A quick search of Ngo’s name on Twitter reveals hundreds of tweets from supporters, including receipts for their recent purchase of his cancelled book. The protests at Powell’s, publicized by Ngo’s online platform, have caused his supporters to buy the book in question in droves. I’m sure those tweets completely lack bias. Ngo reports on Twitter that demonstrators returned again on Tuesday, and Antifa has planned follow-up actions. On Monday, protests outside of the indie bookstore forced the store to close early. We provide these options out of deference to the First Amendment, but just as importantly, because we believe that exposure to a multiplicity of writing-in fiction and nonfiction alike-facilitates critical thinking and spurs conversation and growth,” the Powell’s statement continues, seemingly in defense of their decision to sell the book online.Ĭritics continue to ask Powell’s to pull Ngo’s book from their online store. “We are dedicated to providing a wide array of books, authors, viewpoints, and voices, and our selection is one of the things that sets Powell’s apart from our peers in bookselling. We believe it is the work of bookselling to do so.” We carry a lot of books we find abhorrent, as well as those that we treasure. “That said, it will remain in our online catalog. We will not promote it,” said representatives for Powell’s in a statement. “This book will not be placed on our shelves. He has shared videos of the protests to his Twitter feed, as is his custom, as well as directed fans to other ways to buy his book. “Portland’s largest bookstore has announced it will not be stocking my upcoming book…on its shelves,” said Ngo in his only response to the decision. The Southern Poverty Law Center’s Hatewatch indicates that Ngo goes viral off of misrepresenting facts. A magazine story later revealed that Ngo, previously claiming to be an independent journalist, was a longtime right-wing provocateur, worked closely with the conservative group Patriot Prayer, and coordinated his coverage with these allies. (Ngo later said he suffered a brain injury as a result.) He livestreamed the event, and the video went viral, causing the Proud Boys to organize a followup event a month later. He made headlines in June 2019 after antifascist demonstrators hit him with a milkshake during a Proud Boys rally. Ngo is a social media personality who rose to virality by filming and sharing Portland street protests. This is active fascism that we can do something about right now.” “There’s a difference between the historical value that we get from Mein Kampf, from that thing, to not repeat that. “This is active fascism,” said one protestor identified as Root in a video from the protests. Critics say Ngo’s previous work about Antifa was biased, uncredible, and oftentimes faked, and that his book is no more than propaganda. Powell’s Books will not stock Andy Ngo’s ‘Unmasked: Inside Antifa’s Radical Plan to Destroy Democracy’ on shelves after protests at their flagship store in Portland. It’s merely Tuesday, and I’m already back in my Sisyphean role of reporting on the week’s latest literary cancellation news.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |