Posted on 10/08/2002 3:51:22 PM PDT by veronica
Amazon.com is digging in its heels, refusing to take down a book being criticized as encouraging child molestation.
In late September, the United States Justice Foundation, a conservative group based in Escondido, Calif., threatened to sue Amazon.com (nasdaq: AMZN - news - people ) under California law for unfair business practices if the company doesn't remove from its Web site David L. Riegel's book, Understanding Loved Boys and Boylovers, within 30 days. Other conservative watchdogs are joining the fray, including the Rev. Jerry Falwell. The foundation's attorney, Richard Ackerman, went on Fox News Channel's O'Reilly Factor, saying Amazon is making it too easy to bring children into contact with "that sick world."
Amazon.com says pulling the book would be an abridgment of free speech, protected under the First Amendment. "There are no plans to take this book down," said Amazon spokesperson Patricia Smith. "We believe that providing open access to written speech, no matter how controversial or ugly, is one of the most important things we do. And we will continue to make controversial works available in the U.S. and every where else, except where they are specifically prohibited by law." For example, Amazon does not sell Adolf Hitler's memoir Mein Kampf in Germany, where it is banned.
Smith refused several times to discuss what person or committee decides what books should be removed from the site.
Amazon has come under fire before for selling books that critics claim support or encourage child molestation. Two years ago, it decided to stop selling a book called Varieties of Man/Boy Love: Modern Western Contexts. Amazon says that book had particularly graphic images, whereas Riegel's book has none. Three years ago, Amazon's U.K. site pulled The Committee: Political Assasination in Northern Ireland, written by journalist Sean McPhilemy, after Northern Ireland's First Minister David Trimble sued Amazon.co.uk for libel. The suit was settled. Amazon.com continues to sell books objected to by the conservative, Christian nonprofit American Family Association, including The Horseman: Obsessions of a Zoophile and Dearest Pet: On Bestiality.
Amazon says most of its more controversial works end up on its site through the Amazon Advantage program, which lets small independent publishers sell their wares on the site. Understanding Loved Boys and Boylovers was published in 2000 by SafeHaven Foundation Press, which, according to its Web site, tries to "publish, distribute, and retail nonfiction works on the subjects of boy love, loved boys, and boy lovers."
Reactions from readers on Amazon's site have been mixed. Several negative reviews have been posted, including one written by an Amazon employee who calls the book "pseudo-scholarship" and "amateurishly produced." A handful of positive reviews have come from self-proclaimed pedophiles.
Even though it refuses to pull the book, Amazon has kept the book's profile low and not advertised it on the site, says Patricia Smith. Amazon also removed an e-mail address included in a reader's review, which let Web surfers contact the reviewer directly.
Barnes & Noble (nyse: BKS - news - people ), which hasn't been threatened with a lawsuit, says it used to sell Riegel's book from its Web site. The book didn't sell well and was taken off the site, said Barnes & Noble's spokesperson Mary Ellen Keating, who said the company doesn't have stock of the book but also "doesn't censor inventory."
And this is what will likely happen. Censorship is wrong, plain and simple. If you don't like it, don't buy it. However, if those self-appointed censor take it upon themselves to protest too loudly, the book will sell like hotcakes; because those who are curious will want a copy while they can get it. For example, Madonna's book 'Sex' was hardly a literary masterpiece. Protests = book sales.
Can anyone imagine the sales of books advocating the rape of women on that site? However Amazon amazingly has rationalized that it's okay to sell books advocating the rape of young boys.
Pardon me Amazon, but your pedophilia is showing!
Nonsense. The First Amendment DOES NOT COMPEL them to stock that (or any other) book, and they damn well know it.
"Congress shall make no law ..." not "Amazon shall reject no book."
----- Original Message -----
From: account-close@amazon.com
Sent: Sunday, September 29, 2002 6:12 PM
Subject: Your Amazon.com Inquiry,p> > Thank you for writing to Amazon.com with your concern.
