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#108048 - 08/19/08 04:23 PM
How far will fear of Islamist terrorists go?
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Phyllis Nilsson
Member
Registered: 05/04/00
Posts: 1055
Loc: Toledo, Ohio USA
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A racy, historical novel based on the Prophet Muhammad's child bride A'isha was supposed to hit book stores in the U.S. Tuesday.
But in a rare case of self-censorship to preempt possible violent reaction by Muslims, one of the world's largest publishing houses pulled the plug on the book just before its release date.
Sherry Jones, author of The Jewel of Medina, said she received word from Random House Inc. that the book's release would be "postponed indefinitely." The decision came after copies of her book were sent to stores, her book tour was scheduled and her work of fiction was accepted by the Book of the Month Club (it was scheduled to be in the August selection).
Another "freedom" lost. It didn't even come from the Patriot Act or from Christians. If this happens with only 10% of the country being Muslim, what will happen when it is 50%? It is, after all, the fastest growing religion in the world if one believes the polls.
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#108051 - 08/19/08 04:39 PM
Re: How far will fear of Islamist terrorists go?
[Re: Phyllis Nilsson]
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Badfinger
Member
Registered: 11/07/07
Posts: 507
Loc: Grand Prairie, TX
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OMG, what happened to freedom of speech in this country? That's just a shame. It only takes a handful of idiot terrorists to ruin it for the rest of us. Kinda reminds me of when Satanic Versus was released. I think the title is what caused that particular stir. I'm actually surprised with all the flack it got that its publisher didn't do the same thing that they are doing with this Jewel of Medina book. Ha! The fact that they are trying to shelve it indefinitely makes me want to go to Amazon to see if any of those that were already released to the bookstore found their way on-line, yet. I wonder if this Jones lady could take her book to another publishing house???
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I've got something to say . . . . it's better to burn out than fade away.
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#108053 - 08/19/08 04:52 PM
Re: How far will fear of Islamist terrorists go?
[Re: Phyllis Nilsson]
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tropsicleAfter
Member
Registered: 10/30/06
Posts: 2674
Loc: Vicksburg, MS
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I'm not defending Random House, but their decision to publish or not publish is not a freedom of speech issue. As to whether the author can take it to another house, it all depends on what kind of contract she signed, what advances she took, and whether or not she would be willing to give those advances back.
This seems to me to be a great basis for stirring up publicity for the book, which they may decide to publish next week or next month. Understanding the basics of the publishing industry helps to ferret out what may or may not be going on here.
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tropsicle
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#108054 - 08/19/08 04:58 PM
Re: How far will fear of Islamist terrorists go?
[Re: Badfinger]
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MattsKat
Member
Registered: 11/28/04
Posts: 2863
Loc: Here and Now...USA
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I wonder if this Jones lady could take her book to another publishing house???
BF, yes, she could. Here's Random House's official statement:
Random House released a public statement about the decision not to publish the book:
After sending out advance editions of the novel THE JEWEL OF MEDINA, we received in response, from credible and unrelated sources, cautionary advice not only that the publication of this book might be offensive to some in the Muslim community, but also that it could incite acts of violence by a small, radical segment.
We felt an obligation to take these concerns very seriously. We consulted with security experts as well as with scholars of Islam, whom we asked to review the book and offer their assessments of potential reactions.
We stand firmly by our responsibility to support our authors and the free discussion of ideas, even those that may be construed as offensive by some. However, a publisher must weigh that responsibility against others that it also bears, and in this instance we decided, after much deliberation, to postpone publication for the safety of the author, employees of Random House, booksellers and anyone else who would be involved in distribution and sale of the novel. The author and Ballantine subsequently agreed to terminate the agreement, with the understanding that the author would be free to publish elsewhere, if she so chose.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Jewel_of_Medina
I googled the book title thinking I might get a reference to Snopes. Nope, it's legitimate. (However, I have to wonder why a "literary" description of consummating a marriage to an 11-year-old bride isn't considered kiddie porn - but what would I know? I tend to favor Jodi Picoult and Anita Shreve over historical romance novels.)
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Those who can laugh at themselves shall never cease to be amused.
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#108056 - 08/19/08 05:13 PM
Re: How far will fear of Islamist terrorists go?
[Re: MattsKat]
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Badfinger
Member
Registered: 11/07/07
Posts: 507
Loc: Grand Prairie, TX
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(However, I have to wonder why a "literary" description of consummating a marriage to an 11-year-old bride isn't considered kiddie porn - but what would I know? I tend to favor Jodi Picoult and Anita Shreve over historical romance novels.)
