Archivists counter Boles's bigoted drivel

I just have to ask, how did any self-respecting editor allow this article to get this far? My stuff starts on p 14. There’re so many red flags waving before that. Oh sorry. The @archivists_org AA editor told me earlier today they aren’t responsible for fact checking. My bad. 8/

Arguably, if you look at more than just “Archives Beyond the Pale,” you could write that sentence. However, it isn’t that simple. There’d have to be a hefty footnote referencing several pieces I wrote with a bunch of qualifications to back up the assertion. @archivists_org 14/

I still believe that there should be some form of privilege to protect private collections—not records—that are donated to an archives, especially if it’s something that provides insight into a part of the historical record that would not be recorded otherwise @archivists_org 17/

But what I’m talking about in the conclusion of my article is advocating for @archivists_org to engage in any way with archival privilege. If SAA decided that archival privilege wasn’t worth it, then say that. Ignoring the issue doesn’t do any good. 18/

Fun fact. Guess who was the head of the @archivists_org Government Affairs Working Group back in 2011. Frank Boles. And guess who ignored email after email written by yours truly asking for some acknowledgement that the Belfast Project legal drama was occurring. 19/

And while we’re on the subject, guess who was none too pleased when I wrote blog posts re the Belfast Project and archival privilege? And one of those blog posts happened to be fact checking the statement a certain Boles issued that was error-ridden. @archivists_org 20/

If you’d like to see the first time I had to fact check Frank Boles, here’s the blog post from the @ArchivesIssues blog. @archivists_org 21/ https://www2.archivists.org/groups/issues-and-advocacy-section/christine-george-calling-privilege-a-right-is-just-plain-wrong …

Now if you’re thinking that throwing me into this dumpster fire seemed a bit random, consider this back story. Settling old scores in a hit piece sanctioned by @archivists_org. You stay classy, Frank. You too, Cal Lee, AA editor who probably shouldn’t remain nameless anymore. /22

Now I’m going to have to call it a night because correcting the errors of Frank, Cal, and anyone else at @archivists_org who had any knowledge of this “article” is exhausting. And I realize I’m saying that just interacting with the part pertaining to me. 23/

There’s a hell of a lot more that others are dealing with the totality of the article and forthcoming brown bag. I haven’t heard from @archivists_org, even though a certain Council Member assured the Twitter-verse it was added to the agenda. 24/

So I’m not holding my breath that @archivists_org will actually own up to the problem and do something to fix it. That’s not something they’re known for. So chances are I’m going to return to this thread. 25/

I would expect a response to the Boles article fiasco (#thatdarnarticle) after Council has discussed & reached consensus. They met yesterday & will again today. They often move more slowly than we'd like but I'm sure they will do something. What remains to be seen. #saa19

That volunteer thing was in what, 2012? More so than with this Boles preprint, I saw room for different interpretations/misinterpretations in sections of that guide. I'm sure many ppl who read my blog post about it guessed I might volunteer at NARA one day, ha!

I have been found under my rock and informed of #thatdarnarticle this morning. The work of archivists, like the practice of history, is inescapably political. Neutrality is a narrative that mistakes the position of those with power for no position at all.

It is a mark of intense privilege to have spent your life in the archival world and failed to understand that archivists are political actors, our decisions ALWAYS have political consequences, and not doing anti-oppression work means oppression continues abetted by you.

The good news is that many archivists understand this! A few resources for folks who want to push back against the framing of #thatdarnarticle: 1. Archivists Against History Repeating Itself http://www.archivistsagainst.org/ 

2. #critlib chats and resources! http://critlib.org/ 

3. Design for Diversity Toolkit https://des4div.library.northeastern.edu/ 

Why does #thatdarnarticle read like a states’ rights argument against desegregation? #saa2019

My flight to #SAA2019 is now six and a half hours delayed. The only bright side to this is that I get travel comp time now. I would read #thatdarnarticle but I am already somewhat enraged.

I definitely want #thatdarnarticle to come under scrutiny from people outside the archives field. #publichistorians #museums #historianshttps://twitter.com/Lagerwhat/status/1157072271011434498 …

I admit to wanting #thatdarnarticle to become public – not archivist public, but real world public. Name editors. Name decision-makers. Who allowed this but won't claim it? @archivists_org did not have a moment of public reckoning over #thatdarnlist but it. fucking. needs. it.

Attendees of the upcoming #aaslh2019 conference may want to take a gander at #thatdarnarticle #saa19 Interdisciplinary action!

The lack of transparency around #thatdarnarticle (a badly reasoned piece representing white male backlash against social justice archival work & theory led by #archivists of color & LGBTQIA+ archivists) makes me wonder what's going on at @archivists_org #saa19

This should be required reading in every LIS program. Every. Single. One. #thatdarnarticle #thatarchiveslife http://eiratansey.com/2019/08/01/peer-review-for-archivists-or-wtf-is-going-on-with-this-saa-pre-print/ …

Reading that #thatdarnarticle and frustrated not just by the content but also by having to follow the _endnotes_. I hate flipping back and forth!!! #ergonomics #saa19

Thinking about #thatdarnarticle and @saa19 reminds me of my 1st SAA in Austin when then editor of AA said to me and my Japanese American classmate, “you don’t look like archivists.” #pluscachange

Archives mgmt unconference facilitator just identified “hopefully, killing off bad ideas before they pollute the entire profession” as one of the jobs of a professional organization. #thatdarnarticle #saa19

archives twitter, c'mon and channel your feelings on #thatdarnarticle toward good--donate to this fundraiser that helps bring archives & community together! they're so close to their goal, we can make it happen #saa19https://twitter.com/archiviststan/status/1156949847473344518 …

Just started reading #thatdarnarticle en route to #saa19 and chatting with @anaroeschley. Will have a longer stream w/comments later. But @archivists_org could Am. Archivist go back to footnotes? It is so annoying to constantly scroll to the end.

