The booksellers contend that if the Prairieland case is allowed to stand as a precedent, bookstores themselves will become the "natural next target" for the state. They fear that the same "material support" charges used against the Texas protesters could be applied to any bookstore that stocks, sells, or promotes literature deemed "extremist" under the broad definitions of NSPM-7.
"We believe that if unchecked," the letter warns, "this administration could bring similar charges against ABA members under NSPM-7’s stunningly broad definition of ‘antifa extremism.’"
In light of these developments, the coalition of bookstores is calling on the ABA and the ABFE to abandon what they perceive as a culture of "silence and isolation." They urge these national organizations to take a much stronger and more public stance against both national and local attempts to criminalize free speech. Specifically, they are asking the ABFE to publicly address the implications of the Prairieland case and for the ABA to communicate a clear intention to defend its members from federal prosecution under these new security guidelines.
The letter concludes by framing the current struggle within the broader context of American history. The signatories point out that the United States was founded on radical ideas, many of which were disseminated through the very types of short publications and pamphlets that the government is now targeting. They reference the work of historian Howard Zinn, specifically his book Artists in Times of War, which defends the long American tradition of radical pamphleteering as an essential form of civic engagement.
By targeting zines, small presses, and independent bookstores, the signatories argue that the administration is not only attacking a specific political ideology but is also undermining a fundamental American tradition. The pamphlet, written by concerned citizens and political radicals, has historically been a primary tool for those seeking to challenge the status quo and expand the boundaries of American democracy.
The booksellers’ letter serves as a stark warning to the literary community and the public at large: the tools of state security are being recalibrated to target the tools of free expression. As the legal battle over NSPM-7 continues, the signatories remain focused on the human cost of these policies, urging the industry to remember the words of Autumn Hill and the "urgent need to see justice done" in the face of what they describe as a "craven" and "authoritarian" state action.
