Fear and censorship.

[Gauvin]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080818...m_080818215309

"Random House made the decision to cancel its US publication of the novel 'The Jewel of Medina' after much deliberation and with great reluctance," a statement from the publisher sent to AFP said.

"The decision was based on advice from scholars of Islam, among several creditable sources, that publication of this book might be offensive to some in the Muslim community and could incite acts of violence by a small, radical segment."

A small, radical segment? Aren't all books liable to incite acts of violence by small, radical segments of society? Especially books dealing with politics, and religion. Still they exist in great numbers. Just how large does a "small," radical segment have to be to justify the refusal to publish a book?

More links:

http://www.cbc.ca/arts/books/story/2...mmed-book.html

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2008...rss&feed=books

The Serbian publisher of Sherry Jones's controversial novel about the child bride of Muhammad has been withdrawn the book following protests from an Islamic pressure group. Publisher BeoBook yesterday pulled 1,000 copies of Jones's The Jewel of Medina from bookshops across Serbia and apologised for its publication.

http://entertainment.timesonline.co....cle4543243.ece

Who's being bullied by who?

Who are the bigots?

Discuss.

[danzig]

Nope and read this last week, Random House should be ashamed for pulling the book. Sad thing about it the book isnt an attack on islam, its just a fictional novel about Aisha...may as well pull the Da Vinci Code too. Blame a teacher at University of Texas for causing it because she felt obligated to "warn" muslims of the novel....NO MUSLIM even complained about the book. This is the pure hysteria caused by an idiot (Denise Spellberg) teacher, only thing that should be canned is Spellberg.

[Gauvin]

NO MUSLIM even complained about the book. This is the pure hysteria caused by an idiot (Denise Spellberg) teacher, only thing that should be canned is Spellberg.

No, they did, the article said several sources, not just the one scholar. I posted other articles about the book being removed from shelves in Serbia over objections by the Islamic Community of Serbia the name sounds pretentious, but that's what the organization call themselves.

[danzig]

No, they did, the article said several sources, not just the one scholar. I posted other articles about the book being removed from shelves in Serbia over objections by the Islamic Community of Serbia the name sounds pretentious, but that's what the organization call themselves.

No one knew about the book until she decided to "warn muslims" about it...she is the key to it as there would have been no media hoopla. The idiot called it a "declaration of war" (on muslims I assume) in her warning. Amusing too since the book is evidently a rather poorly written one too.

We're offending them? What if they offend me?

I prefer the Mike Muir mode of offending people, "And if I offended you, oh I'm sorry but maybe you need to be offended but here's my apology and one more thing...<insert you>!"

[Gauvin]

No one knew about the book until she decided to "warn muslims" about it...she is the key to it as there would have been no media hoopla. The idiot called it a "declaration of war" (on muslims I assume) in her warning.

Yeah, i'm assuming she's liberal.

Amusing too since the book is evidently a rather poorly written one too."

Right. Well, from my understanding it's a romance novel about Aisha. I have to admit as well, Aisha is my favourite too, she called Muhammad out on a lot of his . Like when he decided he was allowed to have more wives than other Muslims, after he saw a beautiful woman that he wanted, supposedly Allah at that moment sent down a revelation saying he could marry and divorce whoever he likes because he's special, Aisha, was jealous, and said: "Allah seems in a hurry to please you." Which seems heavily sarcastic. I found that amusing.

A "yes" vote? I should've made this public, lol. I'll bet it's Mongrel

[Nemesis_Maximus]

Wonder when the muslims will warn us about a book.

[Winter]

Political correctness strikes again, and we take a big step back.

[Joker85]

Don't insult the religion of peace.... or else.

[Thanatos]

No. Screw 'em, we have something called freedom of speech.

[perun]

No. Screw 'em, we have something called freedom of speech.

Who has?

[Fluttershy]

Stupid teacher... although this probably saved a few embassies from being burned.

Thats what we westerners should due! Goto the saudi or syrian embassies and just burn it! could make a bonfire with there flags and a bunch of korans too, would be a grand old time!

[Nemesis_Maximus]

I'm getting really tired of us here in the "West" putting our cherished values to the sideline just because we are afraid of offending someone that doesn't share the same values. If they can't take accept it, then screw em'. My freedom is more precious than theirs. This is the thanks we get for feeding them in times of need. What they should get is a giant boot up the wazoo.

[Heathen Hammer]

If someone gets his religious, political, or moral views offended by a book - than do not read it. Just because some poeple get their views, which they choose, offended, does not mean other people do not have rights to access it as well.

[Thanatos]

We're offending them? What if they offend me?

[Nemesis_Maximus]

We're offending them? What if they offend me?

You'd have to accept it, it's the political correct way. I've never been political correct myself, so I will not stand for or accept their aggressive behavior towards my country's interests in their country whatever they may be. We let them build their mosques over here, so if they can't handle a little piece of book they can go home to their precious Mecca. Which we should threaten to obliterate next time one of them raises as much as a finger. After all who sits on the firepower in this world?

[Baron Vlad Felix]

We're offending them? What if they offend me?

I agree with you!

[Thanatos]

*shakes fist at all the PC crowd*

EDIT: All right, which one of you voted yes?! Speak up!

[Axeman]

How dare they publish a book posting bad things about someone! Everybody knows book publishers go to Muslims houses and force them to read thier books! This is an unspeakable crime! Muslims should go out and bomb some embassies now!!

[Viking Prince]

First -- This is self sensorship and not government mandated. Random House made a commercial decision. Ir is probablt a bad commercial decision, but that is one thing about free enterprise, you are allowed to make mistakes. What is the use of management if they are not allowed to make any decisions?

Second -- The proper role for government is to restrict distribution of materials that by community standards are pornographic. Not ban, but restrict distribution (access by minors).

And no -- we should not riot and bonfire foreign embassies, burn flags, shout "death to _____", and desecrate korans. I would hope that we are better than that.

[Gauvin]

First -- This is self sensorship and not government mandated. Random House made a commercial decision. Ir is probablt a bad commercial decision, but that is one thing about free enterprise, you are allowed to make mistakes. What is the use of management if they are not allowed to make any decisions?

Yes. This about whether they should have done so.