John N. Berry, Editor-at-Large of Library Journal, recently posted an editorial that essential defends the spiteful and nasty rhetoric of the Annoyed Librarian as “free expression.” Apparently, those of us who think that the anonymity of this blogger makes him or her a coward are trying to censor free speech. Right. I believe David Rothman rightly identified this argument as a “straw man.”
John closes his piece by noting, “Professionally, I am obligated to support AL’s rights of free expression and those of anyone else in whatever form or style they choose.”
I too feel professionally obligated to support AL’s right to free expression. However, I will note this: I certainly don’t feel obligated to pay AL for his or her opprobrious cra – er, excuse me, “free expression.”