| 
|
Page: Profile: Wren's Nest News Local
| Total Views: 4,941,255
|
Article: 20780
[Action/Protest]
Date Posted:
6/12/2009
4:28:19 pm EDT
Wvox Stats
Views: 3,082
RSS: 14,573
Comments: 11
|
Christian Group Sues For Right To Burn Gay Teen Novel
Author: The Guardian Source: The Guardian (UK)
Title: CHRISTIAN GROUP SUES FOR RIGHT TO BURN GAY TEEN NOVEL
In a scene which appears to have been lifted straight out of Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451, a group of Christians in Wisconsin has launched a legal claim demanding the right to publicly burn a copy of a book for teenagers which they deem to be "explicitly vulgar, racial [sic], and anti-Christian".
The offending book is Francesca Lia Block's Baby Be-Bop, a young adult novel in which a boy, struggling with his homosexuality, is beaten up by a homophobic gang. The complaint, which according to the American Library Association also demands $120,000 (Ł72,000) in compensatory damages for being exposed to the book in a display at West Bend Community Memorial Library, was lodged by four men from the Christian Civil Liberties Union.
Additional Article Link: [Click HERE]
| Options: [Read Full Story] [Comments Locked]
[Email to a Friend]
|
|
Community Thoughts: There are 11 comments posted | Reverse Sort |
| Interesting, Very Interesting | Jun 13th. at 12:20:20 am EDT
|
nasionnaich (Stanchfield, Minnesota) - Email Me
So..."faggot", "nigger", and other such words are now "profanity" and should be kept out of all books. Such words are "derogatory and slanderous to all males" and "dangerously offensive, disrespectful to all people" -- they "permeate" violence.
Well, it is the same with the words "gay", "queer", "fairy", and all of the other words I have personally heard used by "God-fearing, Jesus-loving, pillar-of-society" Christians when speaking about people of the homosexual persuasion. Except that those words do not "permeate' violence...they permeate the speech of those who are violently anti-homosexual.
Words do not -- and cannot -- permeate violence.
If those elderly ,men, who "just happen" to represent the Christian Fundamentalists of the region -- also known as the local chapter of the Christian Civil Liberties Union -- really do not want to see the book, then they do not have to look at it. They made the choice to find the book and open it, to read it, and they have nobody to blame for it but themselves. NOBODY FORCED THEM TO READ IT!! And the claim that they have suffered damage to their collective emotional and mental well-being from being "exposed" to the book in a library display.......
Or perhaps they want the book to disappear because they are guilty of doing to others what is done to the subject of the book -- and using the same language they find so "offensive".
Methinks they dost protest too much.
Tomorrow I have to finish planting my garden (I've been rather niggardly with it so far) , then I have to gather up at least two faggots* of wood to add to next winter's firewood supply. It promises to be a gay day, and the weatherman says there will not be a lot of wind to queer it. Of course, I did ask the blessings of the gardening fairies, so things should go smoothly. Perhaps Monday I'll go purchase another carton of fags* for Mother.....
--nasionnaich *"faggot" and "fags", as used here, are a bundle of wood and cigarettes, in that order. hardly derogatory and slanderous to all males........
|
| Book-burning Is American | Jun 12th. at 11:02:18 pm EDT
|
Faloku (Arcata, California) - Email Me
Let them burn any book they want. It's great publicity, I'm sure the author will appreciate it. I doubt they'll collect damages for being exposed to it though...
|
| Don't Expect Any Cheers From Me.... | Jun 12th. at 10:13:37 pm EDT
|
bigcat (peoria, Illinois) - Email Me
Book burning sickens me. Most of the time books are burned those that burn them usually never read them and merely prejudge on word of mouth. I also hate the idea that they are trying to remove it from library shelves-as if they had the right to determine what others should or shouldn't read.
I will side with their right to express themselves-as free speech is important, but I hope they won't expect me to cheer them from the sidelines--because I don't.
|
| There Is One Book.......... | Jun 12th. at 9:50:42 pm EDT
|
huckster (Dunnellon, Florida) - Email Me
that will never be able to be burned. And we aren't talking about any type of bible here. The book that will never be able to be burned up is a copy of Fahrenheit 451. This is because it is printed on asbestos. If you don't believe me then check the copy rights in any copy of Fahrenheit 451. It does exist. Just a thought for the mind. :)
|
| They Can Burn, We Can Read. | Jun 12th. at 8:58:01 pm EDT
|
Forrister (Brisbane, Australian Capital Territory) - Email Me
First off - just so people don't misunderstand what I am saying. I hate book burning - its ignorant and stupid.
