ArticleFotonovela subscriptions endedBy Karen E. Crummy, Denver Post, August 24, 2005 The Denver Public Library has canceled its subscription to four series of Spanish-language fotonovelas, but library officials said they won't be reviewing similar publications in other languages unless someone files a complaint.... The library removed the fotonovelas - comic-book-style publications - in response to complaints from illegal-immigration opponents that they contained sexually explicit illustrations. Similar English-language books have also been found, but no complaints have been made against those publications, Schieman-Christman said. [Note: the library does not carry even Penthouse and Hustler - CAIR.] Ten remaining series of fotonovelas will continue to be available at the library.... "That does make it look as if they are discriminating against the Spanish-language part, not the content," said Estevan Flores, executive director of the Latino/a Research & Policy Center. "As long as they are in the adult section, I don't know what the problem is." [Notes: They are not in the adult sections (in one library, hundreds of Novelas were on a shelf two feet from the ground, next to the main entrance). And yes, replacing English-language material with Spanish-language material is our predominant concern. - CAIR.]... Although CAIR appeared to have achieved a victory with the books' removal, the group was far from declaring peace with library officials. "We don't go by what they say; we go by what we see. We will pass judgment on whether those books are gone," said CAIR spokesman Mike McGarry, noting that fotonovelas still remain on the shelves. CAIR had demanded that city librarian Rick Ashton resign, pointing to the growing Spanish-language content in Denver libraries as an example of accommodating illegal immigrants at taxpayer expense.... The canceled series are "El Libro Vaquero" ("Cowboy Book"), "Frontera Violenta" ("Violent Frontier"), "La Novela Policiaca" ("Police Novel") and "El Libro Policiaco" ("Police Book").... Read the complete article. |