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, whic…
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.
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.