Various and sundry
Nov 16, 2010 I have stuff floating around in my head, so I’m going to vomit it here. On my blog. Which is, I think, supremely appropriate.
1. Did any of you see that Amazon boycott/public outcry over the pedophile book? Amazon ended up “caving” to public pressure, and took it down. I’ve seen backlash over it lately, and all I can think is what the shit, people? Really? No, a book does not a pedophile make. Don’t be idiotic. The fact that Amazon would CHOOSE to list that book for sale is disgusting. A book that gave instructions on molesting kids.
As someone that’s given Amazon thousands of my hard-earned dollars over the years (and for other reasons I won’t discuss) I took a personal and intense interest in getting that shit off the site. And no, this is not the same as the church banning Harry Potter. Keep it in perspective.
Also? It doesn’t make you cooler for not jumping on the bandwagon, so get over yourself.
2. In two days I have to take myself, Thea, and Marissa on a plane to SoCal. I am dreading the crap out of the flight, layover, and second flight. Let me just say this: the first person that looks at me sideways when my baby cries is getting a swift and forceful finger in their face, and should thank me for not punching them in the guts.
3. Speaking of said flight, I’m really struggling with cloth or paper diapering Thea for this plane ride. She will be cloth diapered when we’re there, but I can’t for the life of me decide whether I should just let it go and use paper for the plane ride itself. I’m having a huge mental block against buying paper, but as far as space goes, I really think I have to. I’m leaving this until the last minute though, in case something changes. Like they invent a bag where you can stuff a house in it, but it magically shrinks and is super small and weighs almost nothing. And smells like cotton candy. And is embellished with rainbows. *fingers crossed*
4. I was trying to sew a t-shirt for Thea the other day, and my machine was just eating up the knit like a monster. I saw some tutorial that said to use a walking foot, so I ran a quick search to price them out, and LO AND BEHOLD. I discovered that my machine came with one when I bought it. I was so happy I think I squealed. Saved myself $35, and made sewing the shirt soooo much easier. It’s not done yet, but when it is I promise to post pics. I know you’ll barely be able to concentrate on your life until I do, right?
That’s all for now. I must go stress about babies and laptops and suitcases and TSA agents touching my junk.
Reader Comments (3)
I read a blog post about the pedo book in which the guy defended from a freedom of speech standpoint. I agree: freedom of speech is a very important right that we should be careful to protect, especially in these scary, TSA-junk-touching times. BUT...at what point do we put the foot down when someone's free speech violates basic laws of decency and what is morally right? I'll defend gay rights til I'm purple in the face, but pedophilia is indefensible. (Is that even a word?)
Yep, I agree about freedom of speech, but this is not that. No one is advocating e-burning the book, or removing it from the LIbrary of Congress. If you want to go buy the book at your neighborhood pedophile bookstore, then have at it.
I, however, don't want to give my money to a store/organization/company that would *willfully* have this title for sale. You don't see them selling that shit at Target, for example. I think boycotts can be effective -- and the power of my dollar means something.
I feel pretty strongly about not censoring books in any way, shape or form (I'm a librarian). Amazon feels like it's hairy territory because they don't want to start saying "this is ok...but this isn't". Like with homosexuality or religion, etc.
That being said, pedophilia is just not ok. Ever. Anywhere. And a company such as Amazon shouldn't stand behind the sale of something like that. I'm not with that shit at all.