These are disturbing times. Not only are the freedoms to assemble and peacefully protest being challenged, but also mainstream media is not accurately reporting the issues in an unbiased way, nor are the creation and enforcement of policies being done in a fair manner. Institutional policies and media combined are perpetuating myths that appease their funding sources. At the same time, bills at the federal level are introduced to Congress that support religious bias and censorship, and they have traction! Not only are our freedoms in question, but Democracy itself is being challenged at every turn.
Public Libraries are meant to be pillars of democracy in local communities, to help create an informed citizenry so that citizens may cast well-informed votes, but the censorship of information and bias of our country's leaders and mainstream media outlets is out of control. If public libraries cannot be counted upon to uphold the values of free and equal access to accurate information and offer truthful insights to differing viewpoints, who can? The citizens of this Democracy, with their voting power, should be as much of a branch of government in the system of checks and balances as the legislative, judicial, and executive branches are, but there is little hope in our current citizenry of being able to make a difference through the election process. Public libraries have the responsibility to empower citizens with free and equal access to accurate information and truthful representation of differing viewpoints. We Must support the freedom of peaceful assembly for college students who have the courage to demand that people hear the truth, and the courage to sacrifice their own status in order to stand up for the democracy that they believe in, much less the decency to voice their support for human rights against oppressive measures such as apartheid and genocide, which have indeed been determined to be the case by the United Nations.
Not only should we endorse a simple statement of solidarity, but we should also be providing information to citizens about how to engage in Democratic processes, such as voting and civil discourse.
Holly Selwitschka, Director
Kimberly Public Library/ James J. Siebers Memorial Library
515 West Kimberly Avenue
Kimberly, WI 54136
phone: (920) 788-7515
Original Message:
Sent: 6/23/2024 6:10:00 PM
From: Karyn Pomerantz
Subject: RE: In These Times: The Crackdown on Campus Protests is Just Beginning
Thanks for posting this, Mark. Rejecting this resolution contradicts ALA's principles of intellectual freedom. It sets up a dangerous precedent of crushing dissent. We need to build a movement that opposes all incidents of racism, including Zionism, police murders, and health inequities. I joined ALA because it stood up to the Patriot Act and urge our members and staff to continue that tradition. How can we oppose banning books while we are silent over bombing people? Don't believe that opposing Israeli nationalism equals antisemitism. Racism gives a higher social status and material resources to the preferred group (Jewish, white) while oppressing the other group (Palestinian, black). Palestinian, Jewish, white, and black have more commonalities than differences. The solution is to unite and fight those in power everywhere. Resolutions offer a small opportunity to debate these ideas and identify activists..
Original Message:
Sent: 6/22/2024 3:53:00 PM
From: Mark Hudson
Subject: In These Times: The Crackdown on Campus Protests is Just Beginning
As SRRT Action Council considers whether we should endorse and submit the "Resolution in Defense of Peaceful Antiwar Protest and Academic Freedom" to ALA Council in San Diego this month (or postpone any action until January 2025), I highly recommend everyone take a look at this new article from In These Times about the ongoing campus protests against the US-Israeli war on Gaza and the repression of the free speech rights and academic freedom of antiwar protesters and university faculty. The protests have not ended with the school year; they are continuing into the summer, as has the repression, and they will almost certainly intensify when the school year begins anew in August.
Adam Federman, "The Crackdown on Campus Protests is Just Beginning", In These Times, June 20, 2024. https://inthesetimes.com/article/campus-protest-gaza-indiana-university-columbia-chicago
As an organization that includes Intellectual Freedom among its core values, it seems to me that ALA has an obligation to speak out against the gross violations of free speech and academic freedom that are happening right now on our university campuses.
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Mark Hudson
Retired librarian
Monroeville, PA
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