Letter To The Editor

So the whole Amazon book listing drama really got to me - I was beyond pissed off.


So I did what I do best....write...a letter to the Editor of the Ottawa Citizen:



Amazon was unethical in excusing pedophile 'guide'

THE OTTAWA CITIZEN NOVEMBER 13, 2010
 Re: Amazon halts sale of pedophile 'guide' book, Nov. 12


Amazon's decision to finally cave in to public pressure and remove the sale of a digital book, The Pedophile's Guide to Love and Pleasure, isn't good enough for me.


It's a question of ethics. In this new world of self-publishing where anything goes, it shows that the publishing house filter systems are there for a reason to issue red flags.


To allow the purchase of even such an e-book that promotes sexual crimes against children is the equivalent to turning a blind eye to the issue.


It's not OK to say Amazon doesn't promote criminal acts yet it had given the green light to the listing of this e-book. It's hypocrisy.


I am all for freedom of speech and enterprise -- I embrace these principles on a daily basis. But there must come a time where consumers stand up and say there is a problem and the system needs to change.


Companies need to be held accountable for the products they sell. They should be obligated to review each item before posting it on their site. In this day of social media, Amazon's well-crafted press release that "Amazon believes it is censorship not to sell certain books simply because we or others believe their message is objectionable" is nowhere near satisfactory.


This is not about a message in the book that I don't agree with -- it's not a debate in ideology or historical perspectives. This wasn't a book of imagined fiction -- it is a how-to-guide for pedophiles.


There is no hiding their head in the sand on this for Amazon executives. This wasn't just a bad judgment call. This was an error of monumental proportions. They owe it to your consumers, advertisers and more importantly to sexual abuse victims to issue a letter of apology. It would be the right and ethical thing to do.


My memory is long. Despite removing the book for sale and deleting all the negative comments by outraged consumers, Amazon has not resolved this issue. I will not soon forget.


Consuelo Bernardi,
Ottawa

Dear Amazon

So in case you missed it, the social media world has been in an uproar for the last 24 hours since it was discovered that Amazon had listed this self-published digital book (Kindle) on their site:

Yes that's right Amazon thought it was OK to list a book entitled 'The Pedophile's Guide to Love and Pleasure: A Child-Lover's Code of Conduct'.

In the product description for the book, the author, Phillip R. Greaves, describes it as this: "To make pedophile situations safer for those juveniles that find themselves involved in them, by establishing certain rules for these adults to follow. 

I hope to achieve this by appealing to the better nature of pedosexuals, with hope that their doing so will result in less hatred and perhaps liter sentences should they ever be caught."

Even more disturbing is the author's thoughts he gave to a reporter (as reported on abcnews2.com)

"To tell you the truth, I don't think it is always that bad for the child, but I do think it is always confining for the adult," said Graves. "If it is something the child didn't have any problems with then maybe a fine of some sort, but if it was actual physical harm or mental trauma...oh a few years in jail perhaps."


Needless to say once word hit Twitter and Facebook the #boycottamazon hashtag started and cries of 'shame on you Amazon' got louder and louder.


People were furious, outraged, shocked, sickened and disturbed...social media jaws were dropping everywhere.  And rightfully so.


Amazon's response to the controversial book was this...
"Amazon believes it is censorship not to sell certain books simply because we or others believe their message is objectionable. Amazon does not support or promote hatred or criminal acts, however, we do support the right of every individual to make their own purchasing decisions."


Oh dear Amazon really? You didn't really issue that as a press release did you? You're going to use the freedom of speech and choice cop out? Really?  That is beyond shameful. 


(And for the record as pointed out by Anderson Cooper last night, Amazon does censor material - they censor all material that is deemed 'pornographic'.)


This morning after realizing that their press release wasn't going to silence the calls for an all out #boycottamazon right before the holiday season, Amazon caved and quietly decided to pull the book.


Unfortunately for Amazon their decision to finally cave in to public pressure isn't good enough for me. I was relieved that they came to their senses and pulled the book but their initial press release left a bitter taste in my mouth.


Bottom line for me - the line they chose to defend the sale of the book 'Amazon does not support or promote hatred or criminal acts, however, we do support the right of every individual to make their own purchasing decisions' is as despicable as the crime itself.  


To allow an author sell a book that is promoting an illegal crime - a sexual crime against innocent children - to me is the equivalent to turning a blind eye to the issue.


It shows complete and utter disrespect to all the 1000s of children who have been victims of sexual abuse.


FYI Amazon, it's not OK to say you don't promote criminal acts and then turn around and OK the listing of this book.  It's called hypocrisy.  Go to your book section, buy a thing called a 'dictionary' and look it up.


It's the worst case of bad judgement in the name of making a dollar I have seen in a very long time.


Unlike the act of instantly deleting a listing from your site that took mere seconds to do - my memory...well unfortunately for you, it's much longer than that.


I soon won't forget.


And as a result I wont' be making any purchases through Amazon for a very, very long time. Maybe never again...even when the #boycottamazon hashtags disappear and become nothing but a distant social media memory.


And Amazon, for what you are paying your PR department...I suggest you make full use of their services.  An apology letter to your advertisers, your customers and more importantly all the victims of sexual abuse is in order.  This isn't isn't a 'sit around, have a focus group, consult our lawyers and suits' kinda thing - it's doing a 'what's right' kinda thing.  


No hiding your head in the sand on this one Amazon - this wasn't just an 'oops my bad in judgement call' this was a colossal error of monumental proportions. This wasn't a book of fiction, it was a how-to-guide...how a red flag never went up I'll never know. 


And as a free PR piece of advice - while your crafting your apology 'for this round of 'bad decision making' press release you might want to think about removing this book from your listings 'Understanding Loved Boys and Boylovers' by David L Riegel.   You'll be saving yourself having to write a second apology press release. 


Just saying.

Iggy Peck Architect

My husband brought our 4 year old son this book back from his trip to Vancouver.
My son adores this book and loves the pictures. 
We've been reading it every night ever since he received it.  It's funny and charming and captures the attention and imagination of children and adults alike.
Iggy Peck is a creative and independent little boy who is not afraid to express himself.
He has a special talent and he's different from your typical second grader but Iggy embraces his uniqueness and shows that being different is good.


"Iggy has one passion: building. His parents are proud of his fabulous creations, though they’re sometimes surprised by his materials—who could forget the tower he built of dirty diapers? When his second-grade teacher declares her dislike of architecture, Iggy faces a challenge. He loves building too much to give it up! With Andrea Beaty’s irresistible rhyming text and David Roberts’s puckish illustrations, this book will charm creative kids everywhere, and amuse their sometimes bewildered parents."