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Draft IRC-IFC Charlie Hebdo Resolution 

Jan 23, 2015 09:17 AM




Colleagues,


Attached in Word is a working draft of the IRC-IFC Joint Resolution.  We have also posted it in Connect.  Please send us your comments.  We will be working on it early during Midwinter with the goal of bringing a polished version to Council Forum I for discussion and Council Session III for a vote.


Best wishes,


Doug


Chair, ALA IFC












J. Douglas Archer


Peace Studies, Global Affairs and Political Science Librarian




University of Notre Dame

114 Hesburgh Library

Notre Dame, IN 46556

o: 574-631-6656


 


 


 

 

===================

 


Version 5.0, 1/23/15


Resolution Denouncing the Recent Attack on Charlie Hebdo and Other Attacks on the


Freedom of Expression


Whereas the American Library Association has been a staunch advocate for and defender of the freedom of the press and the freedom of speech contained in the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America;


Whereas the American Library Association in its Library Bill of Rights affirms the right of everyone to read, view, listen to and otherwise access whatever they choose, whatever topic interests them -- regardless of the background or views of its creator or the content of the publication[RA1]  (Policy B.2.1 Library Bill of Rights);


Whereas the American Library Association has long been on record affirming the freedom of expression as described in the Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Policy B.6.2.1 Article 19 of the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Right);


Whereas these rights when taken together form a core professional value of the American Library Association, intellectual freedom (Policy B.1.1 Core Values of Librarianship);


Whereas the recent attack upon Charlie Hebdo, its editor and its staff resulting in the death of 12 human beings was a horrific attack on these rights and values;


Whereas the recent attack is another heinous attempt to undermine freedom of expression, with many journalists and photojournalists throughout the world threatened with death and imprisonment;


 Whereas over two dozen journalists were killed and over two hundred were imprisoned in 2014 alone in such countries as Syria, Ukraine, Iraq, Somalia, Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Brazil, Afghanistan, Paraguay, Pakistan, India, Mexico, Burma, Libya, Philippines, Yemen, South Africa, Egypt, Guinea, Bangladesh, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Central African Republic; [DA2] now, therefore, be it


Resolved, that the American Library Association



  1. denounces this bloody assault on fundamental human rights;

  2. expresses its deepest condolences to all those associated with the publication Charlie Hebdo and to the French people;

  3. affirms its solidarity with  L’Association des Bibliothécaires Francais, its members and all others library workers;

  4. reaffirms in the strongest possible terms its unwavering commitment to the advocacy and defense of intellectual freedom including freedom of the press, freedom of speech and freedom of expression;

  5. extends its support to all who exercise their right of free expression, most especially journalists who do so at the risk of their very lives; and

  6. requests that Keith Michael Fiels, Executive Director of the American Library Association  communicate its support and resolve to Francois Hollande, President of the French Republic for the people of France, to our colleagues of L’Association des Bibliothécaires Francais and to all who struggle to maintain a vibrant, free press.


Movers:           Loida Garcia-Febo, Chair, International Relations Committee, 917 548-2910 


                      J. Douglas Archer, Chair, Intellectual Freedom Committee, 574 302-1749






 [RA1]I encourage you to utilize, more closely, the actual language from the Library Bill of Rights. Perhaps this could be separated into 2 Whereas clauses – one related to the right of readers and the other related to the rights of content creators to share their views.






 [DA2]Revised for more concrete specificity.






 













Charlie Hebdo Resolution - version 5.0, 1 1-23-15 draft for public reviewl.docx
#freeexpression
#humanrights
#CharlieHebdo
#freespeech
#FreePress
#DraftResolutions

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Library Entry Comments

Jan 28, 2015 03:11 PM

In last paragraph of my comment, "they were" should be "it was."

Jan 28, 2015 03:10 PM

I have long been opposed to including laundry lists, such as those proposed in amending the final Whereas clause.

I was a member of the IFC when we revised the Library Bill of Rights.  At that time the Internet was a gleam in someone's eye, and LGBT issues had not been raised.  We struggled mightily to craft language that would provide the broadest possible situations in all types of libraries.

With that in mind, I support leaving the language in  the final Whereas as they were presented.  Journalists may be attacked or imprisoned in any country. 

Jan 28, 2015 02:40 PM

Isn't it just easier to declare that in 2014 over 200 journalists all of the globe were in harms way, imprisoned, beaten and killed because the chose to exercise  the freedoms of speech and information? 

What purpose  does it serve to single out individual countries? Does that mean all the other countries are safe havens?

