Quote:
Originally Posted by hildea
Some clarifications to my last post:
And a question to those of you who don't see a problem with these books: Can you really say, with a straight face, that stories which romanticise nazis, trivialise the horror of slavery in the US, and make light of racism and antisemitism, don't hurt people? Truly?
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Clearly such books do not hurt people physically, unless your argument is that they will cause readers to go out and replicate the conduct in the book in real life. If by hurt you mean upset, distress and/or offend, then of course they do. So what? It is a necessary price for freedom of expression. And often a pre-requisite for change. For instance, I'm sure many Christians were very upset, hurt and offended by the campaign for same sex marriage. Should books and articles on the topic not have been published because it would upset them? Going back further, I'm sure many slave owners were distraught at any suggestion of emancipation of the people that they considered to be their property. Should books and articles on these topics have been withheld out of sensitivity to their hurt feelings? in which case I suggest to you that this loathsome practice would probably still be officially with us.
It is part of normal life to be exposed to material that offends and upsets us. Often this material challenges us as well, and occasionally causes some to re-think their positions. Reading is not compulsory. Hurt and offence from a book is easily avoided. Don't read it.