Twisted Librarian

He's baaaaaack! (Buster the Bunny)

2005-04-09T10:21:00.000-07:00

So, are we going to hear from any top Bush administrators if Sugartime hits library shelves?

"Despite controversy over a recent episode of the popular children's TV show Postcards from Buster, which featured lesbian mothers, Little, Brown
Books for Young Readers still plans to publish a book based on the contentious episode as part of a Postcards series planned for release this spring."

KeepMedia.com

No Wonder We're in Deep Shit

2005-04-03T11:17:00.000-07:00

"Who cares if the government censors articles before they're published? Prior restraint, schmior restraint. The Principal did it all the time when I was in High School. No biggie."

ARKANSAS – Fordyce High School officials announced at a school board meeting on March 14 that they plan to fire the teacher who advises the student newspaper, Jennifer Baker, who claims a recently instituted policy–requiring principal Bobby Brown to review articles before publication–violates the Arkansas Student Publications Act.

Baker opposes the policy and said it needs to be repealed or rewritten.

The Arkansas Student Publications Act requires school districts to adopt policies allowing students the right to express themselves, including the right of expression in school-sponsored publications. Student expression is permitted whether the publication is created on school grounds, financially supported by the school or operates as part of a course.

Brown introduced his policy on Jan. 27 after objecting to content in two issues of the newspaper, including an article that was critical of the school’s test schedule and a student’s quote regarding her Valentine’s Day plans to, "Cook for [my boyfriend] and watch a few love videos. Maybe a little later on something special will go down." The administration perceived the quote as sexual and inappropriate.

Brown said Baker had failed to "properly supervise," which had resulted in "inaccuracies" and "distasteful content" being published in the newspaper."

Student Press Law Center

Nudity in Art. HIDE THE KIDS!

2005-04-03T10:59:00.000-07:00

Martha, get the kiddies indoors, theres some nudie art in town. Oh, hand me them there paper towels, I'm a-fixin to go check on it myself.

EVERYONE knows, of course, that the reason for the fall of Greek and Roman civilizations were their tolerance for public nudity in art. No, change that, they just didn't tolerate it, they seemed to roll in it like dogs on road-kill.

"The Venus de Milo had better wear a top and Michelangelo's David should put on some pants if they're going to be seen at a yard art business.

Bartholomew County officials told the business near Interstate 65 that it must move cement copies of the classical statues — and about 10 others — out of public view because they are obscene under Indiana law.

"It's not fair to point out our business, and personally, I don't find them offensive," Ginger Streeval, a co-owner of White River Truck Repair and Yard Art, told the Daily Journal of Franklin for a story Wednesday.

Frank Butler, the county's zoning inspector, disagreed.

"They have nudity ... and that should not be in the view of a minor," he said.

SFGate

Television Censorship by the Numbers

2005-03-24T13:34:00.000-08:00

The good news: In every single category, a majority of the people polled were against censorship.

The bad news: People in this country are still more willing to ban sexual content and nudity than violence. Only in America.

"Angus Reid Consultants - CPOD Global Scan) - Some adults in the United States want to enact tougher guidelines for the broadcasting industry,
according to a poll by Schulman, Ronca, & Bucuvalas (SRBI) Public Affairs published in Time. 41 per cent of respondents believe the federal administration should ban cursing, sexual language and nudity from television."

Angus Reid Consultants

Newberry Award winner stays in the classroom.

2005-03-16T13:18:00.000-08:00

Jenne over at LisNews posted this article.

"Despite parent concerns, Blue Springs eighth graders will continue to read "The Giver" as part of their curriculum.

The Blue Springs Board of Education unanimously voted to keep "The Giver" on the district's approved reading list Monday. Board member Dale Walkup was absent because of elective surgery earlier in the day.

"After taking time to reread the book and discuss it with patrons of the district, I feel this is a good book for our students to read," he said. "The last chapter of the book shows Jonas fighting to break the cycle, and showing that it is wrong. The message is not about suicide or euthanasia, but about demonstrating to students that the government can't control us."

Rest of the article: The Examiner (Jackson County, Missouri)

Note, parents could have their children opt-out of reading this. But, of course, that isn't good enough for some.

School Board Urged Not To Censor Students

2005-03-10T13:54:00.000-08:00

Now, if it had just been the One Parent, asking to remove a book from the library, the School Board would have bent over backwards. Oooops, nope, bend over backwards might imply something that would upset some people.

"Mar 10, 2005 -- The majority among a dozen speakers at Tuesday night’s Loudoun County School Board meeting said they supported greater tolerance of homosexuality and opposed censorship of school plays. However, the majority of the school board members voiced opinions indicating they favored greater control over content.

Loudoun School Board Chairman John A. Andrews (Potomac) thanked all of the speakers for the civility they displayed in debating a subject that emerged in the wake of last month’s mini play Offsides performed last month as part of a montage called Postcards From Paradise at Stone Bridge High involving the topic of homosexuality and an implied kiss between two boys."

Leesburg Today

Conservatives and Social Change

2005-02-24T18:22:00.000-08:00

I ran across this article, and was intrigued. I appreciate the calmness of tone, and the apparent willingness to debate and explore ideas. I know that for many groups on the Left, this may seem like an end run around cherished and strongly held beliefs. I disagree. I think this sort of group actually shows the effectiveness of what we have believed and articulated for so long. That a woman's group could form and traces it's roots to both Conservatism AND Feminism is a testimony to the struggle that so many women engaged in.

That got me thinking about SRRT. It seems to me that SRRT is too inbred. That so many of them have the same viewpoint and aim is actually harmful to them in the long run. An infusion of new blood is good, however unappreciated. This is not to excuse the actions of some that I have seen on there whose intent, as far as I can tell, is NOT to find a Conservative path for Social Responsibilities and libraries, but simply to destroy it using a "heckler's veto". New viewpoints that combine Social Responsibility with Conservatism, however, can only be a good thing. And perhaps, if any of the "old guard" pay attention, they might find themselves intellectually engaged and learn something along the way.

I've been toying with the idea of finally joining ALA and SRRT. Perhaps now is the time. I am not a Conservative, by any means. But, hopefully, I could add a voice that is willing to listen. I also have some ideas on how we can improve conditions and mobility for our un-degreed colleagues.

"N.E.W." does not stand for "No Education for Women," the "Network of Eventual Wives" or "Nuts for the Elimination of Women."

N.E.W. stands for the Network of Enlightened Women.

N.E.W. is a group of young women who quietly gather in the basement of one of Mr. Jefferson's pavilions on Wednesday nights. We sit around a table, eat chocolate chip cookies and carry pink binders with our agendas. We discuss our position as women in society. We acknowledge and appreciate that we have more opportunities than any other generation of American women.

So why all the fear of us?"

The Cavalier Daily (University of Virginia)

Biting the Creative Hand that Feeds You

2005-02-23T13:46:00.000-08:00

Between the Comics Code Authority (see the original code here) and the business practices of the publishers, it is a miracle that comics have survived at all.

"A federal judge has ruled that Marvel Comics owes millions of dollars to its longtime writer, Stan Lee, in unpaid profits from movies based on the characters he created: Spider-Man, the X-Men and the Incredible Hulk.

Lee's lawsuit had sent a modest shock wave through the comics community -- not because a comic-book publisher scammed one of its creators -- that's what those publishers have always done. Lee, of all the creators in the business, seemed to be the one immune to scammery."

The Oregonian

A Decent Speech Against an Indecent Piece of Legislation

2005-02-17T20:20:00.000-08:00

Bernie Sanders made a very decent speech in opposition to the Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act 2005. It is a shame that it passed.

"Mr. Speaker, I think we can all agree that we do not want our children exposed to obscenity on the public airwaves. That goes without saying.

As someone who last year voted in favor of similar legislation, I am increasingly alarmed by the culture of censorship that seems to be developing in this country, and I will not be voting for this bill today. This censorship is being conducted by the corporate owners of our increasingly consolidated, less diverse media. And it is being done by the government. This result is an insidious chill on free expression on our airwaves.

There are a lot of people in Congress who talk about freedom, freedom and freedom but, apparently, they do not really believe that the American people should have the "freedom" to make the choice about what they listen to on radio or watch on TV. There are a lot of people in Congress who talk about the intrusive role of "government regulators," but today they want government regulators to tell radio and TV stations what they can air. I disagree with that. A vote for this bill today will make America a less free society."

Follow the link for the rest of the speech

Common Dreams

Ignore the man behind the curtain

2005-02-14T13:52:00.000-08:00

I think this is an excellent editorial in the Denver Post. While we are concentrating on the rantings of Ward Churchill, and getting ourselves all in a fuss, everyday people find their First Amendment rights under fire.

