My first small step...

[Tesibria]

Yes – I’m still pissed. And – so this is my first small step. I’m starting with the library in my small hometown where I grew up.

They are woefully underfunded and just sent out a plea for money to stay open last week. So I called them yesterday and (completely unashamedly) told them that I’d cover the basic expenses to enable them to stay open IF I get a written commitment that they will not censor any book based on political or religious views. They’re so desperate, they said yes. So – today, I subscribed them to The New Republic, The New Yorker, The Nation, The Atlantic Monthly and Harpers Magazine. I also sent a box of PROGRESSIVE nonfiction/political books from my own shelves. (And – now I’m doing selling T-Shirts, etc. at www.cafepress.com/tesibria to help cover the cost of the commitments I just made.

AND – I put my mom on monitoring duty – she’s going to go in once a week and make SURE that the magazines are available to patrons/not hidden. She’s gonna make sure they are on the shelves or loaned out. (My crazy-evangelical yet-somehow-wonderful mother is about the only Democrat/only person in the precinct of 700 people who voted for Kerry. And I LOVE her for it.)

I know that it’s – such an incredibly small step – but I HAVE to do something NOW. So – this is what I’m doing. The only hope for the kids – and adults – in these towns – indeed **OUR** only hope – lies in getting the light of the “outside world” into those dark, isolated, narrow places. I’m gonna try to do something about it. I see no other way at the moment. To borrow a childhood church song … “This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine. … “ They’re not gonna know what hit them (smile), but that’s ok.

(When Salisbury’s shelves get full, we’ll find another isolated, underfunded library and “bribe” them the same way.)
Cheers,
Tesibria
www.democracyiscoming.com

[mhr]

1. I Love It! - Great Idea, Great Initiative!

eom

[KT2000]

2. That is a BIG step

stopping censorship is huge!

Good going and kudos to your mom.

[Erika]

3. Fantastic!

If we all reach out maybe we can open eyes and minds. We need the rural areas of this country to wake up.

[puddycat]

4. I think its a wonderful idea! we are ALL for powerful than we know!

[puddycat]

5. I meant "more powerful" but its too late to edit!

[Tesibria]

6. we understood !!!! :) nt

[Cozmosis]

7. Hey, thats really cool.

Talk about grassroots. Plant the seeds early.

[Robeson]

8. Great Idea, Proud of you...

...:yourock:

[DemBones DemBones]

9. Good for you! Libraries should make available

a great variety of books; it should be no hardship at all for them to abide by your "conditions."

[mdmc]

10. cool-io

:kick:

[Eurobabe]

11. excellent idea! good for you.

[Fleurs du Mal]

12. Giant Step

Congratulations and well done!

[HootieMcBoob]

13. Way to go!

Not a little step at all! That's a big step! :toast:

[JudyM]

14. Imaginative and excellent! Let's all join forces and follow your model!

:toast:

:yourock: