Public Address | Cafe | Muse: That Book, The Ban That Isn't, Farcebook And Outsourced Hypocrisy

Rich of Observationz

Thu, 07 Jul 2011 10:54:45 +1200

urban legend has it

I have a bunch of references on how that happened.

Kumara Republic

Thu, 07 Jul 2011 00:37:26 +1200

I should bring to mind the Sex Pistols’ most notorious single. The Beeb and almost every other radio station refused to play it. Mainstream record stores blacked out the offending entry on their singles chart boards. Yet the notoriety only helped its sales.

And urban legend has it that it…

BenWilson

Mon, 04 Jul 2011 16:10:50 +1200

(Not that I have any interest in reading it myself.)

That goes for 99% of what's in the Library, for me. But it is a big place.

Grats on 1000 posts btw.

Steve Parks

Mon, 04 Jul 2011 15:52:59 +1200

Indeed, I think there’s a good argument to say some library should buy it (because libraries are repositories).

Exactly. I remember being surprised when browsing my local library’s history section to find several David Irving books there. But then I thought a library should stock books like that which won’t…

recordari

Mon, 04 Jul 2011 15:03:45 +1200

baby was found in a plastic bag in a stream today.
Apart form the natural human response while watching on the news last night, it sickens me further to think of the potential for another innocent to become part of a media beat up, or a political sound bite.

Andre Alessi

Mon, 04 Jul 2011 14:31:50 +1200

My working hypothesis is to assume everyone reading this is able to make that distinction, and note that part of the discussion was what would a bookseller in 1920’s Germany, unblessed with 20/20 foresight, do?

Well, if that's the case then my point about the analogy not being appropriate still…

Craig Ranapia

Mon, 04 Jul 2011 14:16:51 +1200

I also think that your edit was unnecessary: anyone daft enough to think you might have some sort of affinity for the ideas of Mein Kampf can be dismissed pretty easily.

Quite. Anyone who’d pick Andre and any kind of fascist-symp would have to be looking through a very thick…

Rich Lock

Mon, 04 Jul 2011 13:50:31 +1200

I’m surprised that the attitude that “People can buy the book directly from Wishart’s website” has been allowed to pass without comment. Not everyone has a credit card, and not everyone has internet access. So yes, for some members of the community, if major retailers choose not to stock a…

Craig Ranapia

Mon, 04 Jul 2011 13:16:41 +1200

Wishart is so reckless and agenda-driven that I wouldn’t be holding out a lot of hope for “insight” from any of his work.

Neither would I, but I think W.H. Auden made a rather astute observation: "Some books are undeservedly forgotten; none are undeservedly remembered." And, to be frank, I…

BenWilson

Mon, 04 Jul 2011 12:36:42 +1200

Isn't an issue for me. Wishart is so reckless and agenda-driven that I wouldn't be holding out a lot of hope for "insight" from any of his work.

I'm not so sure. He says "All she wanted was to tell her story so that others would learn how people slip…

nzlemming

Mon, 04 Jul 2011 12:31:25 +1200

Nah. I think it’s vastly more likely that he’s simply made a major miscalculation.

Me, too.

Craig, I was making no allegation, just mentioning a possibility as suggested to me by someone else. Delete it if you want, but that would be ironic, wouldn't it?

Russell Brown

Mon, 04 Jul 2011 11:46:05 +1200

Tapu Misa's column is good, but:

Because nobody should profit? Wishart is a former award-winning journalist, who now edits the conspiracy-loving Investigate magazine. I'm not a fan of the magazine or the books he's written, but to suggest, as some in the media have, that Wishart should have turned his…

Russell Brown

Mon, 04 Jul 2011 11:08:13 +1200

One point made to me over the weekend by someone who knows Wishart and by another who is in the publishing industry was that they would not be surprised to find that Wishart himself started the Facebook page in order to prompt a boycott/ban.