"
While the uproar over Ward Churchill may be stealing the media show, Colorado has had several other worrisome free-speech dust-ups. Take the Norwood superintendent of schools' misguided censorship or the foolish cops in Westminster and Denver who harassed motorists with anti-Bush messages on their cars.

Churchill's idiotic rants touch a painful scar in our country. Nevertheless, we're reminded repeatedly of Churchill's right to free speech. Like the words of mindless skinheads, I'll defend his right to say what he wants, no matter how disgusting. But the other incidents reflect a deeper threat to our liberties and are getting far less attention in the press."

Denver Post

The upside of Censorship?

2005-02-13T14:40:00.000-08:00

If there is an upside to censorship, it would be that it seems to create a demand for the book being censored: "Author Chris Crutcher is banned temporarily from Grand Rapids Public Schools, but at local libraries, his book "Athletic Shorts" is flying off shelves." (Grand Rapids Press)

Meanwhile, here in Oregon, the challenge to Robin Cody's book, Ricochet River, has generated 36 holds for 23 copies. See, 'Ricochet River' in the crosshairs (Clackamas Review).

Obviously, we could increase our circulation of books by encouraging groups to make very public challenges. I'm waiting to see an article in Library Journal on how to do that.

The problem of Community Standards

2005-02-13T13:37:00.000-08:00

As librarians, in a public library, we are frequently expected to be conscious of community standards. There is an expectation that our collections will compliment and support our communities, and will not excessively offend (some would say not offend at all) the sensibilities of the community. That is easier said than done. The issue revolving around the Vagina Monologues in a New Jersey town is a good example of how difficult it can be in assessing Community Standards:

"WEST MILFORD - The rumor mill has been churning in recent weeks as volunteers prepare for a benefit performance of "The Vagina Monologues."

Mayor Joseph DiDonato on Thursday ordered an investigation into whether a township community center had asked the play to stop rehearsing there, after residents expressed concerns over possible censorship during a council meeting.

At issue: The play's frank language might be overheard by children who use the complex for sports and other after-school activities.

"We have no policy of censorship," DiDonato said at the meeting. "This is the first I'm hearing of it. ... Nobody has the authority to set that kind of policy."

The rumors aren't true, according to interviews Friday with the parties involved. But the play has attracted some criticism, organizers said.

The West Milford Players, who are helping guide the production, have received anonymous telephone calls lambasting them for "bringing filth into a family-oriented town," said group leader John Richards."

NorthJersey.com

I think Stephen Abram, in a Library Journal article has, at the very least,made a good start at identifying what we mean by community, and how hard of a term it can be to come to grasps with, by identifying at least five different types of community:

Community Exploded (Library Journal 1/15/2005)

ALA's Most Challenged list

2005-02-12T14:33:00.000-08:00

The ALA's most challenged list is out, and Robert Cormier's The Chocolate War is at the top. What is interesting is that of the top ten titles, four are Young Adult; three are Juvenile; two are Adult Non-fiction; and one is Adult Fiction (Of Mice and Men).

American Libraries Online

Getting the Hebe-jeebies in Douglas County

2005-02-12T10:14:00.000-08:00

"Wanting to avoid the controversy that has ensnared the city of Roseburg over a proposed statue of the Greek goddess Hebe, Douglas County commissioners have nixed an exhibit at the Douglas County Museum."

My favorite line:

"Kittelman said the action wasn't meant as an act of censorship. She said it was simply to avoid embroiling the county in the controversy."

Have you ever noticed that acts of censorship are rarely intended as such? Or, it's even denied that they are acts of censorship?

News Review (Douglas County, Oregon)

Please note... the title was borrowd, in part, from a 2/12/05 Oregonian editorial entitled: "Roseburg's Hebe-jeebies."

GoDaddy update

2005-02-10T20:11:00.000-08:00

A very nice editorial about the yanking of the 2nd showing of the GoDaddy commercial. This is why we don't want censorship boards. These are precisely the people that would be on them.

Desert Dispatch

Free Markets vs. Free Speech; case study #1

2005-02-09T13:52:00.000-08:00

I've mentioned before, and I'll mention again, that I have heard from various quarters that Capitalism (or Free Markets) is synonomous with Free Speech. That Free Speech, and freedom in general, thrive and would have a hard time existing without Capitalism. I don't think that is necessarily true, and there are often indications that Free Speech can be stifled by the Capitalist impulse. So, I'm going to post, sporadically, examples that contradict that premise. It is totally one-sided, unfair, and is most certainly not a comprehensive study. But, it should be entertaining.

"Censor parody was cut in 2nd airing

NEW YORK - A racy ad for a vendor of Web site names was pulled at the last minute from a second showing during the Super Bowl telecast on Sunday after NFL executives objected that the spot made light of Janet Jackson's ``wardrobe malfunction'' incident in last year's halftime show."

Boston Herald

NO! They MOCKED the Janet Jackson "wardrobe malfunction"? God knows, we don't need THAT.

Burn baby burn

2005-02-03T14:04:00.000-08:00

So, lets see, giving the books to a parent to burn isn't censorship, it is "sponsorship". Oh, of course, he didn't read the book either. You wouldn't want to make an informed decision before your burn the book. Right. And those poor German SA Brownshirts were just cold in 1933, and there wasn't any wood handy to burn.

"It's less a matter of censorship than a matter of sponsorship. That's not the kind of garbage I want to sponsor at this high school," Conder said yesterday.

Conder — who hasn't read the entire book — gave more than two dozen copies of Bless Me, Ultima to a parent to destroy. The teacher who ordered the book has apologized in a letter to parents and won't be disciplined, he said."

See... he's not such a bad guy, he won't discipline the teacher.

Linknotes

Superintendent bans novel from Colorado school (First Amendment Center)

A Teacher's Guide to the Holocaust: Nazi Book Burning (Florida Center for Instructional Technology

How to Deal with Telemarketers - Andy Rooney Style

2005-02-02T18:27:00.000-08:00

I like these suggestions. A lot. Especially where you mail things back to them in their own envelopes.

1) Ask them to hold, and then walk away.

2) Hit the # sign repeatedly when you get those annoying "no one is on the other end" calls.

3) Mail back prepaid envelopes.

AntiTelemarketer.com

Libraries in Maine and Colorado donate fines for Tsunami relief.

2005-01-29T09:49:00.000-08:00

My big question is, since it has been proclaimed that my profession is filled to the gills with liberals and leftists, are we (liberals) going to get credit for this? Or, is it only important that we are liberals when things are "wrong"?

American Libraries Online

The DC Mayor and portests.

2005-01-29T09:28:00.000-08:00

Yeah, we wouldn't want any "unplanned demonstrations".

"WASHINGTON, D.C. – The First Amendment Rights and Police Standards Act of 2004, an ordinance the City Council passed handily in December with a 12-1 vote, will go to Congress without the endorsement of D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams, who declined on Wednesday to sign the bill after it was forwarded to him on Jan. 7.

The move, his spokeswoman said, was meant "to put on record the mayor's opposition to elements of the bill that he would like fixed."

The bill, authored by Councilwoman Kathy Patterson, was written in response to arrests at street demonstrations surrounding the September 2002 International Monetary Fund/World Bank meetings. The police department later admitted the arrests, which included some student journalists, were "improper." The arrests led to litigation that has cost the city approximately half a million dollars. One lawsuit was settled with the city this week for $425,000; another class-action suit involving approximately 400 protesters and bystanders is ongoing."

Click on link for rest of the story: Student Press Law Center

Return of the "Sex Closet"?

2005-01-27T20:35:00.000-08:00

Back in the day, some libraries, if they had any, would keep their books locked up in a "sex closet" to keep the weak minded from falling prey to over stimulation. Over the years, along with the buns, we've loosened things up a bit. Not enough, in my opinion, but we've certainly been making progress. Now, in Houston, we may be seeing movement back to hiding sex. What on earth is so wrong with sex that we are afraid of it and we feel the need to hide it? We have all of Ann Rule's books on the shelves describing, in gory detail, the actions of socio- and psychopaths. But, we can't keep a book on the shelf that talks about sex. Go figure.

"Porn queen Jenna Jameson calls her autobiography a "cautionary tale," and Mayor Bill White is taking precautions about making it available to Houston library patrons.

White recently ordered that the library's dozen copies of Jameson's best-selling How to Make Love Like a Porn Star: A Cautionary Tale be removed from open shelves.

In making his decision, White sidestepped the committee process that Houston's libraries typically use to evaluate complaints about items in their collections."

