Fiction and Fact about the “Independent Librarians” of Cuba: ONCE AGAIN Prepared by Ann Sparanese, MLS ALA Councilor August 6, 2006 THE ISSUE: A version of this paper was prepared for the June 2006 ALA Annual conference. At that time the ALA Council was being pressured by a group of anti-Cuba activists, led by Robert … Read more Fiction and Fact about the “Independent Librarians” of Cuba: ONCE AGAIN
Very impressive piece of work by Mother Jones Magazine – a continually growing database/timeline documenting the lies that led up to the current war in Iraq. The creators of this database cast a wide net, including not only George W. Bush and Dick Cheney, whose lies were gross and direct, but also Hans Blix and … Read more Lie by Lie – the Bush War Timeline
This may be old news to some, but it hasn’t gotten a lot of play. At IFLA, the Lithuanian and Latvian delegations were planning to present a resolution condemning Cuba for imprisoning dissident “independent librarians.” Robert Kent & Co. floated news of this in advance and pressured ALA Council to instruct ALA’s IFLA delegate to … Read more Lithuanian librarians apologize for being duped by Robert Kent over Cuba
The Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication passed a resolution against the Bush Administration’s anti-press policies yesterday in San Francisco, at it’s annual conference. The resolution says, “The relationship between the presidency and press has always been uneasy. This tension is both unavoidable and generally salutary: When each side conducts its duties with … Read more AEJMC anti-Bush resolution
Here is a bit of depressing but not surprising news. Kathleen de la Peña McCook was thrown off of the Higher Education Service Learning discussion list for addressing a bit of Bush administration disinformation. Dr. McCook is not some unhinged anarchist who goes around trying to stir up trouble on discussion lists. She is a … Read more Kathleen McCook thrown off HE-SL discussion list for addressing disinformation
Free Exchange on Campus, a coalition of academic and public interest groups formed in response to David Horowitz’s “Academic Bill of Rights” initiative campaign, has just released a major report refuting Horowitz’s book, The Professors: The 101 Most Dangerous Academics in America. The coalition’s researchers introduce the report… After conducting interviews with the professors in … Read more “Facts Count”: Examination of David Horowitz’s Dangerous Academics book
Here’s a good article about the Bush administration’s habit of picking and choosing what science by gov’t agencies gets published and what doesn’t, according to its political litmus test. The Bush administration and its supporters are the biggest users of the word FREEDOM, pounding fists on tables when they say it and saying it loud, … Read more Bush & Co. Censorship of Science It Doesn’t Like
I always loved doing that “quote for the week” and I miss it. Here’s a link to a nice collection of politically-related quotations. A lot of them relate to media and culture, but aside from that they’re rather far-afield. I am hereby giving myself, and by extension, you, my readers, permission to indulge in non-library … Read more Non-library quotations
Glenn Greenwald, in “A ‘Pulitzer Prize for Treason,’” talks about the Bush Administration’s attempts to weaken investigative reporting through “criminalizing its basic functions.” Their interest is in maintaining a high level of secrecy and controlling public perceptions – hiding the truth. Greenwald talks about how their public spin on these efforts makes cynical use of … Read more Glenn Greenwald on Bush Administration Attacks on the Free Press
This juxtoposition is not intended to make a specific point; you can draw your own conclusions: This year’s Pulitzer Prize winners for Journalism. Project Censored’s picks for the top 25 “censored” news stories from last year.
Two articles worth reading from issue 25, the second to most recent issue of Progressive Librarian: “Tabloid Ethics, News Reporting On the Iraq War & the Simulacrum of Objectivity,” by Frank Louis Rusciano “Information Criticism: Where is it?,” by Jack Andersen
From the March/April 2006 edition of FAIR‘s Extra!, “Fear & Favor 2005?¢‚Ǩ‚ÄùFAIR’s Sixth Annual Report” gives an informative run-down on how the news media was compromised by money last year. Important reading for an understanding of the latest developments in media monopoly and for getting a good reminder of how our “free press” is constrained … Read more Fear & Favor 2005?¢‚Ǩ‚ÄùFAIR’s Sixth Annual Report
Resolution Condemning the Actions of President George W. Bush and Calling for Impeachment Proceedings WHEREAS, democracy is a core value that defines, informs, and guides our professional practice; WHEREAS, the American Library Association affirms the responsibility of the political leaders of the United States to protect and preserve the freedoms that are the foundation of … Read more PLG calls for Bush’s impeachment
Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting, the tireless media watchdog organization, celebrated its 20th birthday in the last issue of Extra!, their bimonthly magazine of media criticism, in an article by Robert McChesney that shows his great appreciation for their work. FAIR and their magazine have given me some of my strongest inspirations as a librarian … Read more FAIR is 20