I'm sure you've all heard about Amazon's latest FAIL by now. They recently began to carry a self-published book written by a pedophiliac. Despite receiving many complaints, Amazon chose to continue carrying the book and justified it by stating it was a matter of the 1st Amendment.
While in most cases, I am a staunch believer and supporter of the 1st Amendment, I realize that there are exceptions, as upheld by our Supreme Court. For instance, Hate Speech and Child Pornography are not protected under the amendment. The court recognize limits on the freedom of speech, particularly when freedom of speech conflicts with other values or rights.
Amazon, in it's own terms of service says:
You may not use the Services or AWS Site for any illegal, harmful or offensive use, or to transmit, store, display, distribute or otherwise make available content that is illegal, harmful, or offensive. Prohibited activities or content include: ....
Illegal Activities. Any illegal activities, including advertising, transmitting, or otherwise making available gambling sites or services or disseminating, promoting or facilitating child pornography...
...Offensive Content. Content that is defamatory, obscene, abusive, invasive of privacy, or otherwise objectionable, including content that constitutes child pornography, relates to bestiality, or depicts non-consensual sex acts.
Since pedophilia is both illegal, and by definition, non-consensual I believe that any material related to it violates both of these conditions.
To it's credit, Amazon did take the down offending book. But others remain, as do some videos with what appears to be questionable content. It is unfortunate that Amazon did not choose to take down the book until after it became a media event. To me, the truest test of character is what you do when others aren't watching. They also have failed to issue an apology for allowing the offending material to remain up as long as they did.
Because I feel that protecting children is the business of everyone, I have joined in the boycott of Amazon. I have closed my account with them. I have also joined Parents Take A Stand and the Facebook group of the same name.
In an overly PC society, I refuse to even entertain the notion that we will ever view pedophilia as "normal" and mainstream as the author believes. What do you think?
While in most cases, I am a staunch believer and supporter of the 1st Amendment, I realize that there are exceptions, as upheld by our Supreme Court. For instance, Hate Speech and Child Pornography are not protected under the amendment. The court recognize limits on the freedom of speech, particularly when freedom of speech conflicts with other values or rights.
Amazon, in it's own terms of service says:
You may not use the Services or AWS Site for any illegal, harmful or offensive use, or to transmit, store, display, distribute or otherwise make available content that is illegal, harmful, or offensive. Prohibited activities or content include: ....
Illegal Activities. Any illegal activities, including advertising, transmitting, or otherwise making available gambling sites or services or disseminating, promoting or facilitating child pornography...
...Offensive Content. Content that is defamatory, obscene, abusive, invasive of privacy, or otherwise objectionable, including content that constitutes child pornography, relates to bestiality, or depicts non-consensual sex acts.
Since pedophilia is both illegal, and by definition, non-consensual I believe that any material related to it violates both of these conditions.
To it's credit, Amazon did take the down offending book. But others remain, as do some videos with what appears to be questionable content. It is unfortunate that Amazon did not choose to take down the book until after it became a media event. To me, the truest test of character is what you do when others aren't watching. They also have failed to issue an apology for allowing the offending material to remain up as long as they did.
Because I feel that protecting children is the business of everyone, I have joined in the boycott of Amazon. I have closed my account with them. I have also joined Parents Take A Stand and the Facebook group of the same name.
In an overly PC society, I refuse to even entertain the notion that we will ever view pedophilia as "normal" and mainstream as the author believes. What do you think?
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