More information came out this weekend about Sarah Palin’s attempts to ban books while mayor of Wasilla, AK.

From a story in Sunday’s New York Times:

Witnesses and contemporary news accounts say Ms. Palin asked the librarian about removing books from the shelves. The McCain-Palin presidential campaign says Ms. Palin never advocated censorship.

But in 1995, Ms. Palin, then a city councilwoman, told colleagues that she had noticed the book “Daddy’s Roommate” on the shelves and that it did not belong there, according to Ms. Chase and Mr. Stein. Ms. Chase read the book, which helps children understand homosexuality, and said it was inoffensive; she suggested that Ms. Palin read it.

“Sarah said she didn’t need to read that stuff,” Ms. Chase said. “It was disturbing that someone would be willing to remove a book from the library and she didn’t even read it.”

“I’m still proud of Sarah,” she added, “but she scares the bejeebers out of me.”

As Palin didn’t even take the time to read “Daddy’s Roommate” — which, as a 32-page children’s book, would probably have taken her about five minutes to get through — she didn’t know anything about the book beyond its title and cover. So presumably what she found “offensive” was the book’s acknowledgement that homosexuality exists.

As for the book’s content? Here’s a description of “Daddy’s Roommate” from Publisher’s Weekly:

The story’s narrator begins with his parents’ divorce, and continues, “Now there’s somebody new at Daddy’s house.”

The new arrival is male; Frank and Daddy are seen pursuing their daily routine (eating, shaving, sleeping — even fighting), and on weekends the three interact easily on their various outings.

“Mommy says Frank and Daddy are gay” — this new concept is explained to the child as “just one more kind of love.”

Yeah, it sounds super-offensive to me.