PanAm747 From United States of America, joined Feb 2004, 4242 posts, RR: 11 Posted (9 years 11 months 2 weeks ago) and read 809 times:
I went in to buy my (overpriced) textbooks today and noticed that the "Turner Diaries" was on sale at the college bookstore.
To give you some background, the book is about a white supremiscist group that tries to overthrow the US government. Timothy McVeigh said that this same book motivated him to blow up the Oklahoma City Federal Building.
I was shocked to say the least. For the summer I am attending a small private college in inner city Cleveland, which by the way has almost no African American students. The surrounding community must be about 80% African American, but the school is only about 2% African American.
I couldn't believe they would openly sell that at the bookstore. I mean I believe in freedom of speech but come on, they are really pushing it here. They must not realize the effect of this book being sold, especially after 9/11.
I asked the cashier about it, and she said "we stopped selling the book a few years ago, but we are just trying to get rid of them now". I said if they really wanted to get rid of them, they should just throw them in the garbage can.
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Vulindlela From Germany, joined Apr 2002, 468 posts, RR: 1 Reply 1, posted (9 years 11 months 2 weeks ago) and read 798 times:
Banning books? Think about the basics of what you are saying. You can buy Mein Kampf in any bookstore. These books have as much value as anything ever written. It doesn't mean that the store is promoting the content of the book by selling it.
"If you take everything I've accomplished in my entire life and condense it down into 1 day, it looks decent!"
Flyboy36y From United States of America, joined Mar 2000, 3039 posts, RR: 9 Reply 2, posted (9 years 11 months 1 week 6 days 19 hours ago) and read 771 times:
Besides, It could have been for a class on Racism or other cultural affairs....
USFlyer MSP From United States of America, joined May 2000, 1481 posts, RR: 0 Reply 3, posted (9 years 11 months 1 week 6 days 19 hours ago) and read 771 times:
They should sell it, censorship is bad. A University is a place to the exchange of ideas and theories, even those one may disagree with.
Redngold From United States of America, joined Mar 2000, 6907 posts, RR: 53 Reply 4, posted (9 years 11 months 1 week 6 days 3 hours ago) and read 747 times:
Is your college bookstore run by Barnes & Noble? Ours is, Case Western Reserve University...
HEY I just checked out your profile! You must be *at* CWRU! I've been fuming about the Turner Diaries being on sale, too...
But look at it this way, PanAm, they're being "remaindered" which means the book is on sale because it didn't sell well in the first place. I know this because I work in the book business (I'm a library staffperson.)
I may work in a library but I still feel that some books should not be at all... That's why I'm not a member of the American Library Association. I am waaaay too conservative for that.
Hey, we could meet for lunch over at Thwing sometime, if you want... E-mail me at bandimal@yahoo.com
IMissPiedmont From United States of America, joined May 2001, 6049 posts, RR: 50 Reply 5, posted (9 years 11 months 1 week 5 days 20 hours ago) and read 733 times:
All books should be available for purchase in a book store, no matter the content. Well there are certain exceptions I guess. Hustler, Club and Chic come to mind. Those should be available to all the perverts that want it, just not in a real bookstore. OK, I'll go along with any store selling those if they choose.
My basic point is that without the availabilty of books such as the "Turner Diaries" being available, would you be able to be shocked? The best defense against an idiot is to be able to read what he, or she, writes.
Hey now! I didn't mean me!
I think a test for people to live in the southwest US should be no A/C in the car for a summer.