Doug Henwood Talks

[The books are by Joel Rosenberg: The Last Jihad and The Ezekiel
Option. Rosenberg is a former Orthodox Jew turned fundie right-wing
Christian.]

http://janellen.blogspot.com/2007/01/libraries-are-dangerous-places.html

Libraries are dangerous places

Even in rural Montana.

I stopped into the friendly little library in Joliet over lunch
today. I often do on Tuesdays, when I’m there.

“Friendly” and “little” are accurate descriptions. It’s a smallish
room in the community center, only open on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and
(most) Saturday mornings. It is staffed by Larrie– a lovely woman
with short curly hair and a gentle smile, retired from her former
life and now serving as a part-time librarian. I like chatting with
her; she’s a cheerful, interested and practical sort of woman.

She is also apparently a risk to national security.

I learned today that she had recently submitted a request for a
patron, ordering books from the large library in Billings. Being a
tiny library, this is routine; she does this every week– for folks
who want to read items that aren’t available, or maybe for kids who
need something for a school report. She submits the order, the books
come back, everyone is happy.

Not this time.

This time, she received these books; but they came with a letter
informing her that because she had ordered them, she had been placed
on a “Watch List.” Pursuant to recent policy, with due respect for
concerns with the requirements of the Patriot Act, she will have to
appear in person in Billings before she will be permitted to order
any more books.

No, I am not making this up.

Incidentally, the dust jacket lists glowing reviews from Oliver
North, G. Gordon Liddy and Rush Limbaugh. Wonder if they’re on the
Watch List, too.

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