NationStates Jolt Archive

Anyone up a for a good book burning ceremony?


Check out this book:
http://www.amazon.com/Alfies-Home-Richard-Cohen/dp/0963705806
(the comments are fun)


here is a blog with links to some photos of the inside:
http://dormitem.com/blog/193


*sigh to the world*

:p satire we hope?

Because sex is a perfectly reasonable thing for a 6 year old to be reading about. :rolleyes:

Because sex is a perfectly reasonable thing for a 6 year old to be reading about. :rolleyes:

I'm thinking satire.

I really really truly am.

:p satire we hope?

I wish. :(

Because sex is a perfectly reasonable thing for a 6 year old to be reading about. :rolleyes:

I think the author is just simple and actually wrote it for teenagers.

I'm thinking satire.

I really really truly am.

You have way more faith in humanity than I do.

I'm thinking satire.

I really really truly am.

Let me be the first to dissapoint you with the Wiki on the author: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Cohen_(lecturer)

I must have missed out on the child-turned-gay-by-abusive-uncle-turned-straight-again-by-counseling books when I was a toddler. Stupid, considerate parents.

In summary: Getting molested by your uncle doesn't make you gay, and him crying and apologising makes it all ok.

Let me be the first to dissapoint you with the Wiki on the author: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Cohen_(lecturer)

He'd be much happier if he just accepted his sexuality.

In summary: Getting molested by your uncle doesn't make you gay, and him crying and apologising makes it all ok.

Maybe he was a priest, and you have to wonder what the fuck the parents were doing letting their kid sleep in the same bed as the weird uncle.

you are right, those comments are hilarious........if not scary.

"be tolerant of others views unless they piss you off, then ban them!"

yeah, real tolerant.

I can't BELIEVE that this was allowed to have been published!

yes, immediately! we need people from the government to review books before they are published!

This book is repulsive, misleading, and patently offensive.

I could say the same thing about most porn.......but then I would be called out about "you don't have to look at it" right?

The author should be charged with committing a HATE CRIME!
uh-huh. yep. don't say what we don't like, or we will lock you up!

I'm buying copies for all of my friends.

any chance anyone would like to change his page to read "Complete dumbass" or knows how to do it successfully?

you are right, those comments are hilarious........if not scary.

"be tolerant of others views unless they piss you off, then ban them!"

yeah, real tolerant.



yes, immediately! we need people from the government to review books before they are published!



I could say the same thing about most porn.......but then I would be called out about "you don't have to look at it" right?


uh-huh. yep. don't say what we don't like, or we will lock you up!

Isn't Irony fun?

Isn't Irony fun?

:p

:p

There's a severe failure of thinking at all levels of human society. I for one welcome the end. Let's make room for intelligent life.

you are right, those comments are hilarious........if not scary.

"be tolerant of others views unless they piss you off, then ban them!"

yeah, real tolerant.



yes, immediately! we need people from the government to review books before they are published!



I could say the same thing about most porn.......but then I would be called out about "you don't have to look at it" right?


uh-huh. yep. don't say what we don't like, or we will lock you up!

Yeah, I am so struggling to keep from aiming my death ray at Earth right now.

There's a severe failure of thinking at all levels of human society. I for one welcome the end. Let's make room for intelligent life.

Way to discriminate against us Atheists.. :rolleyes: .. Jesus made me Atheist.

Yeah, I am so struggling to keep from aiming my death ray at Earth right now.

meh. Some people are stupid idiots. It's life.

Besides, aren't you at least a little happy that the book you loathe is no longer available for public discourse?

Think how happy the porn haters would be if it disappeared.

This was on digg today

Way to discriminate against us Atheists.. :rolleyes: .. Jesus made me Atheist.

Being an atheist isn't a character reference, nor a statement on intellect.

meh. Some people are stupid idiots. It's life.

Besides, aren't you at least a little happy that the book you loathe is no longer available for public discourse?

Think how happy the porn haters would be if it disappeared.

*moves away from death ray controls*

No longer available, you say? :p

Well, I don't want the book banned or anything. The author has every right to have his ideas published no matter how hateful they are.Plus, they at least have a use for campfires and whatnot.

Way to discriminate against us Atheists.. :rolleyes: .. Jesus made me Atheist.

It's not discrimination if you hate everyone equally.

Being an atheist isn't a character reference, nor a statement on intellect.

It's not discrimination if you hate everyone equally.

I'm going to write a children's book on why Atheists are the only true good people.

I'm going to write a children's book on why Atheists are the only true good people.

