Clovis councilmember: Bee editor was unfair on her views about Pride exhibit | Opinion
Some things are as certain as Santa in December. One of those things, unfortunately, is the media twisting the words and viewpoints of conservatives. In the case of Tad Weber’s op-ed about my concerns with some of the books in a children’s display at the Clovis branch of the Fresno County Library, “twisting” would be far too generous — wholesale and intentional misrepresentation would be closer to the truth.
Having been a regular contributor to The Fresno Bee for more than a year, I thought I might be treated more fairly. To the detriment of a serious conversation on a sensitive topic, that was not the case. Rational adults having a reasonable conversation just doesn’t sell newspapers or generate online clicks, I suppose.
Thankfully, Weber’s questions and my answers he used for his op-ed were emailed, so there can be no “he-said, she-said” as with a phone interview. When asked about some of the books in the “Pride” display at the Clovis library, I made it clear that my concerns were “not about biographies or stories of historical events.” I even specifically mentioned Alan Turing, a British mathematician who broke Nazi codes in WWII and happened to be gay.
In his article, Weber states, “Councilmember Diane Pearce continues to be troubled by a small display of books…” and then immediately spotlights the book on Turing leading the reader to think I was against his biography, when he knew that wasn’t the case. The only other book he mentions is “50 LGBTQ+ People Who Made History.” The only two books he identifies in his op-ed were the exact type I made clear were not the focus.
Yet, the critical omission that highlights Weber’s dishonesty is when he left out the most important thing I said in our correspondence. I explained, “[t]his is specifically about graphic sexual content and illustrated pornography. It doesn’t matter if it is illustrations of gay or straight sex acts – this isn’t appropriate for children…” But I understand his reluctance to print that entire quote as it blows up the idea that this is an attack on the LGBTQ community.
There is only one reason this debate has centered on that community in conversations across the country. It is because the LGBTQ community seems to be the group continually pushing this on kids. However, my stance is against any and all graphic sexual content being peddled to our kids. Call me old-fashioned, but I prefer children’s books with themes and illustrations of animals, nature, history and the like … not masturbation techniques, oral and anal sex, and confusing new gender ideologies.
Fresno County residents deserve to have constructive conversations on substantive issues. It used to be the media that helped facilitate that. Now the media is part of driving a narrative irrespective of facts and honest reporting.
But, while we can all go back and forth with our opinions and concerns, what really matters is what the Fresno County Board of Supervisors has to say to concerned parents. The letter my colleagues and I are sending to the supervisors simply asks them — the governing body in charge of our libraries — to take a look at this for themselves.
Diane Pearce is a Clovis City Councilmember
