Thursday, November 13, 2008
Waterstones capitulate to censorship
I am astonished that Waterstones have capitulated to the narrow bigotry of Stephen Green's Christian Voice and cancelled a reading by Welsh Poet, Patrick Jones. Their actions amount to moral cowardice and censorship irrespective of whether they still have the book on sale or not.
Stephen Green of course has every right to object to the contents of this book but he does not have the right to prevent other people reading it or listening to its author read from it.
I have a good mind to buy a copy of this book as a show of solidarity but I will not be going to Waterstones to make the purchase.
Stephen Green of course has every right to object to the contents of this book but he does not have the right to prevent other people reading it or listening to its author read from it.
I have a good mind to buy a copy of this book as a show of solidarity but I will not be going to Waterstones to make the purchase.
Comments:
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There's always Amazon, and it will support workers in the factory in Jersey Marine.
# posted by 
: 9:14 AM
: 9:14 AM
Darn just as West Lothian gets a chain bookshop I'm liable to acquire such a book in that chain goes and does this.
Give me a break, mate. If you were manager of a bookshop and you got word that a load of religious fundamentalists were planning to wreak havoc in your shop, what would you do? Or if you were a bookseller on minimum wage, do you think that this sort of thing is in your job description? Retail workers are amongst the most put-upon and worst-paid people in the country; they can do without being forced onto the frontline in the war over free speech as well. And let's face it - if you've seen the poetry, you'll know that this ain't Salman Rushdie we're talking about. Also - a question that nobody is asking - what were the motives of the poet when he sent his work to Christian Voice in the first place? Less of the knee-jerk politicking please.
# posted by : 5:00 PM
: 5:00 PM
Christian Voice is a right wing evangalist clique who represent a tiny fraction of the Christian church. Many of their views are quite disturbing, yet I feel one of the main culprits in this debate is not this group or the poet, but the mainstream Christian church.
I suspect that they may well have serious issues with this publication, but make no statement whatsoever. The tail is wagging the dog here and they need to stand up and be counted, or give the impression that this rather nasty 'sect' actually represents mainstream Christian thinking.
I hope to God that is does not.
I suspect that they may well have serious issues with this publication, but make no statement whatsoever. The tail is wagging the dog here and they need to stand up and be counted, or give the impression that this rather nasty 'sect' actually represents mainstream Christian thinking.
I hope to God that is does not.
LD, A very good point, as a former shop worker myself, I know what it is like. rubbish wages. Unfortunately one of the not so good things about being a liberal, is free speech. Mr Green has every right to spout his nonsense. Ian I assume that you are having a little joke. You know that he does not reflect the thinking of the milky mainline church. You are doing a "Dawkins" using it to remove religion from the public square.
I would suggest that Mr Green get a plane ticket to Iran or Saudi Arabia and witness for he faith and persecuted Christians there. Now there's real martyrdom!
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I would suggest that Mr Green get a plane ticket to Iran or Saudi Arabia and witness for he faith and persecuted Christians there. Now there's real martyrdom!
# posted by : 1:53 PM
: 1:53 PM<< Home
