Sooo....basically you're saying that an organization that can freely decide what it wants to adhere to is somehow lowering the standard by choosing to be inclusive? Ok Elon Musk. You sound exactly how he did when stating that the standards for being a pilot were lowered because DEI was something they believed in. Standards for art were n…
Sooo....basically you're saying that an organization that can freely decide what it wants to adhere to is somehow lowering the standard by choosing to be inclusive? Ok Elon Musk. You sound exactly how he did when stating that the standards for being a pilot were lowered because DEI was something they believed in. Standards for art were not lowered because more people are being considered.
Just be honest and say you dont think everyone deserves a fair shot because people dont want to be called out for their terrible takes; takes that harm actual, human people. If someone chooses to be a part of the ABA knowing what they stand for, then it is disingenuous to suggest that their policies on inclusion harm the art form itself.
And honestly, if youre struggling to keep your stores open, then that is capitalism at work and people are speaking with their money.
I'm sorry, did you get up on the wrong side of the bed? What Pat is saying is that the ABA, which was formed as a mutual support organization for booksellers who were trying to promote free expression by offering a platform for traditionally marginalized authors, has morphed into an organization aligned against some free expression, which undermines their commitment to free expression, and that marginalized members who maintain such a commitment. With her extensive experience in the field, she has found that true commitment to free expression, providing a marketplace for authors of a range of viewpoints which doesn't have a fence at one end is possible, can initiate dialog, and is what the ABA should be supporting.
Independent booksellers' primary competitive advantage is the vision and commitment to provide what the big boxes don't. Serving their community in this way results in a wide spectrum of product selections, which, by the nature of the communities they serve, will differ. While this might make it more difficult to discern if a member is still promoting free expression, creating a "standard" for members to follow which promotes suppression of certain viewpoints erodes the foundation of the organization and threatens its identity as an association of INDEPENDENT booksellers. If the members believe in the rightness of their own viewpoints, they should be confident enough to espouse them in something other than an echo chamber. This has traditionally been the strength of those who espouse inclusiveness.
Sooo....basically you're saying that an organization that can freely decide what it wants to adhere to is somehow lowering the standard by choosing to be inclusive? Ok Elon Musk. You sound exactly how he did when stating that the standards for being a pilot were lowered because DEI was something they believed in. Standards for art were not lowered because more people are being considered.
Just be honest and say you dont think everyone deserves a fair shot because people dont want to be called out for their terrible takes; takes that harm actual, human people. If someone chooses to be a part of the ABA knowing what they stand for, then it is disingenuous to suggest that their policies on inclusion harm the art form itself.
And honestly, if youre struggling to keep your stores open, then that is capitalism at work and people are speaking with their money.
I'm sorry, did you get up on the wrong side of the bed? What Pat is saying is that the ABA, which was formed as a mutual support organization for booksellers who were trying to promote free expression by offering a platform for traditionally marginalized authors, has morphed into an organization aligned against some free expression, which undermines their commitment to free expression, and that marginalized members who maintain such a commitment. With her extensive experience in the field, she has found that true commitment to free expression, providing a marketplace for authors of a range of viewpoints which doesn't have a fence at one end is possible, can initiate dialog, and is what the ABA should be supporting.
Independent booksellers' primary competitive advantage is the vision and commitment to provide what the big boxes don't. Serving their community in this way results in a wide spectrum of product selections, which, by the nature of the communities they serve, will differ. While this might make it more difficult to discern if a member is still promoting free expression, creating a "standard" for members to follow which promotes suppression of certain viewpoints erodes the foundation of the organization and threatens its identity as an association of INDEPENDENT booksellers. If the members believe in the rightness of their own viewpoints, they should be confident enough to espouse them in something other than an echo chamber. This has traditionally been the strength of those who espouse inclusiveness.