I think this section of the resolution detracts from its over all purpose.

And I have to also agree with Sue Kamm and J. Ashley Odell,  as a librarians we endorse the most expansive idea of free speech and ideas. We either  support  it for everyone, or we lose our credibility as defenders of this important human right. 

 

 

Jan 28, 2015 02:10 PM

 Whereas over two dozen journalists were killed and over two hundred were imprisoned in 2014 alone in such countries as Syria, Ukraine, Iraq, Somalia, Israel, the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Brazil, Afghanistan, Paraguay, Pakistan, India, Mexico, Burma, Libya, Philippines, Yemen, South Africa, Egypt, Guinea, Bangladesh, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Central African Republic;  

Jan 28, 2015 01:42 PM

I am in agreement with Sue.  I am deeply uncomfortable with saying that we, as a field, deplore the publication of any material.   Creators exercising their right to publish their ideas is not deplorable.  What is deplorable is the way people exploit the publication of material to justify harming each other (including via murder and racism).  

A resolution with asterisks quickly becomes hollow and pointless, and an ALA that judges whether ideas deserve their place in the intellectual marketplace isn't one supporting its own principles.

Jan 28, 2015 01:26 PM

I'd also suggest reordering the resolved to go from broader to more specific ideas, specifically swapping to this order: 4, then 3, then 2, then 1... and possibly leave off #1.

Jan 28, 2015 01:22 PM

Clause 5 weakens Clause 4 (ammended or not) too much, imho.

If Clause 5 were completely removed, the remaining resolveds would reflect the ideals stated in the Library Bill or Rights and would speak in strong support of (my read of) the intent of this resolution...

Jan 24, 2015 08:39 PM

I disagree with Mike's suggested language.  I would delete the first clause "While deploring the publication of materials deliberately offensive to other races and religion - and especially to peoples who are most oppressed and most marginalized."  Freedom of expression means we support the publication (in its broadest sensed) of ideas that we hate.  For those to young to remember, I direct your attention to National Socialist Party of America v. Village of Skokie 432 U.S. 43 (1977).  The case was about the village of Skokie (IL) that refused to grant a parade permit to the Nazi Party.  The ACLU defended the Nazis.  Although the Nazis prevailed, they didn't march in Skokie. 

Either ALA supports the right of everyone - including the Klan, Nazis, fundamentalist Christians, and extremist Muslims - to express their views, or we water down our support based on the content of the publication.  To choose the latter course reduces ALA's credibility.

While deploring the publication of materials deliberately offensive to other races and religions – and especially to peoples who are most oppressed and most marginalized - - See more at: https://connect.ala.org/communities/community-home/librarydocuments/viewdocument?DocumentKey=7299a672-8975-4383-9cc7-ce10143996d8#comments

Jan 24, 2015 07:41 PM

Hello Doug and IFC/IRC members, at the risk of incurring the wrath of IF purists, I offer the following amendment to Resolved clause 5:

 

5. While deploring the publication of materials deliberately offensive to other races and religions – and especially to peoples who are most oppressed and most marginalized - extends its support to all who exercise their right of free expression, most especially journalists who do so at the risk of their very lives; and

 

Respectfully, Mike M.

Jan 23, 2015 03:33 PM

Larry,

Thanks; we'll be sure to clean it up and submit it in the proper form once it's been finalized by the two committees.

Best wishes,

Doug

Jan 23, 2015 03:22 PM

Four things:
(1) Please put the ALA Policy numbers in your e-form rather than in the document. These policy numbers are meant only for Council voting, not for the recipients.
(2) Put the information that's in the last resolved in the e-form. Our policy is to not include recipients in the resolved clauses, because it takes away from the thrust of the resolution and because we or you may want​ to send the resolution to other individuals or groups.
(3) You refer to L’Association des Bibliothécaires Francais without it being mentioned in any whereas clause, which perhaps is OK. I'm assuming that that's the French Library Association.
(4) Unlike the previous commenter, I don't think the exact language of the Library Bill of Rights is likely to be meaningful to the folks to whom the resolution is sent. Plus I'm not sure how Keith would manage to send it "to all who struggle to maintain a vibrant, free press." I also like that the resolution may be able to fit on one page. We tend to try to add everything we can think of to our resolutions, which sometimes means that they are so long that many people may not take time to read them.
Larry
Chair, ALA Resolutions Committee

On Fri, Jan 23, 2015 at 9:56 AM, ALA Connect <connect@ala.org> wrote:
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