Harassment of Book Dealers by the Rude Wing

Posted on August 25, 2004 in Campaign 2004 The Orange

It may just be a local pheonomenon or maybe not. A friend of mine in the book business reports a curious manuever being perpetrated in connection with the book promoting the Swift Boat lie now being lodged against John Kerry. First, her business has had problems getting the book from the publisher. So they were accused of deliberately refusing to carry it. She works for a major national chain and anyone who knows their operation knows that they are in it for the money: they will carry nearly anything. Then the books began to trickle in — the publisher, it seems, it creating a deliberate shortage.

The book is selling — mostly to individuals who buy out the entire stock it seems. When it isn’t available, the consumers like to make big scenes in the store, screaming about liberal conspiracies and berating hapless clerks.

I have heard of individuals going ballistic, but more and more this is sounding like an organized effort to discredit this chain and publicize the book at the expense of the comfort of uninvolved and otherwise apolitical working people and managers. They are doing their best to pollute the commons, a tactic they have used to great effect. (Ask Kathryn Cramer, for one, what they did to her this past spring.)

There is only one way to deal effectively with this: when you see a member of the Rude Wing making a scene in a public place, call her or him on it. Remind them that this is a public place. Suggest to them that they ask before they attack. And if they persist in being obnoxious, shake your head as if in pity. And vote for the principled in November.

As I keep repeating this is a free country and we have the right to tell the boorish to show other people a little respect.