Common Courage Press

[Louis Proyect <lnp3@xxxxxxxxx>]

As many people know, there has been a increasing tendency to exclude
critical viewpoints from the mass media. Not only have NPR and PBS
toed the line on US foreign policy initiatives just like the
corporate media, there was an abortive attempt to NPR-ize the
Pacifica Radio Network.

Whether Common Courage's problems are related to some sinister
government plot against alternative media or are instead a product of
corporate chicanery, the important thing is to come to their aid. The
authors published by this small Maine company amount to a hall of
fame of the left, including Noam Chomsky, Alex Cockburn, Daniel
Singer and Winona LaDuke.

In a scenario combining elements of Kafka and an Oliver Stone movie,
the bank that dealt with Common Courage's distributor has seized
their financial assets and 84 other small publishers. A mailing I
received from Common Courage yesterday opens with the following:

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Common Courage Press
1 Red Barn Road
Monroe, ME 04951
207-525-0900 fax: 207-525-3068 email: gbates@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

10 May 2002

The only thing worse than -robbing a bank is owning one."
-Bertolt Brecht

Dear Louis Proyect,

Common Courage Press and 84 other publishers are being mugged?by a
bank. And we desperately need your help.

Bank One made a loan to our distributor, LPC, in 1999. A loan no
publisher signed onto. Even though the distributor was not behind in
payments, the bank got nervous and recalled the loan this spring,
some $2.4 million. In full knowledge that money in the distributor's
account belonged to the publishers for sales from their books, the
bank swiped over $1.2 million. Now, the bank is planning to sue the
publishers for the same amount again.

Suddenly, as one of the smallest presses, we are in a fight for our
survival-against the 5th largest bank in the country! In the end, our
survival may depend more on whether we get loans to survive the
fight. Though the bank's position is legally weak, we are not in a
position to sue them for the money.
----

For more information on this threat to a small publishing house that
is devoted to spreading views just like those found on these email
lists, go to: http://www.commoncouragepress.com/.

It includes 5 quick things you can do to help which I include in its
totality. Please take the time to respond as indicated.

---
Here are 5 quick things you can do.

1. We are in a desperate cash flow crisis. We can survive with loans
and donations. Please call 800-497-3207 or email
gbates@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx for a packet if you are interested.

2. If you'd like to send postcards of the cartoon featured on our
website, addressed to the CEO of Bank One to tell him your view,
please contact us at 800-497-3207. Or mail a check. Cards are $3.00
for 10, shipping included. Or $5.25 with stamps on them.

3. Write a letter to the Comptroller of the Currency, John Hawke,
asking him to investigate this case and expressing your thoughts
about the situation. His address is John Hawke, Comptroller of the
Currency, 250 E Street SW, Washington, D.C. 20219. See Ralph Nader's
letter for some good fodder for your own letter.

4. You can send a copy of any letter you write to the Comptroller to
Jamie Dimon, CEO of Bank One, 1 Bank Plaza, Chicago, IL 60670. This
lets the bank know you favor a federal investigation of their
activities.

a. Please send us a copy of any correspondence for our records. On
our website, we would like to quote from the best. All quotes will be
anonymous unless you specify that we can use your name. Favorite one
to date: "Pick on someone your own size."

5. Please spread these ideas around.

Thank you for your support.

Greg Bates
gbates@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

P.S. Also available are T-shirts made by a union in the U.S.A. with a
modified cartoon on it (there wasn't enough room to include
Spiderman). On the bottom is a quote from Bertolt Brecht: "The only
thing worse than robbing a bank is owning one." Shirts come in large
and extra large and are white ink on a black T. $20 post paid. Allow
4 weeks for delivery (we're just printing them up).

Call 800-497-3207
---

PSS. Although Greg Bates does not mention this above, his mailing
also advises us to email Jamie Dimon, the CEO of Bank One, at
james_j_maley@xxxxxxxxxxx to express your outrage and your
willingness to join a boycott of the bank. You can also contact the
bank's lawyer Doug Skalka at dss@xxxxxxxxxx to give him a piece of
your mind.


--
Louis Proyect, lnp3@xxxxxxxxx on 05/12/2002

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