I wonder if maybe it's not considered porn if the norm for the culture in question is men marrying child brides (did that even make sense, sounded funny when I read it back to myself), but that brings me to a question I've always had: If there is a rating system for movies and music to warn us of images or sounds of "kiddie porn," cursing, nudity, etc., why don't you see the same kind of labels on let's say a Jackie Collins novel? I wonder why Random House couldn't just release the book with a big disclaimer on it? I'm sure those that are offended will gripe no matter what, but what if?
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I've got something to say . . . . it's better to burn out than fade away.
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#108057 - 08/19/08 05:21 PM
Re: How far will fear of Islamist terrorists go?
[Re: Badfinger]
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MattsKat
Member
Registered: 11/28/04
Posts: 2863
Loc: Here and Now...USA
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Clarification: The book is not being stopped by Random House because of kiddie porn but because it has the potential to inflame Muslims (terror-bent and otherwise) because the book is not accurate (in spite of the author saying she'd done her research.)
_________________________
Those who can laugh at themselves shall never cease to be amused.
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#108062 - 08/19/08 06:12 PM
Re: How far will fear of Islamist terrorists go?
[Re: MattsKat]
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Badfinger
Member
Registered: 11/07/07
Posts: 507
Loc: Grand Prairie, TX
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Clarification: I know it's not being stopped because of kiddie porn. I was just stating why I thought the child-bride instance may or may not be considered kiddie porn. For example, the F bomb. In some instances, it's not considered cursing, i.e. U2's Bono dropping the F bomb at an award show that was deemed not a curse word by the FCC because of the context in which it was used. That probably wasn't the best analogy. Oh, well, it's obviously not against to law to marry children in some countries if her book is accurate or not accurate depending on what you believe or if her research is accurate.
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I've got something to say . . . . it's better to burn out than fade away.
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#108063 - 08/19/08 06:25 PM
Re: How far will fear of Islamist terrorists go?
[Re: Badfinger]
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Phyllis Nilsson
Member
Registered: 05/04/00
Posts: 1055
Loc: Toledo, Ohio USA
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It only takes a handful of idiot terrorists to ruin it for the rest of us.
As much as I'd like to blame the Muslims, I can't. I never knew there were such wimps in American business. Other countries, perhaps, but not America.
Remember the Danish cartoons? The response of the European Union Commissioner for Justice, Freedom, and Security was that newspapers should exercise prudence on certain "controversial" subjects. I believe cartoons that demean another's religion are inappropriate and disgusting, but what else will be deemed "controversial"?
I don't remember anyone ever saying that statements, cartoons, articles, op-ed pieces, books, or magazines should not print anything that could be deemed offensive to Christians, even though there are some who are afraid of Christians "power" (which, to my mind doesn't even exist).
Although I may be wrong (and I hope someone will correct me if I am), I don't remember ever hearing of Christians going to court simply because something they read was offensive to them, but the Canadian Islamic Congress is suing a writer named Mark Steyn because, when writing a book review (Robert Ferrigno's Prayers for the Assassin), he wrote about the plot which had to do with what the U.S. would be like under Islam.
He didn't write the book, he just wrote a review of it. They aren't claiming they are offended, they are claiming he broke the law. I don't know the details. I'm surmising he reviewed a book that was considered hateful to their religion, but when they say that every Israeli male over the age of 18 should be killed, that isn't hate speech against Judaism and we should be tolerant.
I haven't read the book and don't care to, but if someone like Random House is afraid of Muslim extremists, I can't help wonder where this will lead, what will be next? Are we right behind Canada in not allowing anything that offends someone?
London's Fortis Bank won't give children piggy banks anymore because they're afraid it will offend Muslims. Now Random House won't publish anything they feel will offend Islam.
I don't have to embrace someone else's religion to be friendly toward them, respect their right to worship as they please, live where they please, work where they please, wear what they please, and do as they please (all within the parameters of the law, of course), I just wish they would afford the rest of us the same respect.
I have yet to read even one sentence in the Constitution that provides us freedom from being offended. Political correctness has run amok.
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#108067 - 08/19/08 06:38 PM
Re: How far will fear of Islamist terrorists go?
[Re: Badfinger]
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MattsKat
Member
Registered: 11/28/04
Posts: 2863
Loc: Here and Now...USA
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Clarification: I know it's not being stopped because of kiddie porn.
I meant that "clarification" to my post, not yours!  It sounded like I might be trying to say the book was stopped because it was pornographic, and that's never been mentioned (other than a review of the book calling it "soft porn" but definitely NOT "kiddie.")
