The note-writer has a right to free speech, and they should put it in their own book, which no one would publish, buy or read, rather than on top of someone else's speech. It reminds me of the CleanFlicks type garbage in Utah Valley, I think CleanFlicks was essentially the same thing as moving through a book and erasing or blotting out all the "bad" stuff. Those who chose to believe in God and have moral values based on the Bible are censored, attacked and ridiculed and have been for centuries in severe ways including imprisonment, torture and murder. The coliseums in Rome would feed Christians to lions for entertainment. Sometimes it is hard not to want to hit back at those who oppress or criticize Christians, but that is not the moral thing to do. Sometimes it is hard to allow your child to be exposed to something you believe is wrong and amoral. However, it was taught to Christians to turn the other cheek and trust in God.
All that being said, if you dislike a book and think it is amoral or anti-Christian, you should be allowed to criticize it verbally and in your own writing. You should be able to boycott the book, the publisher, the author, the bookstores that sell it and anything associated with the work. You should be allowed to protect your children from exposure to it. But what tends to happen when you do, is the book becomes a bestseller, just look at The DaVinci Code after the Catholic leadership spoke out against it. I think the best policy is ignore it and, if asked, simply recommend something you like rather than tell others to avoid something you dislike. "I've heard of Plainsong, have you heard of _____? I really love _____ because _____ and ______."
Friday, February 22, 2008
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2 comments:
Nicely noted.
This is a great point. I do believe in free speech and standing up for what you believe in, whether I agree with you or not.
It is the "forcing" of your morals and values on others that I have a problem with. I guess I didn't have to read the note- but it was put somewhere that was hard to miss. (And the Gold's Gym thing- this is a private club requiring membership, not open public. Patrons have the right to not go there if they don't agree with its policies)
In my case, this book is being read for bookclub. Imagine someone in my club seeing that note and deciding to forgo reading it based on this poor review (which now that I have finished reading the book, I think it is.) Then they formulate an opinion of those of us who did read and possibly enjoyed the book and our standards. This would be different if she went online or something looking for a review and upon reading something like that decided to not read it. In this case, it was forced and that is what I raise issue with.
As far as the boycotting a book, publisher, the author etc- well that is one of the frustrating things with free speech to me. I want to say, "Speak for yourself and anyone who rallies around you! Don't support literature/media that you find distasteful. What gives you the right to "protect" me from a book? To censor what I view? Did I elect you to do so?"
I agree with protecting your children- the key being YOUR children. If I want my teenage daughter to read Twilight she has a right to- you have no right to censor her library from carrying it or any other book. Parent your children, not mine.
(and of course I mean the universal you, not you specifically)
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