You may have heard about it, saw it on TV, the internet... Amazon was selling a book available for Kindle download only...."The Pedophile's Guide to Love and Pleasure". And yes, the book is exactly what it sounds like. The description said it was how to find kids to molest, and how to get off with a lighter sentence if caught. On Amazon, you can leave customer book reviews. For this, at last count, there were 1966 negative reviews - not from people who read the book, but from people upset and ticked off about the book being sold. I was #1966.
Amazon at first defended it. Claimed free speech, yada, yada, yada. They got flooded with complaints - I called - and finally they caved and pulled it.
I was reading comments about it on a news site, and one person was addressing the people who said they were for free speech "but...". He claimed either you are, or you aren't.
And I can see the dangers of cutting back on free speech - we all can - but should it be legal to publish a book telling how to commit such a horrific crime? And if it should be legal, does that mean a place like Amazon needs to sell it? They also sell a book on how to smuggle cocaine or some other drug across the border - which pales beside the pedophile book.
And if you DO defend this book as free speech, how would you feel if your child was molested - would you still defend it?
Kudos to Amazon for finally pulling the book, but thumbs down that they ever did. What are your thoughts? Should free speech cover a book telling how to commit a crime? I'm sure you couldn't publish one on how to kill the president - you can go to jail for just threatening, and we all agree with that - but what about a book saying how to get kids to molest, and how to get off with a lighter sentence if caught. Comment, please.
Where do I sign up for dance lessons?
3 days ago
.jpg)
3 comments:
I hate the decision that Amazon made in putting the Kindle edition as being available for purchase.
Free speech, with free speech comes responsibility.
Glad that people rose up in negative reviews, free speech goes both ways.
Exactly...free speech goes both ways.
There are limitations on free speech - can't yell "FIRE!" in a crowded place.
As for Amazon...they can believe and free speech and still choose not to sell something. Stores choose every day what they will and will not sell.
I think Amazon has the right to sell anything that is legal (I think this book goes over that line since it is actively encouraging a crime) but we all have the right to object and encourage them to not sell it. The point of free speech is not that anyone has to sell, buy, or read what you write, but that you can write it. Amazon has the right to be insensitive and immoral, but their customers have the right to stop being customers.
Post a Comment