So amazon has taken it upon themselves to de-list (making it to where they don’t show up in the typical search)a number of authors based on what they write.  Because some of the material might be found offensive to some.  Well, if you’re going to do it to appease one set of people, then you have to do it to appease the others, too.

Personally speaking, I’m a Christian and while I don’t want to read the satanic bible, I’m not going to scream FOUL at a place that sells it.  They aren’t making ME buy it, right?

(FYI, using this as a basic example because it’s one that we can see all sort of areas where a possible offense might be found)

If an atheist gets offended by the Holy Bible, they just don’t buy it.   If a Wiccan gets offended by the Bible, they don’t buy it.  If a Jewish book buyer is offended by the Bible, they don’t buy it.

That simple.

If you’re yanking the books with adult content that might offend certain people, then you need to do it across the board.

Here’s a start list:

• Pull the books with religious content that might offend others.
• You need to pull any book with references to the KKK, whether it’s just a history or not.
• You need to pull cookbooks that have non-vegan recipes, because the vegans might get upset that the carnivores have access to non-vegan recipes.
• You need to pull the Bibles because the atheists won’t like it.
• You need to pull any book that may teach an alternative religion because the typical Christian doesn’t want to hear about alternative religions.
• You need to pull any book that has a reference to a circus that has animals because animal rights activists may not like it.
• You need to pull any book that refers to a woman in any way other than a complete and utter equal to her male counterparts, because women’s rights activists won’t like it.
• You need to pull any book that teaches intelligent design because evolutionists won’t like it.
• You need to pull any book that teaches evolution because creationists won’t like it.
• You need to pull any book that discusses violence (fictionalized or not) because pacifists won’t like it.
• You need to pull any book that discusses love because confirmed bachelors/bachelorettes may not like it.
• You need to pull any diet book because obese people might not like them.
• You need to pull any book that teaches a person how to feel good in their own skin because the beauty/weight conscious may not like it.
• You need to pull any book that discusses alternatives to abortions because abortion rights activists won’t like it.
• You need to pull any book that discusses abortion because anti-abortionists won’t like it.

Hmmmm…. You see where this is going right?  We could keep it up all day, because no matter what book is listed for sale, somebody will find a reason to be uncomfortable with it’s presence.  Am I uncomfortable with a bookstore selling a satanic bible?  As a Christian, yes.  But are they making me read it?  No.

And that’s what it boils down to.  I’m a reasonable, rational (usually) adult capable of individual thought.  I don’t need Amazon censoring what shows up in my search lists. If I see a book that I find offensive, guess what?  I won’t buy it.  It’s that easy.

So color me utterly mystified that Amazon feels the need to decide what will and will not show up in my book searches.

The ladies over at the SB blog are doing a google bomb…so here’s my part.  Amazon Rank. And if you’re curious about the google bomb, take a look here.