Proselytizing results in library ban for Alabama teen

Caleb Hanson is a 16-year-old young man and he has been banned from all branches of the Chattahoochee Valley Regional Library System for six months. Not for failing to return books, but for disrupting library business, bordering on criminal trespassing.

Hanson, who is from Phenix City, Alabama, a town that shares the Georgia border with Columbus, attends the First Assembly of God church in Phenix City. According to a letter from Kirsten Edwards, who is the acting manager of the North Columbus Public Library, Mr Hanson was accosting library patrons as they were attempting to enter the facility. He was asking them about their religious faith and offering biblical advice.

Claudya Muller, the director of the Chattahoochee Valley Regional Library System, maintains that Mr. Hanson's ban had nothing to do with what he was saying, but the fact that he was warned multiple times to cease the prevention of patrons from simply using the library.

This problem began approximately three months ago. Mr. Hanson began his activities in June at the library, which is located on Britt David Road. Mr. Hanson was initially proselytizing inside the facility, but after receiving several warnings from library employees, he began to talk to people outside the library. He was eventually called into the library office where a formal request was made, along with a warning to cease and desist.

In a report filed by the Ledger-Enquirer, Caleb's parents are both ministers. They are missionaries who live outside the U.S., but are on a furlough and living with Caleb's grandparents, Raymond and Janet Jacobs, who are also retired missionaries.

Caleb is described as a normally shy home-schooled member of his church's youth group, and the youngest of four children. Caleb's mother stated that he "real encounter with the lord" and he wanted to witness, but that his actions were not at the request of her or her husband. However, being the son and grandson of missionaries, it is not difficult to ascertain where his inspiration came from, and as of late, he began asking to be dropped off at stores and other locations to share his faith.

It is stories like this that cause Atheists to shake their head when accusations are hurled at us for being too aggressive and not showing respect to people's religion. As individuals, we generally operate in digital venues such as social networking sites, blogs, forums and the larger websites of prominent atheists. As a group, our activism is generally limited to legislative and constitutional issues and the larger organizations operate on the national level, in the same arenas. Occasionally we will group together and protest a rally or speech being given by a group who's actions are blatantly discriminatory to either Atheists or another one of the several groups who are regularly targeted by the religious right.

However, I am aware of not one single account of an Atheist standing around at libraries, shopping centers or even on random street corners, accosting people, telling them not to believe in god or offering unsolicited advice about living in reality, which is done on such a regular basis that people have become largely immune to the constant presence of the religious barraging anyone and everyone they can with their tracts, divine threats of eternal punishment, condemnation for a variety of things and any one of a thousand other tactics designed to compel a person to give up reality in exchange for the fantasy of religious belief.

Maybe we should start emulating them by producing our own tracts and pamphlets and handing out copies of Atheist books, start knocking on doors or standing on street corners with bullhorns. As it stands now, the most invasive actions we have taken are a few billboards and bus signs. Ironically, the deluded masses are complaining loudly that we are shoving our Atheism in their faces. Pot, meet kettle...
Hanson's mother, Elizabeth, has already contacted the American Center for Law and Justice, a Christian advocacy center in Washington, D.C. At press time, word of a response has not been received, but a letter generated by the library says that Caleb's library card has been blocked, and that if he returns before Feb. 28, he'll be criminally trespassing.

Michael Broyde, professor of Law and the Academic Director of the Law and Religion Program at Emory University in Atlanta, supports the decision made by the library, stating that it was reasonable and falls under the time, place and manner of restriction, which means the restrictions are not a violation of First Amendment expression. Broyde stated that in a places like libraries, silence is generally accepted and Hanson's activities can be restricted. This is in addition to his activities outside the library preventing patrons from freely entering the building.

This is just another example of Christians acting with impunity and then complaining when they are prevented from breaking our secular laws. It is no different when Christians claim they are being persecuted when missionaries (and their children) are jailed, tortured or killed in foreign countries that are not only unfriendly to them, but have laws in place making it illegal to do so with explicit warnings of the possible consequences. But they ignore the laws and warning because they believe they are acting on a higher authority. What they fail to see are the inconsistencies, as in one part of their bible it states that they are to obey the laws of wherever they are, as god is responsible for whatever government is in place, and in another part their bibles tell them to go into all nations and preach the gospel. But inconsistency is no stranger to their holy book, doctrines or dogmas.

Caleb Hanson broke the law, after being warned several times, but chose to not to heed those warnings and is now paying the consequences, as he should. Will he continue his activities at the library? That remains to be seen, as the family is "praying" about what god will have them do next.

Click here to read a copy of the letter sent by library officials.