Petition at Amazon

[memmy]

My apologies if this has already been discussed - but this morning on my facebook wall it came up

They have a petition to remove the "Train up a child" book

change.org/petitions/amazon-com-remove-the-book-to-train-up-a-child-by-michael-and-debi-pearl?share_id=BsmNHmcvsE&utm_campaign=share_button_mobile&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=share_petition

[ILoveJellybeans]

I just signed.

The less people are able to get a copy of this awful book, the better.

[sparkles]

I have to say I'm really conflicted about this. Of course, my first inclination was to jump right on that petition, but when I stopped and thought about it, I had to back off. I detest the Pearls and their teachings and in a perfect world, they would just go away or never have existed in the first place. But what this petition is demanding is censorship and I'm as opposed to that as I am to the philosophy the Pearls espouse. Censorship works both ways, not just when it suits our purposes. If I'm going to fight against censorship and for freedom of speech (which I've done concerning our schools), I have to understand that it will benefit the other side as well. I can't just fight to shut down things that are out of line with my beliefs. To do so would be to embrace the same narrow-minded thinking that I'm against. So in this particular case, instead of working to censor the book, I'll work to educate people about just how damaging it is. Education is key to empowerment, which is why fundies are so afraid of it.

[Stephanie66]

I don't consider it censorship to ask someone not to sell something. I consider it censorship not to allow something to be published. I support their right to publish whatever rubbish they want (provided it isn't illegal speech, like threatening to kill the President) but they can sell it out of their basement or whatever.

Amazon is still selling Kevin Trudeau's garbage, and he has been indicted and fined millions of dollars for lying. So I doubt the petition will do much. But I signed it for Hana.

[Ms Jess]

I agree that this isn't censorship in the true sense of the word. They can say whatever the fuck they want. But it is the right and the responsibility of decent people not to buy it and to do what they can to keep those ideas from being spread.

[graciebeth]

I just visited and it said the petition was closed. Problem resolved or...?

[memmy]

did we crash it?

Edit: actually for me it shows open and it can be signed

[notaduggarlover]

I was able to sign it. I don't consider it censorship at all.

[latraviata]

I just visited and it said the petition was closed. Problem resolved or...?

Really? I just signed it.

[constantgardener]

I signed it, although I do worry a little that this is just giving more publicity to the Pearls. :?

[louisa05]

I don't consider it censorship as the Pearls directly advocate violence against children in the book and because the petition is asking a retailer not to sell it, not demanding that copies be burned or never published.

[Trynn]

I don't think it's censorship to ask a major company not to sell something. I mean, even if they never remove it, we have a right to petition.

That being said, I do respect the fundies' right to petition, even if I don't agree with them and hope they can't get enough signatures.

[Koala]

Signed. To hell with the Pearls and their filthy book.

[Mudball]

I signed it, although I do worry a little that this is just giving more publicity to the Pearls. :?

I worry about this too, and that it will make martyrs out of the "believers" that the feminist/atheist/liberals are targeting the Pearls. Or whatever horseshit they come up with. I'd rather just keep spreading the word about Hans and how dangerous this is.

[thoughtful]

Petitions to get Amazon to stop selling the book (or maybe it's been this same one all along) have been around for a long time. It doesn't seem to change anything.

I don't think that asking a business to stop selling something is the same as censorship, and I understand why people want them to stop. I'd feel pretty dirty if I ran a business that sold something like that, and that put more money in the Pearls' pockets.

However, since Amazon seems unlikely to stop selling it, this is how I think of it - the listing on Amazon allows us to review it, comment on the reviews of others, and vote up the reviews and comments that make it clear how awful the book is.

I think that people who buy it directly from Pearl, or from CBD or some other religious source, are less likely to be reached, and more likely to buy the book. Amazon shoppers might join in the fight against the Pearls' abuse.

I post the link to the place to read it for free here on FJ frequently, because I want people who aren't caught up in that insulated world to know that it is out there, and how bad it is.

[tuckerphez]

Here's a better link:

https://www.change.org/petitions/amazon ... earl#share

Personally, I am all for anything that gets this book away from more people. It may not do much of anything, but it's a start.

It makes me wish that we could put a warning label on every copy of that book, though. Something like "WARNING: FOLLOWING THE METHODS IN THIS BOOK IS CHILD ABUSE AND MAY CAUSE DEATH."

[nelliebelle1197]

I have to say I'm really conflicted about this. Of course, my first inclination was to jump right on that petition, but when I stopped and thought about it, I had to back off. I detest the Pearls and their teachings and in a perfect world, they would just go away or never have existed in the first place. But what this petition is demanding is censorship and I'm as opposed to that as I am to the philosophy the Pearls espouse. Censorship works both ways, not just when it suits our purposes. If I'm going to fight against censorship and for freedom of speech (which I've done concerning our schools), I have to understand that it will benefit the other side as well. I can't just fight to shut down things that are out of line with my beliefs. To do so would be to embrace the same narrow-minded thinking that I'm against. So in this particular case, instead of working to censor the book, I'll work to educate people about just how damaging it is. Education is key to empowerment, which is why fundies are so afraid of it.

I do not agree that it is censorship. This book advocates child abuse and taking away a child's rights to self determination and rights to personhood. It is nearly as despicable as child porn and advocates the exploitation and abuse of children to feed the need for power and control by an adult in a very parallel way. It is a sadism against children manual disguised as religion.