ABFFE
Condemns Treasury Restrictions on Publishers
The American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression (ABFFE) joined
other free expression groups Monday in issuing a statement condemning a Treasury
Department ruling that requires publishers to obtain a license before they can make
editorial changes in a manuscript submitted by an author living in a nation that is the
subject of a U.S. trade embargo. The groups contend that the ruling gives the government
the power to censor the works of authors from Iran, Cuba, Iraq, Libya and Sudan. "The
government has no business telling American publishers what they can edit and what they
can't," ABFFE President Chris Finan said in a press release that accompanied the
statement. "The First Amendment protects our right to read the authors of any
nation."
Last fall, the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control declared that a
regulation dating from the late 1980's forbids publishers to engage in "collaborative
interaction" with an author from an "enemy" nation or to make
"substantive or artistic alterations" in their manuscripts without government
approval. It could affect academic journals, literary manuscripts, editorials submitted
for publication in U.S. newspapers and translations.
The other signers of the statement are the American Association of
University Professors, ACLU, the American Library Association, the First Amendment
Project, the National Coalition Against Censorship, Peacefire, PEN American Center and the
People for the American Way Foundation. The Association of American Publishers and the
American Association of University presses have been lobbying separately on this issue and
elected not to sign the statement. To see the statement, click here.
Colorado
Booksellers Win Another First Amendment Fight
Colorado booksellers have won another
important free speech fight, defeating a bill in the state legislature that could have
forced them to display material that is "harmful to minors" in an "adults
only" section. After being overwhelmingly approved by the House, the bill was
defeated in the Senate on March 26. The vote was 21 to 14. Joyce Meskis of the Tattered
Cover Book Store and Lisa Knudsen of Mountains and Plains Booksellers Association (MPBA),
led the fight against the bill. MPBA hired a lobbyist. The American Booksellers
Association contributed to the campaign. ABFFE and its legislative watchdog, Media
Coalition, worked closely with the Coloradoans. Click here for a
Bookselling This Week story.
It is unusual to defeat a censorship bill in a floor vote. Legislators are
reluctant to vote against legislation that is presented as a measure to protect children.
However, Colorado booksellers have established a reputation as strong opponents of
censorship over the years. In 1994, they played a leading role in defeating a
constitutional amendment that would have limited the right of adults to purchase books and
magazines with sexual content. In their latest fight, they had the support of both Denver
newspapers.
Meanwhile, the fight against overly restrictive display laws continues in
Arkansas and Michigan where ABFFE and other members of Media Coalition have joined local
booksellers in court challenges to the constitutionality of laws that are similar to the
one that the Colorado Senate rejected.
ABFFE
Seeks Contributions for Silent Auction at BEA
ABFFE invites publishers, booksellers and others to support
the fight for free expression by contributing items to the ABFFE Silent Auction that will
be held during BookExpo America. Every year, ABFFE auctions books, book sidelines and
services, tickets for concerts and sporting events and much more. Most items are
contributed by publishers. But many booksellers contribute autographed books and other
things. This year's auction will include a World War II poster celebrating free speech
that was donated by Deacon Maccubbin of Lambda Rising Bookstores.
To participate in the silent auction, donors must submit a contribution
form by May 7. Once the auction is over, ABFFE will contact contributors and ask them to
ship their donations directly to the winners. To obtain a contribution form, contact ABFFE
Auction Manager Caitlin Delohery, (212) 587-4025, caitlin@abffe.com. Click here to access the form online.
|