Apparently talking about the child-bride of Mohammad is like how imagining what might have gone on between Jesus and Mary Magdalen and calling it "historical romance" would be offensive to Christians, with the potential for maniacal reactions from a handful of offended Muslims.
From Random House's statement:
...we decided, after much deliberation, to postpone publication for the safety of the author, employees of Random House, booksellers and anyone else who would be involved in distribution and sale of the novel.
_________________________
Those who can laugh at themselves shall never cease to be amused.
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#108070 - 08/19/08 06:40 PM
Re: How far will fear of Islamist terrorists go?
[Re: Phyllis Nilsson]
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Badfinger
Member
Registered: 11/07/07
Posts: 507
Loc: Grand Prairie, TX
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Although I may be wrong (and I hope someone will correct me if I am), I don't remember ever hearing of Christians going to court simply because something they read was offensive to them. . . . .I can't help wonder where this will lead, what will be next? Are we right behind Canada in not allowing anything that offends someone?
Christians may not go to court but they do make death threats, don't they? Remember that show Book of Daniel that was on NBC a couple of seasons ago? Remember how the Christians/Catholics got all up in arms about the fact that NBC would dare air a show that depicted a Catholic priest who popped Vicodin and had regular conversations with Jesus? Offensive? Hardly. Anyone who watched the show would know that. And being a fellow Christian, although I hate to say "fellow" in this situation, I am disgusted that people would use their religion to keep the rest of the public, Christian or not, from viewing a television show. I wish more Christians would take on the motto "live and let live" instead of doing the same kind of crap these Muslims are doing in the case of this book. Shame, shame, shame. To me, there is no difference. Christians can be just as extreme as Muslims. If you don't believe me, I highly encourage you to rent Jesus Camp.
_________________________
I've got something to say . . . . it's better to burn out than fade away.
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#108071 - 08/19/08 06:42 PM
Re: How far will fear of Islamist terrorists go?
[Re: MattsKat]
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Badfinger
Member
Registered: 11/07/07
Posts: 507
Loc: Grand Prairie, TX
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Clarification: I know it's not being stopped because of kiddie porn. I meant that "clarification" to my post, not yours!
Ooops! My bad.
_________________________
I've got something to say . . . . it's better to burn out than fade away.
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#108073 - 08/19/08 06:51 PM
Re: How far will fear of Islamist terrorists go?
[Re: Phyllis Nilsson]
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MattsKat
Member
Registered: 11/28/04
Posts: 2863
Loc: Here and Now...USA
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I don't remember anyone ever saying that statements, cartoons, articles, op-ed pieces, books, or magazines should not print anything that could be deemed offensive to Christians
Phyllis, you would be right IF someone had ordered Random House not to publish the book. That wasn't the case. Random House told itself not to publish the book... and the decision didn't have anything to do with censorship or freedom of speech. It was a business decision as well as a concern for the safety of the people associated with the book. Certainly that's their right, isn't it?
If the author wants to go ahead and publish, that's her right as well... no one is stopping her. As Trops pointed out, she's generated a lot of publicity and anticipation, the book could still have a market, and Random House is now off the legal hook if something "extreme" happens as a result of this book. I'm not sure it's so much a situation of Political Correctness as it is Don't Sue The Publisher When Someone Gets Crazy Ideas from Reading.
_________________________
Those who can laugh at themselves shall never cease to be amused.
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#108074 - 08/19/08 06:57 PM
Re: How far will fear of Islamist terrorists go?
[Re: Badfinger]
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MattsKat
Member
Registered: 11/28/04
Posts: 2863
Loc: Here and Now...USA
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Remember how the Christians/Catholics got all up in arms...
Same thing with "The Passion of the Christ"... (I saw it and had to wipe away tears, I felt it was that moving, but there was a whole group of people who didn't like it at all and felt it was offensive.)
_________________________
Those who can laugh at themselves shall never cease to be amused.
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#108075 - 08/19/08 07:15 PM
Re: How far will fear of Islamist terrorists go?
[Re: MattsKat]
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Badfinger
Member
Registered: 11/07/07
Posts: 507
Loc: Grand Prairie, TX
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And The Last Temptation of Christ with Willem Dafoe. I remember that one causing a big stink when it came out, too. I never got around to seeing it, but I've heard it's a good one. They also protested the Davinci Code when it came out in theaters. And let's not forget the Golden Compass or whatever. Sheesh. You'd think people would have better things to protest but apparently not. Instead of Dream Police, I'm going to write a song called Thought Police. "The Thought Police, can't get them outta my head, the Thought Police would think we're better off dead, the Thought Police don't want us to read this book no, no!!!"
