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Amazon is selling a guide to pedophilia for the Kindle
By James Brady RyanNovember 10th, 2010, 5:00 pmComments (15)
The holidays are coming up readers, and I know what you're thinking: what should you get for the pedophile in your life? Jail, definitely. Jail is the best option. But Amazon has some alternatives, like The Pedophile's Guide to Love and Pleasure, now available for the Kindle. I'm going to assume this was self-published, based on both reason and the author's description:
This is my attempt to make pedophile situations safer for those juveniles that find themselves involved in them, by establishing certian rules for these adults to follow. I hope to achieve this by appealing to the better nature of pedosexuals, with hope that their doing so will result in less hatred and perhaps liter sentences should they ever be caught.
(sic) all over the place, of course. Obviously I was making jokes up there, but just to be clear: this is terrible and awful and the author, Phillip R. Greaves 2nd (sic), sounds absolutely insane if he thinks children will be safer if we just establish a few "ground rules," I guess, when it comes to molestation. Also: if you want to appeal to the better nature of pedophiles, the thing to appeal is that they don't molest anyone!
So, Amazon is shutting this down immediately, right? Eh... not exactly. A commenter on Business Insider reported getting this response from the company:
As a retailer, our goal is to provide customers with the broadest selection possible so they can find, discover, and buy any item they might be seeking. That selection includes some items which many people may find objectionable. Therefore, the items offered on our website represent a wide spectrum of opinions on a variety of topics.
Let me assure you that Amazon.com does not support or promote hatred or criminal acts; we do support the right of every individual to make their own purchasing decisions.
Amazon.com believes it is censorship not to sell certain titles because we believe their message is objectionable. Therefore, we'll continue to make controversial works available in the United States and everywhere else, except where they're prohibited by law. We also allow readers, authors, and publishers to express their views freely about these titles and other products we offer on our website. However, Amazon.com doesn't endorse opinions expressed by individual authors, musical artists, or filmmakers.
The question now, apparently, is whether or not this book does break any laws, which it very well may. Until that's figured out, though, it looks like the ebook (ugh, sorry) will remain available.
Commentarium (15 Comments)
When will people learn that there's a big difference between government sponsored censhorship that violates the First Amendment (which is bad); and every other kind of censorship, which is often good. Amazon isn't protecting any constitutional ideals by allowing the sale of this book...they're just giving a dumbass an outlet to make some coin (and unfortunately, all the bad publicity from this, including this post, is probably only going to increase sales).
"I may not agree with what you say, but I will fight to the death for your right to say it". - Voltaire
While they think they have a point about censorship, the fact is that they don't sell everything under the sun (porn) on Amazon. As an Amazon customer and the father of 2 year old with one on the way, I am disgusted
Z, quoting Voltaire doesn't make any sense in this context. No one has taken that pederast's right to say anything. No where in the First Amendment is there a guaranty to sell pedophilia on Amazon; and Amazon doesn't have any obligation to promote pedophilia. Don't quote Voltaire without understanding the meaning of the quote.
My girlfriend and I live in the middle of nowhere and there are certain things we can only get online from Amazon or by driving 50 miles one way to a Walmart Supercenter. I think I'll choose Amazon over supporting both Walmart and ExxonMobil.
Do people really not notice their own hypocrisy?
Books Amazon sells that promote law-breaking:
The Anarchist's cookbook
How to Become a Professional Con-Artist
This is obviously not an exhaustive list, just what was on the top of my head.
But wait! It's not the illegal aspect of it that makes it JUST WRONG, it's the abuse of a disadvantaged group that shouldn't be condoned anywhere by anybody. So for I answer with "The History of Torture", "The Protocols Of The Meetings of the Learned Elders Of Zion", and of course, "The Pink Swastika".
I think it's actually a good thing that all these horrible subjects are written about and published from as many sides as possible.
You guys better start getting your black markers of censorship out though.
I am always amused at Voltaire's quote. It's yet to be verified as actually having been stated by him, and the phrasing is usually incorrect (voice, use of possessive nouns and contractions, etc.). It's the phrase equivalent of Mike Tyson's use of "ludicrous" in most contexts.
