Summary
A man checked out 100 books from Beachwood Library in Beachwood, Ohio, covering Jewish history, African-American history, and LGBTQ topics, and later posted social media videos showing the books with captions referencing “cleansing” libraries before burning them.
Princeton University’s Bridging Divides Initiative alerted the library about the posts.
The books were worth about $1,700. Since they are not overdue, the library will bill the man later.
Police say the matter is civil unless he fails to pay. He is now banned from returning to the library.
The books were worth about $1,700. Since they are not overdue, the library will bill the man later.
Police informed CCPL that, because a contract was entered when the books were borrowed, failure to return or pay for the books would become a civil matter turned over to the city prosecutor.
Should the man return to the Beachwood Library, he will be banned from the property.
Shoutout to libraries. Absolute diamonds in the rough. Burn books? Whatever, people don’t return books all the time. When they’re overdue, here’s the bill, next!
We don’t live in the age of books anymore. Shit like this is ignorant and fascist but also just symbolic. Libraries are cornerstones of a free society, but the physical paper itself isn’t nearly as important anymore. It’s hilariously replaceable.
I want the list of books. “Banned” and “burned” books go hard as hell. Maybe even files for the m@tes to get 'em all at once. The modern age can undo all this idiot’s work with a single link.
The books were worth about $1,700. Since they are not overdue, the library will bill the man later.
honestly that’s hilarious as fuck 😂
Librarians are pretty chill, unless you’re a loud talker hehe
Except that librarian in the disc world books. He would probably rip some arms off.
“A man”
This person has destroyed public property. Whether or not he pays, his name should be made public. People who know him should know what kind of person he is. His employer should know who they have hired. His employer’s customers should know who they are dealing with.
This is not normal behavior. This person is a sociopath and society needs to know who he is.
This is not normal behavior. This person is a sociopath and society needs to know who he is.
I wish people would stop throwing clinical terms around like this. Socio/psychopathy is a complicated psychiatric disorder with distinct behavioral and psychological markers, not a synonym for “evil.”
Sadly, you don’t need a psychiatric disorder to engage in despicable behavior. “Normal” people are quite capable of being racist, sexist douchebags, and most racist, sexist douchebags are not mentally ill. Bigotry is a product of culture, not abnormal psychology.
I think the correct clinical diagnosis in his case is “flaming asshole”
Agreed. He didn’t have any problems posting it to social media. There’s no reason not to include his identity in the article. Even if he posted under a pseudonym, that should still be included.
If you do that kind is stuff publicly on social media, you’re pretty much begging for people to make the connection between your name and those actions.
Good thing it wasn’t a Tesla, then “the man” would be doxxed by mainstream media outlets, he’d be tried as a terrorist, and the cops would have been deep into investigations before the sun came up.
Throw the book at him!
Something this article doesn’t mention is that the population of Beachwood is predominantly Jewish, so this was very targeted
What a horrible human being. If destroying books or repressing knowledge is part of your dogma you are on the wrong side of history.
This has been happening for a while… but I still remember the not too long ago when many conservatives were talking about how all libs were book burning Nazis. Never saw a lib burn a book, but they are, and doing it far more often and with far greater volume.
This fucking prick couldn’t read and unluckily could use fire, like a basic caveman.
Should justice be served, the irony is that this man will end up paying for 100 brand new books on civil rights and LGBT topics.
Oh wait… Ohio? Nevermind, not holding my breath…
from the library’s perspective this couldn’t be simpler. they have an exact list of which books to replace and who to charge for the balance.
Sending a bill is one thing; collecting on it is another. As it stands now, the library is out $1700 and those books aren’t necessarily getting replaced soon (or if they are, something else is not getting done instead).
An example needs to be made so that this tactic doesn’t spread.
Yeah but in the current climate I’m worried he’s going to encourage other bigots to be similarly destructive, and that shithead nazis will come to his defense and try to normalize it.
well of course, I agree. but the library can’t control that; they’re just trying to hold on and survive.
How is that not criminal destruction of property? Some of those books may not even be replaceable. 😠 You could also say criminal intimidation of protected minority groups by an obviously targeted political act.
Project Gutenberg is ensuring that all books are 100% replaceable. Don’t worry, this ignorance cock hasn’t done anything that can actually interfere with people being able to obtain and read any of the material he’s taken.
I think we may have different definitions for “replaceable”.
“this ignorant cock hasn’t done anything that can actually interfere…”
He absolutely has. Stop being a pushover. In the coming weeks this will be normalised American behavior. Push back.
republicans are swine.
If I were dictator I would announce a new LGBTQ and African American wing of the library and dedicate it to him, with a placard showing his payment to the library for the books he has to pay back, but he doesn’t deserve to have his name anywhere…
Just remind yourself that if that were the case you absolutely would be a dictator.
I mean it’s not illegal
pretty sure it’s not legal to destroy something you don’t own. The fact that he’s getting fined is a pretty clear indicator.
He’s getting fined by the library for the same amount he’d get fined for “losing” it since it’s $17 a book. That doesn’t seem like it’s illegal or that it matters.
To destroy someone else’s property?
If he hadn’t rented it they might consider calling it that but that’s a normal “oops the books gone” fine.
This should be charged as a hate crime or incitement
