| Over the past couple years, a parent-led movement in a handful of schools to ban books about race and sexuality has evolved into an organized nationwide campaign that library advocates say represents the greatest threat to intellectual freedom since the McCarthy era. Book challenges are now spreading to public libraries and university collections and, increasingly, are accompanied by social media posts labeling library workers who resist as "groomers" and "pedophiles." The Proud Boys and other far-right extremist groups have also joined censorship events, deepening the risk of vigilante violence. In January, I attended the American Library Association's winter conference, where these pressures and hostilities were a central theme. At the conference, I spoke to dozens of library workers. As a reporter who's covered conflicts of all sorts for more than two decades, I'm used to vulnerable sources speaking on the condition of anonymity to speak frankly about fear or oppression. But I was chilled by such requests coming from low-wage American librarians, some of whom had served generations of patrons in their towns only to find themselves suddenly labeled "pornographers" for refusing to remove age-appropriate materials that deal with race or sexuality. Other librarians I talked to asked me not to put too many details in our text exchanges; opponents had filed records requests to review all official correspondence. One who received death threats said she sleeps with a shotgun under her bed. Three library workers burst into tears during interviews. Some were too scared to be quoted at all and are looking for other work. I heard many more accounts than I could ever fit into a single story, but here's one look inside what library advocates call a lonely, under-the-radar fight that already is transforming how books are ordered, displayed and talked about in communities throughout the country.  (Joshua Lott/The Washington Post) Facing smear campaigns and death threats, librarians are on the front lines of an urgent battle for intellectual freedom. By Hannah Allam ● Read more » |    | | |  (Desmond Boylan/AP) After a years-long assessment, five U.S. intelligence agencies conclude it is "very unlikely" an enemy wielding a secret weapon was behind the mysterious ailment. By Shane Harris and John Hudson ● Read more » | | | | |  (Jeenah Moon for The Post) Evidence of antisemitism competed against allegations of Islamophobia as an online debate divided this suburban community along racial and religious lines. By Laura Meckler ● Read more » | | | | |  (Jeenah Moon for The Post) Each received hundreds of thousands of dollars from life insurance payouts. They allege their Army-appointed financial counselor, Caz Craffy, exploited them. By Alex Horton ● Read more » | | | | |  (Max Whittaker for The Post) Patients with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, a disorder of the autonomic nervous system, can experience a rapid heart beat, fainting and dizziness. By Amanda Morris ● Read more » | | | | | |
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