Requesting Help from Librarian ALA Members (Vanity)

Vanity | 6-29-03 | radical librarian

[radical librarian]

As a graduate student in library science, I am constantly encouraged to join the America Library Association (ALA). Although the ALA is SUPPOSEDLY designed to help librarians network and to provide new sources of information, it is in actuality anything but.

At the ALA's conference in Toronto this past week, guest speakers included Ralph Nader, Gloria Steinem, and Naomi Klein. While I disagree with everything these speakers stand for, I support their right to free speech. However, I do not support their right to speak at a convention designed for librarians.

The current governing body of ALA consists of nothing more than socialists, communists, and diversity obsessed misfits. I am not familiar with how ALA conducts their elections (I have yet to join, considering I don't want my membership dues going to support people like those at the last convention), but there has to be some flaw in the system. One of the current governing board members is a registered member of the communist party, and denies that Cuba is a dictatorship (there have been several articles printed in mainstream papers and on FreeRepublic recently in response to the ALA's decision to invite representatives from Cuba's government owned library system, while the ALA continues to refuse to support independent librarians that have been jailed under Castro's regime).

Friday, in an email from a law librarian listserv I belong to, a message arrived denouncing the current radical regime in charge of the ALA. Since it appears others are finally getting tired of the ALA's nonsense, I am trying to locate other librarians that have information on the ALA election process, and to see if anyone has any information on organized efforts to install new leadership at the next election.

Just as I wouldn't expect liberal ALA members to sit and pay to listen to conference speakers such as Rush Limbaugh, Thomas Sowell, and Michael Savage, I don't expect to have to listen to anti-globalization nuts, eco-weenies, and femi-nazis. Hopefully, I will find some people on the law librarian listserv who wish to install better leadership at the next ALA election as well. I would greatly appreciate it if anyone who has information on this subject would contact me. Thank you.

[LanPB01]

Just got another response on the listserv as to my inquiry about opposing the ALA governing body. It's so cryptic that I'm not even sure what he's talking about:
________________________

Being of an inquisitive nature, I can't help wondering what Mr.
Rosenzweig's position on other controversial topics, such as, Oh...,
the
Patriot Act might be? And could his other opinions be influencing
these
"Questions"?


N. W.
Who lives in Berkeley, CA,
and knows just how ideologically hidebound,
and therefore ineffectual, "Communists" can be.....
____________________
Rosenzweig is the guy on the ALA council that is actually a registered member of the communist party, and does work for some Marxist organization.

[ahmedtousay1]

Well, I am one of them card carrying members of ALA and just as you are upset at the likes of Ralph Nader addressing the convention this year, I felt the same way last year when we paid $70,000 for Colin Powell to speak. The money is better served by paying a smart progressive librarian with excellent public speaking skills who can inspire professionals and support staff to promote their services in this wonderful and diverse country we live in.

Eldar Pompov

Topeka, KS

[LanPB01]

I don't ever want to see an ALA speaker with the term "progressive" anywhere near their name, since that seems to be ALA code for "liberal idiot." However, I agree with the Colin Powell sentiments. I don't want to see ALA funds go to any speaker that has nothing to do with libraries.

[radical librarian]

I'd like to see librarian speakers that talk about and promote library service as well. This is a wonderful country, but you'd never know it based on the kind of speakers ALA offered this year.

[ahmedtousay1]

You certainly seem to have a problem with understanding the word progressive.

I suggest you go over to m-w.com and look up the definition.

Eldar in Topeka

[LanPB01]

I guess you've never heard the term "progressive" thrown around in such a fashion by the ALA and liberals. Right.

[ahmedtousay1]

Well, yes, especially when applied to the idea of or constituting a political party associated with ideals of the individual especially economic freedom, greater individual participation in government, and constitutional, political, and administrative reforms designed to secure these objectives. You can only yell names and support authority, something I have worked against for many years now.

Eldar in Topeka

[LanPB01]

Except that the ALA and other likeminded liberals idea of "progressive" is anything but questioning authority. Their whole idea of "progressive" include schemes to further soak the productive members of society as to benefit the bottom dwellers and bums. Further, their plans for "progress" are anything but progressive, since they hinge on the idea of simply taking from the rich; it's the thought process of a five year old. They've "regressed."

[ahmedtousay1]

You are seriously misinformed and probably have not used a library in some time. There is not a day that goes by that we changes lives for the better and inspire individuals to go out and produce in the world. Granted, there is a homeless problem at public libraries, and I wish there was a better place for them to hang, but we're working on that too.