Houston Chronicle

Maybe campuses aren't as liberal as we thought

2005-01-27T20:27:00.000-08:00

This little tidbit comes from the Daily Texan. My favorite part is where he accuses David Horowitz of being the ringleader of a campus Jihad. I wonder if the old insults that Conservatives are Nazis and Liberals are Communists will be replaced with a new paradigm: Jihadists. At least it will be fair if both sides accuse each other of being Jihadists, and certainly simplifies the process of insulting the other side.

"Arch-conservative activist and faux scholar David Horowitz is the ringleader of the campus jihad. For years, he has been calling attention to the modern plague of radical leftism in universities, but now, with the decline of leftist boogeymen in the halls of power, Republicans are starting to listen up."

The Daily Texan

A Good Example of How it Should Work

2005-01-24T18:05:00.000-08:00

I think this is exactly the way it should work. I was especially gratified to see that all parties in this case were understanding and civil.

"Dane County Sheriff's Detective David Mahoney walked into the Rosemary Garfoot Public Library in Cross Plains on Dec. 30 and asked to see the library's Internet sign-in sheet for the day.

Assistant Library Director Sue Freedman said no.

There was no unpleasantness in the exchange. Freedman said Mahoney was "very understanding" and waited several hours while she called the village attorney for legal advice. When she eventually told Mahoney that she would not turn over the sheet without a warrant, he left."

The Capital Time (Madison, WI)

Texas needs a Kinky Governor

2005-01-20T17:46:00.000-08:00

I was mildly depressed because of today's festivities. No, not because I wasn't invited. But, I got some news that suddenly made everything so much better. Kinky Friedman is going to run for governor of Texas!! It almost makes me want to move to Texas. Almost.

Kinky Friedman for Governor!

Sex God remains on shelves in Montana School

2005-01-16T13:31:00.000-08:00

Of course an unstable person could see a young girl reading the Little Women and take it as an inivitation. Thank God calmer heads prevailed in this case.

"A materials review committee for the Bozeman (Mont.) School District voted unanimously January 12 to retain Louise Rennison’s On the Bright Side, I’m Now the Girlfriend of a Sex God: Further Confessions of Georgia Nicolson in the district’s middle-school libraries. The book had been challenged by Pius Ruby, whose 12-year-old attends the Sacajawea Middle School. Ruby feared that an unstable person seeing a girl reading the book might think from the title that the girl was promiscuous and stalk her, according to the January 11 Bozeman Daily Chronicle."

American Libaries Online

On the Eve of Destruction

2005-01-13T14:04:00.000-08:00

Wow... being a police officer is difficult. I wasn't aware that they had to have an appreciation of fine art as well. Let's hope that the Vatican art collection never goes on display in Pilot Point, Texas.

"DALLAS—The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas today announced that it has filed a lawsuit against the city of Pilot Point and its police department, charging that police officers violated an art gallery owner’s freedom of expression by coercing him to remove a mural depicting the biblical story of Eve.

“It is unconstitutional for government officials to censor a work of art because it might offend a small group of people,” said ACLU of Texas Executive Director Will Harrell. “It is also a misuse of resources to have our law enforcement officials act as art critics.”

National Coalition Against Censorship

Capitalism versus Free Speech

2005-01-12T18:26:00.000-08:00

I have had conversations with people who are convinced that Free Speech, in particular, and Freedom, in general, are synonomous with Capitalism. That you cannot have one without the other. Stories like this one convince me otherwise. That Capitalism tolerates Free Speech and Freedom only as long as it does not threaten profits.

The Register

"Bookseller Waterstone's has sacked a long-serving employee for writing a blog. Joe Gordon from Edinburgh, who worked for the company for 11 years, says he was dismissed because he "brought the company into disrepute".

His Woolamaloo Gazette was started in 1992 and is a satirical diary that, in Gordon's own words, enables him "to vent steam on stories which are bugging me or amusing me and hopefully make people think at the same time".

While most of the material he covers does not involve his work, he does occasionally mention his time at Waterstone's. As he puts it: "Like many folk I am not always happy at work...and coin terms such as 'Bastardstone's' and have a character called 'Evil Boss' (my equivalent to Dilbert's Pointy Haired Boss - in fact I compared head office directives to being in a Dilbert cartoon)."

While many people have already judged these this to be harmless, Waterstone's appears to believe they provide sufficient grounds for dismissal. Now Mr Gordon is angry at the way he's been treated and believes that, if the company was so offended, the matter could have been dealt with just a "quiet word".

Wrote Gordon: "I am not a serf; I am not an indentured servant. I am a free man with the right of freedom of expression. The company does not own me, body and soul - conforming to their rules at work is to be expected, but in your own time and space? How can anyone be expected to go through their personal life in fear of saying the wrong thing? No-one should."

Joe Gordon's blog is here

Fox Blocker

2005-01-12T14:53:00.000-08:00

Actually, I've always thought that Ann Coulter and Sean Hannity where a form of soft-core porn. Michael Savage would be hard-core pornography.

"Attention, blue-state parents. Are you worried about what your children are seeing on TV? Have you caught them ogling Ann Coulter and Sean Hannity as they engage in explicit acts of love with Bush administration policies?

Now you can protect your little liberals from hard-core right-wing positions the same way you censor cable porn. For $8.95, The FOXBlocker eliminates exposure to the Fox News Channel.

Sam Kimery and Joshua Montgomery, who are marketing the device, say it employs the technology already used to filter adult content.

And every time someone orders one of the gizmos from Foxblocker.com, Fox advertisers receive e-mail telling them that another consumer has just said no to Rupert Murdoch's brand of "fair and balanced news."

"We hope that companies will see people actually paying to block channels that won't offer alternative views, and then rethink how they spend their advertising dollars," Montgomery said."

CTNow.com

That wile ACLU strikes again

2005-01-09T13:09:00.000-08:00
The ACLU is once again attempting to hide their total and complete contempt for religious liberty, by, well, protecting religious liberty.

"NEWARK, NJ-- The State Supreme Court ruled today that a prosecutor violated the New Jersey Constitution when he removed two jurors from a jury pool, one for wearing Muslim religious clothing and another for having engaged in missionary activity.

"In this country, people have a right to express their religious beliefs without fear of discrimination by the government," said ACLU of New Jersey Legal Director Ed Barocas. "Excluding people from jury pools based on their religious belief or expression violates the principles of freedom found in the Bill of Rights."

ACLU of New Jersey Successfully Defends Right of Religious Expression by Jurors

Don Marquis on hard work and wealth

2005-01-08T09:05:00.000-08:00

When a man tells you that he got rich through hard work, ask him: "Whose?"

Bill Frist and honesty in politics

2005-01-05T13:36:00.000-08:00
I just wish, for once, that either party could be honest and tell us the REAL reasons they are doing something. We all know that Republican outrage over potential "abuse" of the fillibuster is just a sham. They don't want the Dems doing to them what they did to Clinton. And what the Dems did to Bush and Reagan, and....

Please. Just how stupid do they think we all are?

"Documents obtained by American Progress show Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist participated in an effort to block one of Bill Clinton's judicial nominees via filibuster, then lied about it."

Center for American Progress

Conservative Bowdlers

2004-12-30T14:07:00.000-08:00
Now, I guess you have to save those students from themselves.

Wayland Town Crier

So what is so terrible about saying "Good God" and "Who needs gay rights?" It's nice to know that there are publishers out there willing to protect us from such insidious thoughts.

Protesters Surprised at ACLU Washington Office

2004-12-23T14:35:00.000-08:00
You gotta admit, the ACLU has a sense of humor.

"A contingent of protesters from the religious-right arrived at the Legislative Office of the American Civil Liberties Union in Washington, DC only to find the bulk of the office's staff waiting outside with cookies, coffee, soda and Christmas carols.

"Some may have come to our offices today expecting a 'grinch,' but instead found a warm welcome," said Laura W. Murphy, Director of the ACLU Washington Office. "Fact is, I have a lot of people in the office looking forward to the holiday season. We understand and respect that there are people that disagree with us about the best way to protect religious freedom in this country, but we hope that we can open a dialogue and continue to search for common ground."

Murphy and her staff wanted to highlight for the protesters the extensive efforts on the part of the ACLU to defend religious free exercise claims across the country. "Though we often get a bad rap for our efforts to keep government from endorsing one particular religion over another," Murphy said, "the fact is we all come to work every morning to make sure that everyone is free to worship as he or she sees fit."

ACLU Online Newsletter - December 23rd, 2004.

Boy Scouts and the Pentagon

2004-12-09T13:26:00.000-08:00
The Pentagon has had to back off from supporting Boy Scout Troops because of the BSA's practice of religious discrimination and their insistence on taking an oath of duty to God.

