AJC Urges Barnes and Noble To Stop Selling Notorious Anti-Semitic Book

March 21, 2000 -  NEW YORK -- The American Jewish Committee today urged Barnes and Noble to stop offering for sale the notorious anti-Semitic forgery, The Protocols of the Elders of Zion.

“While you certainly have the right to distribute this book, you also have the right not to. We ask that you choose not to sell this book,” wrote American Jewish Committee President Bruce M. Ramer and Executive Director David A. Harris in a letter to Leonard Riggio, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Barnes and Noble.

Noting that The Protocols “is a main staple of anti-Semitic movements around the world,” the AJC leaders asked Barnes and Noble “to consider whether you should be promoting hate literature.”

The AJC letter also pointed out that one of the versions of The Protocols offered by Barnes and Noble is printed by Noontide Press, the printing arm of Willis Carto’s empire, which espouses bare-knuckled racism and anti-Semitism, as well as promotes Holocaust denial and the military movement.

The other version is published by The Book Tree, which also markets an array of anti-Semitic and conspiracy-driven materials.

“Your sale of these materials indirectly adds to the coffers of hate groups,” the AJC leaders advised Barnes and Noble.