Obama's stand against Patriot Act cheered (by librarians)

Bakersfield Californian ^ | 6/25/05 | Carla K. Johnson - AP

[NormsRevenge]

CHICAGO (AP) - To the cheers of thousands of librarians, U.S. Sen. Barack Obama on Saturday called for the Senate to rewrite the USA Patriot Act to prevent investigators from scanning library records and bookstore sales slips.

Libraries should be "sanctuaries of learning where we are free to read and consider what we please without the fear that 'Big Brother' may be peering over our shoulder," Obama said in the keynote address at the American Library Association's annual conference.

Last week, despite a White House veto threat, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to restrict investigators from using the anti-terrorism law in libraries and book stores. Obama said he hopes the Senate follows suit.

"I hope we can pass a provision, just like the one that the House of Representatives passed overwhelmingly, that would require federal agents to get search warrants from a real judge in a real court, just like everyone else does," Obama said.

The conference, which runs in Chicago through Wednesday, drew more than 13,000 attendees, some of whom will discuss strategies for amending the Patriot Act, which was passed by Congress in the days following Sept. 11, 2001.

One attendee, Merryll Penson, executive director for library services for the University System of Georgia, said librarians "are not people who want to help terrorists," but want to see reading lists protected from automatic surveillance.

"For a lot of librarians, it's the principle," she said.

[alancarp]

And after the cheering finished, they all went "SSHHHHH!" to one another. The convention thus continued. Quietly.

[NormsRevenge]

U.S. librarians say they have been asked at least 268 times since 2001 to give law officers data about readers, despite repeated Justice Department denials that it is interested in patrons' reading habits. A survey released this week by the American Library Association found the inquiries from law enforcement came formally and informally -- that is, without a formal legal order -- to public and academic libraries. That is despite laws in 48 states and prevailing opinion in the other two that library information is private. A woman stands among the bookshelves in the main reading room of The New York Public Library, December 14, 2004. Photo by Mike Segar/Reuters

[river rat]

The leftist bastards want me to register firearms, and use serialized cartridges --- but they don't want their reading material reviewed?

Oh the hipocricy!

Semper Fi

[river rat]

hipocricy = hypocrisy

Sorry about that..

Semper Fi

[Paleo Conservative]

Libraries should be "sanctuaries of learning where we are free to read and consider what we please without the fear that 'Big Brother' may be peering over our shoulder," Obama said in the keynote address at the American Library Association's annual conference.

I thought they were santuaries for homeless people who are strangers to soap.

[andie74]

LOL -- The best laugh I have had all night!!!

WINNER!!!

[Doctor Stochastic]

The leftist bastards want me to register firearms, and use serialized cartridges --- but they don't want their reading material reviewed?

Are you implying that you can't read? It's your reading material that's of interest, not the leftist's. The Clarence Thomas hearings are the model for the use of library information.

[alancarp]

268 in 42 months --- about 6-1/2 requests every month nationwide, over ALL library patrons. Boy, I'm real glad that they're protesting this egregious violation of civil rights! Obviously, the public ought to fear the libraries.

After all, the librarians have also opted to defend the right of pedophiles and anybody else wandering in to have free access to smut over their internet terminal, too.

[Tacis]

I've never understood this issue. What useful information can there possibly be in what the library knows about my reading choices? We have a good local library but they don't have a single book that I can charge out that would cause any one any concern. I can read and copy from (only ten cents a copy) any book in the library and not leave a paper trail.

Large academic libraries might have theses and dissertations but, again, they won't circulate but can be read or copied (paper trail?).

No, the interesting stuff isn't available, Hillie master's thesis and Traitor John's military records, the Congressional Record prior to 1984 or the New York Times online prior to 2001. No, there is more interesting stuff on Cryptome than in my library!

[HiTech RedNeck]

Osama? What would you expect?

Oh. Obama.

[alancarp]

The only thing I can figure is if somebody is looking into building histories, blueprints, photos, layouts and infrastructure-like things that could lead someone to help in planning a terrorist act. That kind of public-records stuff might be more readily available in a library than on the internet.

[DB]

Most libraries have Internet terminals so people can access the Web that otherwise couldn't.

So terrorists can use these terminals for terrorist communications without fear of being monitored. It isn't a trivial thing really.

[goodnesswins]

Aren't there bomb making books in most libraries.....me thinks that's what they'd be reviewing....especially, if it's some Islamic under surveillance.....

[DB]

Internet access.

[California Patriot]

Yet another example of a liberal interest group placing its ideology and groupthink ahead of the public welfare. In this case our lives.

[blackbart.223]

"The leftist bastards want me to register firearms, and use serialized cartridges --- but they don't want their reading material reviewed?"

Let's take this a bit further. If The IRS wants to pounce on you The Constitution is tossed out the window. But God forbid someone looks cross eyed at a Koran.

[blackbart.223]

"The leftist bastards want me to register firearms, and use serialized cartridges --- but they don't want their reading material reviewed?"

Let's take this a bit further. If The IRS wants to pounce on you The Constitution is tossed out the window. But God forbid someone looks cross eyed at a Koran.

[al_again]

lol - hard to find people with a sense of humor around here anymore!

[al_again]

You need to look at how individual liberties are continually eroded in European countries. Priest being fined for preaching from the bible, etc...

It starts when the masses willingly give away their freedom. Think how the left could use this and then tell me it is a good idea. The patriot act is being used against strip joints in Vegas - hardly the intended target... In a short period of time - it will be used against everyday citizens. The police will use comments such as 'we need to use every tool available to us'.

Don't give up your freedom so easily - it's very hard to get back!