This state wants to stop Dolly Parton from giving kids free books.
Dolly Parton is urging Republican Gov. Mike Braun of Indiana to reconsider getting rid of her popular “ Imagination Library ” program, which provides free books to children ages 5 and under. “...
I thought that was one of the bedrock foundations of the US, regardless of political leaning: if you are against Dolly you are against America.
No that is still true. They are against America. That's why they don't care about the constitution.
... I'm pretty sure that's still 100% accurate, and completely on brand with the powers that be.
Good, I was worried for a minute there. You don't even have to like or even tolerate country music, Dolly is a national treasure and a lodestone of the soul of America. With the Right being historically the home of country and wholesome hospitality, it's triply as bad.
The litmus test has failed, and apparently we need a new Committee on Un-American Activities investigating the powers that be. Who would have thought the parts would be so dramatically reversed this time around.
We lost Betty White, we cannot let the nation turn from Dolly and complete its fall to the dark side.
The phrase "We've lost our collective fucking minds" is starting to lose all meaning for me.
If Dolly Parton is politely asking you to stop being a shit, you’re a 100% certified shit.
Dolly Parton is urging Republican Gov. Mike Braun of Indiana to reconsider getting rid of her popular “Imagination Library” program, which provides free books to children ages 5 and under.
“We are hopeful that Governor Braun and the Indiana Legislature will continue this vital investment by restoring the state’s funding match for local Imagination Library programs. The beauty of the Imagination Library is that it unites us all—regardless of politics—because every child deserves the chance to dream big and succeed,” her representative said in a statement.
Indiana Republicans have cut the statewide program’s required matching funds from the new budget despite it being “hailed as helping to raise Indiana’s child literacy ranking from 19th to 6th place nationwide” and only costing the state $4.1 million over the last two years.
“It was a disservice to remove it,” says Democratic Indiana Rep. Maureen Bauer.
Most telling is that the state’s Republicans, who included school vouchers for wealthy families in the budget, didn’t bother to look elsewhere for savings.
According to Rose Meissner, president of the Community Foundation of St. Joseph County, the matching funds needed equate to just $1 per month for every child in Indiana.
Parton has run into this kind of ghoulish right-wing behavior before.
In 2022, a Kentucky Republican state senator tried to censor Parton’s library as a part of the fascistic right-wing move to censor children’s education. But after getting an earful from a few million Parton fans, they quickly backtracked.
The Imagination Library, founded by Parton in 1995, is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year and sends out more than 1,000,000 books every month to 21 states and 5 countries. To date, the program has given more than 270,000,000 free books to children around the world.
The idea that the GOP would take away children’s books is unconscionable—but not surprising.
My kid has been enjoying “Auntie Dolly’s” free Imagination Library books since he was born. In Canada. That woman is a treasure.
"This one state doesn't want you to know this!" Fucking clickbait titles man....
Annoy potential readers with this one trick!
News outlets SLAMMED by user for this one trick.