a website for the conservative librarian
|
Saturday June 17, 2006
I was notified about this in December and I'm late in getting to it but there
is a correction to my article on ALA and American Libraries on September 11, 2001 concerning
the October
issue which I thought hadn't said anything about 9/11 due to publishing schedules.
Thursday June 15, 2006
First Lady Laura Bush will be the keynote speaker at the American Association of
School Librarians' program School Libraries Work: Rebuilding for Learning a National Town Hall
Meeting, Monday June 26th at 2pm. I'm getting conflicting info on time. The site says 2pm but I have
a source for 12:30pm. I'm trying to get confirmation. Either way - Woohoo!!
If you're a fan of old PI flicks Frank Sinatra's Tony Rome is a fun 60's flashback.
Its not a great movie and it certainly has its un-PC moments but Frank makes a decent gumshoe and I'm already
down for the sequel, The Lady In Cement. Interesting write-up
here about the author of the original novels.
There's un-PC and then there's un-PC, and believe it or not The Muppet Show is un-PC.
But not so that you'd really care and frankly it just makes the show that much funnier. I just sent back
Season 1 Disc 1 and it was fantastic! So much fun! And such a mix of jokes, acts, music. My favorite
episode guest-starred Rita Moreno but they were all fun, though
Jim Nabors didn't do a whole lot. Rowlf the dog is favorite but the two old guys still steal the show.
Check it out, you won't be disappointed.
Freadom has been around for a while but
PBI Librarian is brand new.
This is why networking is great, there's always someone smarter who comes along
to offer some constructive input:
“ … works to make ALA more democratic and to establish progressive priorities ...” “Concern for
human and
economic rights …” “… recognize and help solve social problems and inequities … work for the common good
and bolster democracy.
Their use of language reminds me of Paul
Johnson's New Deuteronomy: ten pillars of our civilization.
In particular point number 8 concerning the dishonest use of language:
"When we are dealing with concepts like freedom and equality, it is essential to use words accurately and in
good faith. So the eighth commandment is: beware of those who seek to win an argument at the expense of the
language. For the fact that they do is proof positive that their argument is false, and proof presumptive
that they know it is. A man who deliberately inflicts violence on the language will almost certainly inflict
violence on human beings if he acquires the power. Those who treasure the meaning of words will treasure
truth, and those who bend words to their purposes are very likely in pursuit of anti-social ones. The
correct and honourable use of words is the first and natural credential of civilized status."
Are you familiar with this?
Another good read is George Orwell’s essay “Politics
and the English language” which addresses, among other things, the
tendency to meaningless words and vagueness.
Thanks for the tips!
People coming out to defend Pinder the fired director, Jessamyn,
Schneider, even
DailyKos!
(via Jessamyn).
I'm sure there are arguments to be made but what I get a kick out of is the defense
that she was Librarian of the Year for LJ and more or less had ALA's stamp of approval. Not doing her any favors
there folks.
Wednesday June 14, 2006
Someone emailed me about my Freud post saying they once had a blog but didn't
like having their name 'out there'. That's fair. But it is possible to get involved without making both
a public and daily spectacle of yourself, like the rest of us idiots.
Just a few off the top of my head. Suggestions welcome!
I hate for every single story to be conservative versus liberal but sometimes
its unavoidable. Our old friend McCook likes to post stories at LISNews and tack on that little
political knife twist. Here's one on the new Poet Laureate, comments by me of course.
I did manage to create a nonpolitical entry over at LISNews. Take a look,
its pretty fascinating - waterless
urinals. Library 2.0 perhaps?
Original comment here. The Director in question has been fired! I kinda wish
the trustees had stated the reasons more clearly. GCPLWatch did but that's not the same thing. This has
come up on LISNews and I've commented there. Here are
two
news stories, the first requires registration but
had this quote:
Emphasis mine.
Sunday June 11, 2006
Speaking of comics, I haven't done my list in a bit. Here's what I'll be
picking up this week:
sizable week
Not sure I'll like the 'feminist' slant but this site will hopefully
make a good follow-up to WiF. Comics
are discouragingly getting more and more liberal but the misogynist undertones have always been there and don't appear to be improving. I think
Liam at
The Onion pegged DC and its new lesbian Batwoman just right. Hat tip CaptComics for the links.
Jack Stephens of Conservator is on an extended vacation of an indefinite period
of time. He didn't want to get into it on his blog and he really didn't want me to mention it at all. But
being the consistent and illuminating blogger that he was he had his fans, some of whom have been emailing
me with the common question of "Where's Jack?" Its all good, he's just getting some fresh air after
wading through the sewer that is ALA for 2 years (my words not his). There's no saying whether he'll be
back but I wish him well and I'm sure you do too.
Fortunately the past few years of trench work that a handful of conservatives like
Jack have done has made way for more and more conservatives to start testing the waters.
Bunny at LibrariCon
is another new addition. Welcome aboard!
Unfortunately there seems to be something of a trend. There is already a group
of open and out-and-out
liberal nuts. The ones who push over the top resolutions and act in ways that are
detrimental to our profession in order to promote their own personal politics with a megaphone they wouldn't
have access to if they just stuck to their own political groups. Then there is a larger group of less open but
equally nutty liberals who talk a good game about the profession but when push comes to shove vote in lock step
with the more open ones. On our side there is a small, very small, group of open conservatives who speak out
against the unprofessional behavior of the nuts. Then there is a much larger group of conservatives who either
don't want to speak out or if they do its under a pseudonym.
Now speaking out under a different name is understandable considering I've
been attacked at my place of work for my views by some of the open liberal nuts. And there have been attempts
to out some of those conservatives speaking under a pseudonym. I'm not going to say there aren't risks. But the
fact is the more open conservatives there are the less the risk. And frankly considering there are close to
400,000 people who work in libraries and only 66,000 who are ALA members, of whom only 15,000 bothered to
vote in the last election, I believe we need to start trusting all the liberal and conservative librarians
who are out there that aren't letting their personal politics cloud their professional
judgment.
Whether ALA exists or not there are still legitimate library issues that are going
to get viewed through a political prism. The more open and consistent conservative voices that exist the
better libraries will look to the patrons we serve, the more progress will be made in defending those
issues. ALA is already a dysfunctional basket case in need of serious psychotherapy, we're not helping the
profession by adding another twist to the professional psyche, another body on the couch.
|
