Indie Bookstores Fighting Back
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Dear #WhiteTooLong readers,
Thanks for your patience in these waning days of summer, as I’ve been working feverishly to finish the manuscript for my next book, a collection of meditations on democracy and Christianity. It’s been a surreal experience writing this new book as the guardrails protecting our democracy are failing on a daily basis. I’ll have more details on the book later, including some sneak previews for paid subscribers—stay tuned!
I also wanted to flag that I’m offering a 25% discount on paid annual newsletter subscriptions through Labor Day, given the economic strain so many are feeling. Becoming a paid subscriber supports my work and gives you access to monthly Author Forums, the archives, and the comments section.
Onward-
Robby
Indie Bookstores Fighting Back
As Trump continues to manufacture fake emergencies to justify his authoritarian advances, including the military occupation of our nation’s capital, the city in which I work and now call home, I’ve been looking for small acts of courage and resistance. In this edition of the newsletter, I’m highlighting the ways that small Indie bookstores are standing their ground, fighting against tyranny, and doing their part to stand up for the vulnerable and protect democracy.
As I noted here last April, I was surprised to find my book, White Too Long: The Legacy of White Supremacy in American Christianity, among the 381 books banned at the U.S. Naval Academy. But I was also inspired by the resistance movement, led by retired Navy Commander William Marks, to partner with a local Annapolis bookstore, Old Fox Books, to make the books available for free to students. Their “Operation Caged Bird” (named after Maya Angelou’s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, which was also banned) set a $10,000 GoFundMe campaign goal and quickly raised over $70,000.
Last week, I became aware of another inspiring story about my favorite local bookstore, People’s Book.
Here’s what landed in my inbox:
Dear Neighbor,
Earlier this year, we were approached by lobbyists for Senator Dave McCormick (R-PA), asking us to buy 500 copies of his recently published book (presumably to give to donors and inflate his sales numbers). Senator McCormick has been a consistent supporter of the violent Trump crackdown on immigrant families, attacks on trans people, and the systemic destruction of the federal government. You may have seen our response in the Washingtonian, Bethesda Magazine, or elsewhere, but we feel it's important to share this with you directly - we stand with the families impacted by the horrifying actions of the current administration.
As our small way of pushing back, we sold the Senator’s team these books and donated 100% of the profit (approximately $7,000) from the sale to CASA, a nonprofit that supports working-class immigrant families with job placement, legal representation, and advocacy. CASA has offices in four states, but it actually has its roots close to home – it started out of a Takoma Park church basement. This nonprofit organization has been a critical voice against the illegal efforts by the Trump administration to deport Kilmar Abrego Garcia and end birthright citizenship.
If you see him around, we encourage you to remind Senator McCormick, (or other human rubber stamps for the Trump fascism machine) to buy additional books from us so we can give to other worthy causes ;) There are miles to go, but little actions add up. Here are a few ideas of ways to stay active in your defiance. Let us know what you're doing to resist - we want to hear about it!
Learn more about CASA and consider donating to support their work.
Share CASA’s handy booklets in English and Spanish to help protect yourself and your neighbors during immigration raids.
Ditch your Amazon Prime and Audible accounts (Bezos donated $1M+ to Trump's inauguration fund). Instead, get books shipped to you from Bookshop.org and download audiobooks from Libro.fm. Both organizations actively support independent bookstores.
Purchase a banned book (in store or online) for us to send to communities in Texas whose freedom to read is under attack. In fact, censorship is shamefully rearing its head in MD too – read about it here.
Check out our free Anti-Facist Book Club (3rd Thursdays at 6pm) to discuss, organize, and deepen your own knowledge.
Remember, there are more of us than them. We hope you’ll join us in pushing back. Please come say hi to your local booksellers and let’s figure out how to work together, or just chat about your favorite recent reads.
In solidarity,
Megan and Matt Bormet
Amid all the destructive attacks on our democracy, I’m deeply grateful for these courageous local Indie bookstores for taking a stand. If you’d like to join me in saying “thank you,” you can drop Megan and Matt at Peoples’ Book here (info@peoplesbooktakoma.com) and Jinny and Janice at Old Fox Books here (jinny@oldfoxbooks.com; janice@oldfoxbooks.com). Even better, you can buy a banned book online via their websites.
ICYMI
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