Breakthrough for Book Distribution

An important breakthrough has occurred in ISKCON's efforts to open all U.S. airports to unhampered book distribution. For years devotees have gone out to the crowded airports and sold the books of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada to literally millions of travelers-and for years the devotees have met opposition from angered airport managers. Now, finally, a meeting of minds seems at hand.

In the May issue of Airport Services Management magazine, editor Richard Coffey calls for an open dialogue between ISKCON and airport officials: "The Hare Krishna [people] are in the airports-protected by the First Amendment-and they will remain in the airports. So what do we do about it? Manage it. We'd make a stupid mistake underestimating the ability of the Krishna movement to meet us on every level of confrontation… So it appears someone will have to open a dialogue. The Krishna [people] are willing; so should we be."

Another article by Mr. Coffey in the same magazine describes his visit to the Minneapolis Radha-Krsna temple. He comes away impressed with the sincerity of the devotees and the seriousness of their mission to spread Krsna consciousness. He also confirms ISKCON's longstanding claim that all collections are used only to support the temples and book publication and distribution-"not for individual gratification."

Since every airport official reads Airport Services Management magazine, Mr. Coffey's advice and observations should go a long way toward creating a more liberal atmosphere for book distribution at the nation's airports.