That could be fun.

I can feel the Christian love.

I'm going to write a children's book on why Atheists are the only true good people.

You should also create an Atheist doctrine and heirarchy that your readers can follow religiously... erm... I mean to the letter.

edit: Don't forget to ask for donations to enable your organization to spread the word on the one true way of seeing life.

I can feel the Christian love.

*erects forcefield*

there, that should keep it away. ;)

That could be fun.
A gold mine, too.
You should also create an Atheist doctrine and heirarchy that your readers can follow religiously... erm... I mean to the letter.

Today, Barnes & Noble, tomorrow--the world! Mwahahaha!

Holy yipe!

We have the right to publish whatever we want in the free market of ideas (subject, in the US, to the same strictures the First Amendment applies to things like the "yelling 'fire' in a crowded theater" exception).

This is clearly an attempt to "get back" at books aimed at getting gay parents accepted. It's a really bad attempt, too. Aside from overwhelmingly false information and blithe dismissals of complex issues (such as Uncle Pete's crying making everything okay), it's good that a kids' book shows that Mom and Dad aren't perfect.

That's really the only positive thing I can find to say about the book. I find it sad that children's books are now a new battleground for politics. The reason that books like Heather Has Two Mommies was needed was because there were Heathers out there with...wait for it...two mommies.

Are there people out there with dysfunctional families and uncles who molest them? Unfortunately, yes. However, writing about it as if it were a reason one might feel gay is disingenuous and dishonest. Shit, I got called "faggot" all the time in school because that was the biggest insult the morons I went to school with could think up, not because of my family situation. They called me that because I wasn't in sports and sang in choir (where the ratio of girls to boys was 5 to 1...bet your ass I loved to sing, still do) and was in the chess club and drama and Hi-Q/Knowledge Bowl. I was rampantly fantasizing about the cheerleading girlfriends of all the jocks who called me "fag". For this book to suggest that being gay has anything whatsoever to do with being molested is ignoring mounds of research and the family histories of gay people themselves.

So it seems that this book will take care of itself by being a piece of shit. Smunkee's right -- nobody needs to ban it, and to call for it's ban or burning makes those who dislike it no better than those who would ban or burn books about gay people.

I find it ludicrously ironic that many of those who are soooo tolerant immediately become fascists when something that rubs THEM the wrong way gets air time.

YES, the book is a piece of homophobic, biased tripe. NO, that is not grounds for censorship. Besides -- does anyone advocating a ban honestly think that those who truly believe what the book espouses need a book to help them think that way? Parents like that are already going to pre-set their kids' minds, book or no book, either by their words, their deeds or both. Calling for censorship in this case is both childish and pointless.

[/rant]

edit: Don't forget to ask for donations to enable your organization to spread the word on the one true way of seeing life.

But of course.

But of course.

I'd be glad to help you lead this organization of Atheism, provided I get a cut of the profits for helpign in your evangelical goals.

*erects forcefield*

there, that should keep it away. ;)

Don't be silly, nothing can keep it away. Sure, some people can pretend it's not there, but that's just more make-believe.

I'd be glad to help you lead this organization of Atheism, provided I get a cut of the profits for helpign in your evangelical goals.

You can have 10%.

Holy yipe!

We have the right to publish whatever we want in the free market of ideas (subject, in the US, to the same strictures the First Amendment applies to things like the "yelling 'fire' in a crowded theater" exception).

This is clearly an attempt to "get back" at books aimed at getting gay parents accepted. It's a really bad attempt, too. Aside from overwhelmingly false information and blithe dismissals of complex issues (such as Uncle Pete's crying making everything okay), it's good that a kids' book shows that Mom and Dad aren't perfect.

That's really the only positive thing I can find to say about the book. I find it sad that children's books are now a new battleground for politics. The reason that books like Heather Has Two Mommies was needed was because there were Heathers out there with...wait for it...two mommies.

Are there people out there with dysfunctional families and uncles who molest them? Unfortunately, yes. However, writing about it as if it were a reason one might feel gay is disingenuous and dishonest. Shit, I got called "faggot" all the time in school because that was the biggest insult the morons I went to school with could think up, not because of my family situation. They called me that because I wasn't in sports and sang in choir (where the ratio of girls to boys was 5 to 1...bet your ass I loved to sing, still do) and was in the chess club and drama and Hi-Q/Knowledge Bowl. I was rampantly fantasizing about the cheerleading girlfriends of all the jocks who called me "fag". For this book to suggest that being gay has anything whatsoever to do with being molested is ignoring mounds of research and the family histories of gay people themselves.

