[Stormcrow73]

Ok..This from a site that calls itself Christian News that apparently specializes in trying to limit access to data (i.e. the thought police):

SEPTEMBER 3, 2001

BOOKS-A-MILLION STORE CLOSES

Books-A-Million is closing its store located in Searcy, Arkansas.
The company will only say that its lease has not been renewed. A
local Christian group, Concerned Citizens of White County, has
been pressuring the store to stop selling what the group calls
pornographic material. The group has been campaigning against the
store since it opened about 3 years ago. The group protested books
such as "The New Joy of Sex."

And then this entry:

MAY 8, 2001

BOOK PROTEST

Concerned Citizens of White County, Arkansas began a campaign last
month to get a local Books-A-Million to stop selling books concerning
promiscuous sex and homosexuality. They have been distributing
message cards to the Searcy area through local churches. The group
says examples of the objectionable material includes books such as
"The New Joy of Sex" and "Instinct" magazine. They claim to have given
out 10,000 cards.


The entire site can be found here:christian news. Looks like a lot of the site is down so I can't tell where it's coming from. They do have news of similar things from all over including a book burning in South Carolina. Couldn't find anything concrete on this group that helped to drive them out.

So, this one does look like the thought police got to the store and drove them out. Nice work there guys!! Getting rid of business is a great way to help your town! I don't think Books-A-Million was really commited to the marketplace though or they would have fought back some. Probably wasn't a highly profitable location for them. However, there is a Hastings there now and I'd be really surprised if they don't carry an even wider array of potential "objectionable" material! Every Hasting's I've been in has a pretty decent selection of New Age and Wiccan material as well as role playing games which we all know these type of groups always find to be objectionable.

[ecloebl]

Originally Posted by Stormcrow73

I don't know the background but not everything that happens in small towns is a redneck bible thumper plot.

I'm not sure that is right, especially in Arkansas.

[delta_queen]

THanks for all the responses. I am biting my tongue or keyboard not to turn this into a politico-religious post. It is very telling to me when the majority-rule thinks banning books (or the people who sell them) will save their souls. I am trying to remind myslef that we would not be moving there for the culture. My fear is that I will never be able to find friends: friends who understand I like the joy of sex, friends who understand that I have gay friends - who are not in the closet... etc.

[Stormcrow73]

Originally Posted by delta_queen

THanks for all the responses. I am biting my tongue or keyboard not to turn this into a politico-religious post. It is very telling to me when the majority-rule thinks banning books (or the people who sell them) will save their souls. I am trying to remind myslef that we would not be moving there for the culture. My fear is that I will never be able to find friends: friends who understand I like the joy of sex, friends who understand that I have gay friends - who are not in the closet... etc.

Well, I only know one person who lives in Searcy and I haven't talked to him in several years so I truly can't speak for the place. All I know is that usually groups like this are a rather small but horribly vocal minority. Most people may not share their opinion but fail to express their own. I have serious doubts that the vast majority of people in Searcy are as small and petty as this group but I could certainly be wrong. I'm somewhat of a contrarian a$$ and if I thought my life in Searcy would be good in most other respects, then I'd take this on as somewhat of a challenge. To go there and be a voice to counteract this lunacy. But, that's just me, I like to fight and agitate and have few problems getting right back in people's faces. It's a hockey thing...

[junkman18]

I don't understand what the problem is? each his or her own. If someone doesn't like the book store don't go in the place. I don't know if it's for me or not but once I go in if I don't like it I wont go back. But I am not going to tell everyone else not to go. I don't think I would like a adult dirty book store in my area because of the style of people it will bring in. But this store doesn't sound that way.

[Stormcrow73]

Originally Posted by junkman18

I don't understand what the problem is? each his or her own. If someone doesn't like the book store don't go in the place. I don't know if it's for me or not but once I go in if I don't like it I wont go back. But I am not going to tell everyone else not to go. I don't think I would like a adult dirty book store in my area because of the style of people it will bring in. But this store doesn't sound that way.

No it definitely was not an adult bookstore. It was just your average chain bookstore that sold a book or two that was on some fundamental christian groups bad list. None of us know how long this store had been there and what their sales were like before this happened. It could be the store wasn't viable to start with and this gave the company a good reason to pull out of the market. But, it could just as easily have been that they did manage to create such a stink and disinform the public as to the actual nature of the materials. Let's face it, lots of Americans (not just Arkansans) can fairly easily be disinformed so it's easy to imagine some of the cards this group handed out were explicitly designed propoganda tools blowing out of proportion the nature of the materials. If you do a quick google search on "concerned citizens" you'll get TONS of hits all over the country. This is a fairly well organized national group with an agenda. Keep digging and you'll find the Concerned Citizens Party or the Constitution Party, which is an ultra-right wing political party that views themselves as the "alternative" to the Democrats and Republicans. Some of the planks in this group's national platform are truly frightening. This isn't just a Searcy, White County, Arkansas thing. But they can obviously prey on smaller communities more easily.

[tcb]

I'm just amazed by this...

[autopilottx]

I can tell you having spent 14 years of my childhood in Searcy that it is an ultra-conservative town that should be called Harding, AR instead of Searcy. Harding University essentially pulls the purse strings in the area. It'll be interesting to see though will the explosion of the gas industry in the area over the next couple years if this changes.

I left town when I was 19 and only come back on occassion to visit family that still lives there. It's a small-minded town and not one that I particularly cared for. You didn't say what type of job your husband was offered but perhaps its in the gas industry there. I don't know much else going on there these days. Most of the industry in town has dried up. About the only big one left is Kohler and I look for it to be gone in the next few years as well. If not for the gas boom that seems to be going on there, I don't Searcy would be prospering over the next few years.

[Ga.Peach]

Originally Posted by tcb

I'm just amazed by this...

Me too ! Who would have guessed that liberals ,warlocks and witches don't know how to have sex and need a book to tell them how to enjoy it .

Us christians always knew how when the proper time came around we just caught on to it somehow . You could have saved youref the price of the book and just ask one of us .

I was here checking out the town where my poor family member now lives .

[marmac]

I think the scariest thing about Searcy is found in autopilittx' post
All that talk abou --------'the explosion of the gas industry" and --"if not for the gas boom"

I get spooked when I hear "explosion" and "boom" mentioned with--"gas"