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I'm not surprised the topic is polarizing. I think we all agree the subject matter of the book is reprehensible, abhorrent, and a bunch of other ugly terms. On the other hand, how can some of you suggest "the book made me do it" logic?
If someone abused my son after reading this book I would blame the abuser. The path to blaming a book is far too slippery a slope. I refuse to censor content in this way. I fully agree this was not government censorship, merely private, by Amazon. I am disappointed they caved.
Plenty of readers can complain they still sell, say, the Bible or Koran. What, you think religious beliefs are not potentially more dangerous than pedophila? Way to ignore history then.
I think Amazon should establish an "over-18" or similar section that requires parental consent to view. I am not against restricting public access to books based on age. That (unrestricted public access) is something a parent will not otherwise have control or choice over. They could put all sorts of polarizing books into that section (e.g. Nazi literature).
Sure, Amazon is a private company. But being nearly a monopoly, certainly headed that way, it bears more of a responsibility to behave in the best interest of the public (look at how dot-gov interferes with Microsoft). Book burning is NEVER in the pubic interest, only in some of your personal interests.
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