Back in the old days, one could go down to 360 Furman Street and pick up WT literature, at a price. Then when it went to "donation" basis, you could still pick up literature, but you were limited. I remember picking up the CD Rom at the "book store".
Now the 360 Furman Street building is gone, sold to the highest bidder. Where do you go now for literature? Gotta go to the local Kingdom Hall if you want anything. But even they are not willing to give you what you want. The best they'll do is a few magazines. A friend of mine who lives in Brooklyn tells me even bethelites have a hard time getting the books, as the Society is limiting them also.
I was told if you went to bethel or even attempted to pick up new releases at the Convention, you needed to have a current blood card, as that was the sure fire I.D. to prove "JWDom."
There are plans of having a bookstore in the 25 Columbia Heights building, but that will ONLY be for Bethelites, since the public is not allowed to wander around in there.
My friend is upset because he can't get anything but mags, and his Bethelite friends can't get him anything, because even they have a hard time getting things.
Personally, I think this is illegal. The Society is a publishing house, publishing literature by the millions. They claim their literature is "FREE" and will taqke donations to defray the cost, that is understandable, many non-profit groups do that. Some, like "Focus on the Family" suggest a donation price, that's not illegal.
The Society makes all these claims, and yet denies the public access to this literature. If I'm not mistaken they could lose their non-profit status for doing such a thing. Somebody whould contact ARnold Diaz on CBS's "Shame on you" program and report them.
RR