this is kinda old but i found it too compelling not to post - joe
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original

GRASSROOTS/Hank Kalet

Poetic Refusal

Sharon Olds's decision not to break bread with first lady Laura Bush might seem insignificant to some, but to me it was an act of strength and decency.

One of the nation's most important poetic voices, Olds could have gone along to get along, attended the National Book Festival and a breakfast with the first lady and avoided the kind of scrutiny that comes with taking a political stand.

But Olds, a winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award, not only refused, she made her refusal public, publishing her letter to Laura Bush in The Nation before the book festival was to occur.

In her letter, Olds explained that deciding not to attend the festival was not an easy decision. She sees festivals like this as valuable for creating a community of readers and she even considered attending the festival and breakfast "to bear witness -- as an American who loves her country and its principles and its writing -- against this undeclared and devastating war."
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read the rest here

and read the letter here.