Cordially,

Eldar in Topeka

[LanPB01]

Sir, I don't know why you suddenly chose today to start posting, nor do I know why you chose to post on FreeRepublic. But if you support the current leadership of the ALA, you should consider registering at DU; you'll fit in better over there.

[Salem]

"Check out this dandy of a response..."

Yep, typical leftist counter-attack drivel. You can be certain if a Conservative was "running for offices in ALA or other library associations" everyone would know about it. They aggressively accuse you of "red-baiting" and allude to "attitudes" of "Stalinist regimes" to impose unfair or "paranoid" motives on your part and put you in a bad light.

Diversions and smokescreens and abusive argumentum ad hominem. Like I said, these people fight to win and use whatever tactics of coercion and intimidation they can.

[Salem]

"It's so cryptic that I'm not even sure what he's talking about: "

He's a nut who probably thinks you are some sort of Federal mole whose out fishing for something. I've run into this before, too. These one's are fun to mess with their minds. :-D

[ahmedtousay1]

Simple. Preaching to the choir is not my style. And the point of posting here is to shed a little light on how intolerant most of you are. Not once have I resorted to name calling and I am not about to now. The new president of ALA Carla Hayden, has had an outstanding career as a public servant. Go ahead and get mad and ban me, that's the style here, right?

Eldar in Topeka

[LanPB01]

The best part about her "only a Stalinist would care about such a thing" is that what she's saying, in essence, is that only a Stalinist would try to stop . . . a Stalinist. At least, that's how I read it. These people strive to be so "inclusive" and "diverse" that they have forgotten the point of the ALA is to promote intellectual freedom. By definition, a communist is not going to do this. But hey, only a Stalinist like myself would attempt to stop someone like that from being elected.

This afternoon, one last message appeared on the law-lib listserv. It was from the head of the organization fighting to help the independent Cuban librarians. He provided a link to his site, which addresses and summarizes some of the nonsense excuses the ALA has given in their refusal to support his cause.

www.friendsofcubanlibraries.org

[LanPB01]

Carla Hayden is the typical left-wing extremist the ALA love to put in office. Her main goal in office? Some nonsense about "equality" of access to information, because as we all know, the white devil has spent years attempting to keep oppressed minorities from having equal access to information and technology.

[LanPB01]

I have seen no intolerance on this thread, and there has especially been no intolerance on the level the ALA continues to show towards conservative values. Power to the people, right, comrade?

[Knitebane]

Simple. Preaching to the choir is not my style. And the point of posting here is to shed a little light on how intolerant most of you are.

First we play the "intolerance" card. How cute and how typical. Poor, sad little socialist, didn't your July copy of Stalin's Talking Points arrive?

Not once have I resorted to name calling and I am not about to now.

Except calling us intolerant. Isn't that supposed to be a nasty thing to call people to you leftists?

The new president of ALA Carla Hayden, has had an outstanding career as a public servant.

I love dissecting the weasel word "public servant." I suppose you mean that by taking the government dime, this person is somehow superior to us serfs. Never mind that those of us who aren't "public servants" build the roads, grow the food, make the electricity and build the products that serve the public.

Go ahead and get mad and ban me, that's the style here, right?

No, that's the leftist style, common to DU, the old Soviet Polituburo and Demoncratic national conventions.

Around here, you generally only get banned for doing those things that are specifically listed on the posting page. Profanity, personal attacks, racism and violent posts will get you banned.

The moderators like leaving the socialists for us to rip to shreds with our nasty, evil weapons, logic and truth.

[radical librarian]

Do you agree with the many excuses the ALA has provided as to why they don't support the independent Cuban librarians?

[LanPB01]

It's just like Ann Coulter said. The reason liberals constantly fail on radio is the weakness of their ideas. On TV, they can spout their nonsense, then show 28 minutes of puppies and kittens. When they have to defend their positions in debate (such as a live call-in show), any trucker with a cell phone can rip apart their arguments.

Hopefully, this newly minted poster (how can someone be a member since 1991, yet have no post history till today?) will hang around and provide some insight into his positions. Perhaps he's just misinformed.

[ahmedtousay1]

Where and when did Ms. Hayden refer to a 'white devil'? I thought he was red, but being political correct, I do not want to offend American Indians.

And what is wrong with equity of access?

Eldar in Topeka