So it seems that this book will take care of itself by being a piece of shit. Smunkee's right -- nobody needs to ban it, and to call for it's ban or burning makes those who dislike it no better than those who would ban or burn books about gay people.

I find it ludicrously ironic that many of those who are soooo tolerant immediately become fascists when something that rubs THEM the wrong way gets air time.

YES, the book is a piece of homophobic, biased tripe. NO, that is not grounds for censorship. Besides -- does anyone advocating a ban honestly think that those who truly believe what the book espouses need a book to help them think that way? Parents like that are already going to pre-set their kids' minds, book or no book, either by their words, their deeds or both. Calling for censorship in this case is both childish and pointless.

[/rant]

I jokingly advocated burning a book like that as a symbol of protest but I think they have every right to publish what they wish. You really find something wrong with that?

*erects forcefield*

there, that should keep it away. ;)

Lol, erection. :p

I can feel the Christian love.

http://www.youtube.com/v/VABSoHYQr6k

http://www.youtube.com/v/VABSoHYQr6k

Almost makes me wish I had been raised Catholic.

http://www.youtube.com/v/VABSoHYQr6k

:eek: that caught me off guard.


you are GOD!!!

Uncle Pete (http://www.nationstates.net/uncle_pete)? But he's a friend of mine. :(

Almost makes me wish I had been raised Catholic.

You really coulda felt the Christian love then.

:eek: that caught me off guard.


you are GOD!!!


Somebodys gotta be. :p

You really coulda felt the Christian love then.

Shining all over my face.

While I agree that this book is an aboslute piece of crap, I wholeheartedly protest burning/banning it.

I do, however, totally support satirizing and mocking it.

While I agree that this book is an aboslute piece of crap, I wholeheartedly protest burning/banning it.

I do, however, totally propose satirizing and mocking it.


So you believe in free speech unless that free speech includes burning a book?

Also, save from the Amazon comments, I didn't see anyone in this thread suggest banning it.

This is madness.

This is madness.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZBA0SKmQy8

This is madness.

This. Is. SPAR-TA!!! *Kicks CS into a pit*

@OP. Yeah, it's messed up.

Kids need high-quality reading, things like Dr. Seuss. Not this sort of pathetic drivel.

Kids need high-quality reading, things like Dr. Seuss. Not this sort of pathetic drivel.

How else could conservative parents teach their children on the subject of faggotry?

How else could conservative parents teach their children on the subject of faggotry?

Hallucinogenic drugs, of course!

lol wut

How else could conservative parents teach their children on the subject of faggotry?

The old fashioned way, by example.

So gay people are gay because they were abused by their uncles, and all they really need is a nuclear family to turn out 'normal', nevermind the fact that that I've known a few gay people who came from 'normal' homes, and that all is needed to turn a gay straight is counseling by a black person and to forgive their uncle with no jail time at all for molesting him or child endangerment or pedophilia.

*throws book in trash, dump some gasoline in trash can and lights it on fire*

People, people, people. You don't burn books like this.

You mock the hell out of them, refuse to buy them, and thank God for reviews like the School Library Review put out for it.

The BEST censorship is to make it a complete and utter financial failure.

Teratogenic substances might work as well, all though I don't think anyone has ever really survived more than a few molecules of those sorts of things...

So you believe in free speech unless that free speech includes burning a book?

Also, save from the Amazon comments, I didn't see anyone in this thread suggest banning it.

No, just an invite to a book burning.

People, people, people. You don't burn books like this.

Then how do you burn books?

Oh you meant books like this. My bad.

Nothing wrong with burning a book in protest. Freedom of speech and all that right? I'd not even buy it to burn it anyway. I'd burn a picture of it that I printed at home if I were even serious at all about burning anything.

No, just an invite to a book burning.

Burning a book is not the same as banning a book unless it's the govt burning said books. So don't worry, I'm not a govt. official and I would never promote the banning of any book.

So you are not gay just because your uncle molested you? Who ever wrote this book needs to have a nuclear bomb shoved up his ass and then detonated in an insane asylum at the deepest point in the ocean. This guy is FUCKED UP. This is also what happens when freedom of speech goes too far.

So gay people are gay because they were abused by their uncles, and all they really need is a nuclear family to turn out 'normal', nevermind the fact that that I've known a few gay people who came from 'normal' homes, and that all is needed to turn a gay straight is counseling by a black person and to forgive their uncle with no jail time at all for molesting him or child endangerment or pedophilia.

