Small Town Library Takes On The Feds (WA State)

[Mrs. Overall]

WHATCOM COUNTY - The FBI wants to know who checked out a book from a small library about Osama Bin Laden. But the library isn't giving out names, saying the government has no business knowing what their patrons read.

The FBI confiscated the original book after a patron reported that someone hand wrote a Bin Laden quote in the margin that read: "Let history be witness I am a criminal."

The FBI demanded to know the names and addresses of everyone who ever checked out the book.

The FBI still has the bin Laden book.

Librarians point out, it's overdue.

More...

http://www.komotv.com/stories/33363.htm

[da_chimperor]

1. Don't the feds have better things to do?

I seriously doubt that real terrorists will go to libraries and read up on bin laden.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. Good for the library!

When you tick off librarians, you know you've done something wrong...suppose Ashcroft will have to pay the fine?

[struggle4progress]

3. kick for Americans standing up for America

:kick:

[llmart]

4. If they come to the library where I work......

I'll tell them I checked it out. What a friggen waste of taxpayers' money! I thought the Repukes were against "big government?" Their hypocrisy knows no end.

[Eye and Monkey]

8. thumbs up!

:yourock:

[PSU84]

5. The FBI should be abolished.

The United States Department of Justice is the greatest threat to freedom and due process of law in the nation today.

Ashcroft should be exiled to a barren lifeless Pacific atoll.

Thank God for librarians!

[Kurovski]

6. Sounds like a planted qoute to me

maybe to help skootch along the Patriot Act?

But then again, I've been a hopelessly paranoid skeptic since Jan. 2000

[Occulus]

7. Why don't libraries pull a Spartacus

and fudge their records so that every patron has checked out the books requested? I doubt it would be hard, especially for an enterprising local-yokel hacker.

"I'm sorry, we can't pinpoint who has the book, since our recors indicate every patron currently has it checked out."

HAH! Let 'em deal with THAT!!

[LiberalFighter]

9. Law is totally stupid!!

Bet a terrorist would not check out a book that would tag them. They don't need to check out the book to find what they want to know. DUHHH

[sandnsea]

10. I'm checking out weird books

Going to start this week! Wohoo! It'll be a hoot. FBI nabs 46 year old overweight mother of 4 on Oregon Coast. Townspeople say she always was a bit of a loon! (hehe, I'll get out of the house one way or the other!)

[Eye and Monkey]

11. Include freepy-Xtian kids' books on your lists.

They'll go bald, scratching their heads trying to figure it out.

[Oak2004]

12. You know, this should be an organized national protest

Checking out "suspicious" library books.

Somehow, I suspect I could check out a ton and a half of books about organic chemistry and chemical warfare, but I'll betcha a couple books about working for peace and I'd be threatened with Gitmo if didn't name names ;)

[freeplessinseattle]

13. yay! I used to live in Whatcom

bet it was the Fairhaven library, they're small and notably ethical-I remember years ago they had an honors system, you didn't even need a card or ID-just wrote down your books and stamped them yourself, and most people were honest. don't know if they have that system anymore, doubtful, but if so there's no way the feds could find out who checked it out, ha ha! I'm so proud of my little corner of the world up there!

get up stand up, stand up for your rights, get up stand up, don't forget the fight!

[nicolemrw]

14. you all made this librarian very happy

always nice to know ones profession is appreciated.

i think i've got that book in my branch btw. maybe i should put it on my banned books week display?