Amazon selling book for pedophiles

[Belle0101]

Just throwing this out there because I just heard it on Fox News: the book was in the thousands as far as sales but now, presumably due to the media exposure, it's in the top 100.

And no, he is not a registered sex offender, per Fox News. He's never been prosecuted.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/11/11/amazon-pulls-pedophile-guide-amid-outrage/

Excerpt from the article -
It [Amazon] is currently accepting pre-orders for the hardcover version of "I Am the Market: How to Smuggle Cocaine by the Ton, in Five Easy Lessons" by Luca Rastello.

 

[Mama Mouse]

I think the words you're looking for are:
"I disagree with the Constitution of the United States of America"

Oh brother. Look, I can't speak for the other posters but I can tell you what I think. Laws, the constitution, the conepts of illegal/legal are VERY important to any civilized society. However, I do not and will not let the laws on the books dictate my morality. Here is a clear case where what may be perfectly legal is absolutely and completely immoral.

It's outrageous to me that people would say "oh,well this book is technically legal so it's totally fine." In my eyes it is absolutely NOT okay, despite the fact that it is, technically, legal. It's sick and disgusting and, legal or not, WRONG. And I have every right to do everything I can to fight against this sort of thing.

People need to realize that though this is legal, content this horrible contributes to the destabilization of society and freedom in it's own way.

 

[Dictator]

It's sick and disgusting and, legal or not, WRONG. And I have every right to do everything I can to fight against this sort of thing.

Yes. YOU can. And should.
However, some people advocated the Government should. They should not.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Oh brother. Look, I can't speak for the other posters but I can tell you what I think. Laws, the constitution, the conepts of illegal/legal are VERY important to any civilized society. However, I do not and will not let the laws on the books dictate my morality. Here is a clear case where what may be perfectly legal is absolutely and completely immoral.

It's outrageous to me that people would say "oh,well this book is technically legal so it's totally fine." In my eyes it is absolutely NOT okay, despite the fact that it is, technically, legal. It's sick and disgusting and, legal or not, WRONG. And I have every right to do everything I can to fight against this sort of thing.

Yes you do and that is the entire point!!!! Please get involved.

 

[LiberalPrincess]

No, I think the words are more like I think the world has reached a sorry state when opposing books that promote pedophilia and the best way to go about it is considered censorship. I can guarantee that nobody involved in writing the Constitution would have considered something like this to be an issue. The individuals would have probably been shot if they had dared voice their desire for such deviant behavior (of course, that would have really censored them, wouldn't it?).

You are right in a way, the author of the Constitution would not have seen this as an issue as Thomas Jefferson's "affair" with Sally Hemmings supposedly started when she was 14. Deviant behavior indeed.

 

[Mama Mouse]

Did it occur to you that people write books about their molestion and there a fictional and REAL accounts of people telling their tales through movies, plays, books, blogs, message boards, etc....

You can't put a blanket censor on this because then you throw out the baby with the bath water.

1. I don't think anyone in this thread has mentioned or suggested a blanket censor. That's absurd and anyone with any common sense would see that this book is distinctly different from other controversial works.

2. By your logic, we should just do nothing all the time because we don't know about many instances of this particular crime. That makes no sense. You can bet, though, that when I find out the truth, then I do something about it. When you know better, you do better. Concerning pedophilia, you don't just sit back on your heels and let it go.

 

[kinntj]

Was that before or after you checked B&N's entire inventory to be sure they don't sell anything that you find offensive?

I really don't go looking for things that are offensive to me. When it's brought to my attention, I can take whatever action I see fit. Yes, if B & N sells the two books mentioned then I will not buy books from them. My Library doesn't have these books in their listing, so I can download ereader books from them.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

1. I don't think anyone in this thread has mentioned or suggested a blanket censor. That's absurd and anyone with any common sense would see that this book is distinctly different from other controversial works.

2. By your logic, we should just do nothing all the time because we don't know about many instances of this particular crime. That makes no sense. You can bet, though, that when I find out the truth, then I do something about it. When you know better, you do better. Concerning pedophilia, you don't just sit back on your heels and let it go.

No I was perfectly clear that you should get involved as a citizen. I wish people would storm the streets and demand that laws be changed for children. Molesters should be put to death.

 

[Mama Mouse]

Was that before or after you checked B&N's entire inventory to be sure they don't sell anything that you find offensive?

Seriously? A book about how to rape a child and hide your tracks, a book about the intent to normalize child rape, falls under the same category as other "offensive" books? Really? Wow.

I think it pretty much surpasses "offensive" by miles and miles and miles.

 

[Mama Mouse]

No I was perfectly clear that you should get involved as a citizen. I wish people would storm the streets and demand that laws be changed for children. Molesters should be put to death.

Okay, I re-read and understand that.

 

[C.Ann]

And no, he is not a registered sex offender, per Fox News. He's never been prosecuted..

Yet.. His face may now become familiar to possible victims..

 

[horseshowmom]

Oh brother. Look, I can't speak for the other posters but I can tell you what I think. Laws, the constitution, the conepts of illegal/legal are VERY important to any civilized society. However, I do not and will not let the laws on the books dictate my morality. Here is a clear case where what may be perfectly legal is absolutely and completely immoral.

It's outrageous to me that people would say "oh,well this book is technically legal so it's totally fine." In my eyes it is absolutely NOT okay, despite the fact that it is, technically, legal. It's sick and disgusting and, legal or not, WRONG. And I have every right to do everything I can to fight against this sort of thing.

People need to realize that though this is legal, content this horrible contributes to the destabilization of society and freedom in it's own way.

