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Heroes from unexpected places
Many of us are familiar with the terms “Homeland Security” and the “Patriot Act.” Many of us may not be aware of the few “regular” people who are fighting for our liberties right here in our cities.
Bookstore owners and librarians are a few who are fighting the dirty fight against our government’s invasion of our privacy. From wanting to know what kind of books we buy, what kind of books we check out of the library to filtering what we look at on a library computer, the government has been beaten down by these “Few and the Brave.”
At the MPBA regional trade show, Chris Finan, president of the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression, discussed the evolution of customer privacy issues, that included an update on the status of the fight for the Freedom to Read Protection Act (H.R. 1157). This is the bill introduced by Rep. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), which would restore protections for customer privacy that were eliminated by Section 215 of the USA Patriot Act. The program included the first screenings of a documentary about the Tattered Cover Bookstore case, Reading Your Rights, which will begin appearing on PBS stations around the country.
An inspiring show. Jovita Idar would have been proud.
This small-in-stature woman stood up to Federal agents who demanded the complete list of books purchased by certain individuals. These certain individuals were suspected of drug dealings and of terrorist acts, for example, buying books on how to build a bomb.
You may think, “Sure. Why not?” Reconsider with the cliché, “Give them an inch, they’ll take a mile.” This permission for invasion of privacy allows them into your book buying habits.
As a writer, I may have to research topics for a scene in my book: What kind of bomb will set a car on fire? Does that mean I am a threat to the security of the U.S.? But I am doing it for different reasons you may say. A SWAT team banging down my door will act first before listening to explanations.
Seriously, folks, this is serious. Very serious.
What can you do? Ask your bookstore owners. At least the independent ones. They are the ones in the middle of this fight and can tell you want needs to be done. Simple things. Sending emails to your congress person. Alert PBS to show the film, Reading Your Rights. Run, do not walk, when Changing Hands bookstore previews this film.
Of course, that might mean, and I am the first to admit I am paranoid, there will be a FBI file with your name soon afterwards. When I send emails, I refer to the “Supreme Being” as a small fat leafy plant close to the ground that many trim to be square rather than just type “bush.” Darn. There goes another red flag in my FBI file.