Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
CONTACT:
Alexandra Chauran
RE: ("Just when you thought King County couldn't get any sleazier").
When Bellevue Teen Librarian Jennifer Wooten was planning a unique and festive summer event on August 8th for the Newport Way Library, in addition to do-it-yourself henna body painting and other fun activities she enlisted in the help of Renton fortune teller, Alexandra Chauran, to give free tarot, palm, crystal ball and tea leaf readings to the teens at the Mystic Arts Festival Summer Reading Party, courtesy of the Newport Way Library Association.
Already, the upcoming event has stirred up controversy. A Seattle area software engineer, Chris Ryan, contacted KIRO 97.3 writing that the event was "pseudo-religion" that will be "aimed at potentially vulnerable teens" ("LinkedIn: Events"). On a July 17th NewsTalk broadcast, Dori Monson supported Ryan's complaint. Monson's opinion is that, "there's no way that it should be in the libraries." After receiving a tarot reading live on the air by Chauran, he stated, "if adults choose this for their entertainment that's one thing. I agree with my listener, Alexandra, I don't think kids should be exposed to this" (“The Dori Monson Show”).
Though Chauran apologized to the librarians in an email, pointing out that, "the library has traditionally been a battleground for freedom of speech issues. I'm sorry that you had to be ground zero for a modern day witch hunt" (Chauran), the show must go on. The teen summer Mystic Arts Festival Summer Reading Party in question will take place from 1pm to 3pm on Saturday, August 8th, 2009 at the Newport Way Library in Bellevue, Washington.
-END-
Works Cited
Chauran, Alexandra. “Re: Question about Newport Way Event” E-mail
to Corning, Kirsten, Eggler, Amy, Fleck, Jennifer, Williams, Julie
and Wooten, Jennifer. 17 Jul. 2009.
“Just when you thought King County couldn't get any sleazier.”
Dori Monson's Blog. 4 Aug 2009
.
“Dori Monson Show.” Narr. Dori Monson. NewsTalk. KIRO 97.3. 17 Jul. 2009.
“LinkedIn: Events” LinkedIn. 4 Aug 2009
_ch_page_id=1&_ch_panel_id=1&_ch_app_id=30&_applicationId=2000&appParams=
{"referrer":"hub","go_to":"events/74922"&_ownerId=33761358&completeUrlHash=uoYm>.