In response to the current political climate, last week Flyleaf Books, Chapel Hill, N.C., issued a statement--a "community check-in"--of support for the community and "unflinching noncompliance with fascism in all forms":
Hi. Community check-in. Every day at our store we have the privilege of interacting with you, our friends and community members, in hundreds of small vignettes. Lately, when we ask how you are, we hear the same things: you're scared and exhausted. Our staff echoes your fears in our own conversations. You're not exaggerating. This is happening. It's only going to get more difficult.
This is a declaration of the store's ownership and management's commitment to supporting our community, especially its most vulnerable members. This means that Flyleaf Books is committed, first and foremost, to unflinching noncompliance with fascism in all forms.
We will not share any customer information with any government agency.
We will never willingly volunteer any personal details about our customers to law enforcement and will fight any attempt to compel us.
We will fight censorship and advocate for the circulation of books that special interest groups seek to ban.
We will continue to work with local organizations to get books into the hands of kids who need books right now, especially those who need to see themselves in books.
We will never call immigration enforcement.
We will never tell you what bathroom to use.
We will stand for accessibility services and support community resources.
We will always ask ourselves how to reduce harm.