. But Republicans have so far not been very successful at pinpointing wrongdoing in Los Angeles. Instead, some viral videos circulating in conservative circles of protest-related violence in the city are actually not from the weekend at all, but were instead taken in 2020 during the Black Lives Matter protests.
Yahoo
21 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Opinion - Democrats are looking for answers — outside Washington
On the campaign trail, President Trump made a lot of promises. He promised to strengthen our economy. He promised to make our government more efficient. He promised to bring down costs. But after more than 100 days in, our economy is not strengthened, our government is certainly not more efficient, and costs are not down. The president has entangled us in trade wars with some of our closest trading partners — wars that erased $10 trillion from the stock market this spring and threaten to decimate family farms in my district and across the country. And with the help of the Department of Government Efficiency, he has waged an all-out assault on the federal government in an effort to weed out 'waste, fraud, and abuse.' I believe the American people elected Trump because they wanted solutions to pocketbook issues and a government that took action to get things done. But the president's agenda isn't working, and Democrats need to deliver. That's where the New Dem Coalition comes in. Before I explain why, I want to acknowledge that Democrats haven't always gotten everything right. During the election, we saw many working class voters drift away from the party. At times, our emphasis on identity politics or concepts like 'saving democracy' — while undeniably important — overshadowed the core economic issues that affect people's everyday lives. Instead of meeting voters where they are, we sometimes come across as telling them where they should be. That approach can feel out of touch and give the impression that the party is elitist, disconnected from the realities of everyday people. Working class voters are focused on how they'll afford their mortgage, put food on the table, or save for their kids' college — not necessarily on abstract debates about the soul of the nation. Don't get me wrong: the threat to democracy is real and urgent, especially with a president who shows little respect for courts or the Constitution. But if we're truly going to save democracy, we must build a broader coalition and bring more voters along. That means meeting people where they are, rather than telling them what should matter most. We need to address the tangible, kitchen-table issues that keep folks up at night. The New Dem Coalition has always done this. We have prioritized the needs of hard working Americans over the politics of D.C. We understand that we should be finding ways to make our government more efficient. We understand that we have to work across the aisle when we can — without compromising our values. That's why New Dems are crafting a proactive agenda — not only to win the House majority in 2026, but to maintain it for the long term. So, we're getting out of the D.C. bubble for a new series known as 'New Dems On the Road.' We'll be engaging with communities across the country, and gathering the critical feedback we need to guide our work. We're tackling every issue — from improving education outcomes to bolstering our national security — and working to find practical, lasting solutions that reflect the values and priorities of the American people. For our first stop, we zeroed in on immigration. Immigration isn't a problem we're going to solve overnight, but it's one that is consistently top of mind for the American people. We've come close to bipartisan solutions, only for selfish interests to squash our efforts in the 11th hour. That's why New Dem Immigration and Border Security Working Group members Greg Stanton (D-Ariz.) and Lou Correa (D-Calif.) sat down with Arizona leaders to talk about immigration. They met with industry and union representatives, members of the Arizona business community, and DACA recipients to discuss the importance of immigrants to Arizona's economy. The panel addressed the need to secure our border and pass a long-lasting immigration reform policy. It was instructive. And it showed the folks in these communities that we are listening to them. We know we don't have it all figured out — that's why we need real, local voices to help guide our work. Voices on the ground who are living and breathing these problems every single day. Then, it was my turn. I joined my friends Reps. Scott Peters (D-Calif.) and Wesley Bell (D-Mo.) for a conversation around clean energy and potential opportunities for bipartisan cooperation. We discussed the actions the Trump administration has taken to gut clean energy tax credits. There is no way around it — this is going to have a negative impact on people's utility bills. They will feel this. We also discussed what's ahead — like permitting reform, carbon capture and ultimately ways we can lower costs for people trying to keep the lights on, not raise them. Last month, Reps. Sarah McBride (D-Del.), Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.) and Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) got together to talk one-on-one with Delawareans about paid family and medical leave for working families. This is just the beginning. In total, we'll be conducting at least nine New Dems On the Road events — across the country. We need to come together, share ideas and forge a new path forward. A path that can address the issues that demand our attention: whether it's a single mom struggling to afford child care, a farmer looking to break into new markets, or a family who wants a good, public school education for their kids. We should all be committed to finding effective ways to achieve our shared goals and ensure that the government serves the people better. This isn't a partisan objective; it's a matter of common sense. However, real progress requires thoughtful strategy and careful action, not reckless cuts. Simply slashing budgets without consideration doesn't eliminate waste — it erodes the very foundation of what our government is meant to do: serve its citizens. New Democrats understand this deeply. We recognize that this moment calls for a meaningful response and an agenda that inspires — not the status quo. Our communities have elected us to take action, to solve problems and to improve lives. Now, more than ever, Democrats need to prove we can deliver Nikki Budzinski represents the 13th District of Illinois and is vice chair for policy for the New Dem Coalition. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
21 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trump's ‘big, beautiful bill' includes 5-year investment in kids
(NewsNation) — President Donald Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' has touched on several facets he feels will help the American people presently and in the future, including investing in the country's youth. Trump on Monday plans to highlight the 'Trump Account,' in which the federal government would make a one-time contribution of $1,000 into a tax-deferred, low-cost index fund account that will track the overall stock market to every U.S. citizen born between Jan. 1, 2024, and Jan. 1, 2029. The accounts will be private property controlled by the child's guardians. Trump's big bill also seeks to undo the big bills of Biden and Obama The accounts will begin at $1,000 per child, with the opportunity to contribute an additional $5,000 yearly throughout the child's life. Several business leaders — including those from Dell, Uber and Goldman Sachs — have announced billions of dollars in collective investments into 'Trump Accounts' for the children of their employees. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
