Resolution on the United States of America
The Assembly of Delegates of International PEN, meeting at its 69th Congress in Mexico City, Mexico, 22–28 November 2003, Alarmed by actions by the U.S. government and U.S. military… More
November 24, 2004 | A Very Haitian Story
Miami—On Sunday, Oct. 24, United Nations troops and Haitian police forces launched a military operation in Bel-Air, one of the poorest and most volatile neighborhoods in Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince.… More
Reading Is a Prime Defense Against Assault on Our Rights
As a child, one of my favorite novels was Ray Bradbury's "Fahrenheit 451." Its subject is book burning — 451 degrees Fahrenheit is the temperature at which books catch… More
Homophobia’s Reach
American democracy provides inspiration by example (rather than by military occupation) to people all over the world who are seeking justice and freedom. And it is important to note… More
Torturers and Terrorists
So now we think we know who took some of the photographs at Abu Ghraib. The works attributed to Specialist Jeremy Sivits are fated to remain among the indelible… More
…But Not at Writers’ Expense
For some time now—too much time, I suspect my editor believes—have been working on a history of the Works Progress Administration. This has taken me to states from Maine… More
Riches We Must Share…
Some authors and publishers have cried foul regarding Google's digital library initiative, sparking debate about intellectual property rights in an online age. Beyond the specific legal challenges emerging in… More
In Challenge To Google, Yahoo Will Scan Books
An unusual alliance of corporations, nonprofit groups and universities plans to announce today an ambitious plan to digitize hundreds of thousands of books over the next several years and… More
A Shock to the System
Natural disasters often lay bare a society's grim realities and sometimes shock citizens into political action. Twenty years ago today, a catastrophic earthquake in Mexico City shook that society… More
Living With the Dead
Oakland, Calif.—And where do the dead go after they have sucked down their last breaths and drowned in the rafters of their homes? After they have died in the… More