Prisoners Right to Read

I’m proud of the work that the ASCLA of the ALA is doing in regard to a prisoner’s right to read.  This quote comes from their draft statement on a Prisoners Right to Read,

“Those who believe in the ultimate decency of humankind will stand firm on the guarantees of essential rights.  Those who cherish their full freedom and rights will exercise the responsibilities that accompany these rights, and will work to guarantee that the right to read, to write, and to think—to full intellectual freedom—is extended to incarcerated individuals regardless of age.

What people read is deeply important.  Ideas can be dangerous but the suppression of ideas is fatal to a democratic society. The denial of intellectual freedom destroys the hopes of those segregated from society.

Freedom itself is a dangerous way of life, but it is ours. When free people, through judicial procedure, segregate some of their own, they incur the responsibility to provide humane treatment as well as the tools required to bring the prodigal home. Chief among those tools is a right to read.”

What a great, and inspiring use of words.  My hat’s off to you!  You are true information activists!!!