Legislating literary morality

Morality is a hard thing to legislate -- we all have different opinions and convictions. In the case of House Bill 2044, this is an egregious overreach of the government into the morality and individuality of Missourians.

As a teacher who has worked alongside librarians, I can tell you that they are some of the most diligent, intelligent and trustworthy men and women in the public system. Librarians are hard-working professionals who are trained to understand the importance of literature, the impact of the written word on culture, and the value of challenging beliefs in the formation of young and open minds.

While members of the community have their own beliefs and experiences, they should not be able to dictate the content which the librarian curates for their library. Every parent has the right to reject certain content for their child based on their beliefs, but they do not have the right to take away another child's ability to enjoy that same content. I just ask that the local government have the same consideration for freedom of speech and expression.

ZACHARY HUNN, Cape Girardeau