Lol. He is a white man with privilege who was formerly President of the SAA. He is anything but silenced.

Privileged folx will always have their history preserved and how they want they want to be remembered--they have the money and clout. I think it is up to is to even that playing field for more diverse voices in the record #saa19 #thatdarnarticle

NAAS fully supports this announcement by @archivists_org - thank you for listening to member/attendee feedback & responding accordingly. #saa19 https://www2.archivists.org/news/2019/american-archivist-brown-bag-lunch-cancelled …

I mean, good, but people should still provide direct feedback/pushback to the AA Ed Board about this. If the BB is cancelled but the article still gets published that's still a v. v. suboptimal outcome #saa19https://twitter.com/archivists_org/status/1157310915840270336 …

@archivists_org I hope a more comprehensive response is planned in addition to cancelling the session. The brownbag wasn't the only problem. Look forward to more. #saa19

The only thing disappointing about SAA cancelling the brown bag for #thatdarnarticle is that I was really looking forward to the livetweets & ppl owning Boles in person #saa19

I still can't get over how Boles cited something someone said to him in a bar at SAA a million years ago and this thing passed peer review.

The Council believes that giving a platform to the article noted above at this conference contradicts this effort to be inclusive. As SAA’s Archivists and Archives ofColor Section has stated, the decision to discuss the articleat the brown bag session

"has cast a pall over theconference proceedings by choosing to forefrontcontroversy as opposed to collaboration and conversation.”

No, it was the right thing to do. The SAA should not allow bigotry to have a platform or be a basis of discussion. Boles was wrong and he should be harshly criticized.

American Archivist Brown Bag Lunch Cancelled https://www2.archivists.org/news/2019/american-archivist-brown-bag-lunch-cancelled …

You avoided in-person confrontation over #thatdarnlist and you’re doing it again with #thatdarnarticle. Keep the event, ditch the author, and let the people who approved the article and the event defend their actions.

Thank you, but this is not a free speech question at this point. The article is slated for publication and has already been endorsed by the journal. There is no need to amplify it further.

I mentioned to someone how this incidentally falls in line with other anti-labor stances SAA (or articles they've published) have taken

I've been thinking about #thatdarnarticle #BolesArticle, and lots of people (Eira Tansey, @hnltraveler, @ArchiveThoughts, etc) have made some sound critiques. I'm also curious about Boles' seemingly bad faith arguments about appraisal & "universal documentation." #saa19 1/

I'm honestly surprised that Boles is pushing this line; more comprehensive documentation is not the same as universal documentation. This is one of the many places where tries to establish false equivalence. 2/

It's also disappointing to see Boles _disconnect_ individual agency/ethics and values from institutional mission. As we rise to positions to power in career, we can and should have a role to play in helping to shape missions. That's why I stay in despite the BS of mgmt. 3/

And as leaders, we should be empowering and protecting our colleagues, direct reports, etc. to live their values, bring their whole selves to work, and not shy away from conflict. Bad faith arguments, like the ones that Boles posits, make this all the more difficult. 4/

Just had an hour-long discussion at work (after a 30-minute private rant) about #thatdarnarticle. I'm glad my colleagues are so articulate and opinionated.

Ok, this isn't a *bad* move, but how about the article itself? Is publication moving forward as planned or...? #thatdarnarticle #saa19https://twitter.com/archivists_org/status/1157310915840270336 …

One good thing that has come out of the dumpster fire surrounding #thatdarnarticle and the now cancelled (yay!) session at #saa19 is that the alternative readings and resources are flying! So grateful for the great work that is being highlighted.

I think I may be the reason #thatdarnarticle happened and it was indeed a snark at #thatdarnlist. I did not think about how it could be disguising accountability in the long run.

Finally got around to reading #thatdarnarticle and it is hot garbage. How it got published is beyond me. There is so many issues with the article I don't know where to begin.

I’m not an archivist, but I know and love one. Admittedly, I didn’t get ALL the way through #thatdarnarticle because I had not consumed enough coffee to deal with all that BS this early on a Saturday.

Overhearing “it used to be...” or “5/10 years ago...” & similar convos at #saa19 re: #thatdarnarticle and Council’s decision by a very clear demographic. Change happens. THIS change is good. Criticism & healthy, open-minded discussion is necessary for positive change. #exhausted

2. Archives journal releases pre-prints of article just before Society of American Archivists conference. Track storm at #ThatDarnArticle or the ongoing conference at #saa19

I took a break from the article after screaming when the morality of slavery was discussed, had a nice dinner and a couple of drinks, then screamed again when Boles brought up Nazis. Seriously, WTF!?!?

1. It's really not, as some of the most brilliant people in the profession are saying rn 2. You can leave that "SJW" trash at the door please 3. Did they though?