_________________________
I've got something to say . . . . it's better to burn out than fade away.
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#108099 - 08/20/08 12:09 AM
Re: How far will fear of Islamist terrorists go?
[Re: Badfinger]
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George Heymont
Member
Registered: 05/04/99
Posts: 5370
Loc: San Francisco, CA
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Phyllis states:
"Although I may be wrong (and I hope someone will correct me if I am), I don't remember ever hearing of Christians going to court simply because something they read was offensive to them."
While they may not have gone to court, many Christian organizations and individuals have been quite vociferous about books they feel should not be in public and/or school libraries -- particularly those referring to gay men and lesbians.
Librarian Champions Intellectual Freedom
Although it is not stated that the complaining parent in this situation is a Christian, this is very typical of the kind of meddling faced by school librarians.
Edited by George Heymont (08/20/08 12:10 AM)
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George Heymont
Alert & Oriented Medical Transcription Services
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#108101 - 08/20/08 12:58 AM
Re: How far will fear of Islamist terrorists go?
[Re: George Heymont]
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ABMT
Member
Registered: 06/07/07
Posts: 1462
Loc: IL, USA
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And yet there are protests and court cases quite frequently over religious items in a teacher's classroom, such as the teacher in Ohio who had a Bible on his desk. He did not preach from it, it was not in the library, it was for his own personal use and yet he was told to remove it. Such meddling could also be attributed to just about any group. Parents have the right to control what their children are exposed to no matter how anyone else feels about it.
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Ann
Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it.
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#108102 - 08/20/08 02:20 AM
Re: How far will fear of Islamist terrorists go?
[Re: MattsKat]
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mavis
Member
Registered: 01/23/03
Posts: 338
Loc: In front of my computer
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Apparently talking about the child-bride of Mohammad is like how imagining what might have gone on between Jesus and Mary Magdalen and calling it "historical romance" would be offensive to Christians, with the potential for maniacal reactions from a handful of offended Muslims.
Well, since Mary and Jesus were most likely married, and they were not children, you can't really compare the two. But it was historical romance, if you believe in the historical Jesus.
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Who took your trip and made it bad? .....William Topley
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#108103 - 08/20/08 03:21 AM
Re: How far will fear of Islamist terrorists go?
[Re: mavis]
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MattsKat
Member
Registered: 11/28/04
Posts: 2863
Loc: Here and Now...USA
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Well, since Mary and Jesus were most likely married, and they were not children, you can't really compare the two.
Maybe I should've been more specific. If this book had been a bodice-ripper described as "dark and alluring," "sensual and moving," a "bittersweet Christian romance" with "pages so hot they smoke," and Jesus and Mary Magdalen are depicted half-nekkid on the dust jacket on a backdrop of purple satin sheets, I'm fairly sure at least a handful of Christians would be protesting in front of Barnes & Noble before the ink was dry on the first copy. Some folks tend to get a little touchy when their main religious figures are put in inaccurate and compromising positions and sold to the public as a "hot summer read."
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Those who can laugh at themselves shall never cease to be amused.
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#108115 - 08/20/08 09:46 AM
Re: How far will fear of Islamist terrorists go?
[Re: George Heymont]
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Glory1863
Member
Registered: 03/27/08
Posts: 364
Loc: Beyond Antares
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So true, George. A few years ago, the Wheaton-Warrenville school district had a brouhaha about whether books used in language arts classes should contain stories dealing with magic and witches. Some Christian parents were very upset by the thought that their children would be exposed to this.
Reasonable you say? What I should mention is that this Wheaton is home to the very conservative Christian school Wheaton College, the alma mater of Billy Graham. The part of their library of which the college is most proud is the Wade Collection which has amassed one of the largest holdings of papers, works, biographies and literary criticisms of C. S. Lewis (plus J. R. R. Tolkien and five other Christian writers) in the world. They even have the original wardrobe from "The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe", the first book in "The Chronicles of Narnia." If those parents had had their way, the children of Wheaton and Warrenville would not have been allowed to read that book in school. Go figure!
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The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present. Abraham Lincoln
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#108122 - 08/20/08 10:50 AM
Re: How far will fear of Islamist terrorists go?
[Re: Glory1863]
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ABMT
Member
Registered: 06/07/07
Posts: 1462
Loc: IL, USA
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Some Christian parents were very upset by the thought that their children would be exposed to this.
Are you opposed to parental controls on TVs and filters on computers? Wouldn't that be the same thing? I am not opposed to objectionable material in libraries as the parents can control whether their child is exposed to it. If it is required in a classroom I do see a problem there.
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Ann
Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it.
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