Citizens of Omaha Select Book for Omaha Reads

Bibliofuture writes “The Omaha Public Library is conducting a “One City, One Book” program similar to what other cities have done. A commitee selected six books and the people of the city voted for the one they wanted most. The mayor announced the selection today. The results are at the website for the program Omaha Reads and detailed in an Omaha World Herald article.“

August 18, 2004 by rochelle Uncategorized 10

Bookworm says:

August 18, 2004 at 8:12 am

This Farenheit
Good for the 2000 who voted in Omaha! I’d say it’s a timely choice, indeed. Perhaps Farenheit 451 will have an impact on their choice of candidate in November.

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Bibliofuture says:

August 18, 2004 at 6:42 pm

Re:This Farenheit
How would you expect the book to impact people in regards to choice of canidate? Is Farenheit a pro-Bush book or pro-Kerry book?

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Sheilah says:

August 18, 2004 at 7:09 pm

Re:This Farenheit
It is a pro-Kerry book of course! It speaks to the need to allow people to read for themselves, to make up their own minds about things. To not censor opinions other than your own.

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GregS* says:

August 18, 2004 at 7:32 pm

Re:This Farenheit
It is a pro-Bush book of course! It speaks to the need to allow people to read for themselves, to make up their own minds about things. To not censor opinions other than your own.

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Fang-Face says:

August 18, 2004 at 9:26 pm

Re:This Farenheit
Too bad the Bush regime doesn’t actually stand for any of those things.

Oh, wait! That’s what makes it so funny!

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Bookworm says:

August 18, 2004 at 9:53 pm

Re:This Farenheit
Gee, I was sure I’d responded to your post earlier, but I see it’s not here – do you think it might have been censored? Just kidding.

What I’d meant by “impact” was that I hoped people who read the book would discuss it with each other – as well as with those who weren’t reading it right now – and start thinking about the themes of the right to free speach, freedom of the press and the right to privacy. From there, I hoped they might start to question what they’ve been reading and hearing…and then, ultimately, that more people might actually make it to the polls and vote.

Although I happen to be planning on casting my vote for Kerry, I like to think I’m still interested the the big picture of encouraging those who can vote to do so, both early and often. 😉

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GregS* says:

August 18, 2004 at 9:58 pm

Re:This Farenheit
We have more freedom under the ‘Bush regime’ then you do under a Canadian one.

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Fang-Face says:

August 19, 2004 at 1:07 am

Re:This Farenheit
Actually, that’s not true either. If you check the Reporters Without Borders web site, for instance, you’ll see on their world map of free press conditions that the U.S. is gray, the second best rating, while Canada is white, the best rating. We are a lot less likely to summarily allege people are terrorists and imprison them. We do not have the degree of church/state entanglement you have. We are not actively engaged in wholesale anti-intellectualism against sex and sexuality. . . .

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GregS* says:

August 19, 2004 at 1:33 am

Re:This Farenheit
Can’t argue with the imprisoning of terrorists part Fang, but then you weren’t attacked, Canada being irrelevent and all. As for the other two you might want to read this.

“In another incident, after Toronto print-shop owner Scott Brockie refused on religious grounds to print letterhead for a gay-activist group, the local human-rights commission ordered him to pay the group $5,000, print the requested material, and apologize to the group’s leaders. Brockie, who always accepted print jobs from individual gay customers, and even did pro-bono work for a local AIDS group, is fighting the decision on religious-freedom grounds.

Any gains the gay-rights movement has received from the crackdown on speech in Canada have been pyrrhic because as part of the Canadian government’s suppression of obscene material, Canadian customs frequently target books with homosexual content. Police raids searching for obscene materials have disproportionately targeted gay organizations and bookstores. “

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Bibliofuture says:

August 21, 2004 at 2:41 am

How people can be involved?
Anybody have suggestions about programs the library could do in regards to Fahrenheit 451? Clearly there are many things that could be done but your creative ideas would be appreciated.

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