Nah. I think it's vastly more…

BenWilson

Mon, 04 Jul 2011 11:01:01 +1200

He could be that clever, but I doubt he's really driven by money. For him it's what it is for most authors, the desire for as many people as possible to read them. I highly doubt he would like having his books taken from shelves, considering the cost of print,…

Craig Ranapia

Mon, 04 Jul 2011 10:46:09 +1200

Mark:

I'm not comfortable having that allegation (which is all it is) repeated here without porn star hard evidence backing it up.

nzlemming

Mon, 04 Jul 2011 10:23:54 +1200

The thing that I most dislike about this kind of moral panic is the way that it’s mighty counterproductive. Way to give the book a whole lot of free publicity

I commented on Kiwipolitico this morning:
One point made to me over the weekend by someone who knows Wishart and…

Sacha

Mon, 04 Jul 2011 10:06:31 +1200

Tapu Misa agrees with Craig.

But, at the risk of becoming the second most hated woman in the country, I will say that when Breaking Silence: The Kahui Case is published next month, I intend to buy it and read it. I, for one, want to hear what the Kahui twins'…

Andre Alessi

Mon, 04 Jul 2011 09:10:40 +1200

Craig Ranapia

Mon, 04 Jul 2011 08:22:47 +1200

I’d been steering clear of the Facebook page(s) in question, but this blog post has a sample.

Thanks, Russell. Those quotes (and sadly, I don't think they're outliers) are why I wasn't going to drive traffic to the damn thing with a link.

Cecelia

Mon, 04 Jul 2011 07:12:39 +1200

I see what you mean. Even worse than when I first looked at it a few days ago. I was thinking that the book announcement had touched a nerve in the population and although the reaction was expressed in a irrational manner, it was nevertheless an understandable one. Looks as…

Russell Brown

Sun, 03 Jul 2011 22:10:39 +1200

It’s about Wishart in my book.

It is, for you and me.

I'd been steering clear of the Facebook page(s) in question, but this blog post has a sample. For a lot of people, it seems to be very much about Macsyna King.

Kumara Republic

Sun, 03 Jul 2011 18:33:00 +1200

I should also add that on the other hand, there would less likely to be a Facebook boycott page if it was Bruce Howse or Stephen Williams being the subject of the book – and they were both convicted with little or no doubt.

Kumara Republic

Sun, 03 Jul 2011 18:01:32 +1200

Wishart makes his bed, so too should he lie in it.

chris

Sun, 03 Jul 2011 16:11:43 +1200

It's about Wishart in my book.

Indeed.

King had received only three slices of pizza over lunch for contributing to the book and would not receive a share of the royalties, Wishart said.

“free speech died in new Zealand today” on his blog – but turning off comments to prevent…

Craig Ranapia

Sun, 03 Jul 2011 12:08:53 +1200

It’s about Wishart in my book.

Well, Celia, you can impute all the bad faith and ethical squalor in the world to Wishart and I’m not going to argue. But, perhaps, this isn’t really about Wishart. The problem with standing up for free speech is that often lands you far…

Cecelia

Sun, 03 Jul 2011 11:54:24 +1200

He also says this:

On the King book, he promises "answers". It remains to be seen whether he will supply any – but based on his previous works, that might be the best reason to boycott the opportunity to find out.

It's about Wishart in my book.

Craig Ranapia

Sun, 03 Jul 2011 11:48:18 +1200

Big Brother had a secret agenda. Helen Clark is watching us

If she is, I'm going to have to spend more time walking around the house naked. That should put her off in short order.

Paul Little’s HoS column on the matter is pretty bloody good.

Indeed – and an…

Rich of Observationz

Sun, 03 Jul 2011 11:36:22 +1200

I read a phrase in that as:
Big Brother had a secret agenda. Helen Clark is watching us

Russell Brown

Sun, 03 Jul 2011 10:45:37 +1200

Paul Little's HoS column on the matter is pretty bloody good.

Craig Ranapia

Sun, 03 Jul 2011 10:30:57 +1200

Ironic side-note: Wishart is publishing press releases announcing that “free speech died in new Zealand today” on his blog – but turning off comments to prevent anyone responding ;-0

Heh... Karma's a bitch. :)

Russell Brown

Sun, 03 Jul 2011 10:24:26 +1200

Ironic side-note: Wishart is publishing press releases announcing that "free speech died in new Zealand today" on his blog — but turning off comments to prevent anyone responding ;-0

Russell Brown

Sun, 03 Jul 2011 10:09:15 +1200

To be honest, I don't think I can improve on what I tweeted on Friday:

It occurs to me that if Ian Wishart's book was set on fire I'd feel obliged to piss on it.

Craig Ranapia

Sun, 03 Jul 2011 09:54:39 +1200

Wishart’s conduct in seeking to hawk a version of the “truth” by exploiting the formal truth-seeking process is … typical.

Hey, as I’m getting sick of saying I’m not defending Ian Wishart’s journalistic ethics or morals – that truly would be defending the indefensible. But this is a serious question:…

Russell Brown

Sun, 03 Jul 2011 09:48:23 +1200

As others have pointed out, Paper Plus has had no problems selling rankly speculative titles on open cases like this.

Hmmm ... not quite the same. Kate McCann hasn't tried to gazump an inquest into her daughter's death by releasing her version of events during it.

Craig Ranapia

Sun, 03 Jul 2011 09:35:34 +1200

And Beu in that story seems primarily concerned about the potential position of booksellers with the matter still before a coronial court.

As others have pointed out, Paper Plus has had no problems selling rankly speculative titles on open cases like this. I also understand Paper Plus and The Warehouse…

Russell Brown

Sun, 03 Jul 2011 09:33:13 +1200

And Beu in that story seems primarily concerned about the potential position of booksellers with the matter still before a coronial court.

And that is a very valid objection to carrying the book. Wishart's conduct in seeking to hawk a version of the "truth" by exploiting the formal truth-seeking process…

Russell Brown

Sun, 03 Jul 2011 09:30:39 +1200

The indolence of the majority de facto validates the retention of power by an elite? Errrrr…. I think not (he says in his most harrumphing tone).

If the dozy majority don’t like the decisions made by those of their fellows who are engaged and involved, then they’d damn well better…

Sacha

Sun, 03 Jul 2011 00:53:48 +1200

I've e-mailed The Warehouse and Paper Plus, inviting them to clarify exactly what was the level and nature of "significant" objection that lead to them declining to stock the book.

From your Beu link above, both chains make clear enough statements about that.

Paper Plus CEO Rob Smith said the…

Craig Ranapia

Sun, 03 Jul 2011 00:42:57 +1200

And the assumption that retailers are reacting primarily and directly to this Facebook protest group seems a bit dubious.

I've e-mailed The Warehouse and Paper Plus, inviting them to clarify exactly what was the level and nature of "significant" objection that lead to them declining to stock the book. They…

Sacha

Sun, 03 Jul 2011 00:20:37 +1200

You sure you're not just applying a different ranking; elevating freedom, consistency or suchlike above other considerations? I trust Carole Beu knows by now what product best fits her store's market and principles.

And the assumption that retailers are reacting primarily and directly to this Facebook protest group seems a…

Craig Ranapia

Sun, 03 Jul 2011 00:10:39 +1200

Every bookstore does not need to sell every book.

No, but I rather every bookseller 1) avoided outsourcing their moral compass to Facebook and/or 2) actually made their decisions with a grain of intellectual rigour.

Craig Ranapia

Sun, 03 Jul 2011 00:08:04 +1200

Sorry, when did Ian Wishart, or any of his subject matter become feminist? I must have missed a press release somewhere…

Carole Beu's public statements are well on the record and linked to in the post. I find it rather ironic that she's talking about "sensitive subjects" that should never…

Rex Widerstrom

Sat, 02 Jul 2011 23:55:04 +1200

I’d be more comfortable if they’d just made a commercial decision and owned that. Shifting responsibility to the tiny proportion of their user base that bothers to vote is hardly a brave move.

The indolence of the majority de facto validates the retention of power by an elite? Errrrr.... I…

Sacha

Sat, 02 Jul 2011 23:33:57 +1200

It's just an unprincipled world, innit.

Jeremy Andrew

Sat, 02 Jul 2011 23:32:04 +1200

Sorry for sounding like a broken record, but I’d like someone to ask Carole WTF she bothered opening a feminist bookstore in the first place.

Sorry, when did Ian Wishart, or any of his subject matter become feminist? I must have missed a press release somewhere...

Sacha

Sat, 02 Jul 2011 23:18:20 +1200

Every bookstore does not need to sell every book. The Women's Bookstore has always been a shining example of that.