Extremely well put...

 

[Poppinsme]

And Socrates was a pedophile.

Would I want to stop someone from reading his philosophy? No.
Would I want his work to not be published? No.
Do I think Socrates was full of crap? Yes.
YOU have a choice in this country to read him or not read his work.

 

[RitaE]

You know, there is a saying that hard cases make bad laws.
And this is a really good example of a hard case.

The customers spoke and Amazon listened. Isn't that the way it should be? That isn't law. That's business.

But is anybody really all that in favor of having our Government get to dictate what should be printed and read by the citizenry? REALLY? What about 2 years from now, or 20 years from now, when the Government that's in power might just have a set of moral values that aren't in line with your own? If so, you might consider a move. China. Cuba. The Middle East has lots of lovely locations where the government will not only control your literature for you, they'll even decide whether or not its appropriate for your children to learn to read!

And poor Amazon, just like with the 1984 George Orwell debacle, the reason Barnes and Noble hasn't had to deal with something like this is because Barnes and Noble is a good year behind Amazon in moving this technology forward. Amazon gets to deal with these issues because they are out in front. Barnes and Noble just started their self-publishing platform a couple of months ago. I can pretty much guarantee that they will eventually get a book listed with them that most of their customers will find morally reprehensible.

 

[LiberalPrincess]

You know, there is a saying that hard cases make bad laws.
And this is a really good example of a hard case.

The customers spoke and Amazon listened. Isn't that the way it should be? That isn't law. That's business.

But is anybody really all that in favor of having our Government get to dictate what should be printed and read by the citizenry? REALLY? What about 2 years from now, or 20 years from now, when the Government that's in power might just have a set of moral values that aren't in line with your own? If so, you might consider a move. China. Cuba. The Middle East has lots of lovely locations where the government will not only control your literature for you, they'll even decide whether or not its appropriate for your children to learn to read!

And poor Amazon, just like with the 1984 George Orwell debacle, the reason Barnes and Noble hasn't had to deal with something like this is because Barnes and Noble is a good year behind Amazon in moving this technology forward. Amazon gets to deal with these issues because they are out in front. Barnes and Noble just started their self-publishing platform a couple of months ago. I can pretty much guarantee that they will eventually get a book listed with them that most of their customers will find morally reprehensible.

But the really ironic part is that Amazon came out the big winner. The book had sold one copy, then moved up by late last night as high as 65 among the most popular paid titles bestsellers on Kindle. Now, Amazon can remove the book to appease the outrage after making thousands upon thousands more dollars than this book ever would have brought in. I have now seen both people here and news outlets mentioning other books to go after. Watch their popularity soar and many more sales before they are removed. That is business.

 

[Belle0101]

You know, there is a saying that hard cases make bad laws.
And this is a really good example of a hard case.

The customers spoke and Amazon listened. Isn't that the way it should be? That isn't law. That's business.

But is anybody really all that in favor of having our Government get to dictate what should be printed and read by the citizenry? REALLY? What about 2 years from now, or 20 years from now, when the Government that's in power might just have a set of moral values that aren't in line with your own? If so, you might consider a move. China. Cuba. The Middle East has lots of lovely locations where the government will not only control your literature for you, they'll even decide whether or not its appropriate for your children to learn to read!

And poor Amazon, just like with the 1984 George Orwell debacle, the reason Barnes and Noble hasn't had to deal with something like this is because Barnes and Noble is a good year behind Amazon in moving this technology forward. Amazon gets to deal with these issues because they are out in front. Barnes and Noble just started their self-publishing platform a couple of months ago. I can pretty much guarantee that they will eventually get a book listed with them that most of their customers will find morally reprehensible.

(Bolding is mine)

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradberry comes to mind also. Eventually, all books were found to be illegal.

 

[Belle0101]

But the really ironic part is that Amazon came out the big winner. The book had sold one copy, then moved up by late last night as high as 65 among the most popular paid titles bestsellers on Kindle. Now, Amazon can remove the book to appease the outrage after making thousands upon thousands more dollars than this book ever would have brought in. I have now seen both people here and news outlets mentioning other books to go after. Watch their popularity soar and many more sales before they are removed. That is business.

Not to mention, hasn't the author also profited? I'm not sure how that works as far monetary compensation to the author of a Kindle book.

 

[RitaE]

Absolutely. And I fully support anybody's right to no longer do business with Amazon over this or any other issue. Blog about your feelings, talk to your friends and neighbors. Heck -- just like with that really evil lady in Detroit who was harassing the little girl with the disease .... go camp out in front of that author's house and make his life downright miserable. Find something that he's done that really is illegal and throw his butt in jail over it. Absolutely.

But to use this as an excuse to promote the idea of governmental censorship of our books is a bad, bad idea. I'm telling you now, you go there and you are extremely likely to not appreciate the results. Places with governmental censorship of literature are not places that I'd like to see our country emulate.

As for me, I appreciate the fact that Amazon strives to run a store where their product selection is not based upon what they believe to be morally correct. I myself prefer to make the decision of what books I buy based upon my own set of values, not what Jeff Bezos believes are the right ones.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

But the really ironic part is that Amazon came out the big winner. The book had sold one copy, then moved up by late last night as high as 65 among the most popular paid titles bestsellers on Kindle. Now, Amazon can remove the book to appease the outrage after making thousands upon thousands more dollars than this book ever would have brought in. I have now seen both people here and news outlets mentioning other books to go after. Watch their popularity soar and many more sales before they are removed. That is business.

In other words, bad press is still press.

 

[PrincessKsMom]

I guess you've all seen that Amazon has pulled the book.