Susan Watts/New York Daily News
Greetings all,
I hope this post finds you alive and well. I know I have not posted in some time; life just gets carried away sometimes. Today I would like to talk a bit about the presidential election and the ALA (American Library Association). As you are probably well aware, President-Elect Donald Trump won the majority of the electoral votes, which has created quite a stir for the Clinton supporters. This has caused protests, riots, name-calling, etc. They are infuriated. Unfortunately, it has seeped into the library world. The ALA basically said that they were ready to work with President Elect Donald Trump, which upset a lot of members in the library community. I weighed in with this message:
Dear ALA,
Unlike many
library professionals/paraprofessionals, I am in agreement with the
announcement you released. It shows that you have taken a neutral stand amidst
a difficult political climate; you are trying to pick up the pieces the best
you can. I know that many folks are not happy with the outcome of the election
or with your decision, but, like it or not, Mr. Trump will be our next
president, so I understand your position in this situation, that we must work
with him and his policies.
I believe
that librarianship means neither leaning to the left or the right, because, if
we do, 9 times out of 10, we are going to offend someone, and that’s not
librarianship at all. There has been a lot of talk amongst us librarians about
creating a safe space. From what? Trump supporters? If that’s the case, I
cannot see how it reflects any library’s vision, which should reflect your own,
as follows:
"As an association representing these
libraries, librarians and library workers, ALA believes that the struggle
against racism, prejudice, stereotyping, and discrimination is central to our
mission. We will continue to support efforts to abolish intolerance and
cultural invisibility, stand up for all the members of the communities we
serve, and promote understanding and inclusion through our work."
To do
otherwise would be to fail in your vision. You are responsible for finding the
middle ground, which you have done and you have shown great courage in doing so
in the midst of political unrest. I encourage you to keep doing good work and
would like you to know that I stand with you in these difficult times.
Charity
Williams
As you can see, I did not show my dismay as may other people did. But why? Why didn't I take a stand against it myself? Well, being a library paraprofessional, I believe that I have the duty of being neutral as does the ALA. They cannot afford to be left wing or right wing. They are being professional while attempting to pick up the pieces, and attempting to create a middle ground. To do otherwise is to disregard their own vision.
I'm not saying I'm all for Trump. I'm not saying I'm for Clinton either. As a matter of fact, I voted for neither of them because I didn't think either one of them stood up to my standards; I voted third party. Yes, I realize that Trump might have said some things he shouldn't have, but Clinton has her own problems as well. So, can we just all be friends and stop all this fighting and name calling?
