It’s a lesson that’s hard in the learning, but those who live by freedom of speech must also expect to get shouted at. That was one of the messages flying through the air Monday as the American Booksellers Association wound up a three-day convention at McCormick Place on a tumultuous note.
A spirited demonstration short-circuited a “Power Lunch” with House Speaker Newt Gingrich for about 30 minutes Monday, leading officials of the American Booksellers Association to swallow their own complaints-and apologize to him. Gingrich appeared unfazed by the tumult.
While 300 protesters paraded and chanted outside McCormick Place, most of the disruptive noise came from 10 others who bought tickets, at $27 each, and seated themselves at a noontime banquet, the last major event at the convention, which drew 42,000 members of the book-publishing industry to the city.
Just after Gingrich began his speech, noting that “I especially welcome the opportunity to . . .”, four people at stage left stood up and started shouting. Then, a man in a wheelchair, to the right of the stage, began a tirade, followed by two women heckling Gingrich from the middle of the hall.
Gingrich waited calmly, sat down, stood up and began again.
“If you believe in something,” he shouted back, “write a book. Say it so people in a civilized society can hear what you say. But this is nonsense.”
Many in the book trade had opposed inviting Gingrich in the first place and the crowd in the hall was pointedly smaller than at previous events. Gingrich, in town to promote his book, “Renewing American Civilization,” due out July 5 from HarperCollins, shared the podium with Linda Wertheimer of National Public Radio and former Washington Post Editor Ben Bradlee.
Lunch chairman Chuck Robinson, a bookstore owner from Bellingham, Wash., and past president of the American Booksellers Association, started the proceedings with a brief appeal to Gingrich to hear concerns of booksellers about future funding for the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
After the protests erupted, Robinson appealed to the audience for quiet, noting that, under the 1st Amendment, Gingrich had a right to express his views. Security forces, several wearing Hawaiian shirts, surrounded the casually dressed protesters and eventually evicted several of them.
“I thought they got a little too much time,” said association Executive Director Bernie Rath, speaking of the protesters, “but what the heck, we’re a 1st Amendment organization. I thought inviting Newt Gingrich would make a better convention. So I did it. Like inviting Hillary Clinton-which I also did.
“We wanted to make a protest of our own, at least let him know our position. We did that-but barely. Gingrich deals with this all the time-and the situation turned to his advantage,” Rath added, noting that Gingrich had left smiling.
Protesters said they were concerned about many of Gingrich’s stands. “We’re here to protest his attempts to cut Medicare and Medicaid and have a tax giveaway to the rich,” said labor organizer Tom Ballard, a leader of what he called “a coalition of trade unions, community groups and the civil rights community coming out to protest Newt Gingrich’s concept of America.”
“Vote no! No Newt!” yelled demonstrators from several labor unions and the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, Metro Seniors in Action, the Chicago National Organization for Women and American Disabled for Attendant Programs Today.
“His contract helps the rich, but it’s hard on everyone else,” said Bernice Bild, head of the Coalition for New Priorities.
“I’ve been on disability. I need Medicare,” added Molly Harris, a protester escorted from the dining hall by guards. “They dragged me. They were abusive and they called me `bitch,’ ” said Harris, a member of the Latino Coalition for Better Public and Community Services, at 2914 W. North Ave.
“It’s the kind of people who would lose out if his contract goes through,” said Jessie Sheridan of Hyde Park, who joined a neighbor, Eileen Wasserman, in picketing. “Who signed Newt’s contract? I didn’t,” Wasserman added.
Three protesters were arrested after they ignored police orders to stop handing out literature and for striking a McCormick Place security guard, said Central District Police Cmdr. Ronald Jablon. The charges ranged from simple battery to criminal trespassing, Jablon said. No one was seriously injured.
