Charlie Kirk display rejected again

By John Labriola - Prospects this year for a library book display on slain Christian conservative icon Charlie Kirk went from dim to virtually nonexistent last week as the Citrus County Library Advisory Board (LAB) voted 8-1 to reject a motion to recommend a Kirk display during the week of his birthday on Oct. 14. 

The vote came just two days after the Citrus County Commission unanimously approved a library display policy stating that "displays will not feature political, religious, or sexual content." It had been over eight months since commissioners voted to ask staff to finalize the policy, but the vote came during a lame duck meeting after two commissioners – Diana Finegan and Rebecca Bays – lost their reelection bids, and after the library system had already planned its displays for October, which are determined a few months in advance. 

Before voting for the policy, Finegan said it would still allow book displays of both Martin Luther King and Charlie Kirk because the policy also states that the criteria for displays includes their "historical or educational significance."

"Historical is different than political," she said. "I know people say, 'What about Martin Luther King?' Yes, he was political, but he's historical. He's now no longer here. Charlie Kirk, also historical. He's not doing anything political, obviously. He's passed."

But the LAB had a different take. 

LAB Chairman Justin Strickland said that although he admires Kirk, "I think that's a stretch for us to say he's historical."

"He's certainly consequential. He made great strides for free speech," Strickland said. "I don't think historical is there."

Strickland erroneously stated that even Martin Luther King doesn't get his own book display because it's part of a larger display during Black History Month in February. In fact, the Central Ridge Library has a stand-alone display of books on King during his birthday week in January.

Rhys Campbell, who has been asking for a Charlie Kirk book display since last October, when his idea was shot down after a local crowd of hateful leftists attacked Kirk, made a new motion to recommend a display of Kirk's books in order to test Finegan's understanding of the new policy, but the LAB's other members voted it down. 

In choosing to not even recommend the possibility of displaying Charlie Kirk's books, the LAB once again chose to ignore conservatives while cowering to leftists. 

The majority of residents who spoke clearly favored having a Charlie Kirk book display during his birthday week in October. 

"He was much more than a political figure. He was a hero to our youth and our younger generation," said April Wnuk of Hernando, adding that a number of counties including Marion, Sumter, Hernando, Lake, Gilchrist, Jefferson, Flagler and Walton have already decided to honor Kirk by naming roads after him or declaring a Charlie Kirk Day of Remembrance, with several also agreeing to display his books in the library. "The gunshot that killed him was heard around the world. Thousands around the world wept for Charlie Kirk that day, including me."

Greg Hoying of Floral City said Kirk was a "very learned man" who promoted learning.

"This in my opinion probably would be the most important display you could ever put on," Hoying said.

But the handful of leftists who again spewed hate at Charlie Kirk obviously carried much more weight with the LAB.

Tony Ayo of Beverly Hills, who often appears at commission meetings dressed up as a woman, called Kirk a "misogynist," a "racist," and a "bigot." Virigina Owen of Crystal River also called Kirk a racist, and Janet Borton of Homosassa called him a "divisive figure."

Newly appointed LAB member James Pirotta said the library should avoid displays of Charlie Kirk's books because they would create "decisiveness," apparently meaning to say divisiveness. 

"Based on what the communication was here tonight, we certainly have that on this particular item for discussion," Pirotta said. 

"To me, that's not what our library is about," he added, apparently unaware of all the displays of leftist materials in the libraries. 

Dean Bales of Homosassa said the county's decision not to display Kirk's books shows its leftist bias.

"There have been a lot of LGBT stand-alone displays in the libraries, and when Charlie Kirk gets killed, we ask to have the same thing, and suddenly there's talk of neutrality and a peace treaty, and the timing of it shows that the thumb is on the scales," he said. "Charlie Kirk was a fairly neutral guy. He gave the opposition a microphone and allowed them to speak for themselves. What did they give him in return? A bullet in the neck, and they were joyous when he was dead and ridiculed his wife, now a widow."

Strickland suggested that the libraries could still have a display of Kirk's books if it were made part of a new rotating display of authors during their birthday months, but Library Director Adam Chang said that would be virtually impossible to implement.

"The whole purpose of this I think at the core is to put Charlie Kirk's books on a display in October. What happens if I miss somebody in November or staff miss somebody in November that somebody else says, 'Hey, we should have had this person'? It's going to be a minefield for staff to work through," Chang said. "And I still don't know what would satisfy the board because I heard six or seven different things."

Chang said the library system will continue having Black History Month displays that include political books because politics is not the sole focus of the display.

If you disagree with the LAB's decision to reject a Charlie Kirk book display and want the county commission to vote to create one anyway, email them below:

Diana Finegan <diana.finegan@citrusbocc.com>

Janet Barek <janet.barek@citrusbocc.com>

Jeff Kinnard <jeff.kinnard@citrusbocc.com>

Holly Davis <holly.davis@citrusbocc.com>

Rebecca Bays <rebecca.bays@citrusbocc.com>