Tonight, a warm autumn full moon overhead, the three of us went for a walk around our Pleasantville block.

"Did you know about the Libraries and the Patriot Act?" CD asked me.

"The Federal Government can pull records of Internet usage and stuff without a compelling reason why...

"Now the Homeland Security people want to pass an act that will send Librarians to jail if they even reveal the FBI has been there. Sending LIBRARIANS to jail."

And CD, he loves Librarians. He loves books and Libraries and Librarians. "Jail. Not for saying WHAT was raided or anything. Just for saying the library was raided. 'Oh hun, you wouldn't believe my day - the FBI had me running around for hours...' This they would make ILLEGAL. Conversation. In America. By LIBRARIANS."

"I guess it's that old saying... what if it was your kid that was in danger.." I mused.

"No. No. This isn't about safety. How is safety served in gagging Librarians? In curtailing Free Speech? Can there be justice in secrecy? No, this is about power. This about control."

"What can we do about it?"

"The Librarians are erasing the records of the computers every night. An act of rebellion."

"Librarians?"

"Yeah."

"To protect free speech?"

"Yeah."

"Wow."

"Yeah."

And I thought back to the world, before.

This is the world, after.

And I don't have anything more to say.

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Note: This entry was previously prefaced by an anecdote of how easy it was, being an American in the world, prior to 9/11. How I ended up accidentally in Turkey one time and was penalized for traveling (without passport, papers, or even a full set of clothing) with 2 cups of Nescafe and a free ferry ticket. Because I said the magic words "I am American." But I thought about it, and realized - I just want to talk about the Librarians. Because really, I'm not so brave. And I think they are. In a world where it feels a little more McCarthian every day, I want to say - I admire these Librarians. And thank them, for their conviction.

Posted by: Elizabeth at 02:24 PM | Comments (9) | Add Comment
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