American Civil Liberties Union

" In response to a religious discrimination lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois, the Defense Department today agreed to end direct sponsorship of hundreds of Boy Scout units, which require members to swear religious oaths, on military facilities across the United States and overseas.

"If our Constitution's promise of religious liberty is to be a reality, the government should not be administering religious oaths or discriminating based upon religious beliefs," said Adam Schwartz of the ACLU of Illinois. "This agreement removes the Pentagon from direct sponsorship of Scout troops that engage in religious discrimination."

However......

"The settlement... does not prohibit off-duty government employees from sponsoring Boy Scout troops on their own time. The Boy Scouts will still also have access to any military facilities that are currently made available to other non-governmental organizations."

I think it is a shame that the BSA does not allow athiests and agnostics to be members of troops. I think it would go a long way to teaching tolerance and mutual respect to those who have a faith, and to those that do not.

Scouting for All is attempting to make Scouting more inclusive and diverse.

Even more from the Slippery Slope

2004-12-01T18:54:00.000-08:00
It would appear that the FCC no longer cares about the public interest... it only cares about the prurient interest.

"And yet, the standards of what's considered objectionable on television have shifted so far and so fast in 2004 that it's not hard to imagine some cultural crusader taking offense. Indecency is in the eye of the beholder; Tom Coburn, a man whom Oklahoma voters are sending to the U.S. Senate next year, famously blasted NBC for airing "Schindler's List" unedited a few years ago. Coburn wasn't offended by the brutal violence or the piles of dead bodies in the film, but by the fact that the concentration camp prisoners being ushered into the gas chambers weren't wearing clothes."

The Capital Times

CBS and NBC wallow in cowardice

2004-12-01T18:14:00.000-08:00
"(Cleveland, Ohio) CBS and NBC are refusing to run television commercials for the United Church of Christ calling the ads "too controversial".

As reported first by 365Gay.com, the 30 second commercials are aimed at attracting gays and others who feel alienated by other denominations. (story)

The 30-second commercial features two muscle-bound "bouncers" standing guard outside a picturesque church and selecting which persons are permitted to attend Sunday services. Written text interrupts the scene, announcing, "Jesus didn't turn people away. Neither do we." A narrator then proclaims the United Church of Christ's commitment that: "No matter who you are, or where you are on life's journey, you are welcome here."

You can find the full article at 365gay.com

I'm of two minds about this. As private companies, CBS and NBC have the right to air what they like and to prohibit the airing of what they do not like. However, they have the exclusive use of certain frequencies on the PUBLIC airwaves. I think we need to get the FCC to start requiring that TV and Radio Stations that want to reserve a particle bandwidth for their commerical use to be willing to acknowledge that their stations are, at the very least, limited public forums. They need to have well thought out rules for declining advertisers for reasons better than being "too controversial." Their statment that:

"Because this commercial touches on the exclusion of gay couples and other minority groups by other individuals and organizations," reads an explanation from CBS, "and the fact the Executive Branch has recently proposed a Constitutional Amendment to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman, this spot is unacceptable for broadcast on the [CBS and UPN] networks."

... is just downright scary. I don't even blame the Bush administration for this. They are not responsible for the fact that the executives of CBS and NBC are craven and cowardly. Please note that even FOX, which gets dumped on by Libs all the time, has accepted the ad.

For two networks that are supposed to be "Liberal", they sure don't act like it.

One further note... of pride. My Grandfather was a minister for the UCC.

Liberal ACLU Strikes Again

2004-11-22T13:42:00.000-08:00
The evil ACLU has struck again: undermining all that is wholesome and good in American society.

Newsday

"The American Civil Liberties Union says the First Amendment was made for nights like this. The group has turned the street preachers into symbols of free speech - fighting, sometimes in noisy confrontations, for their right to spread the gospel on the Las Vegas Strip."

Damn Straight!

2004-11-21T13:54:00.000-08:00
It is exactly people like Belling who should be the poster-child for Free Speech. You'll note the author is a member of the ACLU... a fact that will be forgotten in the next round of ACLU bashing.

The Capital Times (Madison, WI)

Demanding that Belling never again be allowed to utter his inflammatory opinions on the air reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of free speech. The solution to offensive speech in a free society has always been more speech, not less.

Move Away From the Remote, and Just watch the Commerical

2004-11-21T13:36:00.000-08:00
So, I just have to wonder, how on earth were they planning on enforcing THIS particular element of the IPPA?

Technology Review (MIT)

"How can this be possible? Because language that makes fast-forwarding through commercials illegal—no doubt inserted at the behest of lobbyists for the advertising industry—was inserted into a bill that would allow people to fast forward past objectionable sections of a recorded movie (and I bet you already thought that was OK). And that’s but one, albeit scary, scenario that may come to pass if the Intellectual Property Protection Act is enacted into law. Deliberations on this legislation will be one of the tasks for the lame-duck Congress that commenced this week."

Slippery Slope Revisited: Lack of standards creates censorship

2004-11-21T13:11:00.000-08:00
Censorship is more of a blunt weapon than it is a precise and delicate instrument.

Sun-Sentinel (FL)

" The censorship does not have to be explicit and defined in order to be effective. The threat of future action based on recent changes in the official stance of the agency is sufficient to be an effective censorship due to self-imposed caution by the media.

Those pesky holiday displays -- complete with Pink Flamingos

2004-11-17T18:45:00.000-08:00
Boston Globe Online

"Last winter, Laffey encouraged residents to put seasonal displays he deemed appropriate on City Hall's front lawn. First a menorah went up, then an inflatable snowman and Santa Claus, and after that a Nativity scene appeared. Then, a flock of plastic flamingos showed up, sponsored by a Cranston-resident who said the birds represented the ''Church of the Pink Flamingo,'' a church he made up as a tongue-and- cheek protest against the holiday display."

I think as long as the participants are chosen by lottery, and that there is a good faith attempt made to allow as many people as possible to participate, this isn't a bad thing at all. Oh... and as long as Laffey isn't "approving" of the displays. That goes without saying.

In fact, I think more municipalities should create more public forums dedicated to free speech.

What I Believe, Too.

2004-11-15T18:34:00.000-08:00

This letter to the Democrats comes closer to stating what I believe than much of anything else I've read:

"The Democrats should drop the essentially Republican third of their current members, and consolidate as a union, environmental, and peace -- anti-imperial and anti-corporate -- party. As such, they would drop to perhaps 30% support among the public, but they would live forever. To signal this change, they would elevate Ralph Nader to the leadership position, and the campaign positions of Dennis Kucinich would represent the typical middle of the revised party."

Manuel Garcia Jr's Dear Democrats

More from the Slippery Slope

2004-11-15T13:47:00.000-08:00
Alameda Times-Star Online

"How did a patriotic movie about young men giving their lives for their country turn into such a hot-button issue?
On Veteran's Day, ABC decided to continue its tradition of showing the unedited version of Steven Spielberg's passionate plaudit, "Saving Private Ryan."

While ABC-owned stations, including KGO-Channel 7 in San Francisco, aired the World War II movie, 66 ABC affiliate stations owned by a variety of companies, including Cox Television (which also owns KTVU-Channel 2, the Bay Area's Fox affiliate station), did not -- out of fear.

Stations located in Atlanta, Dallas, Honolulu, New Orleans, Milwaukee, Phoenix, Orlando, Fla., Charlotte, N.C., and Portland, Maine, decided not to air the movie because they might get fined for the movie's profanity."

I think this is just a fine of example of what they call the chilling of Free Speech. Howard Stern gets hit with record fines, and now some stations are afraid to air Saving Private Ryan unedited. Coincidence? I don't think so.

Veteran fights for free speech

2004-11-05T13:01:00.000-08:00
So, is this anti-war vet going to be demonized as well? LOLOL.. in this case, I'd put my money on Joe.

PittsburghLive

"Joe DeMaria spent 44 days in combat during World War II against the Japanese on the island of Iwo Jima. Nearly 60 years later, he still speaks of the experience with a sense of awe and dread. The Marine Corps veteran of one of the war's bloodiest battles also has some strong opinions about waging war."

continues....

"The wording of DeMaria's sign changes occasionally, but the basic message contends that American troops should never enter combat unless first attacked. "I thought the same thing during the Korean War and Vietnam, too," said DeMaria, who was wounded twice while serving with the 5th Marines Division."

and.....

"I went outside and a carload of young college kids were trying to vandalize the sign so I confronted them," he said. DeMaria stood his ground and demanded the students replace the plastic letters they had removed from his sign.

