While many associate book burning with events from the past, it’s unfortunately still happening today. Recently, an Ohio man shocked the community by burning 100 library books he had borrowed from Beachwood Library. His selection of books was no accident; he specifically targeted titles covering Jewish history, Black history, and LGBTQ+ issues. The man recorded the act and described it as “cleansing the library.”
Interestingly, he initially checked out 50 books before returning to borrow another 50. When he did, he told the librarian that his child was interested in learning about the LGBTQ+ community. Although the librarian found this claim unusual, the man was allowed to check out more books.
The first to notice something was off was Princeton University’s Bridging Divides Initiative (PUBDI). After seeing a photo of the book burning posted on social media, they took action, reaching out to the Cuyahoga County Public Library (CCPL). The library then reported the incident to the police, triggering an investigation into the man’s actions.
In total, the Ohio man burned 100 library books, valued at $1,700. The library decided to wait until the books were overdue before sending him a bill for the burned materials. They also noted that this situation would likely escalate into a civil case should the man fail to pay. Additionally, the library plans to ban the man from entering the premises if he attempts to borrow more books in the future.
If you’re shocked by what you just read, you’re not alone. Many internet users also couldn’t believe that someone could be so hateful as to burn books simply because they disagreed with their content. “What a sad world we live in where people burn books thinking it’ll give them some kind of clout,” one Redditor commented.
Others pointed out that the man probably wouldn’t be able to afford the $1,700 bill he would face for burning those books. Some even wondered why he bothered at all, considering many books already had eBook versions, making his attempt to erase them futile.
One Redditor made a dark-humored remark, suggesting that nothing bad would happen to the Ohio man for burning the library books. “Don’t worry, he’ll have a GoFundMe, and MAGA cultists will give him $1 million,” the user said. This likely references various cases where MAGA followers have supported similar actions, the most recent being a Minnesota woman who raised over $400K after using a racial slur against a Black child.
