Editor, Gazette-Journal:

Voltaire rolls in his grave. Mr. Crowe’s May 24 letter ("Library shouldn’t promote any particular point of view") lambasting the library is laughable. While many of us may find alternative lifestyles offensive, I also find bigotry just as offensive. Mr. Crowe assumes that the First Amendment applies to only folks of his like mind.

The Founders and Mr. Voltaire agreed that protected speech (or expression) was easy if you agreed with it, but more important if you did not. Or, to paraphrase Voltaire, "I disagree with all that you say, but I will defend to my death your right to say it!" Using Mr. Crowe’s criteria, Christmas decorations, Boy/Girl Scouts, military, political and even ethnic displays should be banned, to name a few that some would find offensive. Everyone dislikes something. A display is a display. A library promotes no point of view, not even yours. It’s just a place to learn.

S.J. Mehaffey

Glouc...