Actor Kirk Cameron is speaking out after public libraries across the U.S. reportedly declined or ignored his request to host a story hour reading of his new book, “As You Grow.”
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The “Growing Pains” star told CBN’s Faithwire he and his publisher Brave Books are hoping libraries change their minds, though he’s fully prepared to go to court to defend his rights.
“Brave Books Publishing and I wrote a letter to some of these libraries and we’re hoping that they’ll reconsider,” Cameron said. “We’re sending them a free copy of the book. It’s theirs to keep, to share with their patrons.”
The actor said he’s hoping these libraries see the positive values embedded in the book and, as a result, invite him in to read to kids. He said “As You Grow” is about “biblical wisdom” and teaching children how to “grow the fruit of the spirit, which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control.”
“You would think that public libraries would be thrilled for a book that would teach these virtues to children,” Cameron said. “We were denied by over fifty woke libraries.”
Watch Cameron’s response:
And if libraries don’t change course, Cameron said he’s fully prepared to take action.
“If they double down on their discrimination and excluding certain viewpoints just because they think that they don’t like them, well, then, I told them that I’m prepared to assert my constitutional rights in court,” Cameron said. “It’s not OK to say ‘yes’ to drag queen story hours and teach children one kind of value and say ‘no’ to other community members who would like to have their children taught other values in the same library, in the same room, for the same amount of time as other people are allowed.”
He continued, “That’s called viewpoint discrimination and violating equal access and free speech.”
Cameron said he’s raising this issue to be a good father, husband, and American citizen, calling faith in God, the Bible, and morality important American centerpieces.
“We need to get back to the Word of God,” he said.
As Faithwire reported last week, Cameron’s library story made national headlines.
The Rochambeau Public Library in Providence, Rhode Island, was among the libraries that reportedly declined to host Cameron, telling Brave Books the organization would “pass” on the opportunity.
“We are a very queer-friendly library,” a staffer reportedly said. “Our messaging does not align.”
A request for comment has also been submitted to the Scarsdale Public Library in Scarsdale, New York, as a staffer there purportedly said the library was “not interested” in Cameron’s offering. Following an inquiry, a representative told CBN’s Faithwire the library has no comment on the matter.
Separately, others are also taking action to push back on Drag Queen Story Hours and other such efforts. Dale Partridge and Michael Foster have joined forces to create Pastor Story Hour, an effort sparked after Foster started a conversation on Twitter about the need to stop complaining about Drag Queen Story Hour and to start taking action.
Foster invoked the biblical command to be “salt and light” while discussing his motivation for creating the movement. He also appealed to men to be more vocal on these issues.
“All Christian men should be out there leading the way,” he said. “If we don’t fill the vacuum, who’s going to fill the vacuum?”
Foster continued, “People are looking for leadership. People are looking for wholesome stuff.”
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