I'm using my First Amendment rights! I'm sick and tired of people yelling "censorship" everytime something like today's upheaval at Amazon comes along. (Read the news, folks!) According to today's news, the "amazing" big online seller is "selling a self-published guide that offers advice" to a certain segment of the population that abuses children.
Regardless of Amazon's claim to the contrary, their reason for keeping the book on their online shelf is NOT a "censorship" issue. Any commercial business is free to sell or not to sell and can select to stock whatever items they wish. Nobody is beating Amazon over the head with the First Amendment and forcing them to sell this book (which, by the way, will make you puke!). Their decision to keep selling the book is their own choice, free and simple. Theirs is a choice of "profit" and not one of avoiding "censorship".
The First Amendment guarantees a right to "free speech". Any author is free to write whatever he wants (within guidelines...he can't, for instance, threaten to kill a member of our government...if he does, he goes to jail).
The First Amendment does NOT guarantee any writer that stores are "required" to sell his book. The market makes that decision. If there is potential for profit, the book gets placed on the shelf. This is a $$$ decision, plain and simple, and has absolutely nothing to do with the First Amendment or censorship.
So let's drop this Censorship BS and begin looking at the real issue here. Money! Profit! $$$$$!
In regards to $$$, the people speak! By buying or not buying. We are free to spend our money wherever we wish and I'm betting Amazon is going to lose big time on this issue.
As for "your" rights in regards to the supposed "censorship" of this book? If Amazon takes this book off the shelf, you are Constitutionally protected in your right to track down the author and buy a copy of his esteemed contribution to literature. If, however, you use the guidelines therein to commit a crime, you are subject to the law and the First Amendment won't protect you.
5 comments:
Amazon has lost a customer. I will write them and let them now this, and why. I urge everyone reading this to do the same. It is not enough to boycott. We must tell them why we are boycotting them.
Exactly. Well said my friend. Well said.
This is ridiculous. It is not a free speech right to sell a book like this. Its disgusting to think that they will keep something like this on the shelves. It is clearly a profit issue as you say. Boycott.
I just heard on the news that Amazon has pulled the book from sale. At least they see reason. Even though they weren't legally obligated to do so.
You know, several of my friends have made similar comments and decided to quit using Amazon. I seem to be having trouble blogging every day and visiting all my friends. Still, I did want to come and say hello. Happy end of fall, my friend.
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