ALA Censors Anthony Lewis

I just received a press release from the Indiana Library Federation entitled "ALA Censoring Guest Speaker, Critics Say." Critics are charging that ALA is censoring the comments made by Anthony Lewis at the January conference in Philadelphia. He was a distinguished guest speaker at the event. An important part of his speech was his call for the ALA to defend members of an independent library movement who are imprisoned in Cuba. According the the press release, "In a challenge to government control of information, since 1998 volunteers in Cuba have opened more than 200 libraries offering public access to uncensored books. Following secret police raids and one-day trials, several of the librarians are serving 20-year jail terms. Cuban courts have ordered the burning of book collections seized from the independent libraries."

Anthony Lewis spoke to the audience "I just urge you to not take that lightly. I think there can't be anything worse than putting librarians in prison because of their being librarians and giving people books to read."

Human rights organizations Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and International PEN are demanding the release of the librarians. However, ALA has refused to condemn the repression of librarians in Cuba or the book burning. Since the conference ended, no ALA publication has mentioned Anthony Lewis's speech on the issue even though two ALA journalist were present at the talk. Searching ALA Direct will only link you to articles that are over two years old on the subject.

Robert Kent, a spokesperson for the Friends of Cuban Libraries, states, "It is sadly ironic that zealots within the ALA, an organization which upholds opposition to censorship as its highest ideal, are suppressing comments made by Anthony Lewis at, of all places, an ALA conference. Sadder still, many rank-and file ALA members are completely oblivious to this travesty of justice and the need to restore the ALA's damaged honor and integrity.

I had not heard of this controversy at all until earlier this week when my email was bombarded with these press releases. I am appalled that ALA would not only censor Mr. Lewis's comments but ignore the situation in Cuba altogether. We have been learning in this class the importance of Intellectual Freedom and the good work that ALA does in promoting it. Then I read something like this! Jailed Librarians!!! ALA ignores it?? No record of Lewis's speech made public??? It seems to me that ALA is indeed censoring and this should indeed call in to question the ideals and ethics of the organization. If the public can question the motives and opinions of the ALA, can't librarians do the same??