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Cuba Book Burning Questions STILL unansweredIf government-ordered book burning is OK with you, you need read no further. Have a nice day. If, however, ALA's refusal to post such news on its "Book Burning in the 21st Century" web site concerns or at least puzzles you, then I ask for your help in restoring the integrity of ALA. Cuban courts in April 2003 ordered the incineration or destruction of the entire holdings – thousands of items – held in six independent libraries. You can read the documentation for yourself as follows, as the Rule of Law and Cuba web site of the Florida State University, by using the following key words: After 18 months of repeated requests to post news of this crime against intellectual freedom on its web site devoted to "Book Burning in the 21st Century" ( http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/bannedbooksweek/bookburning/21stcentury/21stcentury.htm) Reputable and objective verification does exist in the total of 151 direct references to Cuba's sentencing documents in the comprehensive reports published by Amnesty International ( http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGAMR250172003?open&of=ENG-CUB) This issue is important to the reputation of our profession and the integrity of our Association. Reasonable people can differ about the legitimacy of Cuban laws allegedly violated by persons operating independent libraries and accepting information materials from the US Interests Section in Havana, but if government-ordered burning of thousands of "subversive" books is not worthy of mention, then our professional association has indeed turned a new ethical corner. I urge you to send a letter, preferably a letter on your letterhead and in your own words, asking ALA President Leslie Burger why, given reputable and objective documentation at the international level, the Office for Intellectual Freedom refuses to post news of the book burning in Cuba. Even a quick e-mail will help. Please send the letter SOON – preferably no later than January 11, to be sure that she gets it before leaving for ALA MidWinter in Seattle. The ALA President's address is: Leslie Burger, ALA President AND please send a copy of your letter to the editorial page editor of the Seattle Post Intelligencer or the same officer at The Seattle Times, in the hope that they also may pose the same question during the ALA MidWinter conference: Mark Trahant James F. Vesely (Letter from:  Technorati Tags: |
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Waste
I've decided that trying to change the ALA is a waste of time. Don't give them any money for dues (I can spend $100 on Black Bush and get more value for my money and my whiskey does not disagree with me.)
Since the ALA is filled with leftists, Socialists, Communists, Marxists, and Castro apologists I have just divested myself from it. No dues, no meetings, no publications, nothing. Oddly since I've done this I've almost tripled my salary and I am respected from my opinion and work -rather than treated as a glorified clerk when I was a public librarian and ALA member.
I do however work locally to defeat the Castro regime. In fact today I took a Che hat to a manager at a department store and told them that Guevara was a Marxist who helped murderous Cuban dictator Castro take over a free country and impose a Communist dictatorship which has killed thousands if not hundreds of thousands of political prisoners and which imprisons people for loaning books to their neighbors. It may not be much but my local chain drug store has removed all 4 Che hats from sale. It was their decision not mine. Of course I made it clear that I don't shop in stores that are Communist sympathisizers. (Joe M. would be proud of me.)
So quit wasting your time with the ALA they know they are leftist whackjobs. Spend time where it matters. Soon Fidelito will be dead and many people will want to return to return to its pre-bastardization state and we need to support those who seek Cuba's freedom and democracy. In time your voice, action and resources will be needed, but arguing with the ALA is simply a waste of time. It too like Communism, Marxism, and Castro will fade and die as it has become an ineffectual organization.
Re:Waste
Matt, the sooner Fidel passes into history, the happier I (and countless others) will be...however...as far as a "free country", I believe there was someone named Batista. Unless you're the late Meyer Lansky, I don't think he was exactly "good" for Cuba. Batista also had some truly unsavory predecessors as well.