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March 30, 2006
Free speech is one thing in books, but another in our bookstore!
In what the magazine says is a historical first, major bookstore chains are refusing to sell a particular issue of Free Inquiry magazine -- not because it is violent, pornographic or advocates illegal conduct, but simply because they do not like its editorial content. (The magazine dared to reprint the Danish Muhammad cartoons -- only the subject of one of the biggest news stories to come along in the past couple of years.) Roger L. Simon, Charles Johnson, and Ed Driscoll have more on this step backwards. I completely agree with Glenn Reynolds' characterization: Advancing toward fascism, one cowardly institution at a time. The Buffalo News has more on the story, including a report that Barnes & Noble "expressed some concerns" and that Free Inquiry isn't available there either: This week, a Canada-based distributor of Free Inquiry informed editors that Borders would not sell the latest issue in its stores.Such "exaggerated concerns" are, however, in the best interest of those who believe in blowing things up in order to be listened to. More: He noted that publication of the cartoons in the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Austin American-Statesman had not provoked any violent response in the United States.That same question occurred to me earlier, but I'm quite sure they sold the Inquirer on that day. (It was a Saturday surprise, and I doubt Borders -- or Barnes & Noble as the case may be -- saw it coming.) I think everyone in the blogosphere who cares about these things should go order a copy here. UPDATE (03/31/06): Samizata's Dale Amon urges that we BOYCOTT BORDERS: I recommend anyone who decides to quit Borders not simply stop going. You should make one last appearance and tell them why you will not be back. If you prefer a carrot approach, tell them what they could do to win the return of you and others like you.(Via InstaPundit, who also links to another hell of a good letter to Borders.) (My local Barnes & Noble is across the street from my local Borders, which makes it effortless to boycott the latter.) UPDATE: I just sent the following letter to Borders' Public Relations Manager Beth Bingham (who is quoted above): Ms. Beth Bingham posted by Eric on 03.30.06 at 06:21 PM
Comments
How could I forget such an act of bravery? They dared to stand up to an older Italian woman with cancer! Eric Scheie · March 30, 2006 09:36 PM Wait, it was City Lights. But Modern Times is probably worse, lol. When you go to Cody's in Berkeley, there's like an entire table of anti-Bush books beautifulatrocities · March 30, 2006 10:22 PM I used to go into Cody's and order stuff like the latest books by G. Gordon Liddy. Then there was Gaia books (in my neighborhood). Used to go to readings there, and at Black Oak Books, where I saw Charles Murray menaced by demonstrators for trying to autograph copies of "The Bell Curve." Eric Scheie · March 30, 2006 10:32 PM my email to them was: I'm not threatening to kill anybody or anything like that, so you probably don't care that I dislike your policy regarding allowing terrorists to decide what Borders stocks. Still, I drop probably a couple thousand dollars at Borders each year. No more. Hoping you'll grow a pair, I put "I'm not threatening to kill anybody or anything like that" part in the subject line, hoping it would actually cause them to read it... who knows... Harkonnendog · March 31, 2006 06:20 PM I like that! You could also threaten not to sue.... :) Eric Scheie · April 6, 2006 03:06 PM |
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Don't forget Modern Times, the smug-filled self-reverential indie in SF, which won't stock Oriana Fallaci's books, because they don't carry books by 'fascists'