Librarians to the rescue! A brief history of heroic bibliophiles

Whether they’re saving books from censorship, or sheltering their community from danger, there’s nothing new about librarians choosing actions alongside words

Only at Oxford could musty tomes about phallic worship be regarded as a genuine target for onanistic students. With the ( Read more... )

Julian Assange Issues Statement On The US Election Day

We make the most delicious sausage on the planet, so you don't even have to watch.  Yes, it's a harrowing process, with an inch of love, a spoonful of elbow greace, and a gram of cocaine, but no animals are harmed except for me.  Many of these are articles which are spinoffs from other posts, which don't really fit anywhere else.  That is true of ( Read more... )

Amy Goodman is a progressive American treasure.  Her radio news hour, Democracy Now!, has been very influential on the left, and on issues relevant to all sides.  The show, which I respect but find boring, is syndicated by Pacifica Radio, to community radio stations, etc.  Pacifica is interesting to read about, but it is not as strong as it once ( Read more... )

The 15th Amendment: All people are born equal: black or white, X or Y chromosome, straight or gay -  or having a brain born transsexual - or other ( Read more... )

JFK's address before the American Newspaper Publishers Association on April 27, 1961, on secret societies and freedom of the press:

( Ladies and gentlemen. The very word “secrecy” is repugnant in a free and open society. And we are as a people, inherently and historically, opposed to secret societies, to secret oaths, and to secret proceedings. We decided long ago, that the dangers of excessive and unwarranted concealment of pertinent facts far outweigh the dangers which are are cited to justify it. )