Quick Note on "Boycotting Taxed Books"

You know what's one of the stupidest solutions I've heard regarding opposing the book blockade? Boycotting the duty books. Because:

• How do you determine which books are being taxed?
• The taxes are already paid.
• Books are good, taxes bad. You don't avoid the former just because of the latter.
• It'll drive local business owners out of business.
• While stores might not outlast a boycott, the government (or rather the Department of Finance) will.
• Print illiteracy wins.

What needs to be done:

• Put pressure on the Department of Finance (Customs might be deplorable but if it's just the taxing issue, they're not the ones we should be going after) to reverse the tax. And by the Department of Finance, I mean Undersecratary Sales or her boss, Secretary Teves (and irony of ironies, I went to a National Bookstore branch where there's a sign praising Secretary Teves--what does that say about Teves? NBS? Hopefully it's a paid sign).
• Spread awareness of the issue. And by awareness, I mean legitimate concerns rather than the fallacies and misconceptions surrounding the issue.
• Encourage the media and politicians to talk about the issue.