a website for the conservative librarian
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Saturday August 6, 2005
If a reporter wants to spin a story they put a title
favorable to their view on it and all the facts important to them in the beginning of the
article. Any inconvenient facts wind up down near the end. What you get from an
article can change radically the farther you read into.
Continuing on its trail of disinformation the ALA
Council passed a resolution in Chicago called
Resolution in Support of Immigrants’ Rights to Free Public Library Access. Personally
I wasn't aware that there was a problem with immigrants using the library. After all
that's one of the prime reasons for our existence is the assimilation of the immigrant
population isn't it? Teach them to read English, make good citizens out of them? Of
course legal immigrants are usually good citizens to begin with. They came here
knowing they would have a better life then what they could get anywhere else. Of course
this isn't about legal immigrants at all. You can ignore the title of the resolution
entirely, not mention all the whereas and whatfors. You have to go down to the first
'Resolved' before you see:
Emphasis mine. Funny how they didn't name the resolution:
"Resolution in Support of Illegal Immigrants’ Rights to Free Public Library Access".
Do you think ALA Council was trying to disinform the public on its real intentions?
That wouldn't be very nice now would it?
More interesting is that after over 2 years
of ALA's wailing and moaning and gnashing of teeth over the Patriot Act and its supposed
abuses of human rights and the rule of law, ALA itself chooses to ignore the rule of law
entirely. Apparently integrity is on a switch that ALA turns off when its inconvenient.
Click click. Click click.
Someone emailed me
this story about certain books
under review in Denver Colorado. A related link is at
LISNews. Their called fotonovelas
and are Mexican form graphic novels. Someone at LISNews described them as being pretty
violent and sexual and then went on to say how they were being pulled for the sex and
not the violence.
You hear this argument from time to time and its flat out
wrong. Is too much violence okay? No. We should have some standards depending on the
format. But violence isn't the same as sex. People get violent, no question but compare
the murder rate in this country to the birthrate and you'll begin to notice a discrepancy
between how many people are getting medieval and how many are making whoopee.
There's also a question of levels. No matter how many
ax-wielding maniacs are on the silver screen or in a video game the vast majority of
teenagers aren't going to get beyond bruised knuckles and fat lips. The more elaborate
the sex act the more interest you're going to create to try it such as a
Rainbow Party. So
a lot more watchfulness is justified when it comes to sex over violence.
FYI: Births in 2002 = 4,021,726 /
Murders in 2003 = 16,503
Unless something significant happens this will be my
last comment on the issue for now.
After the initial posting of Rosenzweig's email to me
along with a bit from McCook, McCook sent me an email which she cc'd to her posse.
We emailed back and forth a few times and about halfway through she started cc'ing to
my employer. I'm not going to share the emails (sorry) though if their behavior keeps up
I'm liable to set up a page or two and just list any and all email correspondence between
them and me.
Anyway. I just wanted to point out the fact that 2 of ALA's
best and brightest have now tried to get me muzzled. Ain't that a hoot?
Thursday August 4, 2005
Is it wrong if you quote
yourself?
Illinois had the best reading
program! Superheroes, Powered by Books! Check out the
games. Too Cool. Wednesday August 3, 2005
On the upside its very cool to be able to pick up
random songs for 99 cents that just jump out you. I've picked up Rihanna's Pon de Replay
and Israel Kamakawiwo'ole's Somewhere Over The Rainbow just for kicks.
The downside? The different versions! Club Version I
understand, the time explains that much, but who is Cotto and why is his mix of
Pon de Replay better then the regular mix?
By the by, Veronica Mars? Great show.
This absolutely positively has nothing to do with the
post below. It absolutely does not. Got it?
In case anyone was wondering, when I went to the
Massachusetts Library Association conference 2 years ago I paid my own way but
got to use library time to do it. I didn't feel comfortable with that so the
following year, plus the NELA conference, plus ALA MidWinter in Boston were all
done on my dime and my time.
So in case anyone would like to accuse me of
misusing library resources should I win a seat on the Council let me be very clear.
Hotel? Me. Airfare? Me. Food? Me. Conference fees? Me. Bars? Not me, definitely
not me. Time? My time. Every time.
There's another letter out there but I can't print it
because it wasn't sent to me. It was sent to my employer... from Rosenzweig.
Sorry, just had to get that out of my system.
Am I going to stop posting emails? No. There needs to
be some accountability for what's being said. That hasn't changed. And a warning out
there to all the anon conservatives. I laugh but there's a definite chill in the air
when people start shooting for those around you and trying to muck with where you
work. So don't come out unless you're ready for the worst.
You know, you dream about them but you never believe
they're really
out there. [via LISNews]
Tuesday August 2, 2005
Well, after you've read the emails below you're
probably wondering what they are talking about. Here's a little history.
Rosy's frustration over the email bit and the snake
comment refer pretty recently, this past
Thursday in
fact. I posted one of his emails where he was harassing those who didn't vote his
way on the Sex Resolution (sexual harassment?). Why I called him a snake I haven't
explained yet but will before the week is out.
The whole SPECTRUM thing and why they call me a
racist I have in my About file under Mutt
Nation. The bit about attacking McCook's kids comes from this specific
post a
follow-up from this.
Enjoying all the links? No? Well in a bit of heat (not apologizing just saying) I
pointed out to McCook that her name (Kathleen De La Pena McCook) is a prime example
for why race is becoming meaningless. Apparently she took offense at that. Did I
attack her kids? No. I said her children were mixed and that's it. Btw I like Mutt
Nation and I stand by Mutt Nation. We're all mutts and if you're not then chances
are you're kids or grandkids will be.
