Chuck Rozanski Named 2003 Defender of Liberty

As last Saturday’s Jim Lee signing party began, Fund Director Charles Brownstein announced that the CBLDF Board of Directors has selected Chuck Rozanski to be the 2003 Defender of Liberty. Rozanski joins past winners Harlan Ellison, Neil Gaiman, Frank Miller, George Perez, Brian Pulido as recipients of the Fund’s highest honor.

Rozanski described the announcement to his readership in his weekly newsletter:

“When the time came for the autograph party to begin, I followed Jim Lee out to the signing area and prepared to make the welcoming announcement. To my surprise, Comic Book Legal Defense Fund Director Charles Brownstein co-opted my role, and began speaking to the huge crowd. I didn't particularly mind this action on Charles's part, as the entire Jim Lee signing was a benefit for the CBLDF, thought up by Jim Lee, and then later organized by Charles. It had surprised me, however, when Charles had told me a month prior that he was actually going to be coming to the signing. While I like Charles quite a bit, and greatly enjoy seeing him at the various comics conventions we both attend, it seemed a bit much for him to fly all the way to Colorado just to witness a single-day signing.

“What I had no inkling of, however, was that I was the subject of a conspiracy. To my utter shock and amazement, Charles began speaking not about the Jim Lee signing, but rather about me. He told the crowd that he had flown to Colorado to make the first public announcement that I had been chosen by the Board of Directors of the CBLDF as the recipient of this year's DEFENDER OF LIBERTY award, the highest honor the CBLDF can bestow. In winning this award I joined past winners as exemplifying in the CBLDF board's opinion the highest dedication to protecting the rights of free speech and expression in the comics world.

“Suffice it to say, I was stunned. It simply never entered my mind that such a prestigious award could ever be received by a comics retailer. While I have worked very hard to promote the CBLDF, it was never with any thought in my mind but to try and help beat back the forces of censorship and repression. Protecting those members of our community who are threatened with lawsuits, fines, and even imprisonment for creating and selling comics that others (in their own infinite wisdom...) find offensive, was easily sufficient enough motivation for me to give generously of my time and money for the CBLDF. It has always been my thought that when the forces of repression attack any one of us, they are ultimately seeking to diminish the free speech rights of us all. As a leader in the comics retailing community, I refuse to sit by idly and allow that to happen. Being proactive in the cause of freedom can be expensive in many ways, but I'll keep doing it, if for no other reason than I feel that I owe it to my own children to not leave them a world with fewer freedoms than the one I inherited from my own parents.”

Rozanski will be presented with the Defender of Liberty statue during the Eisner Awards ceremony on Friday July 18th at Comic-Con International in San Diego.