If 'Christian' booksellers want to peddle Wishart's wares, for instance, they're welcome to.

Craig Ranapia

Sat, 02 Jul 2011 23:14:35 +1200

Personally, I see no value in this book, and I have no problem with Carole or any other bookseller choosing not to stock it. And I’m really not sure it’s a story any of us need to hear – at least not in this way.

Sorry for sounding like a…

Sacha

Sat, 02 Jul 2011 22:08:05 +1200

would my scruples be stronger than my desire to stock something that would help me scrape a living?

A question asked by some dairy owners recently over the Kronic panic. Another legally available product brutally suppressed. Where will it end? :)

Ngaire BookieMonster

Sat, 02 Jul 2011 21:38:47 +1200

That is the point people keep making, and other people keep missing: it’s a boycott, not a ban.

Part of the problem, though, is that a lot of the people who are missing that point are those supporting it.

Craig Ranapia

Sat, 02 Jul 2011 17:53:20 +1200

No, his book shouldn’t be banned but what’s wrong with kicking up a stink when a woman who was part of the tight five of deniers during the police investigation, “breaks her silence” to Ian Wishart.

When “kicking up a stink” involves verbally abusing staff at a branch of Whitcoulls…

BenWilson

Sat, 02 Jul 2011 16:10:01 +1200

The thing that I most dislike about this kind of moral panic is the way that it's mighty counterproductive. Way to give the book a whole lot of free publicity.

Rich Lock

Sat, 02 Jul 2011 13:45:08 +1200

Would you have stocked it?

Interesting question. If I was a bookshop owner struggling in the grim recession years of Weimar Germany and thought I could turn a profit on it, would my scruples be stronger than my desire to stock something that would help me scrape a living? It's…

Rich Lock

Sat, 02 Jul 2011 13:37:51 +1200

Mein Kampf was written in the 1920's, but was still in print when the Nazi's gained absolute power* in Germany in the early 1930's. This when it was more or less mandatory for all german households to buy a copy.

*see what I did there? Do you, though? :)

Kumara Republic

Sat, 02 Jul 2011 13:32:09 +1200

To put it all succintly... The People Vs Ian Wishart/Macsyna King.

Cecelia

Sat, 02 Jul 2011 13:15:51 +1200

1920’s. The Gestapo wasn’t founded till 1934.
If Hitler wrote it in prison in 1923/1924 and it was published at that time, it would have just been any other book. Would you have stocked it?
Many people here and elsewhere have used the analogy with Mein Kampf – its being…

Rich of Observationz

Sat, 02 Jul 2011 13:02:55 +1200

Not having it on display was more or less an open invitation for the gestapo to start sniffing around for other signs of un-germanic activity

1920's. The Gestapo wasn't founded till 1934.

Rich of Observationz

Sat, 02 Jul 2011 12:56:53 +1200

Maybe some may feel moved to dob in there neighbours.

Yeah. I’ve haven’t heard any child type noises from our neighbours on either side in all the time I’ve lived here, so assume they murdered the kids and buried them in a shallow grave somewhere. Who can I call?

Sacha

Sat, 02 Jul 2011 12:39:36 +1200

Not having it on display was more or less an open invitation for the gestapo to start sniffing around for other signs of un-germanic activity.

Sure they both have a book in them, but that power element is a big difference between this storm in a teacup and the Holocaust.

Rich Lock

Sat, 02 Jul 2011 11:46:29 +1200

You are allowed. If you can hold your nose long enough to buy it from the skunk direct. And when you have read it, you're allowed to report back :)
That is the point people keep making, and other people keep missing: it's a boycott, not a ban.

I don't…

bmk

Sat, 02 Jul 2011 09:26:10 +1200

Thanks for the information. I had never known about that – that is a really good scheme that if it were done throughout the world would mean no new books would ever disappear.

Cecelia

Sat, 02 Jul 2011 09:01:33 +1200

I’ve been thinking about this issue all night. The Facebook page isn’t pretty, I agree with you there. Not much reasoned argument against the book, if any.
However, there are some books that you just don’t want to sully the hallowed halls of your bookstore with. If you were a…

Craig Ranapia

Sat, 02 Jul 2011 08:38:17 +1200

I’m perfectly happy for the damn thing to be in libraries, but… my visceral reaction to the book’s existence is ‘how gross’. That’s allowed too, right?

