The Far Right does not accept the other opinion, the different point of view, the critical study, the comparison, the exchange. The Far Right wants to impose its views
The far-right and the alt-right are advancing in Europe as well. Beyond the election results in various countries, the various movements of parents, patriots, conservatives, etc., have set their sights on the basic good of spreading knowledge, culture, art, inclusion and understanding: the book. They know very well that if the people remain uneducated, they will be easier victims of their slogans. They also know very well that spectacular acts attract more people to their ranks.
In previous notes we talked about book withdrawals in the US and Ireland. Now it is our turn to move to the European South, specifically to Spain, to Catalonia. Jesus Albiol, Councilor for Culture of the city of Buriana in Catalonia and elected with VOX, announced via Twitter: “Mission accomplished. We will not promote Catalan secession with city money.” The mission accomplished is to cancel subscriptions to Catalan-language magazines from the city’s municipal library. Among them, two are children’s comics. The progressive world in Barcelona and Madrid reacted en masse. What is disturbing, however, is how easily elected councilors can regulate city library collections. Moreover, they do this in celebration and without any shame. They target books and libraries, today for gay themes or minority language, tomorrow for anything. They do not stop. And as the peoples of Europe passively accept their ascension into the public sphere, they discourage and enforce their agenda.
And they know well why they target libraries and books. It is, as it seems, designed the project. As libraries are public bodies, accepting all the members of their community, it is ultimately these institutions that guarantee equal access to knowledge and information for all. And that’s annoying. It’s too annoying. The Far Right does not accept the other opinion, the different point of view, the critical study, the comparison, the exchange. The Far Right wants to impose its views.
The people must react. Individuals, each in their own way. Librarians must guarantee the safety of their libraries and their collections, the members of their communities the preservation of library independence. Dystopia is near, it is upon us. We should not wait for an authoritarian government to react. After all, they don’t come in this shape. They creep underground and strike systematically. The protection of libraries must be a central political stake for the peoples of Europe.
Callimachus
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