When I think about the basic truths of intellectual freedom, one of this biggest aspects to me is the ability to express your concerns but also be aware of other’s around you. Much is the case with internet filtering, banned books and the freedom to read. So I started thinking about stories I had read this week about others making themselves bigger than the cause they are fighting for. This all came to my mind when reading about PABBIS from our class material this week. PABBIS seems to make themselves bigger than the cause they are fighting, which in my mind, takes credibility away from their efforts.
This past week, Vanessa Bryant, wife of Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant and part Hispanic, was seen sitting right behind the team’s bench during a playoff game wearing a shirt that read “Do I look illegal?” to protest the new Arizona immigration law requiring proper identification for all residents. It was a big story because Kobe’s coach Phil Jackson refused to comment when asked about what he thought about the new law while the team is playing the Phoenix Suns in the playoffs. I thought it was an odd time to be protesting while her husband is busy playing for the Lakers, who pay him quite well, and Mrs. Bryant is busy making a political statement right in the middle of the game. Was it more about attention to the issue or attention for herself?
While I am in no way objecting to her right to protest, I do wonder about the stage she chose. You can read a brief piece about it here.
The part that really struck me was the fact that just a few months ago Mrs. Bryant was sued in a legal battle, which is still ongoing, with a Hispanic maid the family employed due to Mrs. Bryant’s mistreatment of her.
http://articles.latimes.com/2009/mar/26/local/me-kobe-housekeeper26
http://articles.latimes.com/2009/mar/26/local/me-kobe-housekeeper26
So my thought is, much like with PABBIS, how as librarians do we handle patrons who are more interested in making a name for themselves by questioning a book or a library practice, rather than the true objection to the material? What happens when the protest goes over your head as the librarian to say the newspaper as a letter to the editor where it becomes publicized before you even have a chance to respond? It is in cases like these I am very thankful that ALA has set forth guidelines to help aid librarians and library boards when it comes to making difficult decisions on materials and other objected issues.
Celebrities frequently use their popularity to bring attention to a particular cause they feel passionately about; why is this any different? The fact that Vanessa Bryant tends to stay in the background must mean she feels this is a particularly important topic (and I can't say I blame her), and she has the same right to express her opinion about it that everyone else living in this country does; I do not believe this was a case of "making a name for herself."
ReplyDeleteAs librarians, when we face individuals or organizations actually looking to make names for themselves over material reconsiderations, we treat them the same way we do every reconsideration--by explicitly detailed policy, with logic, and as objectively (and tactfully) as possible. Just because they get more press involved does not mean the process of reconsideration is any different.
~Lynn
Christine,
ReplyDeleteYou bring up an excellent point! The recent censorship attempt in Franklin Township is a great example. A school board member tried to have a book removed from an AP English class. While he may truly object to the book, many people feel that he did it more to get his name "out there" for political/business reasons. I was surprised that he even knew about the book because none of his children were in the class. He also did not follow the reconsideration procedure so it seemed like he just wanted to make a lot of noise.
If someone wishes to make a political spectacle over a book that the library has, this has no bearing on us. We should not allow this person to drag us into the mud with him, because that is his goal. We should apply the principles of intellectual freedom to the situation, and that is it.
ReplyDeleteChristine,
ReplyDeleteYou brought up some thought provoking points. I think often with book challenges and protests, people are more concerned with getting publicity or trying to make a political point. It is so important to have regulations in place and to handle the situation strictly according to those guidelines.
I kind of wondered if Vanessa was just jumping on the celebrity bandwagon also. If she is really so concerned about the issues in Arizona, maybe she could do something more than wearing a t-shirt to a basketball game.
Leah