"They said they thought my sign was anti-patriotic, but I asked them, if that's the case, why didn't they quit college and go enlist in the military and do their part in Iraq or Afghanistan like guys I knew did back when we were still just teenagers," he said."

Church, State and a cool website

2004-11-04T17:50:00.000-08:00
With the election just past... and a pretty grim Tuesday it was for me... I got to thinking even more about the separation of Church and State. In the process of knocking around the internet, I found a pretty nifty site that contains a ton of U.S. historical documents (I wonder how many digital images and e-text it would take to make a ton?). You can find them at the Avalon Project at Yale Law School.

Thomas Jefferson's Notes on the State of Virginia

"The rights of conscience we never submitted, we could not submit. We are answerable for them to our God. The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are twenty gods, or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg."

Thomas Jefferson

To my mind, this applies directly to the question of Gay marriage. Gay marriage is not injurious to anyone. The primary opposition to gay marriage is based upon religious belief... and that is not an issue that Government should address.

Here's a confession I must make: Ich bin ein American

2004-11-03T20:22:00.000-08:00
The Herald - November 3 2004

This is a very interesting perspective from a Scottish journalist. Some of my favorite lines:

"George W Bush has alienated much of the world by his belligerent response to 9/11 and even America's closest friends were appalled by the election campaign, the dirtiest in memory. It was politics as horror-show – a cynical billion-dollar grudge match played with all the sincerity and integrity of WWF wrestling."

"Similarly, the freedom given to capital to influence the outcome of elections has been rightly denounced as democracy-for-sale. But in a free country it is very hard to stop people first of all acquiring money and then using it to project political or moral views. We don't complain when the former banker, George Soros, uses his billions to oppose war and promote environmentalism."

ACLU Scolds Missouri High School for Censoring Gay Student

2004-11-01T17:36:00.000-08:00
American Civil Liberties Union

"This school allows its students to freely express their views on gay and lesbian rights - but only if they’re on the anti-gay side of the issue," said Jolie Justus, a member of the legal panel for the ACLU of Kansas and Western Missouri, noting that bumperstickers in favor of Missouri’s recently-passed anti-gay marriage constitutional amendment are ubiquitous in the school’s hallways and parking lot. "This is a classic case of censorship. Brad Mathewson has the same Constitutional right to political speech and expression that the Supreme Court says all students have."

Damn. Why can't they just stay quiet and not insist on being proud of who they are? I would sure hate for those anti-gay folk to be offended. I mean, what is the point of being anti-gay if you have to listen to the other side?

Does accommodating religious practice violate First Amendment?

2004-10-31T13:39:00.000-08:00
firstamendmentcenter.org: commentary:

"First, a little background: The Ohio prisoners sued claiming they were denied access to religious literature and the opportunity to conduct worship services. They invoked the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA), passed by Congress in 2000."
....

"Under RLUIPA, prison officials can’t impose a substantial burden on the religious practice of inmates unless there is a compelling reason to do so (such as security or discipline) — and there is no less-restrictive way to protect the state’s interest except by placing the burden ."
....

“This is a reasonable law,” argues Barry Lynn of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, “that requires prisons to meet the religious needs of inmates while still respecting the security concerns of correctional institutions.”

The question is, if the Government is allowing reasonable access to mainstream religions, are they, in effect, taking sides by not allowing reasonable access to non-traditional religions?

This Canadian is puzzled at Americans' laziness toward freedom's responsibilities

2004-10-31T13:30:00.000-08:00
CITIZEN-TIMES.com:October 29th

Our friend from the North has some pretty good observations. It is a shame that he can't vote ;)

"I know there are millions of Americans who haven't given up on the dream of a nation founded on the power of reason, one that finds strength in diversity, one that welcomes the input of both filmmaker Michael Moore and Vice President Dick Cheney."

.....

"For example, why must any serious candidate for the office of president pledge allegiance, not just to the flag, but to a Christian God?"

.....

"There are no simple solutions, or even simple questions, when it comes to freedom. Sorting through them requires a great deal of effort and patience. Sadly, too many Americans don't even bother. They have chosen a simpler vision of good and evil handed down from the pulpit and talk radio, one in which you're either for us or against us. Half the nation shares this delusion, and the result is a nation divided."

Censorship by a thousand cuts

2004-10-30T16:43:00.000-07:00
- School Library Journal - Censorship Roundup

We can lose our freedoms just as surely drop by drop. A thousand little acts of censorship diminishes are freedoms as much as one huge act.

"Middle school students may have trouble finding copies of One Fat Summer (Harper & Row, 1977) by Robert Lipsyte. The coming-of-age novel was pulled from the local schools' display at the Ansonia Public Library, following a parental complaint about the book's content"

"...a local patron at the central branch of the Davis County Library found all the swear words crossed out in five of the 10 titles of the series, Murder, She Wrote (Signet) by Jessica Fletcher..."

"The Montgomery Memorial Library System (MMLS) recently received at least 20 challenges to young adult gay fiction with positive themes."

In the last instance, the MMLS library Director, Jerilynn A. Williams, "received intimidating phone calls at home and had the air let out of her car tires."

Another one for the law of unintended consequences

2004-10-30T10:19:00.000-07:00
Over on Stephen Denney's blog, Liberal Values, he has posted a great article about the banning of a book in the US by an Iranian human rights activist: Ms. Ebadi has been imprisoned for her human rights work in Iran. She could not publish the book she wants to write in Iran, but the OFAC regulations also prevent anyone from publishing it in the United States. As long as the regulations stand, the book will not come into being.

This is precisely what is wrong with censorship. It affects even those who are not the intended targets. I can't imagine that it wouldn't be good to have a book published by a critic of a country that we have identified as part of the "axis of evil."

Christian Group Sues UC Over First Amendment Rights

2004-10-27T18:26:00.000-07:00
News from Agape Press

So where do we go with this one? Is it OK to take fees from all students, and allow those funds to be used to establish a group that would discriminate and bar some of those same students from joining their organization? If this were an off-campus group that wanted to simply advertise on-campus, I don't think I'd be conflicted. What if this group wanted to use a meeting room at the library, and wanted the ability to bar selected members of the public from attending? That, I know, I would be against.

E-voting companies store software in national library, but scientists remain concerned

2004-10-27T14:03:00.000-07:00
AP Wire | 10/26/2004 |

As the article said, "There's an old saying that the journey of 1,000 miles begins with a step," Soaries said. "We don't see this as the end-all of electronic voting security."

Hopefully, the companies involved will provide the entire code, and we can have a little more faith in what our voting machines are doing.

Real sex on the big screen sparks new censorship storm

2004-10-25T11:48:00.000-07:00
Google Cache

OMG! Not REAL sex on the screen instead of simulated sex. The horror. I can't wait for the comments: "Once you allow real sex on the screen instead of simulated sex, then you'll have to allow real murder on the screen...." Oh wait, we already get that on the nightly news.

Sorry about linking to the Google Cache, but it was the only way I could think of to pull up the article "registration" free.

Jack and misanthropy?

2004-10-24T15:10:00.000-07:00
Jack, over on Conservator, has defined Misanthropy, evidently, in the following fashion: Pulled my Crown Vic up behind a small import sedan sporting the bumper stickers "Kerry-Edwards 2004," "Viva Boxer." and "Peace is Patriotic." The license plate holder carried the inscription, "Save Our Planet — Support Family Planning."

I'm not sure how any of those things relate to either a "distrust of human nature" or "hatred of mankind" (my dictionary's definition of Misanthropy). And, since we can't ask him on his blog anymore, I guess we have to ask here and see if anyone has any ideas.

'The Roads to Modernity': Freedom Philosophers

2004-10-24T12:13:00.000-07:00
The New York Times - Books

"In recent years, Himmelfarb has moved from studying the Victorian mind in her role as intellectual historian to championing the Victorian moral sensibility as a partisan in the culture wars. Here she shifts the focus of both her research and her polemic back a century, to the Enlightenment -- an era she wants to annex (with certain caveats) for cultural conservatism."

This should make for some very interesting and spirited debates in the future. And, of course, more French bashing.

The Brownshirting of America

2004-10-23T16:48:00.000-07:00
The Brownshirting of America - by Paul Craig Roberts

"James Bovard, the great libertarian champion of our freedom and civil liberties, recently shared with readers his mail from Bush supporters. For starters, here are some of the salutations: "communist bastard," "a**hole," "a piece of trash, scum of the earth." It goes downhill from there."

"I remember when conservatives favored restraint in foreign policy and wished to limit government power in order to protect civil liberties. Today's young conservatives are Jacobins determined to use government power to impose their will at home and abroad."

"For all their defects, however, neocons are thoughtful compared to the world of talk radio, whose inhabitants are trained to shout down everyone else. Whence came the brownshirt movement that slavishly adheres to the neocons' agenda?"