*throws book in trash, dump some gasoline in trash can and lights it on fire*

The real lesson here is that you can bugger all the kids you want if you can fake a tearful apology.

Family values!

Also...

Customers Who Bought Items Like This Also Bought
Emma and Meesha My Boy: A Two Mom Story

Emma and Meesha My Boy: A Two Mom Story by Kaitlyn Taylor Considine
(12) $10.95
Who's in a Family?

Who's in a Family? by Robert Skutch
(10) $7.95
Molly's Family

Molly's Family by Nancy Garden
(5) $10.88
The Family Book

The Family Book by Todd Parr
(28) $10.87
And Tango Makes Three

And Tango Makes Three by Peter Parnell
(61) $10.87

TIME FOR A BOOK BURNIN'!

So you are not gay just because your uncle molested you? Who ever wrote this book needs to have a nuclear bomb shoved up his ass and then detonated in an insane asylum at the deepest point in the ocean. This guy is FUCKED UP. This is also what happens when freedom of speech goes too far.

So we should police people's thoughts and ability to convey them?
I do not think so.

No. Freedom of Speech is fine but some people abuse the system for creating more hate and hurt in the world. If you can't tell, this guy's style is aimed to resemble children's books.

There is also too much censoring at foreign things like anime and such. This must be some-kind of racist nationalism. If something really needed to be censored, it would be this book.

The real lesson here is that you can bugger all the kids you want if you can fake a tearful apology.

Family values!

Everytime I see something like this, I always think of the MST3K short "A Date with the Family", which you can watch here! (http://youtube.com/watch?v=THYVh9AhtLk)

Good stuff, good stuff. :)

No. Freedom of Speech is fine but some people abuse the system for creating more hate and hurt in the world. If you can't tell, this guy's style is aimed to resemble children's books.

There is also too much censoring at foreign things like anime and such. This must be some-kind of racist nationalism. If something really needed to be censored, it would be this book.

OOh do you get to decide? What if I get to decide? Who decides who decides?

I jokingly advocated burning a book like that as a symbol of protest but I think they have every right to publish what they wish. You really find something wrong with that?

I'm not sure, but are you claiming that I find something wrong with people having the right to publish what they wish? 'Cause I'd like to know how you got that from my earlier post.

I think the book is utter crap, but crappier still is the advocation of censorship or burning. Clear enough?

I saw the phrase "free speech gone too far," and I both laughed and died a small bit inside.....

No. Freedom of Speech is fine but some people abuse the system for creating more hate and hurt in the world. If you can't tell, this guy's style is aimed to resemble children's books.

There is also too much censoring at foreign things like anime and such. This must be some-kind of racist nationalism. If something really needed to be censored, it would be this book.

If you had examples, that'd be great. Anime gets censored usually by its makers for Japanese broadcast or showing and is left in that state when it's exported. Uncensored versions are available.

Yes, the man's style takes after children's books. So? It's not illegal to write a children's-type book on a mature/pollitical topic, nor should it be.

I'll say it again, the market will enure this turd gets its deserved burial. Censoring it only legitimizes censorship, not the view opposing the book.

And one more time -- those who would like a book like this won't be dissuaded anyway, a ban would be pointless.

*gaybash*

Teratogenic substances might work as well, all though I don't think anyone has ever really survived more than a few molecules of those sorts of things...

What the hell is a teratogenic substance?

What the hell is a teratogenic substance?

A substance that causes birth defects (what, no dictionary.com?).

[from the Greek teros, "monster"]

So you believe in free speech unless that free speech includes burning a book?

Also, save from the Amazon comments, I didn't see anyone in this thread suggest banning it.

I think there are better ways to protest a book than burning it or banning it. Is that so bad?

If you burn or ban something, more people will want to buy it to see WHY you are burning/banning it. If you satirize and mock it, people will know why, and thus be more effective at stopping hate and ignorance.

There's a severe failure of thinking at all levels of human society. I for one welcome the end. Let's make room for intelligent life.

:fluffle:

Being an atheist isn't a character reference, nor a statement on intellect.

:fluffle:

For this book to suggest that being gay has anything whatsoever to do with being molested is ignoring mounds of research and the family histories of gay people themselves.

