The Risk of Democracy
September 7, 2008

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

With Banned Books Week coming up at the end of this month, I have been thinking a lot about what I am going to say in this letter during that week. So it was of particular interest to me when Sarah Palin, vice-presidential nominee, was revealed as having asked the city’s head librarian about censorship when she was mayor of Wasilla, AK.

There are a lot of versions going around the Internet so I went back to the original story, which was published in the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman on December 18, 1996. (Because of the interest in the story, they put it online on 9/5/08.) According to the paper:

Library Director Mary Ellen Emmons last week said Palin broached the subject with her on two occasions in October - once Palin was elected mayor Oct. 1 but before she took office on Oct. 14, and again in more detail on Monday, Oct. 28. . . .

Emmons said in the first conversation, before being sworn in as mayor, Palin briefly touched on the subject of censorship.

But on Monday, Oct. 28, Emmons said Palin asked her outright if she could live with censorship of library books. This was during a week when Palin was requesting resignations from all the city's department heads as a way of expressing loyalty.

“This is different than a normal book-selection procedure or a book-challenge policy,” Emmons stressed Saturday. “She was asking me how I would deal with her saying a book can’t be in the library.”

A few months later, Ms. Emmons received a letter from Palin telling her she was going to be fired. No censorship was mentioned; rather it apparently stemmed from the fact that Palin felt Emmons didn’t fully support her. The firing never took place, but not because of a change on Palin’s part. Though Palin has said that she considered the questions she asked Emmons rhetorical, the very fact that she asked them has disturbed a lot of people.

This country is not now nor ever has been a true democracy. The realities of governance often don’t fit the ideals. It’s just a fact. But trying to live up to those ideals as expressed in the Constitution and Bill of Rights is what a right and proper government should do. And it’s what an informed and committed citizenry should demand.

The First Amendment (quoted above) means that however much we disagree with someone else’s ideas, thoughts, writings, and speeches that we will nevertheless uphold their right to express them. Freedom of speech is the freedom to speak freely without censorship or limitation. (In practice, the right is commonly subject to restrictions such as not being allowed to shout “Fire!” in a crowded theatre or to libel another, but such restrictions are very limited.) A democracy simply cannot exist without the freedom of speech. So when the issue of Palin’s inquiry a dozen years ago came up I found myself doing a lot of thinking, not about my political leanings, but about the real danger that she might be in a position to attempt to alter the foundations of democracy.

It’s a process that has been ongoing for a while, the nibbles of “security regulations” and the Patriot Act tearing up bit by bit the freedoms upon which this country was founded. I find it very disturbing. And I find truly scary the fact that someone who could possibly end up as the leader of a “free” nation would support the undermining of its foundations.

This is not about forcing anyone to read or listen to what she does not want to read or hear. It is about facing and defending the rights we all have to read what we wish, to have our libraries reflect not ourselves—that’s what private libraries are for—but our communities. It’s about hosting points of view, perspectives, ideas, arguments, thoughts, opinions, stories that allow for independent, thoughtful minds. For how can we expect to operate a democracy, however flawed, when there are points of views that we cannot express?

We can’t, of course.

Upcoming Book Festivals:
For those who live or will be visiting North Carolina, the Bookmarks Book Festival will be taking place on Saturday, September 13 in Winston-Salem. Their festival of books is a one-day street festival that will have quite a few authors of nonfiction, fiction, chefs/cookbooks, special workshops for writers, a young readers corral, and teen/YA activities and authors, and plenty of vendors to keep all booklovers happy.

On Sunday, September 14, New York hosts the Brooklyn Book Festival, a relatively new but excellent event. This full-day event offers numerous readings and panels, both indoor and outdoors, a children’s area, young writers’ pavilion, and more than 100 exhibitors with thousands of books, and a gala VIP event that evening.

Of Interest:
Words Without Borders has a couple of important volunteer opportunities for those who love the written word. First, they are seeking a book editor to “assign and edit two to three book reviews per month.” If you are interested, send your CV, clips and three suggestions for current review possibilities to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Second, they are also looking for regional editors who can keep them apprised of “current literary trends and new writers around the world. They seek academics, students, cultural journalists, and other specialists, here and abroad” to advise them on expanding their coverage. You must have on-the-ground experience, a sound overview of the work coming out of your region, and a passion for local literature. To apply, send your CV, a list of your areas of expertise and favorite authors, and three suggestions for writers to pursue to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

This Week . . .
Well, it’s more than a week that is Library Card Sign-Up Month. If you are a parent this is the time of year when your library is encouraging you to sign your child up for her or his own card. It’s free to local residents, and most of the time books can be taken out almost immediately. With the price of books rising, this is the best investment you can make in your child’s future. Studies have repeatedly shown that children who read at home and use the library are more likely to be successful students and readers. And what can be more fun to a young child than to wander into the library and know that all those books are free? It’s the ultimate gift. 

Until next week, read well, read often and read on!

Lauren