[goldstategop]

The ALA has taken political stands against the Bush Administration, re pornography on library computers and the Patriot Act. So no, its no an apolitical organization that takes professional stands on the issues of the day. Its revealing it won't stand up for independent librarians in Cuba, whose sole crime is distributing books and other information Fidel Castro doesn't want Cubans to have access to. The ALA is dominated by hard core anti First Amendment Marxists and this is reflected in their support of Cuba's Communist dictatorship and its repression of freedom of speech on the island.

[Egregious Philbin]

The ALA has taken political stands against the Bush Administration, re pornography on library computers and the Patriot Act.

FYI - i'm playing devil's advocate here. Perhaps they take these stances because they are national issues, not international ones? Hentoff would probably see your two examples of librarians standing up for free speech (nationally), not as "political stands."

Also, voting against something doesn't mean support for its opposite - the librarians didn't vote FOR the Castro regime.

Finally, I know a few librarians and they characterize the Council as out of touch, so maybe it's just the more radical, politically-involved librarians that dominate this Council?