I've considered writing on book on the fact that I am gay and was raised by parents who are members of an organization that publish books on how to prevent homosexuality in children (among other conservative "family" things) - these people really don't have a fucking clue.

http://www.youtube.com/v/VABSoHYQr6k

:rolleyes: boo. people who despise the catholic church should at least read about Dorothy Day. the institutional flaws (which are major) are offset to a large degree by the personal contributions of many individual catholics...at least in my, gay, pagan opinion. I'm sure that makes the church feel better. *shrug*

I do like that people are pointing out that demonizing something because it's right-wing drivel is not superior to demonizing something because it's *not* right-wing drivel. can I likewise add that religious ignorance is not effectively countered by ignorance of religion? reactionary secularism is not helping anybody. fass will leap to defend it and mock me, I'm sure, (call me a house n****r again?) but the entire world cannot and never will be secular sweden. actually dealing with conflict by recognizing the good and bad in *every* worldview is the only option.

I'd also like to point out that the author had a nice juicy section title in his article:

Permanent expulsion from the American Counseling Association

that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

A substance that causes birth defects (what, no dictionary.com?).

[from the Greek teros, "monster"]

Oh. Thank you.

So we should police people's thoughts and ability to convey them?
I do not think so.

Is it stupid for me to giggle while reading this, from a mod?

I've considered writing on book on the fact that I am gay and was raised by parents who are members of an organization that publish books on how to prevent homosexuality in children (among other conservative "family" things) - these people really don't have a fucking clue.

*snip other good stuff*

Sweet, merciful crap -- you are my new hero. That irony is so huge and heavy, it could make Switzerland look like the eastern Dakotas in only two passes. Please, PLEASE become famous. I beg you.

Uncle Pete (http://www.nationstates.net/uncle_pete)? But he's a friend of mine. :(

"Uncle Pete is ranked 10th in the region for Rudest Citizens." :p

So we should police people's thoughts and ability to convey them?
I do not think so.
Is it stupid for me to giggle while reading this, from a mod?

I never thought of that, you made me giggle as well!

You people are way too serious. One more time, the book burning comment was a joke. I really posted the story here so we could burn it with flames from our minds like Drew Barrymore but in a textual fashion. I'm not going to burn the book, nor have I ever burned any book. Relax and have a cookie unless theres something wrong with destroying cookies with our teeth. A lot of hard work went into making something so delicious. Cookies are good and here you are destroying them. Nice going jerks.

I'm not sure, but are you claiming that I find something wrong with people having the right to publish what they wish? 'Cause I'd like to know how you got that from my earlier post.

I think the book is utter crap, but crappier still is the advocation of censorship or burning. Clear enough?

And I am not sure where you got that from what I said.

Anyway, how is burning a hateful book out of protest worse than the hateful book itself?

I think there are better ways to protest a book than burning it or banning it. Is that so bad?

If you burn or ban something, more people will want to buy it to see WHY you are burning/banning it. If you satirize and mock it, people will know why, and thus be more effective at stopping hate and ignorance.

No, I just wanted to know what was so bad about burning a book. Thanks for explaining your position. :)

Also, I don't see how an individual burning a book = banning a book which is what you seem to continue to equate it with. Noone needs to buy the book I jokignly said I would burn to see why I am 'burning it' because you can clearly see pictures of the story at the link I posted. This threads entire purpose is to mock that book and it's going fairly well. This is my version of a book burning.

Still though, I believe in a persons right to burn a book of their own if they so choose, whether I like the book or not.


:rolleyes: boo. people who despise the catholic church should at least read about Dorothy Day. the institutional flaws (which are major) are offset to a large degree by the personal contributions of many individual catholics...at least in my, gay, pagan opinion. I'm sure that makes the church feel better. *shrug*

I do like that people are pointing out that demonizing something because it's right-wing drivel is not superior to demonizing something because it's *not* right-wing drivel. can I likewise add that religious ignorance is not effectively countered by ignorance of religion? reactionary secularism is not helping anybody. fass will leap to defend it and mock me, I'm sure, (call me a house n****r again?) but the entire world cannot and never will be secular sweden. actually dealing with conflict by recognizing the good and bad in *every* worldview is the only option.

I'd also like to point out that the author had a nice juicy section title in his article:

Permanent expulsion from the American Counseling Association

that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.


Oh come down off that high horse and learn to recognize a joke. That youtube vid was done by a COMIC for LAUGHS. Noone is so ignorant as to think that is the true purpose of the Catholic Church. I was raised Catholic (partly) so kindly stuff it :fluffle:

I can understand defending any religion from truely mean spirited speech (which even though I am no fan of religion, I have done the defending) but getting bent out of shape over an obvious joke video is just... :rolleyes: to the infinite power. Let me guess... that's not real math and a slap in the face to mathemeticians everywhere. Ignorance of the proper use of exponents is what is tearing this country apart!