American Library Association Quote

“We trust Americans to recognize propaganda and misinformation, and to make their own decisions about what they read and believe.”

~ American Library Association

The Freedom to Read Statement, 2000

Ratings and Comments


Anonymous

i think it is stupid

Bob, West Islip, NY

Pathetic. The essence of propaganda is misinformation. Mix in a little bit of truth to lend credability to a large lie. Unfortunately, we've raised generations who believe what they are told, and not how to think on their own, until it's too late. And then, well... it's too late.

IN GOD WE TRUST

The way to know what is false is to be familiar with what is true. Our public schools have been training socialists for years, and now the country is run by people who don't even know how wrong their philosophy is. "If you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything."

Anonymous
  • Reply
Anonymous    9/17/09

I think I WANT to trust Americans to recognize propaganda etc., but, sadly, I don't trust them to do so. Especially listening to the discourse of late. Most people on either side (or no side) of the political spectrum do not seem to have much ability for - or interest in- critical thinking. Even so, in a supposedly free society, I'd absolutely support this stance by the ALA. I think a lot of conservative and so called libertarian rhetoric, for example, is flawed, sometimes stupid, and in some cases overtly dangerous. Still, I'd absolutely defend your right to teach this crap to your children (on your own time, at home, or in private school...) to check out books from the library on these topics/supporting these views I see as flawed and dangerous (and libraries ARE funded by my tax dollars...) It's not up to me to decide what you can and should read, or vice versa.

David T. H., Athens, Pa.

What strange people we have trying to do our thinking and moralizing for us these days. What some people fear, don't under-stand or simply don't like they want burn-ed. There is a maelstrom of religio-politico spin-meisters and televangelists regurgitating dogmas and judgemental absoloutes that are as asinine today as they were in the Dark Ages. Censorship stinks!!

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