Legal Fees for Ryan Thames

Should prepubescent children have unrestricted access to books which contain overly graphic and explicit sexual content? Some librarians in Livingston Parish have decided that they should and, now, a concerned father in the community is being sued for taking a stance against the government. No one should be attacked for speaking up in an effort to protect the children in their community. No one should be attacked for standing up for their right to speak out against government officials advocating to keep books which contain explicit and illicit sexual wording and imagery in a section of the library within the reach of and intended for young children. This same book content had to be redacted to be shown in a local news article, and posting screenshots of the pages resulted in 30 day bans on Facebook due to inappropriate sexual content.

This GoFundMe campaign is raising defense funds for Ryan Thames, the father who spoke out about the location of certain books in the Livingston Parish Library system. Thames was subsequently verbally attacked and threatened by members of extreme leftist groups, and he has recently become the target of a lawsuit.

Contrary to the outright lies that have been set forth, this battle is not about banning books, censorship, or LBGTQ+ rights. What began simply as a request to discuss moving books to a different section in the library has become a battle about our rights as citizens to stand up to government officials who are trying to silence us in this era of “cancel culture”.

We are asking anyone who has any concerns whatsoever about this matter to JUST LOOK at some of the books in question.

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• https://assets.newlouisiana.org/livingston/library/three.jpg

• https://assets.newlouisiana.org/livingston/library/four.jpg

This is absolutely not a case of small town, backwoods idiots opposing any type of sexual education. These books contain graphic instructions on fellatio, cunnilingus, masturbation -including suggestions on using sexual “toys”, anal sex, encountering fecal matter, etc. In 2022, most all will agree that sexual education is important, but instructions on using “butt plugs” is not the appropriate education for eleven-year-olds. If any parent decides that this is the proper way in which to educate their child, then that parent would of course have the right to check the book out from an appropriate section of the library. No one, including Thames, ever suggested even attempting to do anything other than simply moving the books to a more appropriate area.

A campaign for Amanda Jones, a government librarian who passionately advocated for not moving the books in question to an appropriate section of the library, has already raised tens of thousands of dollars by using the FALSE CLAIMS that she was fighting book banning and censorship. She even stooped to playing the race card and using our LGBTQ+ community to fuel her false claims. The fact is that Thames NEVER called for book banning or censorship or directed anything towards race or gender identity - he merely advocated that the books be moved to a section where children wouldn’t unwittingly stumble upon them.

Interestingly enough, members of the LGBTQ+ community have spoken out about not wanting to be used by Jones to further her agenda and maintain that she is making them “look like deviants who want these ‘sex manuals’ around kids.” In their words - “stop using our names to push your agenda - it is not censorship to keep porn out of the hands of children.”

The main book that has been discussed includes detailed instructions for boys on how to perform vaginal oral sex, including the advice not to “complain about the taste or smell”. This is clearly not targeting any racial or LGBTQ+ community, and it has been maintained from the start that this was never the intention. The accusations of book banning and “homophobia” are complete sensationalist tactics designed to elicit an emotional response and further an extremist agenda, but it is simply not true.

Jones and her supporters are using this situation to further an agenda. People have donated tens of thousands of dollars to her based upon the fraudulent claim that she is fighting a battle for the LGBTQ+ community against censorship and book banning. She and her supporters are using her position as a librarian as a shield to protect against any opposing views. No one is immune to criticism solely because of their occupation – if you abuse your position or make a serious error in judgment, it is the citizen’s right and responsibility to speak up against such abuse.

We are in the midst of a calculated scheme whose goal is to completely shut down every voice who speaks out in opposition. The message Jones is sending to taxpayers who fund her pay is, “don’t you DARE question MY authority.” If you DARE to speak up, you will pay. But we know that the First Amendment protects our right to speak out against all government officials and agencies - which includes librarians on our taxpayers’ government payroll.

By initiating this suit against Thames based upon false claims, Jones is attempting to intimidate and silence his rights to voice concerns as a well-meaning citizen. Thus, Thames finds himself unjustly thrust into a legal farce, merely for exercising his constitutional right to speak out against those who abuse their government position and power.

Our children must be protected and we must hold dearly our right to do so by defending our right to speak up on their behalf. Please support this fight against abuse and tyranny. Please, consider contributing to help us send the clear message that WE WILL NOT BE SILENCED.

Any funds over the amount needed for legal defense will be donated to child abuse and advocacy groups including Mighty Moms https://www.mightymomsgo.org/