Who cares? I doubt pedos are searching Amazon for this kind of shit, maybe if people (ahem) ignored it no one would ever find it. Plus I highly doubt anyone will actually buy it for fear of being put on some government list.
And now I see sales are up 101,000% since the story broke, due to the curiosity factor. It won't turn people into pedophiles, but I guess it'll help this wacko cash in.
I suppose one can argue this is free speech except for the fact that molestation of children is against the law. The author is stating that this will create a "safer" environment for juveniles but just writing about this jeopardizes the safety of a child. I'm not a lawyer so I cannot say if this e-book can stay on the market due to the First Amendment but I think it should be pulled because the court case Schenck v. US states words that cause a clear and present danger are unconstitutional. I believe a guide on how to seduce innocent children will cause emotional and physical harm and that is certainly a "clear and present danger."
"Clear and present danger" in its current understanding indicates that the only speech to be punished is that which is likely to incite imminent lawless action. The potential to cause emotional and physical harm does not constitute clear and present danger. Even condoning/advocating criminal acts in the abstract does not constitute clear and present danger.
Update: Amazon has pulled the book. http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2010/11/11/2010-11-11_amazoncom...
This is gonna suck w/out spell ck.But it's not how er write it's how wise 1 is.I gotta tell u guys,males perticuar,you heard ot old addage evil prevails when good men do nothing! Well u did nothing but fought 4 your rights when porn come out,it went mainstream & this has destoyed ouw Country by far. Now how long do ya think child porn will be accepted & you all start trading the kids 4 the friends kids cause it's your kinda kid.This may happen.You say adualt programming? Well real groun up ppl. would not concider this garbage,they would get rid of the trash.I guess u all were thinking as long as you all get to see women sleeze us all out as dignafid human beings who are we to complain,even though it has destroyed so many lives. You did nothing until u were afected by this. As long as u all are ok with this what the hell were u thinking? That everyone is in to this foul shit,oh hell no some like the kitteys,maybe yours? Did youes ever think of this well u were enjoyong the low life sleeze bag skanks?Look at it this way when er go pass a grave yard look at some of the dates,I'll bet at least 1 of them was a child who was raped & killed by,yep u guessed it.. All of u are responible when u did nothing! Don't whine now,is it to late?I want the freedoms probaly more then the next,(cause i am a women)But I am sure our forfathers believed we could figure this out with our intelligents.Like when in harms way,esp.our children! Their should be stipulations on this one,i know someone will say something like,but they have rights like u,uh,no they don't,not when inocent ppl. are put in harms way.That's what makes u all hypocrites damit.Amazon would get a lot of respect if they w/just say hell no! Are the pedafiles gonna come out of hiding & challenge this? Let them Bring it!This is my thoughts on this crap one of us all of us! Oh,4-got how ya all feel about them penis pills they advertise on tv day & night,I have been hearing complaints from males about them,just thinking. Where were youes when we needed you!!I know my righting sucks but the message is key...
Here's an add on to ma hittle fends who screem 4 your rights! EF your rights when it infringes on the littlest of souls who cannot protect their selves from these monsters & when it dose not protect the innocents.The more rights u give em the less the rest of us have. It's not leagal 4 us to carry a wepon 4 protection,but the 1s who rights u screem 4 will do it anyway & have a free attorney to defend them,we really don't have ANY rights do we? So what do i care about rights or any of us if it's not going to help/protect us.It's apears it works 4 only certain kinds of ppl. Wow & a jury of er pears,sounds so comforting don't it? hahah...Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become corrupt and vicious,they have more need of masters.---Benjamin Fraklin~A well regulated milita,being necessary to the security of a free state,the right of the people to KEEP and bare ARMS,shall not be infringed.2nd Amendment. The 1st as we all know & never say,The right of the people "PEACEABLY" read it yourself i think there can be something said about this one...
Yeah,just read some of the other post here, Amazon needs even more money,the greedy just keeps getting greeder. It's ok if they pulled it,they ahcheived their porpose. Maybe something to be said about silence is golden & ignorance is bliss...
Now you say something