The ALA disastrously voted down the amendment to call for Castro to free the independent librarians imprisoned in Cuba. A commendable thing, to publicly call Castro out for their release.

Of course, the amendment was not passed by a small margin of 182 to 5. Some ALA members privately saying that they:

had to vote it down because they didn't want to be vilified as being "on the wrong team."

Nat Hentoff, previous winner of the ALA Immroth Award for Intellectual Freedom, publicly renounced his award and asked to be removed from the list of recipients of that honor.

To me, it is no longer an honor.

I commend Mr. Hentoffs actions and appalud his courage of conviction.

Yet, even if the ALA amendment had passed, the jailed librarians would probably not have seen the light of day. You see, Castro does not care what the ALA, Amnesty International, The Pope, the UN, the US, the International Media, Reporters Without Borders, Human Rights Watch, Greenpeace, Jimmy Carter, etal think.

He is supreme ruler of Cuba, and he will do whatever the hell he wants with his pets.

Much Ado About Nothing.

Thanks to Scott of Burton Terrace for the link.