Campaign for Reader Privacy Welcomes Testimony by “Gagged” Librarian

Following dramatic testimony on April 11 from a Connecticut librarian who successfully challenged an abusive FBI National Security Letter (NSL), the Campaign for Reader Privacy, representing booksellers, librarians, publishers and writers called on Congress to restore the safeguards for reader privacy that were eliminated by the USA PATRIOT Act.  Former Congresswoman Pat Schroeder, President of the Association of American Publishers, said: “Thanks to the personal and professional courage of four Connecticut librarians, Congress and the American people now understand what it’s like to live under an NSL gag order—to literally have your right to free speech taken away. Finally, George Christian has been able to tell Congress their story. Now it’s time for the 110th Congress to do what the 109th failed to do: restore reader privacy protections and civil liberties safeguards to the Patriot Act.”

George Christian, the executive director of a library consortium, Library Connection, was one of four librarians who received an NSL in 2005 demanding the Internet records of their patrons. They joined ACLU in filing a legal challenge to the NSL. However, the NSL was accompanied by a gag order so restrictive that they could not reveal it had been received, could not be seen together in public with their attorney, and had to file the legal challenge as “John Doe.” A federal judge ordered the gag lifted to permit the librarians to participate in the debate over the re-authorization of the PATRIOT Act, but it remained in place pending the Justice Department’s appeal. The government withdrew the NSL and the gag order last year, but not until after Congress reauthorized the PATRIOT Act.

Speaking to Congress for the first time about his ordeal, Christian said, “Our saga should raise a big patriotic American flag of caution about how our civil liberties are being sorely tested by law enforcement abuses of National Security Letters.”

To read the Campaign for Reader Privacy press release, click here.  To read a Washington Post article on Christian’s testimony, click here.
 

Beacon Press Publishes History of Free Speech Fight by ABFFE President Chris Finan

In May, Beacon Press will publish From the Palmer Raids to the Patriot Act: A History of the Fight for Free Speech in America by ABFFE President Chris Finan, the first comprehensive history of the evolution of free speech in America for a general readership.  Finan's book tour, which takes place in May and June, will make stops in New York City, Washington, Boston, Manchester Center, VT, Portland, Berkeley, Los Angeles, Denver, Salt Lake City, and Coral Gables, FL.  Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders will speak at the Washington event at Olsson’s Books and Music.  In Salt Lake City, Finan will read at The King’s English Bookshop and address the annual dinner of the ACLU of Utah.

To read more about the book, click here.  Click here for the book tour schedule. 
 

ABA President Russ Lawrence Blasts Censorship

On March 29, ABA President and former ABFFE board member Russ Lawrence responded to a local anti-pornography activist in Hamilton, Montana, who challenged free speech champions to name one instance when obscenity laws threatened free speech.  His letter was published in his local newspaper, the Ravalli Republic.  In his response, Lawrence goes beyond the single example requested, and, beginning with the 1986 Meese Commission, lists over two decades of infringements on First Amendment rights in America.  “Obscenity laws have been used, and will be used against legitimate businesses and cultural institutions to advance a narrow agenda,” Lawrence notes.  “The fact that they are unsuccessful does not alter the ‘chilling effect’ that such prosecutions may have. For every prosecution that is pursued, many more are threatened, and legitimate artists and institutions unwilling to face such an ordeal back down.”  To read the letter in full, click here.
 

ABFFE President Finan Condemns Imus Firing

In an April 17 article published on the ABFFE Web site, ABFFE President  Chris Finan criticized  the decision to fire radio talk show host Don Imus for racist and sexist remarks he made about the Rutgers’ women’s basketball team on his radio show.  Finan described the move as a step back for free speech in the United States that will have a chilling effect on the free exchange of ideas.  “The firing of Don Imus erodes our national commitment to free speech.  We all lose when that happens,” Finan wrote.  To read the article, click here.
 

ABFFE's BEA Auction Gathers the Best in The Book Biz

ABFFE is still accepting contributions from publishers, authors, bookstores, and associations for this year's BookExpo America auction, which will be held online at ABFFE.com and in the Crystal Palace Pavillion at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City, June 1–3.  A Book Expo tradition, the ABFFE Silent Auction is the book industry's showcase of support for the free expression rights the book industry depends on to do business.  This year leading companies including Baker & Taylor, Book Sense, Chronicle, Henry Holt, Hyperion, Random House, Simon & Schuster have contributed items to support ABFFE's work in defense of free speech. 

A full listing of auction items will be published on abffe.com this May, affording extra visibility for our donors and giving our bidders an advance look at some of the great items they'll be able to take home from the show.  Don't delay, contribute to the ABFFE Book Expo Auction today!  To donate to this year's ABFFE Auction, please contact auction@abffe.com before April 28.  To download the contribution form, click here.  To download the contribution guidelines, click here.  Thanks for your support!