Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

GOP Tennessee Lawmaker Slammed After Admitting He'd 'Burn' Library Books He Found 'Obscene'

GOP Tennessee Lawmaker Slammed After Admitting He'd 'Burn' Library Books He Found 'Obscene'
@HeartlandSignal/Twitter

Tennessee Republican state Representative Jerry Sexton is facing heavy criticism after he declared during a debate in the state's House of Representatives he would "burn" library books he found "obscene."

His comments came after he was asked by Democratic state Representative John Ray Clemmons what he plans to do with the books that would be in direct violation of Sexton's proposed amendment to House Bill 2666.


When the bill passed the Tennessee Senate earlier this month, it seemed rather straightforward.

The bill proposed adding members to Tennessee's textbook commission, positions that would empower them to consult school districts and ensure materials under their review are "appropriate for the age and maturity levels" of students.

However, both librarians and parents have pushed back against the legislation after lawmakers introduced an amendment that would require the commission to issue a list of "approved" materials Tennessee schools could provide their students, sparking concerns about much wider censorship.

It was that amendment that informed Clemmons' question to Sexton.

You can watch their exchange in the video below.

Clemmons asked:

"Let's say you take these books out of the library—what are you going to with them?"
"You gonna put 'em on the street? Light 'em on fire? Where are they going?"

Sexton issued the following matter-of-fact response:

"I don't have a clue, but I would burn 'em."

Sexton's admission angered many who accused Republicans of handicapping public education as conservatives have ramped up their campaigns to arbitrarily limit the content teachers can present in their classrooms.



The United States publishing industry alone publishes hundreds of thousands of books per year.

Unit sales of books "now consistently surpass 650 million per year," according to data compiled by Statista.

Thousands of those are books for children and young adults, highlighting the herculean scope of the task ahead for any commission, in Tennessee or otherwise, created for the purpose of regulating reading material in school libraries.

Student protesters have also made clear they do not accept H.B. 2666.

Lindsay Hornick, a junior at Franklin High School in Williamson County, told reporters that "choosing my own literature has made me into a more well-rounded individual." Hornick added that they "would hate to see my education system limited by a board that has almost no diversity."

More from Trending

Screenshots of Will Thilly breakdancing
New York Post/YouTube

Guy Breakdances His Way Into Town Hall Meeting To Ask Why Taxes Went Up—And Becomes An Instant Legend

Cranford, New Jersey town council candidate Will Thilly went viral after dancing his way up to the podium at a recent town hall meeting to ask why property taxes in Cranford have gone "up so much."

Thilly's unique tax protest began when he danced his way up to the podium and continued to dance even after a Cranford Township official said, "Mr. Thilly, I started your time." People laughed when Thilly held up a finger to stop the official and continued to dance anyway.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Brian Kilmeade
Fox News

Fox News Host Apologizes After His Suggestion That Homeless People Be Euthanized Sparks Outrage

Fox and Friends host Brian Kilmeade was criticized for suggesting that homeless people with mental health issues get "involuntary lethal injection" after the murder of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska on a train in North Carolina—and was swiftly condemned for an insincere apology several days after the fact as many are calling for Fox News to terminate his contract.

Zarutska was stabbed to death at the East/West Boulevard station on the Lynx Blue Line in Charlotte last month; her killer, a homeless man with a history of mental health issues, has since been charged with first-degree murder.

Keep ReadingShow less
Sofía Vergara
Bryan Steffy/Getty Images

Sofía Vergara Reveals She Missed Presenting At The Emmys Due To 'Craziest' Medical Emergency

Almost everyone has a favorite television show they like to turn on at the end of a rough day or binge-watch for a bit of nostalgia, and most of us pretty frequently check out new shows to see if we can spot a favorite.

Needless to say, the Emmys award show is a huge deal every year, honoring all of the people involved in the projects that are currently gracing the small screen, and basically anyone who's anyone will attend.

Keep ReadingShow less
Rep. Nancy Mace
CNN

Nancy Mace Just Tried To Claim She's Never 'Dehumanized' Her Colleagues—And The Internet Brought The Receipts

South Carolina Republican Representative Nancy Mace was called out for hypocrisy after she claimed on CNN that Democrats in Congress have been "dehumanizing" Republicans, a move she would "never" do—despite her record of doing just that.

Speaking to anchor Katie Bolduan while the search for the suspect who killed far-right activist Charlie Kirk was ongoing, Mace objected to Bolduan's observation that she was using "us v. them" language, only saying that things are "very one-sided right now." She also suggested that the situation is so bad for her that she's actually afraid of "just walking out in public."

Keep ReadingShow less
A younger man stand on top of a mountain with his arms outreached and his face looking to the sky. It's a beautiful day and lakes and mountains are the backdrop.
Photo by Kyle Loftus on Unsplash

People Who Quit Their High-Paying Jobs For Happiness Explain How It Turned Out

Sometimes money isn't the goal.

It is a BIG goal for many.

Keep ReadingShow less