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

Joanna and Chip Gaines
Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty Images

HGTV Stars Respond To Backlash From Christian Fans For Casting Same-Sex Couple In Their New Series

Back in 2016, home renovation and lifestyle power couple Joanna and Chip Gaines faced accusations of anti-LGBTQ+ bigotry. The criticism stemmed from their attendance at a Waco, Texas church that preached against LGBTQ+ equality and basic human rights.

At the time, the couple owned and operated Magnolia Homes, a remodeling and design business in Waco, Texas, and their HGTV program Fixer Upper was a hit. After the show ended in 2018, the couple created their own Magnolia Network in partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery in 2020 to create original content and air other home and lifestyle programs.

Keep ReadingShow less
screenshots from video of JD Vance at Disneyland
@janekleeb/X

JD Vance Called Out For Hypocrisy As He Visits Disneyland With His Family Amid Boos

On Saturday, one-time vehement Trump critic turned MAGA Republican convert Vice President JD Vance went on vacation to Disneyland in blue state California, despite Disney World in red state Florida being closer to Washington D.C. and in the middle of MAGA territory.

The administration of MAGA Republican President Donald Trump is currently engaged in a face-off with California over occupying forces sent by Trump to Los Angeles, which is about 50 miles from Anaheim where Disneyland is located, making Vance's choice even more questionable.

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump; Joe Biden
Mandel Ngan/Pool/Getty Images; Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

Joe Biden Calls Out 'Liar' Trump Over His Claims About Biden's Use Of Autopen For Pardons

Speaking to The New York Times, former President Joe Biden called President Donald Trump a "liar" over claims that Biden's pardons are "void" because they were done by autopen, a conspiracy theory heavily promoted by Republicans who've already suggested many times that Biden was not mentally fit while in office.

In the final hours of his presidency, Biden issued a series of preemptive pardons, including ones for his relatives, all members of the House committee that investigated the January 6 attack—such as former Congresswoman Liz Cheney—and several of Trump’s most prominent adversaries, including General Mark Milley and Dr. Anthony Fauci.

Keep ReadingShow less
Nancy Mace
Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

Rep. Nancy Mace Gets Brutal Reminder On X After She Tried To Praise Trump For 'Rebuilding' The U.S.

South Carolina Republican Representative Nancy Mace was fact-checked by an X Community Note after she tried to praise President Donald Trump for "rebuilding" the country, when she herself voted against President Biden's 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).

The IIJA authorized $1.2 trillion in funding and the increased federal spending in recent years has improved U.S. ports, roads, parks, and other services in a country that civil engineers have long said spends too little on infrastructure.

Keep ReadingShow less
black Lamborghini parked in front of a boutique
Danilo Capece on Unsplash

Surprising Things Poor People Learned When Dating Someone Rich

There are life lessons learned through adversity. Some of them are actual survival skills while others are about managing expectations and disappointment.

But some people face very few hardships in their lives due to the power of money.

Keep ReadingShow less