Burning books

[dimity_blue]

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 (£72,000) 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.

Their suit says that "the plaintiffs, all of whom are elderly, claim their mental and emotional well-being was damaged by this book at the library," and that it contains derogatory language that could "put one's life in possible jeopardy, adults and children alike."

Link.

?! Don't tell me...once they realised the cover wasn't offensive enough, they went and read the book and then got offended. If I realise a book is damaging my 'mental and emotional well-being' I just, ya know, stop reading the book. I don't A) Sue for the right to burn the book in public, and B) Demand money for being offended.

Comments

[catzslave.livejournal.com]

Let's see, one of them would have seen it, read the insert was immediately offended then borrowed it to see how bad it was. They in turn suggested it to their friends "Did you see such trash?!" ...etc. They sat around with their coffee/teas and ranted about it till one came up with the legal angle.

This will probably result in a new law that such literature will have to have warnings "Warning: This book contains mention of Homosexuality." Which will snowball to the point where 'Bambi' and 'Old Yeller' will need warnings too.

I hope they get a judge who sees their case for what it is: a quick money grab plus controlling what is published to suit them.

[dimity-blue.livejournal.com]

Let's see, one of them would have seen it, read the insert was immediately offended then borrowed it to see how bad it was. They in turn suggested it to their friends "Did you see such trash?!" ...etc. They sat around with their coffee/teas and ranted about it till one came up with the legal angle.

Yeah. "I'm soooo offended by this book - quick, now you read it!" ::rolls eyes::

I really hope the case is dropped ASAP.

[catzslave.livejournal.com]

I have a girlfriend who doesn't like reading male/male literature of any kind. When she picked up my copy of "Becoming Human" by Valerie J. Freireigh I gave her a "You won't like that one dear, it has a little bi-sexuality in it." And she'd give it a pass. She doesn't want to read it, that's fine. She doesn't put me down cause I do read it, also fine. That's how grown ups should behave.

I can't tell if they're an older generation stuck in their ways or just idiots.

[leesa_perrie]

A ridiculous overreaction that makes me wonder about how Christian some of them really are! I suppose they think they're making a point, but really, this isn't the way to do it. Not only does it make Christians look bad, it misrepresents us in the process. We're not all like this, honest!

[dimity-blue.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't assume any Christian is like that unless they actually act like that. None of the Christians I know (and I'm one of them) would dream of acting like that.

[leesa_perrie]

Sorry, didn't mean to suggest you weren't a Christian with that last line - my knee-jerk reaction got the better of me there.

I hope the case gets thrown out of court!

[dimity-blue.livejournal.com]

Sorry, didn't mean to suggest you weren't a Christian with that last line - my knee-jerk reaction got the better of me there.

You didn't offend me in the slightest, so don't worry about it. I don't talk about religion usually, so you had no way to know either way. :oD

Apparently the case hasn't got to court yet. Hopefully it won't even get that far!

[admiralandrea.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I saw that the other day, didn't read the whole article. I hope the judge laughs them out of court and charges them with time wasting!

[dimity-blue.livejournal.com]

It amazes me that they think they have a case. "Yes, your honour, I was so offended I read the whole book - and then got my three friends to read it too!" Surely, if they have a case against the city, the other 3 can then sue the first for exposing them to the book?

[roslynsmuse.livejournal.com]

Books have jackets which describe their content. Book reviews can be read. Patrons can ask librarians to recommend books for them which will not offend their sensibilities. I check content for myself before reading like any responsible adult looking for particular things in literature.

The judge ought to confiscate their library cards so they don't hurt themselves.

Are they also suing the Times for printing news of beheadings and other nasties? Do they have a special news station which never even mentioned Prop 8?

[dimity-blue.livejournal.com]

I check content for myself before reading like any responsible adult looking for particular things in literature.

Precisely! If I don't think a book will appeal to me, I don't read it! I think these guys wanted to be offended.

[betagoddess.livejournal.com]

I only have one word to say.

Assholes! =<{}

[dimity-blue.livejournal.com]

Heh, yeah - that sums them up nicely!

[roslynsmuse.livejournal.com]

Why do they need anything other than a fire department permit though, to burn a book if they own the copy? You can burn a flag legally in protest so why not a book? Dumb but sounds legal to me.

[dimity-blue.livejournal.com]

Maybe they want to burn all the copies and want the library to hand over all theirs too? Or, more likely, they wanted to draw attention to their 'trauma'.