> > Let me assure you, Amazon.com does not endorse "Understanding Loved > Boys and Boylovers." Simply because we sell a book does not mean we > agree with the ideas it contains. If you will look at our site, you > will see that we have posted a review of the book by one of our > editors which is highly critical of the ideas expressed in > Mr. Riegel's book.
> > Please know that, contrary to rumors that have been circulating around > the Internet, this book is not a "how-to" manual for molesting > children. The author simply expresses his point of view about what he > feels are "misunderstood" relationships between men and boys.
> > We believe that people have the right to choose their own reading > material. Our goal is to support freedom of expression and to provide > customers with the broadest selection possible so they can find, > discover, and buy any title they might be seeking. That selection > includes some titles which most people, including employees of > Amazon.com, may find distasteful or otherwise objectionable. However, > Amazon.com believes it is censorship to make a book unavailable to our > customers because we believe its message to be repugnant.
> > While we do not censor items from our web site, I wanted to reassure > you that Amazon.com does not promote these kinds of titles. >
> I was unable to locate an account under the e-mail address in your > message. Please note, for security reasons, we can only send account > information to the e-mail address that is associated with the account.
> > However, I wanted to let you know that as a customer, subscriber, or > contest entrant you'll occasionally receive e-mail updates about > important > functionality changes to the web site, new Amazon.com services, and > special offers we believe would be beneficial to you.
> > We hope you'll find these updates interesting and informative. But if > you'd rather not receive them, you may indicate your wishes by going > to this URL:
> > http://www.amazon.com/unsubscribe/
> Here you will be able to indicate which specific types of e-mail > (updates, special offers, customer surveys, product recommendations) > you would prefer not to receive from us.
> > Please note that, if you do not already have a password-protected > Amazon.com account, you will need to create one in order to access > the links on this page.
> > We value all feedback from our customers, and I thank you again for > taking the time to send us your comments about this issue.
> > > Best regards, > > Paul S. > Amazon.com > Earth's Biggest Selection > http://www.amazon.com > =====================
> > We would appreciate your feedback on our customer service. Follow > the link below if you would like to let us know how we are doing - > your input is invaluable! > http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/cs-experience-survey/-/tbxr5754
> > > >Date: Sun Sep 29 13:48:45 PDT 2002 > >Subject: Close My Account > >To: account-close@amazon.com > > > To Amazon.com: > > > >I no longer chose to do business with you for the following reason - > = > >promoting pedophlia through books like this -"Understanding Loved > Boys = > >and Boylovers."
> > > >Please remove ALL information pertaing to me and my account.
Freedom of speech was included as a protection by the founding fathers to preserve freedom, not promote societal decay. Freedom is preserved when those out of power are able to project their voice past those who would be inclined to stifle it. The book in question is about promoting the exploitation of the innocent by powerful adults.
Nor is Amazon censoring by refusing to retail such trash. It would merely be exercising its civic conscience by deciding not to trade in the promotion of exploitation of innocent boys by men of dubious moral character. The book would still be available, Amazon just wouldn't assist in its distribution. Censorship is when government decides what can be printed. That is not the issue here.
Yesterday I joined the Conservative Book Club. I ordered: "Slander" by Coulter, "At Any Cost" and Fighting Back" by Bill Sammon, and "The Final Days" by Barbara Olson for a grand total of $16.90 including shipping and a commitment to buy 3 more books over the next 24 months.
At least I know that my money isn't going to a company that sells such objectionable books.
I am outraged that Amazon.com believes it is appropriate to sell the David L. Riegel book, Understanding Loved Boys and Boylovers. This book advocates the rape and molestation of children.
The First Amendment does not compel your company to stock a book that encourages people to engage in perverted and illegal activities. Your company has lost its moral compass and needs rethink the original intentions of our country’s founding fathers. There is no way George Washington would consider this a First Amendment issue.
I have been a loyal customer since 1999 but no longer. Remove my account from your computer systems as I will never be ordering from you again.
Of course not. And the framers of the First Amendment never intended it to protect obscenity.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.