Having said that, these people have every right to burn whatever books they see fit, so long as they follow the local fire codes and take due care to prevent damage to people and property. Because I believe in freedom of speech, I will support their right to express their opinion in whatever way they see fit within the law. It doesn't mean I support their opinions - It just means I respect their right to have them. I hope their purchases of this book for the purpose of burning makes the publisher put out a second edition. Either everyone has rights of free speech or nobody has.
What I vehemently oppose is them trying to remove a book from a public library. If the book is not legally banned then the library has every right to maintain as many copies as they see fit, and to display them in any way they see fit. These people can lobby to have the law changed but they can't take the law into their own hands.
I hope they spend large amounts of money trying to get this book out of public libraries - I also hope they fail and that court costs will be awarded against them.
You know the really ironic thing . . . . I'll lay a bet few (if any) of them have actually read the entire book they are protesting so vigorously.
Forrister
|
| Heehee... | Jun 12th. at 8:45:05 pm EDT
|
RavenLight (Arlington, Virginia) - Email Me
...I needed a good laugh.
Wow. Go ahead. Burn it. The author will cheerfully collect the royalties for that copy.
And all the ones bought by people who like to buy books other people burn.
My mother-in-law is on a library board. For Christmas one year we bought her a shirt:
'A public library is not doing its job if there is not something in it that offends every single person'.
|
| ... | Jun 12th. at 8:29:15 pm EDT
|
Draken (Bronx, New York) - Email Me - Web
...by the way, "xian Civil Liberties Union" reads a lot like that image "Gay Black Jewish Klansmen for Tolerance and Understanding." It just gives me a "WTF?" moment.
|
| ... | Jun 12th. at 7:21:10 pm EDT
|
Draken (Bronx, New York) - Email Me - Web
Let those retards burn the book. Like a previous poster said, they'd have to buy the book first. Enough sales for that purpose and the publisher might come out with a second edition.
|
| If Their Going To The Trouble To File Suit... | Jun 12th. at 6:06:14 pm EDT
|
kenneth (Des Plaines, Illinois) - Email Me
they might as well put their whole hate agenda out there. Perhaps they'd like to hang a black man in effigy and break some windows in the Jewish quarter while they're at it. There's no point in being that sort of Christian if you're going to hate small.
|
| Presumably... | Jun 12th. at 4:57:56 pm EDT
|
Traveler Farlander (Dallas, Texas) - Email Me - Web
They most likely intend that they will get to burn the library's copy of the book and that it will not be replaced on the shelves with a new copy. It's asinine, but that's the only way I can read it where it makes any sense to them.
|
| And...? | Jun 12th. at 4:42:36 pm EDT
|
Lord Padriac (Chicopee, Massachusetts) - Email Me
They burn a book so what? It's obviously well within thier rights of free expression. The author gets a sale (unless these men are going to risk jail time by stealing a copy) , the store they bought the copy from gets a sale, and they look like the out of touch, right-wing, bigots they are. It's a win win!
The damages seem a touch excessive though. Unless of course thier immortal souls really were damned by thier "loving" god for even reading about homosexuality - then I could see slipping them some cash.
|
Disclaimer: The Witches' Voice inc does not verify the accuracy of the details stated in this listing, nor do we vouch for the value of the goods or services presented here... As with all contacts and financial dealings in cyberspace, we encourage you to use caution and wisdom in your dealings with strangers.
Political Statements: Any and all personal political opinions expressed in the public listing sections (including, but not restricted to, personals, events, groups, shops, Wren's Nest, etc.) are solely those of the author(s) and do not reflect the opinion of The Witches' Voice, Inc. TWV is a non-profit, non-partisan educational organization.
|
State/Country flags created by 3dflags.com and are used with permission
Web Site Content (including: text - graphics - html - look & feel)
Copyright 1997-2009 The Witches' Voice Inc. All rights reserved
Note: Authors & Artists retain the copyright for their work(s) on this website.
Unauthorized reproduction without prior permission is a violation of copyright laws.
Website structure, evolution and php coding by Fritz Jung on a Macintosh G5.
Any and all personal political opinions expressed in the public listing sections (including, but not restricted to, personals, events, groups, shops, Wren’s Nest, etc.) are solely those of the author(s) and do not reflect the opinion of The Witches’ Voice, Inc. TWV is a nonprofit, nonpartisan educational organization.
Sponsorship: Visit the Witches' Voice Sponsor Page for info on how you
can help support this Community Resource. Donations ARE Tax Deductible.
The Witches' Voice carries a 501(c)(3) certificate and a Federal Tax ID.
Mail Us: The Witches' Voice Inc., P.O. Box 341018, Tampa, Florida 33694-1018 U.S.A.
| |
