Jimmy Carter Book Signing: Don't Come w/o a Ticket

The former president of the United States will be signing books tonight at Vroman's in Pasadena, but according to the famous bookstore's spokesperson (well, the nice lady who answered the phone), "please do not come unless you already have a ticket" or you will not be allowed into the bookstore.

Mr. Carter is currently traveling around the country in support of his controversial new book "Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid". Although some who have read the book say the Nobel Prize winner blames both sides for the trouble in the disputed region, in a recent interview broadcast on Israeli radio, he accused Israel of being more oppressive today than South Africa used to be.

"When Israel does occupy this territory deep within the West Bank, and connects the 200-or-so settlements with each other, with a road, and then prohibits the Palestinians from using that road, or in many cases even crossing the road, this perpetrates even worse instances of apartness, or apartheid, than we witnessed even in South Africa," he said.

With Vroman's friendly-yet-firm plea not to come to their book store, tied with the former President's controversial book, we were glad to read that Mr. Carter isn't worried about any violence that may come his way.

"I feel completely at ease," he was quoted as saying in Ha'aretz . "I am not running for office. And I have Secret Service protection."