If you want to become a hero at a Tea Party meeting, the formula is simple: tell an emotional story that resonates with the easily manipulated. Jim Ferris understood that perfectly when he climbed aboard his “library pornography” hobby horse during his campaign for the Payson Town Council.
The Hoopleheads love being told that books are dangerous, corrupting, and somehow poisoning society. Ferris knew that if he cast himself as the brave defender of children against imaginary pornography at the library, he would instantly become a MAGA folk hero.
What followed was one of the most embarrassing Town Council meetings Payson has ever seen. Ferris publicly accused the Payson Library of harboring child pornography and pushed the accusation so aggressively that a library employee was brought to tears. It was a disgraceful performance built on fear, exaggeration, and political theater.
Then came the vote on library funding. Ferris voted against supporting the library, joined by fellow MAGA dingers Charlie Bell and Mayor Steve Otto. Fortunately, four responsible council members rejected the stunt and voted to preserve funding.
The Three Stooges coalition is still trying to gain control of the council. If they ever succeed, Payson may discover that attacks on libraries and ideas rarely stop with speeches and accusations. History has shown where that road can lead.
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