Dolly Parton, who passed away last week at 80 years old, was more than just a country music legend. In 1995, her nonprofit Dollywood Foundation launched the Imagination Library, an early childhood literacy program that mailed a free book every month to every registered child until their fifth birthday, at no cost to families.
It was difficult to find a bad word said about Parton by anybody, but Snopes picked up on a rumor that her Imagination Library had mailed books to children in Israel.
Following country music legend Dolly Parton's passing, some people claimed her Imagination Library donated books to children in Israel. We went directly to the Dollywood Foundation, which funds the organization, to find the truth. https://t.co/H1DoNKhyrd pic.twitter.com/RAmSRODrpW
You will be entirely unshocked to learn who wrote this and where they wrote it from. https://t.co/qTp6fqg4sD
The fact-check was written by Nur Ibrahim, who was inspired by this post:
People accusing Dolly of being evil because she MAYBE donated books to some Israeli children?Maybe i’m not woke but if she did, i don’t think helping young children who can’t control where they are born is that big of a deal?? Like i am anti israel 100% but all kids need books
The organization PJ Library, which provides free books for Jewish children — including children in Israel – was inspired by Parton's Imagination Library but did not have a formal relationship with it. The Imagination Library operated in the U.S., U.K., Canada, Ireland and Australia. Parton expressed support for PJ Library's efforts in a 2023 interview.
So Parton's clean. It's PJ Library that's the culprit.
This individual thinks that giving books to Jewish children is a bad thing pic.twitter.com/RFpTTtf3Vu
Hey Ms. Ibrahim, 20% of Israelis are Muslim, Christian, Druze, and other. Is it ok to give books to those children?
Why did you indulge this hateful nonsense?
Do you prefer when Israeli children are murdered by Hamas? Why are they not deserving of free books?
I’m sure that pandering to utter trash is the result of a carefully crafted strategy by your top line, and it will serve you well going forward.
And if it does donate books to children in Israel? Do you have a problem with that?
Um, this wouldn't be a bad thing at all. But getting upset about it sure is.