Now, before you go getting your undies in a bunch, read the credits before you go talking about Liberals always comparing Conservatives to Nazis.

First Amendment vs. bias: Films a new test for libraries, colleges

2004-10-23T15:37:00.000-07:00
Daily Herald (Chicago)

"It seems no one is immune from the plague of passionate partisan politics these days - not even your local champions of intellectual freedom."

The Real Tort

2004-10-23T15:01:00.000-07:00
The Memphis Flyer

"Today, our right to a jury trial is threatened as never before. Insurance companies and powerful corporate interests spend millions every year to undermine the public's confidence in the jury system."

So does allowing the concentration of so much economic power into the hands of a few threaten democracy? If you believe in both small government, and tort reform, what balances the power of the big boys?

Thanks to John Gear.

First Amendment takes beating

2004-10-21T19:38:00.000-07:00
North County Times - North San Diego and Southwest Riverside County News

"Americans aren't listening to one another. Political debate is irrationally sharp and pointed, even rude. When passion dominates the debate, reason evaporates and truth is lost. Like the Sunnis and Shiites in Iraq, there seems to be no middle ground in this political season. Though lip service is given to the idea of freedom of speech, in fact, many Americans attach a silent caveat to the First Amendment: "As long as you believe like me, think like me, and agree with me."

Unfortunately, I think this is true in too many cases.

Free Speech Law Suit

2004-10-21T17:26:00.000-07:00
WCJB - TV20 News

"Is it a question of free speech or displaying obscene material in public? A local anti-war demonstrator landed in jail five months ago after he waved a political sign that one police officer considered obscene."

This is just one issue I have with obscenity laws. Evidently one man's obscenity is another's political speech.

Also check out this site: U.S. Labor Against the War

My favorite quote: "As you know, we don't have a problem with people exercising their constitutional rights," GPD Cpl. Art Adkins said. "But if there's offensive material that could be viewed by a child . . . we're going take action on it."

Well, all I can say is that Cpl. Adkins does have a problem with people exercising their constitutional rights. Or maybe he doesn't have a problem with people exercising their rights as long as he's not offending by it? Which is to say, he doesn't have any real understanding of those rights.

First Amendment on Sinclair's Side

2004-10-21T15:08:00.000-07:00
Cato Institute

Here is an analysis of the Sinclair Broadcasting dispute from the Cato Institute. I happen to agree with their last line: "The American republic will survive a Kerry or Bush victory this November. It will not survive government control over political speech."

The one thing the Cato Insitute does not seem to take into account, is that the airwaves are owned by the public... and there are some limits and requirements placed upon television and radio media in return for their exclusive use of a particular wavelength. I think that the Sinclair issue also points out the dangers of media conglomeration. The interests of the people are not necessarily best served with the ownership of various media in the hands of a few.

Library won't back censorship decision

2004-10-20T17:38:00.000-07:00
Wickenburg Sun: News Column

"If the Wickenburg Town Council votes to support the City of Phoenix's decision to censor computers at Phoenix public libraries, it will do so without the support of the Wickenburg Public Library Board of Trustees."

Every library deserves a Library Board like this - dedicated to the First Amendment, and willing to stand up for those beliefs.

San Anselmo, resident argue over free speech

2004-10-20T15:42:00.000-07:00
Marin Independent Journal - Marin

"Should political signs be smaller than commercial signs?

That's what the town of San Anselmo and resident and lawyer Ford Greene are fighting about. Almost a year has passed since police officers took down Greene's political signs without permission, his subsequent lawsuit against the town and a federal judge's ruling that supported both Greene and the town."

Welcome to $an An$elmo.

FBI Shutdown of Indymedia Threatens Free Speech Around the World

2004-10-20T15:09:00.000-07:00
Xtvworld | Media Junction

"In a chilling attack on free speech, U.S. authorities on October 7 seized two internet servers in London belonging to the independent media network Indymedia. More than 20 Indymedia websites around the world were taken down as a result of the raid. The servers were returned on October 14, but no formal charges have been announced and no explanation has been given for the raid."

Legislative Shield to Protect Journalists Needed

2004-10-20T14:59:00.000-07:00
First Amendment Attorney Bruce Sanford Calls for Legislative Shield to Protect Journalists From Having to Reveal Sources to Courts - Yahoo News

"Americans face the greatest threat to their right to penetrate and comprehend their government since the Watergate/Pentagon Papers crises of the 1970s," Sanford says. "Recent court actions show that relying on the traditional judicial view of the First Amendment is no longer sufficient to protect free access to information by journalists on behalf of the public."

Oh, this one has gotta hurt.

2004-10-18T19:51:00.000-07:00
Why We Cannot Endorse President Bush For Re-Election: From The Tampa Tribune

This, from a self-described conservative newspaper* which supported George W. Bush for president in 2000:

"But we are unable to endorse President Bush for re- election because of his mishandling of the war in Iraq, his record deficit spending, his assault on open government and his failed promise to be a ``uniter not a divider'' within the United States and the world."

They don't go as far as supporting Kerry, but this is definitely a very sharp criticism of the Bush presidency.

Thanks to John Gear alerting me to this.

*You know... part of the "Liberal" media which dominates this country.

Newspaper endorsements for President - 2000

2004-10-17T13:13:00.000-07:00
WheretodoResearch.com - U.S. Politics

In 2000 138 daily newspapers endorsed George W. Bush to Al Gore's 52. You would think that since the Liberals dominate the media, that these numbers would be reversed.

Over on Conservator, Jack is very happy with the endorsement of George W. Bush for president by the Chicago Tribune. Again. Of course, this doesn't seem to put a dent into the argument that perhaps the "Press" is not as liberal as conservatives like to make it out to be.

Thanks to Ed Thibodeau over at Nonplussed : "I point this out in a feeble attempt to preempt an inevitable wave of conservative nonsense in the coming weeks...."

YES! The Debate is over.

2004-10-13T19:39:00.000-07:00
I think I watched all of maybe 3 minutes and came to the following conclusion. They both wore the same GOD-DAMNED TIE. Well, one was darker than the other. And, as far as I'm concerned, that was the most substantive part of the entire thing. Oh... the most comical moment was the one I just heard: Rudloph Giuliani claimed that GWB was working hard to reduce the deficit. He even said it with a straight face.

McCain rebukes Sinclair 'Nightline' decision

2004-10-13T18:23:00.000-07:00
CNN.com Apr 30, 2004

It's interesting to note that the Sinclair Broadcast Group has it's own problems with censorship as well. However, two wrongs do not make a right. Hmmm... there's a pun somewhere in there.

Thanks to James Casey for posting this on the ALAOIF list

Politics from the pulpit: free speech or partisan danger?

2004-10-13T18:16:00.000-07:00
The Tullahoma News

"For anyone who cares about the First Amendment, the question of church involvement in partisan politics should be a principled discussion of tax exemption for religious groups, church-state relations, and the meaning of free exercise of religion in America."

For my, non-tax exempt two cents worth, I believe that churches and their religious leaders should have the right to engage in pulpit politics. The more speech, the better. Nor am I worried that allowing pulpit politics will "turn houses of worship into campaign vehicles, dividing congregations along partisan lines" I think each congregation should be allowed to set their own rules.. if they don't want the pastor, priest, or what have you, to politik during church services, they have a right to set that restriction.

Political Cybersquatting Or Free Speech?

2004-10-13T13:45:00.000-07:00
Slashdot

"Although plenty of people have purchased politically linked domain names as a form of protest in the past, now they're being used as part of organized campaigns. In Maryland's 8th district Congressional race, Republican candidate Charles R. Floyd purchased three domain names (VanHollen2004.com/net/org) that one might think would represent Democrat incumbent Rep. Chris Van Hollen. Instead, these sites carry criticism and a bit of mockery. Floyd says Van Hollen should've registered these domain names himself, and previously used the same tactic in the primary. Is this cybersquatting, or is it a fair expression of political speech?"

Now here is an interesting question. I think that it's actually pretty damn funny. Juvenile. But funny. Even if you think it's inappropriate (does anyone?), any cure in this case would be worse than the disease.

RNC tells TV stations not to run anti-Bush ads.

2004-10-13T13:36:00.000-07:00
CNN.com - Mar 7, 2004

"The Republican National Committee is warning television stations across the country not to run ads from the MoveOn.org Voter Fund that criticize President Bush, charging that the left-leaning political group is paying for them with money raised in violation of the new campaign-finance law."