The anti-gay bit, the recent post on the
Sex Resolution
pretty much covers that.
Anti-Jew? Got me.
Trying to get McCook fired. There's a stretch. Here's
the relevant post.
Do I think she deserves to teach? No I don't. She's a nut. Have I done anything
other then type that post? No. Haven't made any calls, emails, zip. Here's
what happened shortly
after that.
Bored? Me too. Things get real vicious with these
guys but usually only in spurts. Maybe they forget their meds, I don't know. Its
probably going to get nastier if I make any headway on running for Council. So
if you really want to see them blow-up -
spread the word!
Mark seemed to feel this was really important because he sent it
to me and to the SRRT list so I figured I'd better post it here to so everyone could share.
And just to round it out there's a reply from Kathleen McCook below it:
I'm going to tell you this ONCE.
You expressly do not -- I repeat -- do NOT have permission from me to
republish any of my postings to this list or any list on your asinine
blog, SHUSH, as you have done several times.
What you have published, I want removed immediately.
Do it again in one of your defamatory, smearing rants and I think you
will soon come to regret it. Quoting me is one thing, reprinting my
posts without permission is another. I hope you understand the
distinction.
Furthermore, posting libelous comments about me --like calling me a
"snake in the grass" (who the hell do you think you are?) among other
things -- while your 'right', is also something you should think
twice about doing as the untested, soft-bellied political fighter,
the armchair fascist you are, because THIS snake will bite your fat,
white, racist bigot's ass. (you, the person who repeatedly claims,
like some 'white power' Nazi freak that the ALA Spectrum Scholarships
'discriminate against white people').
And if you think you can harass people like Prof. Kathleen de la Pena
McCook as you have been doing regularly, trying , in effect to get
her 'fired' (as if you could!), if you think you can compile and
publish your neo-McCarthyite lists which are attempts to slur good
people's reputations, people who have actually accomplished something
in this profession unlike your mediocre , undistinguished and
ignorant self, and that there won't be any consequences for your own
reputation in doing so, you are sadly mistaken.
Finally, if you think you can crawl from beneath your rock directly
to the Council of the ALA, on the slime trail of a campaign of
sophomoric insults, for the sole stated purpose of "cleaning the
Augean stables" of Council as you fascistically declare (with not
Herculean but Mussolinian arrogance) it is you who will be sent to
the cleaner in the end. Trust me.
And don't even THINK about reprinting this post anywhere. You're
messing with the wrong guy.
MCR
--
Mark, he works in Billerica, MA--a town that is 95% white. From his redoubt of Christianity he hates Jews, Gays, Mexicans and has no problem in putting out public hate speech
against anyone who isn't an Aryan nation type. He probably has a shaved head,earring
and affects a WWF 'tude. He didn't belly up and serve in the military,
but he's a great patriot of the chickenhawk variety. Yes, he created
problems here when he called for my firing but I've been tenured a
long time and have strong annual evaluations. So, his little racist
sneak attacks failed. Because he targeted my children with his
hate...I have a difficult time thinking he is a rational person. What kind
of person would do that? [McCook] Sunday July 31, 2005
From an emailer:
I've been seeing your presence on the online library
world for quite some time. I am most likely your polar
opposite on most political and social beliefs.
However, I read your stuff about ALA and I agree with
you. I can't help but roll my eyes at most of the
shenanigans going on in the council with their
resolutions. I left the Progressive list because of so
much posturing and intense self-involvement, with no
actual action relating to libraries.
I have trouble with the whole "Alternative Literature"
concept because, in my mind, I think that alternative
literature is anything outside the mass produced
center, be it left wing OR right wing. It's not just
leftover socialist dogma. Even if I cant abide by someone just to make believe it never existed is wrong.
Isn't that what we dems accuse the republicans of?
If you shut your ears to what other people believe in,
you're never going to learn WHY they believe it.
I also got flack for leaving the public library world joining the corporate library world. Never mind the
company supports good things...it's not part of the
academic/public cadre and I got bounced by many of my
peers as selling out.
Yes, I want ALA to tackle actual librarian issues. I'd
rather have someone I know will fight for that and not
someone who crochets during the meeting and argues minutiae about Laura Bush getting a citation.
OK, enough ranting. I'm going back to my ultra-liberal
democrat life. Just know not everyone in my camp is
trying to shut you up.
I'm even going to sign your petition.
Regards,
Jack has a good
bit
on who's really looking forward and who isn't.
Myself, I'm for the digital world with reservations.
How we interact with digital text needs to be more 3 Dimensional. There's needs to
be a more tactile way of accessing a resource. Human memory can't feed off just a
screen full of lists and serious research requires more than Google hits no matter
how accurate. As much fun as we make of patrons who come in looking for a book they
had read based on what it looked like how many of us use the same technique as a
memory booster?
A fellow librarian from Colorado sent me
this column concerning the
anti-Patriot Act banner I
posted
about the other day. Apparently the writer isn't allowed to have his own
banner up there. Funny how that works. Funnier is that the ACLU agrees there's a
problem and they're the boneheads who supplied the banner.
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Here's a 
Long story short
there's not much I can say. Someone I admire very much asked me not to refer to
Rosenzweig as a snake in the grass or McCook as an ass (which I did in a recent email).
It was an honest request and I'm going to agree to it. I also said I'd try and be
a little less, well, a little less. We'll see how that goes but I have a feeling the
closer the election comes the uglier this will get.
