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Should books like this be allowed to be sold?

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
Recently i found out about a book being sold on Amazon called 'A parents guide on how to prevent homosexuality'. Which personally i think shouldn't be allowed to be sold.
After looking at the comments i saw a lot of people agreed with me saying how disgusting it was and how Amazon shouldn't be selling it.
But what does everyone else think, should it be made illegal for books like this promoting homophobia to be sold? or should companies like Amazon just not sell it because of moral reasons?

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I suppose everyone is entitled to their opinion, its not like anyone is being forced to buy it or read it.

    But if i worked for amazon i dont think i could let it be up for sale
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    If it's legal Amazon should sell it.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Although in this case it appears that this is a clear cut case, I think this book should not be allowed because it is discrimination against homosexuals, banning a book on moral grounds is a bad idea. After all, if you take a look at some of the erotic novels on there, there are plenty of people who would complain about those, should we ban them? No

    I think if people are outraged about this book, then they won't buy it. If people are closed minded enough to want to buy this book, then I don't think purchasing the book or not would make any bit of difference to their views. In all likelihood this book is completely full of shit, ie how would you prevent homosexuality anyway?

    I'm a big advocate of gay rights, and although a find a book such as this completely abhorrent, I think the extra publicity generated by banning this book, would lead to the kind of people who would buy it, finding out about it more easily, and likely seeing it out from other retailers.


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  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    If censorship should be allowed (I prefer classification) it should be performed by an independent accountable organisation backed by the state - not by businesses and most definitely not by the populace.

    I think there's a strong case for trading standards to be involved - this book appears to pass itself off as a scholarly work that will allow you to prevent homosexuality in your offspring, when in face it is a guide backed by an an American right-wing Christian publishing house on how to train effeminate boys to modify that behaviour.

    I also think there's a case for those who are misrepresented to sue the author.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Why is there whenever something that someone disagrees with they call for it to be banned?

    Censorship is very, very rarely justified and never because we don't like a books message

    That said I disagree with Carriage Return - censorship should be done less by the state and more by the populace by not buying books and if they feel strongly not shopping at those places which stock them. I'd have no problem with Amazon refusing to stock it because it's made a commercial decision at the risk of having a backlash; I'd be totally against them not stocking it because the state has ordered them not to.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'd never heard of it. I think you'll find most people haven't heard of it. Try and ban it, and instantly a lot of people will go off and buy it when they might not have. Plus, banning it from Amazon.co.uk won't stop people getting it from amazon.com or prevent them from downloading the e-book.

    Without reading it, I can only assume this is marketed as a manual of some sort. Unless it actively preaches discrimination against gay people you'd have a hard time getting it banned anyway. I'd argue that whilst disgusting, trying to prevent your kids from being gay wouldn't be classed as active discrimination, just morally wrong and misguided.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    If it's legal Amazon should sell it.

    As much as I loathe this book and ones like it, I agree. I used to work in bookselling (for about 8 years) and would have been horrified if we were specifically instructed to censor. We sold Mein Kampf to students studying fascism (and, I assume, probably also to some mad fascists) and Richard Littlejohn to idiots. I'd prefer not to, but it's not my right to say what people can or can't read.

    I did, however, used to go to Christian bookshops and slip cards for LGBT-friendly Christian groups into the books that advocated "curing" gay people.

    I also would echo G-Raffe's point about banning just giving the issue more publicity and allowing the idiots who write and buy these books a bigger platform.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Whowhere wrote: »
    I'd argue that whilst disgusting, trying to prevent your kids from being gay wouldn't be classed as active discrimination, just morally wrong and misguided.

    Interestingly, I think there is at least one case where a couple have been prevented from adopting / fostering because of their views on homosexuality. I'll look it up.

    Edit: here
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    piccolo wrote: »
    Interestingly, I think there is at least one case where a couple have been prevented from adopting / fostering because of their views on homosexuality. I'll look it up.

    Edit: here

    I'm assuming the book is aimed at birth parents, but good point.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Piccolo, just read about the cards for LGBT friendly Christian groups slipped into various books, I now have a smirk, good work!


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  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'm with Flashman on this.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    i would never even have known this book existed if you hadnt said it here
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Ofc people are entitled to their opinion and if they wish to express these threw a book then so be it. But the fact its aimed at parents and their behaviour towards their children, really annoyed me. I mean there must be cases where parents try things out and to an extent damage their children.

    I know taking the book off sale wouldn't really stop parents who think this is the right thing to do, but amazon selling it does feel like they justify it to an extent.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Amazon are a retailer, they are not the thought police. If people don't like this book then they won't buy it. Amazon sell a lot of things that at least someone somewhere will be disgusted with, it's the people who buy these kind of books that we need to look at.


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  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Personally I don't think it should be, but then that is my own opinion and others will think differently, but how can the world change and learn to accept the LGBT community more if books like this are available for people to buy, giving them an idea that there is a way to cure homosexuality, when there isn't, no one chooses their sexuality, and most importantly how is it for those that have parents who have bought it and then live their life denying their feelings and believing it's wrong? To more forwards there has to be change, and this doesn't help anyone
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    LuckyStarr wrote: »
    Personally I don't think it should be, but then that is my own opinion and others will think differently, but how can the world change and learn to accept the LGBT community more if books like this are available for people to buy, giving them an idea that there is a way to cure homosexuality, when there isn't, no one chooses their sexuality, and most importantly how is it for those that have parents who have bought it and then live their life denying their feelings and believing it's wrong? To more forwards there has to be change, and this doesn't help anyone

    The only people who are likely to buy this book are the people who think that homosexuality is an illness that can be cured. Stopping books like this being on sale wont change that. We need to get to the stage where we can educate people and change them so nobody would ever want to buy this book, not just ban the book.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    any parents that would buy this book are already probably going to fuck their kids up. Its never going to be the new parenting bible.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    G-Raffe wrote: »
    The only people who are likely to buy this book are the people who think that homosexuality is an illness that can be cured. Stopping books like this being on sale wont change that. We need to get to the stage where we can educate people and change them so nobody would ever want to buy this book, not just ban the book.

    :yes:
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