Jack, over on Conservatorblog, has posted an article about the DNC attempting to prevent the airing of an anti-Kerry documentary. It would appear that neither side has clean hands. As I've stated on his blog, I hate this time of year. Getting your candidate elected becomes more important than free expression and debate.

Greg's response

2004-10-13T11:23:00.000-07:00
Greg, at Shush, very nicely sent me a reply. I've posted the response in it's entirety.

Robert,

Kerry didn't say if this guy was an American citizen or not so let me first say that if he's not then the Bill of Rights doesn't even apply to him, tough noogies.

Where in the Consititution do you find that due process can't be suspended in a time of war? The Constitution says who can start one and who's in charge when a war is going on but it doesn't much get into the rules of war in general. Do I think due process should be suspended in a time of war? Depends on the severity of the war. I would be fascinated to see you and others living during WWII when lights had to be out at a certain time and German subs were off our coastline. I'm willing to bet there was more than a few violations of due process not counting the Japanese camps. In this case I'm willing to wait and see.

The fact is somebody went a whole 8 months without due process. That means that after 8 months he did get to see a lawyer. The fact that a single individual went 8 months without due process does not carry more weight than the fact that there were terrorists who lived this country and plotted and then succeeded in killing 3,000 of us; and there are still terrorists in this country still plotting to do more of the same.

We have people in this country that hate this President so much they'll fake documents to make him look bad and turn library conventions into DNC pep rallys. If lack of due process gets out of hand I'm sure we'll hear about it. Right now I'm not hearing enough to worry.

Greg
SHUSH

On a side note, I don't know if I knew you were Twisted Librarian and forgot or what but I was surprised when I saw your tag. Good luck with it, I'll add you to the liberal end :)

Library Patrons of Texas

2004-10-11T19:45:00.000-07:00
Library Patrons of Texas

I am of two minds about this group.

I believe that any library is well served by a dedicated, vocal and active community. I think any information that they wish to provide for others in the community that have their viewpoint is a good thing, and helps them make wise reading choices.

I do, however, disagree with their ultimate intent which is to restrict reading material which they find disagreable. I noticed that the majority of books on their list appear to be Young Adult titles, and that if they had their way, they would be shelved in the Adult section of the library which could only be access, aparently, by adults. Books that they personally find inappropriate for a particular age group, others within their community will find appropriate. Rather than educating members of the community about books that some may find objectionable, they are working to move those books and restrict access by all. Books in a Young Adult section are going to address themes that are of interest to YA's and it is precisely that age group (approximately 15 to 20) that starts exploring very adult themes in their literature classes.

No response

2004-10-11T15:19:00.000-07:00
Just a quick update. I never received a response from Ms. Valdez at the Arizona Republic. Pity.

Due Process and War

2004-10-11T15:13:00.000-07:00
SHUSH - for the conservative librarian

Greg, at Shush, made the following comment:

"Kerry's talk about the Patriot Act was lame, complaining about someone who had been in jail for 8 months without a lawyer. We're at war, I'm not feeling all that sympathetic."

So, I'm sending him the following email... I'll post any reply I might receive.

Greg,

I realize you don't feel sympathetic about someone not being able to see a lawyer for eight months, but I'm somewhat curious about something. Where, in the Constitution, do you find that due process can be suspended in a time of war? Do you honestly believe that the Constitution and the Bill of Rights have no relevance in a time of war? Has everything changed so much since September 11th, in your mind, that we can no longer act as a free people, but must, instead, give up rights that men and women have died protecting?

Robert
exlibris_pdx@yahoo.com
www.twistedlibrarian.blogspot.com

BostonHerald: Checking out your children: Pedophiles log on with libraries' unwitting help

2004-10-11T14:19:00.000-07:00
BostonHerald.com

``There's no silver bullet here... What protects children is education and parental involvement. Those are things no piece of software can provide.''
(Deborah Caldwell-Stone - Office of Intellectual Freedom, ALA)

That statement says it all. If parents were relying on CIPA to keep their children safe, their optimism was sadly misplaced. Although I suspect that CIPA was more about keeping out any sexually oriented material than it was about protecting children from pedophiles.

Print shop refuses to release political images

2004-10-08T08:38:00.000-07:00
The Mercury News

I have to wonder how many little incidents of supression like this, which we don't hear about, occur on a regular basis. Zazzle has the right, of course, to refuse to do business with which it disagrees. I wonder why they didn't tell him that upfront? I hope people take their business elsewhere.

One of the pictures in question:

Chris Fein also has a website called Annoy.com

Internet Distribution of CDs

2004-10-04T19:43:00.000-07:00
I was taking a look at Lawrence Lessig's blog, and came across this discussion of internet distribution of CDs. Which, according to the information provided, could provide great revenues for record companies at potentially cheaper prices for the consumer. As a librarian, I do have a couple of questions as to how that could work for us. If the record companies deliver their CDs primarily by internet, would they still provide "hard" copies of CDs? And, if they did, wouldn't that mean an increased price for CDs (the physical ones). OR... would libraries download the CD and burn their own? That actually might work. One very real question would be, those consumers that can't afford a computer and an internet connection, wouldn't they potentially be the losers under such a scenario? I'm posting a comment on Lessig's blog, and hopefully some concern has been, or will be, considered.

Lawrence Lessig's Blog

2004-10-03T16:28:00.000-07:00
Haloscan commenting and trackback have been added to this blog.

Ms. Valdez at the Arizona Republic

2004-10-03T14:20:00.000-07:00
I just sent the following email to Linda Valdez at the Arizona Republic about the commentary that I just posted today. We'll see if we get a response. If I do, I'll be happy to share with ALL of you. LOL... if there is anyone that reads this other than me. Oh.. if you wish to send her your own email, supportive, or critical, it's up to you, I've included her email.

linda.valdez@arizonarepublic.com.

Ms. Valdez;
I was under the assumption that people who worked in the Newspaper field were staunch defenders of Free Speech Rights, and understood the dangers of supressing speech. Of course we all know what happens when we assume. I'm just trying to figure out which one of us is the bigger ass. I know which way I'm leaning.

Terms like "smut" and "pornography" are very descriptive, and, in many cases, virtually useless. A fact I'm sure you know. As a librarian, I can attest to the various definitions of both those words. In fact, I've seen where Brave New World was called pornography. I'm guessing that throwing the baby out with the bathwater is not much of a problem for you?

You have a vision of what sex should be like. I applaud you for that. But instead of trying to convince people that you are right, you are simply willing to argue that yours is the only voice that should be heard in the debate. Doesn't that frighten you just a little bit? Doesn't it make you stop and wonder why your values and beliefs should take precedence over the values and beliefs of others? If it doesn't, that frightens me more than just a little bit.

Were you aware that not all pornography is about degrading sex? I realize that inserting some nuance and consideration into this debate doesn't sell papers. I realize that taking a close look at the issue of "pornography" and "smut" isn't as sexy as railing against it. That would involve sensitivity and and open mind, which, again, probably doesn't sell papers in a society that prefers red meat and Roman circuses. Perhaps you're part of the problem? Just a thought.

Oh.. and finally... as to your comment, "But can't they just go back to shushing people?" Why yes we can, and I'll be happy to, when women stop thinking about having a career of their own and just go back to having babies and staying in the kitchen.

exlibris_pdx@yahoo.com
www.twistedlibrarian.blogspot.com

Once upon a time sex was sexy, before it got plain nasty

2004-10-03T14:04:00.000-07:00
Arizona Republic:

Well, I can file this in the "Free Speech for Me -- but not for Thee" file. By all means, lets adopt a standard that we supress any speech that we personally find harmful or abhorent. I'm not sure what will be left, but I'm sure it will be very pleasant. And boring.

Federal judge blocks free speech zones at Texas Tech

2004-10-03T12:22:00.000-07:00
Forth Worth Star Telegram

Free Speech Zones are an abomination and have no place in a democratic society that values robust speech.

The freedom to edit

2004-09-30T17:44:00.000-07:00
IHT: The freedom to edit

From the International Herald Tribune.

As the article says: "No matter how the Treasury's ruling is framed, denying editorial cooperation of this kind deprives Americans as much as it does the sanctioned countries. The United States should be doing everything it can to encourage freedom of information. Most of the countries under trade sanctions enjoy extremely limited freedoms. One of the most effective things America can do when it comes to spreading its principles is to offer the exercise of real intellectual freedom to authors from sanctioned countries."

There isn't much that could be added here.

