Behind the Blue Wall: Banning Books by “Bad” People

 

It’s not even Wednesday and I’m already loaded up with topics for Friday’s episode of the “Behind The Blue Wall” podcast (Live from AEI Friday morning, by the way!) The pod is about living as a conservative in the bluest corner of America, which isn’t always easy but is always entertaining.

Thanks to stories like this: “Maine bookstore dumps books by author accused of sexual harassment”

The story is exactly what it sounds like: Quill Books & Beverage in Westbrook, ME has removed books from its shelves by men accused of sexual harassment. Here’s the tweet thread making their case:

That last one is the most interesting: “a safe space commitment that extends to our shelves.” Just imagine what that would look like if they took this notion to its logical end. No J.D. Salinger (pedophile), no William Golding (attempted rape) and, perhaps worst of all … no Ted Kennedy! Where will kids go to get their books about Ted and his dog, Splash? (No joke. He named his dog “Splash.”)

The list of awful people who wrote amazing literature is nearly endless. I guess the gang at Quill could just sell the Bible and a few cookbooks (assuming they weren’t written by Martha Stewart or Paula Deen), but that doesn’t seem like a smart business strategy.

Or a worthwhile bookstore, now that you mention it.

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  1. Sisyphus Member
    Sisyphus
    @Sisyphus

    Michael Graham: … no Ted Kennedy! Where will kids go to get their books about Ted and his dog, Splash? (No joke. He named his dog “Splash.”)

    Before or after Chappaquiddick?

    • #1
  2. Sisyphus Member
    Sisyphus
    @Sisyphus

    Michael Graham: I guess the gang at Quill could just sell the Bible

    Tear out the five books of Moses, murder and fugitive.

    • #2
  3. Sisyphus Member
    Sisyphus
    @Sisyphus

    And the Koran is alleged to have been recorded by a mass murdering pederast. Saint Paul organized the worse kind of getting stoned. All those slaveholders having relations with their property were rapists.

    What about bookstore owners? Has their moral probity been gauged? Shouldn’t their background check be posted at the door and available on the web? Did they ever leave their dog on the roof of their car while driving on vacation?

    Have these people really given a moment’s thought as to what a “safe place” as they define it entails? My kids were raised on the creed that the world is a dangerous place to be approached with caution. Look both ways? Try, assume every driver is trying to do you harm!

    I can’t wait to see the new drivers test.

    • #3
  4. Kozak Member
    Kozak
    @Kozak

    • #4
  5. Umbra of Nex, Fractus Inactive
    Umbra of Nex, Fractus
    @UmbraFractus

     I’ve never heard of any of those people. They could have just taken the books off the shelves and probably no one would have noticed… which is the point.

    • #5
  6. ToryWarWriter Coolidge
    ToryWarWriter
    @ToryWarWriter

    This reminds me of the time my mom brought me to the socialist commune bookstore that had a section called ‘Che’s Picks’.

    She didnt understand why I wanted to leave a bookstore so fast.

    • #6
  7. Hoyacon Member
    Hoyacon
    @Hoyacon

    Umbra of Nex, Fractus (View Comment):

    I’ve never heard of any of those people. 

    Me neither.  And I don’t intend to make the effort.  Still, I noted the word “accused”–so guilty until proven innocent–and did wonder about the extent of the alleged “sexual harassment.”

    • #7
  8. Quake Voter Inactive
    Quake Voter
    @QuakeVoter

    So I guess they’ve put Johnson’s Intellectuals and Scruton’s Fools, Frauds and Firebrands in the window display, right?

    • #8
  9. Quake Voter Inactive
    Quake Voter
    @QuakeVoter

    Hoyacon (View Comment):

    Umbra of Nex, Fractus (View Comment):

    I’ve never heard of any of those people.

    Me neither. And I don’t intend to make the effort. Still, I noted the word “accused”–so guilty until proven innocent–and did wonder about the extent of the alleged “sexual harassment.”

    Where the hell are the libertarians on this one?  Here we conservatarians are, ready to join the fight.  But the libertarians aren’t rushing the beaches and getting shot up to establish our beachhead.  

    • #9
  10. Hoyacon Member
    Hoyacon
    @Hoyacon

    Quake Voter (View Comment):

    Hoyacon (View Comment):

    Umbra of Nex, Fractus (View Comment):

    I’ve never heard of any of those people.

    Me neither. And I don’t intend to make the effort. Still, I noted the word “accused”–so guilty until proven innocent–and did wonder about the extent of the alleged “sexual harassment.”

    Where the hell are the libertarians on this one? Here we conservatarians are, ready to join the fight. But the libertarians aren’t rushing the beaches and getting shot up to establish our beachhead.

    This may be the next war that they’re not fighting.

     

    • #10
  11. RightAngles Member
    RightAngles
    @RightAngles

    Umbra of Nex, Fractus (View Comment):

    I’ve never heard of any of those people. They could have just taken the books off the shelves and probably no one would have noticed… which is the point.

    No doubt preparing the way for the total shutting down of thoughts they don’t like. Either label it hate speech or find something unsavory about the author and you have your excuse. And they do it while calling us fascists.

    • #11
  12. jeannebodine Member
    jeannebodine
    @jeannebodine

    I’ve been in some freakish bookstores in Maine.

    • #12
  13. Suspira Member
    Suspira
    @Suspira

    Are the shop’s owners aware that a quill is an animal product, plucked with violence and without consent. Their business’s name is oppressive.

    • #13
  14. Sisyphus Member
    Sisyphus
    @Sisyphus

    Quake Voter (View Comment):
    Where the hell are the libertarians on this one? Here we conservatarians are, ready to join the fight. But the libertarians aren’t rushing the beaches and getting shot up to establish our beachhead.

    A libertarian take would likely form around the book store owners right to run their book store any way they like, and the solution is to shop elsewhere.

    • #14
  15. Front Seat Cat Member
    Front Seat Cat
    @FrontSeatCat

    RightAngles (View Comment):

    Umbra of Nex, Fractus (View Comment):

    I’ve never heard of any of those people. They could have just taken the books off the shelves and probably no one would have noticed… which is the point.

    No doubt preparing the way for the total shutting down of thoughts they don’t like. Either label it hate speech or find something unsavory about the author and you have your excuse. And they do it while calling us fascists.

    I wonder if there are any Trump books on the shelves?

    • #15
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