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Originally Posted by griffonwing
I'm not saying censorship. This has nothing to do with censorship.
The information should be there so that you CAN make a decision on whether or not your kids read the book.
Just by the book saying "This book contains scenes of extreme sexual situation, language, and heavy drug use", it in no way takes or removes anything from the book. The book is still just as it was published. It's just gives those who MIGHT read the book the ability to make a better judgement, especially when it comes to your children.
If you had to read every book to make sure it was OK for your child, that would be a bit ludicrous. However, just a simple 'info label' would go a long way to having a greater respect for the publishers who have respect for you as a parent.
Again, I am sorely opposed to censorship. I will watch the Directors Cut of any movie above the theatrical release. I also much prefer Widescreen, because Fullscreen removes so much from the movie.
So no, I'm not against censorship in the least, but I would like to see something in place to help parents make better decisions for their own personal family. If you see nothing wrong with your 13 year old daughter reading Beauty's release by Anne Rice, then fine, but I'd like to have some warning as to what the book holds before I give it to my daughter to read.
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What your proposing is 'back-door censorship' where somebody or some board, usually of a ridiculously prudish nature, gives a coded message to other prudes as to the content of the book. It's a sneaky "WARNING: EXPLICIT LYRICS" and should appall any free thinking individual. If we had your system in place then a book like Steinbeck's the Grapes of Wrath would come with this message on the reverse:
Contains scenes of violence, nudity, and some foul language.
Are you advocating a world where a few prudes and their misguided attempts to shield 'children' from 'bad things' would put nasty little coded warnings on the books of every other person? Besides all that, whatever your concerns or worries, if you have a thirteen year old, they'll be reading whatever they like whenever they like and there's little you can do to stop them. What you can do is 'discuss' with them what they like and why, maybe treat them with some respect and not be so afraid at some 'sex' in a book.