Magic 8 Ball

2004-09-26T13:46:00.000-07:00
I've always thought that the Reference Desk would be very well served by having a Magic 8 Ball. Calculate the cost of your reference items, your PC, the connection to the internet, and I think it becomes very obvious that the Magic 89 Ball is a phenomenal savings (about 11 bucks). Think of all the interesting books you can buy. No more Encyclopedia of Associations or Thomas Register of Products and Services (which are incredibly BORING). You can finally afford that subscription to the Journal of Irreproducible Results (is that still even being published?). With the Magic 8 Ball, when a patron comes up to your desk, just flip the ball over and read out the answer. My personal favorite is "Ask Again Later".

.

Magic 8 Ball
Click on the link, then click on the 8 ball, and get an idea of how it would work. Go ahead, ask it a question, and see how it turns out.

Some libraries may not want to rely on only one source for their reference work, and the Magic 8 Ball has its limitations when it comes to Reader's Advisory. For that reason, I would suggest that libraries invest in Fortune Cookies. Even with the additional cost of having the cookies made for the library, it is still not a budget buster. Have a series of fortunes made up. They can have a call number, the author and title of a best seller, or a genre. Really, let your imagination go wild. Have a bowl set up with a card that reads "Reader's Advisory". When a patron asks for a good book to read, refer them to the reader's advisory fortune cookie bowl. Snack and a book. In fact, this method has the further advantage of redirecting them out of their reading rut.

A Fortune Cookie Reader's Advisory Play in 1 Act

Patron: "I've read everything you have by Grisham, do you have any other books that are like that."

Librarian: "Hmmmm.... let's see what we've got... take a cookie from the bowl."

Patron: "What the hell?"

Librarian: "Just take a cookie."

Patron (sounding dubious): "OK... I guess...."

Patron takes a cookie, opens it up, and reads a fortune.

Patron: "Huh, it says 'Honda Accord automotive repair manual by John Haynes - 629.2872 HONDA'. I'm not sure...."

Librarian: "Well, evidently that is what your destiny is to be."

Patron: "If you say so."

Librarian peers over glases and raises eyebrow.

Don't get me started on Ouija boards.

Mud Flies, Books Fly Off Shelves

2004-09-25T11:09:00.000-07:00
Mud Flies, Books Fly Off Shelves

Note: you'll have to register (for free) in order to read the entire article.

Osnos writes: "Attack advertising in politics is hardly innovative. But in this year's election, attack books have added a significant new factor to the shrillness of presidential campaigning. Get used to it."

And.... "Are these books any good? As in all media, there is a spectrum from brilliant to awful. But standards for books are different from, say, newspaper standards. The biggest sin for a book writer is plagiarism (when it is uncovered). Rarely does a book get discredited for mere exaggeration or distortion. Outright falsehoods are frowned upon, of course. But short of that, anything seems to go in books"

Now, I've got to admit that I've read a few of them. Plenty of red meat. So much so, that if you read enough of them you'd probably end up with BSE and your brain resembling Swiss Cheese. I've read Franken and Moore. I tried to read Coulter, Hannity, Savage and Oreilly, but being a good Lefty, I couldn't do much more than skim them for a few minutes before I got too frustrated. I'm sure Righties have the same problems with Moore and Franken.

The more I read, the more I'm convinced that they are all bad children. Very, very bad children. And the need to be spanked. With a paddle. I'm volunteering to spank Bill O'Reilly. Get him over my knee and spank him until tears come running down his face and he finally admits that he is Conservative and that the "No Spin Zone" has one word too many.

Library seeks theme ideas for centennial

2004-09-21T17:40:00.000-07:00
Herald and News: Klamath Falls, Oregon

Happy Birthday to the Klamath Falls Library which turns 100 this fall.

San Francisco gallery threatened

2004-09-18T11:58:00.000-07:00
FileRoom.org - Guy Colwell's "The Abuse," San Francisco gallery threatened

Unfortunately, we don't hear enough about these forms of intimidation. While it is not official governmental censorship, it is certainly heckler's censorship.

Feminists For Free Expression - the issue of Pornography

2004-09-18T10:34:00.000-07:00
Feminists For Free Expression

This is a fantastic site, and gives a Feminist, free-speech, perspective on the issue of pornography

Oppose the Induce Act

2004-09-18T10:21:00.000-07:00
EFF: Deep Links

"For the first time in history, it would hold technology makers and service providers liable for copyright violations by end users even if they never knew, contemplated, or intended to facilitate user infringement."

The Uses of "Indecency"

2004-09-16T13:29:00.000-07:00
National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC)

Oh, where to start. I think the best quote is from Shawn Dell Joyce, the spokeswoman for an airport near Newburgh, New York: breast-feeding is “a controversial issue all over the world.”

As controversial as it is, it is truly amazing that the Human Race managed to limp along until they could invent blouses and bras.

I do happen to agree with the sentiments in the last paragraph. In fact, I would extend the logic and say that the same applies to sex as much as it does to women's breasts.

Burning the Bill of Rights

2004-09-14T14:08:00.000-07:00
firstamendmentcenter.org: commentary

A very good article about the Flag Burning Amendment: you don't protect rights by taking them away.

Filtering law tossed out of court

2004-09-13T18:10:00.000-07:00
Pennsylvania child porn-blocking law tossed

Filters are a sledge hammer used to address a problem that needs a scalpel. I wish I would remember who said that, but it's not my creation, but still very apt.

Thanks to FangFace at LISNews

Murals and Free Speech in Portland

2004-09-10T16:49:00.000-07:00
Paint Me Bureaucratic

Lets see... the city wants to approve the content of murals. What's wrong with that picture? Oh, yeah, now I remember, the First Amendment to the Constitution. God forbid should everything not be nice, neat and tidy. I'm really surprised, with as messy as it can be, that we're actually allowed to vote.

How Liberal is the New York Times?

2004-09-10T15:27:00.000-07:00
The Times Refuses Reprint in Moore Book

You would think, since the New York Times is a "liberal" newspaper, that they would have jumped all over the chance to help out a fellow Lefty. I guess just calling the NYT liberal doesn't make it so. Go figure.

caveat lector

They were pardoned before they were executed

2004-09-10T13:37:00.000-07:00
I just ran into this while looking at the Rosen Publishing Group catalog. It's a blurb for a book about a woman named Francisca Alvarez who helped American soldiers who had been captured during the Mexican-American war.

"...under standing orders from General Santa Ana -- all caputured American soldiers were to be shot. Fracisca Alvarez, known as The Angel of Goliad, intervened and secured pardons for a number of men before they were executed."

Which must have been of some comfort to the American prisoners to know that they weren't being blamed for anything just before they were shot. Of course, makes ya wonder just how effective was the Angel of Goliad?

Presidential Election Year

2004-09-05T15:04:00.000-07:00
We're smack dab in the middle of an Election Year, and I couldn't be more pissed off about it. I hate this. Four years is not enough time to get over the last one. EVERYONE panders, distorts, attacks, and, worst of all, they are all extremely careful about what they say because they are afraid of offending anyone. What can we do about it? I'm not sure, but getting rid of all the pols, handlers, and "experts" would be a good start. Both conventions this year were a huge snore.

However, there are some informative sites out there, if Presidential Elections are your thang. Using "thang" instead of "thing" just gave me a wonderful idea, why don't we handle this the same way they do Beauty contests? After all, there isn't all that much of a difference. We would start with a Thong contest. If they want to be President that bad, they can parade on a stage wearing nothing but a Thong.

Back to the informative sites.

The University of Virginia has an excellent site that maps out both the popular and electoral votes. The best part, is that the maps are teal and green, instead of the overdone Red and Blue.

The Library of Congress also has a site that, while geared toward a younger audience, has some very good information about the structure and history of Presidential Elections.

caveat suffragator

What is Conservatism

2004-08-19T14:39:00.000-07:00
Here is an article that is certain to make some blood boil. I saw it in a post from Rory Litwin on the Yahoo Group Conservativelib.

"What Is Conservatism and What Is Wrong with It" by Philip E Agre.

There are certainly some provocative statements:

"Conservatism is incompatible with democracy, prosperity, and civilization in general. It is a destructive system of inequality and prejudice that is founded on deception and has no place in the modern world."

A theme that he presents throughout the article.

I do find his description of how conservatives have co-opted liberal language to be interesting.

I think it is a mistake to take various historical movements and lump them into one clay statue called "Conservatism". But that is the Historian talking.

Robert

I'm Baaaack

2004-08-19T14:06:00.000-07:00
Well, I survived. Five pounds less and a blister on my left heel the size of a Fifty-Cent piece. Waldo Lake is a beautiful area, although you have to hike through a few miles of a previous forest fire to get to the good stuff. Evidently the lake is one of the clearest in Oregon, and the second largest natural lake (after Crater Lake). I didn't see much in the way of wildlife, although I had fun feeding the Clark's Jays, or, as they are more commonly know as, Camp Robbers.