Sunday, August 25, 2002
The Patriot Act is on my mind today. Can't believe the government so easily passed a measure that forces us booksellers to turn over customer records if the FBI appears in the store.
Here's a great page of info and free speech quotes on the American Library Association website.
Here is the exact bill from the Congress website (scroll to Sec. 215 for the part most related to bookstores). It does seem there are some checks in place to rein in FBI officials from abusing this power, but not if Ashcroft refuses to comply with the Congressional requests for information. And we need to change the gag order on talking about any search warrants. Booksellers should have the right to notify our customers, other bookstores, the press, and ABFFE if we're served a search warrant.
Here's the email I sent to Chris Finan at ABFFE:
Hi Chris,
I'm deeply concerned about the Patriot Act and the recent actions of Ashcroft and the Justice Dept. (aren't we all!).
Are booksellers joining together to form a stand against this? What if we put together a list of bookstores that will refuse to comply with turning over customer records if asked by the FBI or police? Any store can sign their name to the list. It'd be a great message to Ashcroft that just because the Act passed, doesn't mean the citizens agree with it. It'd also give us booksellers a network of support when the first store has to challenge FBI agents.
A co-worker said this would just bait the police to contact these stores, but I think it's the right message we independents can be sending to our communities and local governments. Our customers' information is off-limits and we will protect it.
I feel like we all just won this battle with the Tattered Cover case.
Jay
|
Go to Top of Page
Here's a great page of info and free speech quotes on the American Library Association website.
Here is the exact bill from the Congress website (scroll to Sec. 215 for the part most related to bookstores). It does seem there are some checks in place to rein in FBI officials from abusing this power, but not if Ashcroft refuses to comply with the Congressional requests for information. And we need to change the gag order on talking about any search warrants. Booksellers should have the right to notify our customers, other bookstores, the press, and ABFFE if we're served a search warrant.
Here's the email I sent to Chris Finan at ABFFE:
Hi Chris,
I'm deeply concerned about the Patriot Act and the recent actions of Ashcroft and the Justice Dept. (aren't we all!).
Are booksellers joining together to form a stand against this? What if we put together a list of bookstores that will refuse to comply with turning over customer records if asked by the FBI or police? Any store can sign their name to the list. It'd be a great message to Ashcroft that just because the Act passed, doesn't mean the citizens agree with it. It'd also give us booksellers a network of support when the first store has to challenge FBI agents.
A co-worker said this would just bait the police to contact these stores, but I think it's the right message we independents can be sending to our communities and local governments. Our customers' information is off-limits and we will protect it.
I feel like we all just won this battle with the Tattered Cover case.
Jay
