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# Bruce Mirken Washington D.C. Cheers to the librarians
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/bruce-mirken-washington-d-c-cheers-to-the-librarians/
- Published: 2002-07-22T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T00:33:35.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Opinion, Montana, #archive-import

*By Pam Vavra Santa Monica*

Editor: In response to, "Library records subpoenaed by FBI and Secret Service," (Saturday, July 20), thank you for headlining the story, rather than burying it inside or failing to run it altogether. Also, applause to our librarians for refusing to cooperate until presented with a valid subpoena, and moreover, for the courage to divulge that the incident occurred. After all, they could face charges for reporting the fact because the U.S.A.Patriots Act includes a gag order forbidding librarians from telling anyone of such an attempt by government officials to obtain patrons' records.

At this morning's meeting of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, speaker Stephen F. Rohde, ESQ, immediate past president of the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, talked about the erosion of our civil liberties since September 11 by laws passed under the guise of protecting us from terrorist attacks.

He reminded us of a statement made by Nazi concentration camp survivor, Pastor Martin Niemoller: "They came first for the Communists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me, and by that time there was no one left to speak up." Now that they've come to Santa Monica, it is time for us to speak up and demand immediate restoration of our civil right to privacy. (Pam Vavra is chair of the Wilshire-Montana Neighborhood Assoc.)

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on July 22, 2002.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/072202.pdf?ref=smdp.com)