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No one was arrested for threats because none were made. When the police department was contacted, they stated that no threats had been reported in regards to this event. Make sure to call them and check for yourselves! This is simply false news to make one side look bigoted when in fact the event should never have been held on public property paid for by tax dollars.

Why are people so scared of something just because it doesn't fit into their own ideals? How many of you judgemental citizens are willing to step up and offer your time to help the library teach and read to our youth? Do you people even realize how many kids end their lives because they don't feel included,nor part of society? The very people casting judgement and placing threats are the very people that keep us from overcoming our prejudices and advancing ourselves beyond what we accept as "normal". How many times throughout history did we persecute what we didn't understand and what scared us? Tell me a time that it worked out for anyone. I'm ashamed and I'm sad because a group of people who choose not to educate themselves about something they don't understand would rather spew hate and fear.

Bottom line, it's up to the readers to make the final decision. How traumatic to discover that some in your community would prefer to kill you rather than let you read to kids and there parents. I'm so disappointed in our community. The situation further illustrates why our State is considered to be behind the times. Love thy neighbor folks, ALL thy neighbors and stop judging what you know nothing about.

I am heartbroken and my daughter will certainly be as well when I have to tell her.

Thank you to those who attempted to put on this event. It would have been wonderful and you’ve all obviously been through the ringer since the event announcement.

To those who made threats: disgusting. Small minded. Unchristian. I abhor you making decisions for my family. Your choices put people at risk, likely caused trauma and fear, and took away an activity for other people’s families. You were never going to attend. Why in all creation must you ruin and supersede other people’s choices for their own families? I’m absolutely disgusted.

This is really disappointing. I am so sorry to the performers who were graciously donating their time to put on a fun and different event for our community to promote literacy.

Huntington hosts drag queen story hour in a locally owned bookstore - perhaps there might be an alternative venue in Morgantown? Or perhaps the Huntington events can grow even more, people might like to come down our way for an easy weekend “staycation” - thankfully, at least at this point, Huntington is progressive/LGBTQ friendly. So sorry this happened!

And people have threatened to try to de-fund the entire library system and to oppose future levies because of a SINGLE event among hundreds, that they found unappealing. This is akin to saying no books should be available because they don't like what one book says. Welcome to Farenheit 451 and Handmaid's Tale, my friends. Oops those literature titles are also controversial. Guess we should boycott the library and have a book burning instead.

How sad that these people have to make threats against a children's reading program. If they think this is a win for them they a wrong.

Is there a response from Morgantown Police Department on what they are doing to investigate these threats of violence?

It is really disappointing that all it takes is a few armchair terrorists to spoil a good thing. I hope these threats are treated with the Federal statutes they violated!

If you don’t want to go or your children to. Just don’t. It’s that’s simple. No one is forcing anyone to attend. What jack***

Wow this is very sad. You can’t even put aside your differences for children to listen to a story.

Keep thinking outside of the box Morgantown Library. It's what this community (and the rest of the world) needs whether they realize it yet or not. Bravo to you for even trying something new!

Were the reports of violence reported to the police with the names of those threatening to do so?

Acting like this event wasn’t “family friendly” is a really bad look for the library. This is bullshit.

The irony that an event that represents LOVE and ACCEPTANCE is overwhelmed by hate and violence by people who use the word of Jesus, who preached LOVE and ACCEPTANCE. These people aren't Christians. I am a Christian. These people dont follow the Lord. Their God are men like Trump, who can spew hate, violence, assault women and hold not a single Christian value, yet they follow him without question. This event gave me hope that, even in todays political climate, our community would overcome it. My heart aches today for city and for our children.💔

I’m really disappointed in my hometown today. More disappointed than I can put in words

The public library serves the function in society of fostering ideas and knowledge. The implication is that this knowledge can then be used to the betterment of human society; that it may foster its growth. In times of old, revolutionary and controversial ideas were supported by those in favor of them in the face of horrible danger. We need look only to the latter half of the 20th century to find examples of this, as thousands protested for equal rights under the threat of violence in its worst degree (resulting, ultimately, in human progress). Now, we are afraid. We claim to support revolutionary ideas until the potential consequences become too real. It’s a shame, and it makes me ashamed, that we are now seeing the peak of the last man. Human society cannot continue if we’ve lost our will to fight for what we believe. For decency, for basic rights, and for ourselves.

Thank you Morgantown Public Library for providing diverse programming. It is so appreciated, and I hope that we will be able to continue to have diverse events in the future. Drag Queen Storytime was an excellent idea - thank you for trying.

We need some dads and their sons to show up at the replacement event in drag tomorrow.

Thank you for choosing safety for the kids from threats of violence from the ones falsely claiming to want to keep kids safe. As we see in all of these situations, actual safety of women & children is in no way the goal, but rather intimidation and control. Thank you for believing that violence against the LGBTQ community is real and worth treating seriously. As a person of faith in the Christian tradition, I pray for a day when we truly see God’s image in all bodies, not just those we deem acceptable.

Even if they had police presence and security who would want to take to their kids into a situation like that? That would be confusing and scary to a kid with protests, police, etc. I really wished this event could’ve happened, but if the readers didn’t feel safe, I don’t blame them. I’m all for the drag queens reading, but I don’t want my kids’ first exposure to them being liked with fear either. Maybe in the future, they can have an event with the drag queens in a safe space.

So the threats of violence have been reported to the police, right? And they are investigating?

Threatening violence at a children’s event? Don’t like it? Don’t go, don’t take your kids. People like this make me ashamed to be from WV.

Uuummm what’s happening to the people making threats? Will they be in trouble? How depressing people ruined something so fun for kids. And these trump supporters say they don’t teach hate 😒😒

Violence is NEVER the answer! It hurts my heart to know these individuals were/are afraid for their lives. All lives are precious and loved by God. Hate is such an ugly emotion. Anyone who threatened violence did it out of hate and if they used God's name to do so it was done in bigoted blasphy, because God does not allow hate against another of His treasured creations (humans).

And they say the drag queens reading to children was the issue?

Well that’s too bad. My kids will be disappointed. Shame on anyone who tried to stop this event! Let’s teach our kids that it’s okay to be different and to be kind to everyone! Threatening a library full of children is far worse than having a story read to them. This is embarrassing and disappointing. 😢

If your beliefs cause you to use violence towards others..perhaps the drag queens aren’t the ones ‘living in sin’ 🤷🏼‍♀️

To the lovely ladies who just wanted to do something for the children of our communities..please don’t give up. Don’t let hate win ❤️

This is why we can’t have nice things. 🙄
Do those who threatened violence face any repercussions? Besides alienating themselves from people kind enough to read to children in their free time?