MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — The Alabama Senate voted Wednesday to put a politically appointed board in control of the Alabama Department of Archives and History, a change proposed after some lawmakers were upset about the department hosting a lecture on LGBTQ+ history.

State senators also approved legislation that would allow local government officials to dismiss library board members they appointed if they become displeased with their performance. Both bills now move to the Alabama House of Representatives.

The Archives’ monthly lunchtime lecture series last year included a June presentation titled “Invisible No More: Alabama’s LGBTQ+ History.” The lecture discussed topics ranging from the state’s first Pride march to the contributions of gay Alabamians.

Sen. Chris Elliott, the sponsor of the bills approved Wednesday, said a dozen lawmakers called the Archives urging them to cancel the lecture but the department went forward with it.

  • Stamets@lemmy.world
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    8 months ago

    Translation: Alabama Senate votes to politicize history and suppress minorities and realities due to them being snowflakes

  • Transporter Room 3@startrek.website
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    8 months ago

    I have simply started calling every person who advocates banning another person being allowed to live openly a NAZI. And when they start bitching about it, I remind them that banning a way of life that wasn’t hurting anyone else is one of the things nazis did getting started.

    Call them what they are. Stop being nice. Stop beating around the bush.

    They have told you and shown you who they are, believe them. Oppose them. At all costs.

    • DocMcStuffin@lemmy.world
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      8 months ago

      One of the first things the Nazis did when they gained power was destroy the Institut für Sexualwissenschaft and burn their library of books. Some of the early research done there included gay, transgender, and intersex topics. The Nazis then started passing laws to ban homosexuality, rounding up gay men then place them in death camps.

      Those who don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

      • Corkyskog@sh.itjust.works
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        8 months ago

        It bears reminding that it wasn’t a small culture shift either, the first homosexual movement started in Berlin in the 20s and 30s.

    • rbesfe@lemmy.ca
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      8 months ago

      Banning LGBTQ lifestyles is not a Nazi-specific ideology, though. You’re diluting the meaning of the word.

        • thisbenzingring@lemmy.sdf.org
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          8 months ago

          the comment from DocMcStuffin explaining how the Nazis did indeed ban LGBTQ lifestyles AS AN IDEOLOGY was there for at least 13 minutes before that jackass made their comment. Uhhg some people are just fucking stupid.

          • rbesfe@lemmy.ca
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            8 months ago

            Nazis also rounded up political dissidents and put them in prison, that doesn’t make every authoritarian despot who does the same a Nazi

        • rbesfe@lemmy.ca
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          8 months ago

          How is my comment defending Nazis? I’m a pedant who would prefer words like “Nazi” have specific and well-defined meanings, that’s all. Learn to read.

  • Maple Engineer@lemmy.world
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    8 months ago

    “This isn’t history. This is indoctrination,” Elliott said

    Exposing people to ideas your don’t like is not indoctrination. Exposing people only to ideas you do like is the definition of indoctrination.

    • kandoh@reddthat.com
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      8 months ago

      Every accusation a confession. They see all education as just their opportunity to indoctrinate.

      • Maple Engineer@lemmy.world
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        8 months ago

        They’re not worried about their children being indoctrinated. They’re worried that the indoctrination to fear, hate, and self-loathing far they have gotten at home and in church will be undone by being exposed to ideas that contradict that indoctrination

  • Viking_Hippie@lemmy.world
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    8 months ago

    The irony of a presentation titled Invisible No More being the impetus for them stepping up their efforts to end LGBTQ+ visibility in every public institution 🤦🤬