Today I want to talk to you about censorship. Yes, we've all been there in one form or another. The bookstore that won't carry your book(s) due to the genre and/or cover (example: the cover for Under the Covers-left. Too racy, they tell me); the national organization that won't recognize you as a "real" author due to arbitrary, out-of-date rules; even the city councilman who won't acknowledge you at the podium for fear you will have something to say that contradicts their stand.
Yes, my friends, censorship comes in all forms.
The latest censorship to affect me is our very own blog being "locked down" due to someone reporting it as a spam blog (whatever that is). Our blog isn't the only one hit by this. My own publisher's blog was targeted (though has since been unlocked). Little by little the blogs are being released, but it is a slow and tedious process. They weren't slow to put on the lock, but they sure are taking their time releasing it.
Seeing so many blogs hit by this ridiculous lock has me thinking. Just what are "they" afraid people will find if someone sees something "they" want blocked? It reminds me of a scene in Footloose, where all of the prudes in town decided to burn classic novels due to the content being too racy. The preacherman stopped them from burning the books and sent them all home. It was the "ah hah!" moment for him when he realized he was to blame for making the townfolk believe censorship was the right thing to do. Most people don't realize the movie Footloose was really the preacherman's story--his growth, his story.
But I digress. I truly believe censorship has its place. Honestly. I don't believe we should televise executions. Watching a person die is not entertainment, despite the media's frenzy to publicize it. That may make me a bad person for wanting something censored. Maybe not. But it is my choice and, although I will not picket in front of a TV station for televising such an event, you can bet your bootie I won't be watching it. It is a personal choice--my personal choice. I'm not pushing it on anyone else. I'm a big girl. I know when to turn the channel, or to simply choose not to read something.
That is the main point of this blog today. IT IS A CHOICE WE MAKE. Bookstores shouldn't censor the books based on the cover (insert cliche here). Let the people perusing the shelves for something to read be the judge. They are big enough to think for themselves. Society has become this entity that believes "we" know better, that "we" should take care of the masses because there is no way a person can think for themselves. The national organizations shouldn't draw arbitrary lines in the sand just to keep groups that don't fit their cookie-cutter design from receiving all the benefits the organization has to offer. If that councilman is so worried about what someone has to say, then just what is that councilman hiding? Isn't it the right of the rest of the council, as well as the town, to know what that is?
So there it is. Massive censorship is wrong. Period and the end. If I want to personally censor something from the kids or even myself, that is my choice. When my kids are old enough, I'll give them a choice because that is the right thing to do. Teach them to think for themselves, not to hide things from others. To me, that just makes sense. Don't you think?
'Nuff said. Thanks for your time.
~Allie K. Adams, aka Eve Adams
"Riding Double", Menage Amour
"Riding Lessons", Tasty Treats Anthology
2 comments:
Sorry about the format, peeps. I went through it twice and put hard returns between paragraphs, but it didn't work (obviously). I apologize if it is hard to read.
Censorship is real a plague created by those who fear it most. If you ignore it, or fight it, it'll go away.
Everyone in erotica said once the patriot act took effect we'd be scrutinized. I wasn't worried, nor was anyone looking over my shoulder to make sure I didn't write anything I shouldn't.
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