I'm Mr Bennett to your Darcy: I wouldn't dare forbid you anything you cared to ask for. I'd also like to think hypocrisy isn't…

Jackie Clark

Sat, 02 Jul 2011 07:56:17 +1200

Completely okay. That's my reaction too.

Danielle

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 22:26:19 +1200

I'm perfectly happy for the damn thing to be in libraries, but... my visceral reaction to the book's existence is 'how gross'. That's allowed too, right?

Rob Stowell

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 22:18:00 +1200

Are we not allowed to read it because people think she’s guilty? Or because it might warp our minds? Bit of both?
You are allowed. If you can hold your nose long enough to buy it from the skunk direct. And when you have read it, you're allowed to report…

Islander

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 22:05:39 +1200

I “think” the position is still that at least one copy of every book published in ANZ is required to be given by the publishers to the National Library (as it certainly in the UK for any book published there.)

Whether it is actually required of every SELF-published book here…

B Jones

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 21:57:41 +1200

Are we not allowed to read it because people think she's guilty? Or because it might warp our minds? Bit of both?

The former I think, but it's weirder than that. She wasn't even charged, let alone convicted. There's more evidence that David Bain killed his family than there is…

bmk

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 21:56:51 +1200

bmk: the national library doeshave-

Every book ever published? Or every NZ book ever published? I remember reading how every year so many books disappear never to be seen again but maybe that doesn't happen any more – would be nice to think so. I like the idea of there…

Islander

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 21:44:12 +1200

rom now on our decisions are going to be decided by facebook “friends”.

Ur, what?

That is one of the sillier remarks I've come across in on-line debates.

FWIW – I dont belong to any kind of 'facebook'-type organisations-

peterpeasant

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 21:35:07 +1200

From now on our decisions are going to be decided by facebook "friends".

George Orwell would be spitting tacks that he had not thought of it.

Has anyone read the book?

Islander

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 21:07:21 +1200

It is *Wishart's* book and he is driving the publicity.
And it is freely available from HIS site – whatever other booksellers/distributors
want to do.
This is a silly wee storm in a megalomaniac's tea-cup.

bmk: the national library doeshave-

Jackie C- o the only book we need to read…

Rich Lock

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 21:02:51 +1200

I think the works of Mark "Chopper" Reid are a better example, and they do perhaps hint at this being a little trickier as a rights issue. I browsed some of his work and thought a lot of it sounded like bullshit he was making up, but quite a lot…

Sacha

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 20:22:45 +1200

raise awareness of the issue

Surely everyone knows by now. Let's see some smart action that works (and it won't come from Wishart, McCoskrie or their chums).

Jackie Clark

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 19:17:44 +1200

Every time a child is killed by their caregivers in this country, we think that’s going to happen. And it doesn’t. Kids keep being abused, and killed. Personally, I see no value in this book, and I have no problem with Carole or any other bookseller choosing not to stock…

bmk

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 18:52:25 +1200

Indeed, I think there's a good argument to say some library should buy it (because libraries are repositories).

Exactly. I remember being surprised when browsing my local library's history section to find several David Irving books there. But then I thought a library should stock books like that which won't…

Crunchy Weta

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 18:33:01 +1200

Just possible that all this outcry will help to raise awareness of the issue of child abuse. Maybe some people need to be aware of what is happening out there. Maybe some may feel moved to dob in there neighbours.

Kumara Republic

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 17:14:53 +1200

There's a clear difference between boycotting and book-burning, which Craig is keen to point out. The points are that Ian Wishart is being an (admittedly fundy) attention ho as usual, and that Macsyna King – despite the fact that she's no angel – has a right to be free from…

Craig Ranapia

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 17:13:25 +1200

Any thoughts of how, as a consumer, you can rigthfully boycott a book (by not buying it) but you are powerless when your Council uses your rates to buy that same book for its public libraries.

Oh, I'm personally brimming with #Dorklandpride that [[http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10735543|Auckland City Libraries promptly found their over-sewed spine…

Rich of Observationz

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 16:54:51 +1200

Also, how would people feel if a sustained campaign resulted in Michael Moore books being removed from sale by booksellers? Or Don Brash's work(s)? Or Ayn Rand.

