Banned Books discussion

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-...
Haven't read it myself. Not a genre I'm interested in.
But how do folk feel about a charity that helps abuse victims wanting to burn this?
Is it easier to stomach than religious hardliners wanting to burn it?
I think burning is the wrong way to go about things...who ever is lighting the match.

Burning seems unnecessarily dramatic. I agree that it's an irritating book. It might be more effective for the organization to publish a weblog and op-ed piece on why they oppose its distribution. But that doesn't make headlines.

Where are the pitchforks? I don't think burning is the answer. Perhaps try educating people not intriguing them about what could have so many people so up in arms. I know if I hear about a book burning my first instinct would be that I must read it. I'm in no way advocating this book, I loathed it. I just find it frightening that with all the tools we have to educate ourselves we're still resorting to fire to resolve things. Help us all.

Book burning and any type of burning or desturction of art I find problematic. I think it is more clear cut if it is a public work - messing up any of the Memorials on the National Mall in DC, for example or the destruction of the works in Mali(?). I find myself conflicted if it is private owner thing. For example, I think book burning is horrible. I pass books along. However, if I buy the book, and provided I don't buy all the copies of said book, can't I do what I want with my copy? It's not something that I would do, but then neither is flag burning, and that is legal as a form of speech (and I have no problem with that). I'm not sure if I am making sense, but part of me thinks it is a private owner's right and part of me thinks it shouldn't be.

Though overall, I think Renetta is right.

All I can do to voice my opposition to this is to quote Heinrich Heine:

Dort, wo man Bücher verbrennt, verbrennt man am Ende auch Menschen. (where one burns books, one will end up burning humans). It was and is sad and tragic that Heine's words became a reality in Nazi Germany, but it is even sadder and more tragic and frustrating that the same kind of attitudes, the same kind of mentality still exist in today's world.

I am not going to read this book, I am not going to buy this book, I think this book is trash and potentially dangerous, but book burning is NEVER even remotely acceptable.

I would also like to point out that the UK charity in question is really not doing this quietly or privately, like most "book burners" the charity is being quite public about this. And if they want to help women's rights, book burning is not going to do anything (sure, some individuals might agree, but most will be aghast and angry, and the UK charity might also make Fifty Shades of Grey more and more popular with and by its actions).

It would be much better and also much more lastingly useful, if the charity in question were to try to educate the public about Fifty Shades of Grey and what is (or what they feel is) problematic and dangerous about the book (burning the book makes the charity and perhaps even by extension women's rights and women seem hysterical and overly sensitive, especially to those who have problems with women's rights in general, by advocating burning Fifty Shades of Grey, the charity in question is actually doing a disservice to women's rights).

Considering the book is Twilight fan fiction repurposed into its own novel, I'm not surprised it's derogatory and dangerous toward women.



HOWEVER, as a feminist who is hyper aware of sexism, I feel that's no excuse for book burning. EVER.

Plus it's stupid. You will never teach anyone by burning books. If you want to educate people you need to open up dialog by reaching halfway, finding out why people like the book and talking about what is fine and what is really wrong. Right ring religious zealots have no monopoly on censorship. It makes me sick.