Pressure Builds on University of Michigan
Pluto Press Under Attack by Israel Lobby
By ROGER van ZWANENBERGAbout three weeks ago Pluto books and the University of Michigan Press - our US distributor - came under attack by Stand With Us (a Zionist lobby group) who were objecting to the publication of Overcoming Zionism by Joel Kovel which resulted in the book being withdrawn in the US. The vitriolic attack questioned the University's relationship with Pluto generally and denigrated Overcoming Zionism.
Since then the Executive Board of the University has considered the matter and issued a public statement. Joel's book has now been reinstated but they plan to review the ongoing relationship between Pluto and UMP in October.
Pluto Press's importance & presence in the US is under threat.
Joel is setting up a network to rally support for Pluto as we are determined to defend ourselves. We hope you will help and support our efforts in the US by writing to Joel and Kathy who are co-ordinating the campaign jskovel@gmail.com and Ellajaja@aol.com.
If you have your own networks, please first go through Joel and Kathy, as they are co-ordinating the campaign
In the meantime we intend to get the UK media to take notice of these events.
Warmly
Roger
Roger van Zwanenberg (Dr)
Chair & Commissioning Editor www.plutobooks.com
Pluto Press
345 Archway Road
London N6 5AA
Tel 020 8374 2192 ( Direct line)
0044 20 8374 2192 from Outside UK
Company No 4770976
Oh... what happened to the so called "press freedom" and "freedom of speech" in the US? Or these terms are not applicable when the story is about Zionism?
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June 18, 2008
Michigan Severs Ties to Controversial Publisher
In September, the University of Michigan Press faced intense criticism from pro-Israel groups — and questions from some regents — over its distribution of a book called Overcoming Zionism, which argues that the creation of Israel was a mistake and urges adoption of the “one state†solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in which Israelis and Palestinians would form a new country, without a Jewish character. Michigan wasn’t the publisher, but it distributed the book under a deal with Pluto Press, a leftist British publisher with extensive lists on the Middle East and international affairs.
Some critics of the book demanded that Michigan stop distributing the book, which it briefly did, and cut ties to Pluto immediately. The university declined to do so, and resumed distributing the book, citing both contractual obligations to Pluto and concerns that halting distribution because of content would raise issues of academic freedom. By the end of this year, however, Michigan will no longer be distributing the book or have any ties to Pluto Press.
Michigan says that this is because of appropriate new rules about the press role in distributing books it hasn’t itself vetted. But Pluto sees the new rules as window dressing that gave the university an excuse to satisfy Pluto’s critics while avoiding the appearance of doing so.
Read further http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2008/06/18/pluto
Note, these Zionists led by Stand With Us Michigan and Dearborn Underground stopped at NOTHING to get this book undistributed here in the US.
Why do I say they stopped at nothing? Because they wanted this off the bookshelves SO badly the didn’t care less about any of the other authors of books NOT relating to Israel/Palestine also loosing their books being distributed here in the US. Just go to Pluto Press website and peruse. Authors from all over the world publish through Pluto Press (which had it’s US distribution contract with U of Michigan), either because they cannot get their works published in their home countries, or because they choose Pluto due to it’s decades long reputation for “radical thought”.
A university is a place of higher learning where free speech and freedom of the press is essential. By rabidly going after this book (and all the other authors as well who wrote on Israel/Palestine who published there) ALL those books won’t be distributed in the US anymore unless Pluto is able to sign an agreement with another distributor/publisher here in the US. Jeff Halper, Uri Avnery, Ghada Karmi to name just a few will also not have their books distributed here. This is EXTREME censorship and needs to be seen just for what it is.
Don’t forget though all the other writers from around the world who also will be silenced here.
Unbelievable.