Some Book Stores Pledge to Carry Controversial Mag

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Borders and Waldenbooks have announced they will not carry an issue of Free Inquiry magazine that contains the Denmark Muslim cartoons.

But The Oregonian reports on some bookstores who don't think free speech should be squelched.

(Hat tip Little Green Footballs)

Powell's Books plans to carry the magazine in its West Burnside Street store as usual. Rich's Cigar Store downtown and some outlets of the national chain Barnes & Noble also plan to stock it.

"I never like giving any offense, but the truth is that many of the books I stock have material that will offend somebody with something," said Powell's owner Michael Powell, who said he disagrees with Borders' decision.

Powell wasn't familiar with Free Inquiry before he heard about the rumblings over Borders' decision, but, he said, as a strong free-speech advocate he rarely decides against stocking publications to avoid controversy.

"We regret that, but I'm not going to stop because of that," he said. "In fact, I think it's often that type of book or printed material that is most catalytic in sparking discussion".....

The April-May issue of Free Inquiry, published six times yearly by the Council for Secular Humanism, features three articles analyzing the cartoons and the response to them. The magazine, with a circulation of about 30,000, also ran four of the 12 images -- the most its editor said the publication could afford to buy the rights to publish.

Editor Tom Flynn said he published the cartoons partly because most U.S. publications had not.