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Freitag, 3. Februar 2017

Amerika im Zeichen von Trump

(Offener) Brief von R. David Lankes, Director of the University of South Carolina School of Library and Information Science

We have long called libraries havens and must now put truth to these words

 

A Message for International Members of the SLIS Community. This evening it has become clear that we all have reason to be concerned for those who are at the University, and frankly, in the country legally from abroad. Our classmates, our faculty, our alumni, our staff have seen families divided and immigrants turned away from our borders or held in our airports. Like many of you I have followed growing legal protests across the country, and welcomed a judicial stay of an executive order whose very legality has been called into question.

Below you will see that University officials have provided some guidance and means of expressing concern. Please, however, do not hesitate to contact me directly. The Wellbeing of our community members is my foremost concern and highest priority. I know that concern is shared by the Dean and all the staff and faculty. I am saddened beyond belief that any university official has to advise those with legal standing to “not leave the country.” The heart of academia is the free flow of ideas. Ideas know no borders. A search for truth, and a quest to improve society through knowledge should never be threatened by executive order, or legislation. The freedom to teach and learn without the fear of deportation or xenophobia is not a partisan issue; it is not about being liberal or conservative; it is about human rights.

Every day in our classes people of all faiths and religions -Muslim, Jew, Christian, Atheist- learn side by side. Americans, Iranians, Brazilians, Chinese, Indians, Germans, Ugandans have shaped the prosperity of this school, university, and nation. Our graduates build communities in libraries and institutions across the world. We teach all of our students the core values of intellectual honesty, equity, and respect for diversity. We must now demonstrate these values. We have long called libraries havens and must now put truth to these words.

So let me end by asking again to those of you effected by these actions to let me, the faculty, and the staff know how we can help you. You are members of our community, and we are all richer for it.

via Open Password - Freitag, den 3. Februar 2017

 

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