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My Letter to Borders Books - and Western Standard ORIGINAL OPINION
I'm a little late in doing this, but I've been swamped and just now got the chance.This is the letter I sent to Borders Books today: Mr. Greg Josefowiczm Chief Executive Officer Borders Group, Inc. 100 Phoenix Drive Ann Arbor, MI 48108 Dear Mr. Josefowiczm: As you can see by the enclosed letter, I have sent the money I would have spent at Borders to the Western Standard to assist them in their defense of free speech. I find your decision not to carry the issue of Free Inquiry magazine which featured cartoons depicting Mohammad to be cowardly and short-sighted. Anyone can stand up for free speech when no one else objects; what counts is what we do when the going gets rough. By giving in to threats, you have shown your true character. You have also informed any and all individuals or groups who object to some book or magazine you sell in your store how they may have it removed. Since almost every book is objectionable to someone, soon you will have nothing to sell. As a bookseller, Borders should stand up for liberty and free speech; instead, you have chosen the shame and slavery of self-censorship. To slightly misquote one of our Founding Fathers, Samuel Adams: If you love wealth greater than liberty, and the tranquility of servitude greater than the animating contest for freedom, go from us in peace. We seek not your counsel. Crouch down and lick the hand that threatens you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen. This is the letter I sent to Western Standard today: Western Standard Legal Defence Fund Western Standard 205-1550 5th Street SW Calgary, Alberta Canada T2R 1K3 Gentlemen: As you can see by the enclosed letter and check, I am sending you the money I would have spent at Borders Books for use in your defense of free speech. Thank you for standing up for the freedom our U.S. Constitution guarantees us in its First Amendment. As an American, I am ashamed (but unfortunately not surprised) that Canadians and Danes are more interested in the defense of free speech than our own media, and that you seem to understand better than our media that freedom of speech includes freedom to offend. The antidote to speech that offends people is not censorship but more speech (by those offended) to counter that speech they find offensive. The check is in U.S. dollars, which I presume will be acceptable. If a foreign check presents a problem, please let me know the best way to contribute. Borders will never see me or my money again. Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2006-04-05 |
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