Independent bookstores have sent an open letter to the American Booksellers Association and the American Booksellers for Free Expression, warning a recent presidential memo could criminalize free speech in bookstores. The letter, signed by seven stores across the country, raises an “urgent concern” about the memo’s targeting of leftist ideas in books, zines, and other publications.
A document titled “National Security Presidential Memorandum-7: Countering Domestic Terrorism and Organized Political Violence,” came out on September 25, 2025.
The Memo’s Definition
The document identifies anti-fascism as covering opposition to American society, opposition to capitalism, and opposition to Christianity, alongside backing for the overthrow of the U.S. Government. It also lists extremism on migration, race, and gender as falling under the definition.
The memorandum states that “a culmination of sophisticated, organized campaigns” was made by “domestic terrorists to wage a violent assault against democratic institutions, constitutional rights, and fundamental American liberties”, but it offers no evidence of coordination, methods, or motive.
Signatories and the Letter
The letter was written and signed by Firestorm Books and Autumn Leaves Books, as well as by Boneshaker Books and Moon Palace Books, Burning Books, Charis Books & More, Pilsen Community Books, and Word Up Community Bookshop/Librería Comunitaria. The signatories represent stores located in Asheville, NC; Ithaca, NY; Minneapolis, MN; Buffalo, NY; Decatur, GA; Chicago, IL; and New York, NY.
The warning letter points out that “this administration could bring similar charges against ABA members under NSPM-7’s stunningly broad definition of ‘antifa extremism.'” and urges the ABFE and ABA to examine “the Prairieland case, its relationship to NSPM-7, and the implications for bookstores and our customers.”
The Prairieland Case
A memo has singled out nine protesters who took part in a demonstration against the Prairieland ICE detention facility in Texas on July 4th, 2025. Eight of those nine were found guilty of providing material support to terrorists. The charges include owning a printing press used to print anarchist zines and being part of a leftist book club.
The “printing press” was an office printer, paper cutter, and book binding materials. Sentences handed down to the protesters run between 30-100 years in prison.
Grace Byron interviewed Autumn Hill, one of the protesters who got a sentence of 50 years, for The Nation. Hill is a trans woman now in a men’s prison. She was asked what she thought about the case, and she responded with these words: “My whole life is driven by this radical love and by this urgent need to see justice done.”
The Bookstores’ Stance
The letter warns that the memo could criminalize those in the book industry. It goes on to say: “Bullies thrive in an environment of silence and isolation … [urging national bookselling organizations to take stronger and more public stances against national and local attempts to criminalize free speech].”
The message asks the ABFE to respond to the attacks openly and the ABA to announce its plans to protect members from prosecution.
The Memo’s Broader Reach
The memo treats opposition to fascism as opposition to Americanism. It says that “a culmination of sophisticated, organized campaigns” by “domestic terrorists to wage a violent assault against democratic institutions, constitutional rights, and fundamental American liberties”, with no evidence provided regarding coordination, methods, or motive.
The Wider Risk
Bookstores contend the memo’s definition of “antifa extremism” is so wide that it could treat almost any conduct, speech or thought as a national security threat.
- The memo’s definition is broad enough to cover nearly any political speech or conduct.
- The state can define “traditional American views” so vaguely that nearly any opinion counts as a national security threat.
- Common items — a stapler, a paper cutter, a printing press — become “terrorist” property under the memo’s logic.
- The Prairieland case shows the memo is already being used to prosecute activists.
The memo’s definition of “antifa extremism” is broad enough to cover nearly any political speech or conduct. The state can define “traditional American views” so vaguely that nearly any opinion counts as a national security threat. Common items — a stapler, a paper cutter, a printing press — become “terrorist” property under the memo’s logic. The Prairieland case shows the memo is already being used to prosecute activists.
The national organizations are being asked by the letter’s signatories to speak out publicly against the memo.
Where the paper stands
The paper backs independent bookstores and their right to sell books, and is against any presidential memo that could treat reading, selling, or carrying leftist ideas as criminal activity. The memo in question, NSPM-7, defines antifa extremism so broadly that it punishes dissent through a printing press and a book club — and the Prairieland case shows that definition is already being used to prosecute protesters.
The paper opposes the government writing its own authority and defining speech as terrorism. It backs whoever is defending independent bookstores and the right to carry and sell books.
The paper would want the American Booksellers Association and the American Booksellers for Free Expression to publicly reject the memo and defend their members from prosecution. The reader should watch for any attempt by an administration to gather power over private conduct, speech, and thought.
Source material: “Booksellers are sounding the alarm over Trump’s anti-antifascist presidential memo.,” Literary Hub.
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