[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 117 (Wednesday, July 16, 2008)]
[House]
[Page H6579]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           DESTROY THE BOOKS

  (Mr. POE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, the elite Cambridge University Press of the 
United Kingdom is destroying controversial books, reminiscent of the 
Berlin book burnings of 1933.
  In an effort not to offend wealthy Saudi banker Sheikh Khalid bin 
Mahfouz, the timid publisher cowered in fear and is pulping and 
destroying all known copies of its book ``Alms for Jihad'' that alleges 
the Saudi banker's ties to charities that fund terrorist organizations. 
The writers of the book stand by their work, however.
  Mr. Speaker, here is the real problem. In the United Kingdom more and 
more frivolous libel suits are brought against writers and publishers 
by people with connections to terrorist groups because the United 
Kingdom court system is weighed in favor of suppression of 
controversial free speech in the marketplace of ideas. So many 
publishers like Cambridge are intimidated and are afraid to publish 
controversial topics. After all, the British court system is just too 
sophisticated to allow books to be printed that might offend someone.
  The writers of ``Alms for Jihad'' should publish their book in the 
United States because we thrive on controversial speech, whether 
alleged terrorist sympathizers like it or not.
  And that's just the way it is.

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