As we can see, strict scrutiny worked wonders for the Palin family. They have a great appreciation for the young adult classics. I heard as an homage to John Knowles Palin’s daughter has the pun “A Separate Piece” tatted right above her vijay-jay and Levi is referred to, by his fellow drive through workers, as “Lord of the Fries.”

Palin made a direct inquiry about the process of banning books (it’s interesting that she even assumes there is one). She later fired the librarian who said she would not allow it, before being forced to back down by public outcry. There is no explanation for this other than that Palin intended to ban books and was taking the first steps to doing so. (Note that her own bogus “explanations” keep changing, also: she first said it was a “test of loyalty”; now she says she was responding to citizen complaints. And how is her current explanation in any way reassuring? Why would she need to know “the process” for banning books just because some other citizens had asked about it? Why didn’t she tell those citizens she opposes banning books, instead of becoming the point person in their campaign of ignorance? Taking up the cause for book banners is hardly a defense against the charge of book banning.) It’s only too clear what Palin was doing, and I’m content to say she attempted to ban books, even if she did so as incompetently as she does most other things.

As for Pullman – whose books are widely regarded as brilliant – why don’t you just take responsibility for what your own kids read, and not deprive everyone else’s kids of that opportunity? Banners are not trying to protect anyone – they’re trying to shut down other people’s access to ideas they disapprove of.

Palin did not attempt to ban any book, nor has the Wasilla library ever passed a request to have a book banned. She asked a chief librarian what the librarians response would be to removing books (effectively a ban), but the McCain camp claims the question was posed to figure out what the process involved was — as there were individuals attempting to challenge Heather Has Two Mommies at the time, not an entirely unreasonable request, although even assuming the McCain campaign is telling the truth, a rather poorly worded one.

As the first step to trying to get a book or books banned is to challenge them, and the only challenge posed during Palin’s mayoral career was not posed by Palin, the phrasing is a little deceptive.

Some of the listed censorship would, I am sorry to say, also pass muster. While I don’t particularly enjoy Mr. Pullman’s ridiculous strawmans, I think exposure to that sort of work is a good way to develop resistance to such logical fallacies in the future, but not purchasing or removing a book with non-trivial violence (the first book includes psychological and physical mutilation of children and animals, the second goes up to maiming the main character) and aimed for the young adult section would almost certainly pass strict scrutiny. Blame Scalia, I guess.