Is Nothing Sacred?

It's not as if we have enough to worry about these days, what with global terrorism, the changing political landscape and other matters of importance, like football and Dancing With the Stars. But give the folks in Shiloh, Illinois credit for keeping their priorities in order, especially with this news here that is sure to sweep the nation today, as it already has the deadthread at LGF.

Gay penguin book shakes up Ill. school

SHILOH, Ill. - A picture book about two male penguins raising a baby penguin is getting a chilly reception among some parents who worry about the book's availability to children — and the reluctance of school administrators to restrict access to it.

The concerns are the latest involving "And Tango Makes Three," the illustrated children's book based on a true story of two male penguins in New York City's Central Park Zoo that adopted a fertilized egg and raised the chick as their own.

Complaining about the book's homosexual undertones, some parents of Shiloh Elementary School students believe the book — available to be checked out of the school's library in this 11,000-resident town 20 miles east of St. Louis — tackles topics their children aren't ready to handle.

Their request: Move the book to the library's regular shelves and restrict it to a section for mature issues, perhaps even requiring parental permission before a child can check it out.

For now, "And Tango Makes Three" will stay put, said school district Superintendent Jennifer Filyaw, though a panel she appointed suggested the book be moved and require parental permission to be checked out. The district's attorney said moving it might be construed as censorship.

Filyaw considers the book "adorable" and age appropriate, written for children ages 4 to 8.

"My feeling is that a library is to serve an entire population," she said. "It means you represent different families in a society — different religions, different beliefs."

Good grief. There's plenty of time for children to learn about homosexuality. WHEN THEY GROW UP!

Is it too much to ask that we let them enjoy their childhood before the indoctrination begins?

UPDATE

I've given it some more thought and mentioned this over at LGF a little while ago.

There is an upside to all the gay penguin madness. Maybe now they'll at least introduce some new color schemes to the drab black and white ensemble they're been parading about in all these years.

I've always thought penguins were lacking a sense of style.

Once they learn to accessorize properly and get a lobby and PAC up and running, they could be a force to reckon with.

We can't stop them. We can only hope to contain them.

UPDATE 2

Boy, am I out of touch. Little did I know there was a whole gay penguin subculture out there.