Rich of Observationz

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 16:51:58 +1200

was actually convicted of a crime

One could argue that smuggling weed isn't morally wrong and that the Indonesian justice system (or the US one, for that matter) is too corrupt for anyone convicted by it to be considered "guilty".

Russell Brown

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 16:50:55 +1200

Any thoughts of how, as a consumer, you can rightfully boycott a book (by not buying it) but you are powerless when your Council uses your rates to buy that same book for its public libraries.

I’ve considered standing for Council on a platform of “The library shouldn’t buy any…

Russell Brown

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 16:48:49 +1200

Wishart talked last night on Campbell Live about telling a story of how the boys killings came about. I don’t know if there’s any defense in there of Macsyna or blame to Chris, but isn’t this a story worth telling? Even if it is by someone as loathsome as Wishart?…

HORansome

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 16:48:08 +1200

Indeed, I think there's a good argument to say some library should buy it (because libraries are repositories).

Tim Hannah

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 16:46:12 +1200

Any thoughts of how, as a consumer, you can rightfully boycott a book (by not buying it) but you are powerless when your Council uses your rates to buy that same book for its public libraries.

I've considered standing for Council on a platform of "The library shouldn't buy any…

Andre Alessi

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 16:35:28 +1200

Pretty much nailed how I feel too, Craig. I'd like a Wishart-free world as much as anyone, but I feel uncomfortable with the way the big chains have responded to this. (Imagine the outcry if Google decided to filter its results to exclude particular legal but unpopular websites.)

I have…

uroskin

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 16:31:15 +1200

Any thoughts of how, as a consumer, you can rigthfully boycott a book (by not buying it) but you are powerless when your Council uses your rates to buy that same book for its public libraries.

Rich of Observationz

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 15:22:08 +1200

Whitcoulls had a huge selection of books that had nobody wanted to buy from their original retailer (including several Wishart works, last time I looked). Apparently that helped their bankruptcy.

BenWilson

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 15:13:26 +1200

A boycott doesn't prevent freedom of speech

I don't think that's quite so obvious. It may not prevent it outright, but it hampers it. That is definitely the purpose of the boycott – they're not content to just let the fact that fuck all people will buy the book anyway…

Mark Graham

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 15:04:02 +1200

Wishart talked last night on Campbell Live about telling a story of how the boys killings came about. I don't know if there's any defense in there of Macsyna or blame to Chris, but isn't this a story worth telling? Even if it is by someone as loathsome as Wishart?

Ben Curran

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 15:02:36 +1200

I wouldn't be to worried about future protests impoverishing the book selection at paper plus and whitcoulls. Their current selection's tend to be appallingly limited already.
The small niche book stores (while they survive) mean there will always be somewhere where you can get some thing.

mic weevil

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 14:54:55 +1200

I agree with nzlemming. nothing is being banned, there is no human right to have your words distributed by large corporate bookstores and if Ian Wishart is really that concerned with the truth being told he could put up a free torrent of the pdf in all it's literary glory.…

Cushla McKinney

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 14:45:29 +1200

"Paper Plus, The Warehouse and Unity also have little concerns about selling “true crime” non-fiction, self-justifying memoirs written by convicted criminals. "

Nor do they refuse to stock the accounts of other parents of murdered (or missing) children, such as the book about Madeline McCann, which has also just been…

BenWilson

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 14:33:38 +1200

Also, Craig, the fictional examples don't really hit so hard as a comparison of moral equivalence as works of purported non-fiction do. Underbelly is a better example, although that is written from the point of view of police. I think the works of Mark "Chopper" Reid are a better example,…

BenWilson

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 14:18:34 +1200

I'm not the biggest Farcebook supporter, but don't those people have a right to opine and act as they see fit (as long as it's lawful – I haven't read the page and will not, but I can well imagine the lunacy that some will bring to it)?

Of course…

nzlemming

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 14:00:43 +1200

If Wishart wants the material out there, let him publish it on the web for free. A boycott doesn't prevent freedom of speech – it's an economic action affecting freedom to profit.

In my view, the freedom of speech argument is bogus. No-one is preventing Wishart from either writing or…

Craig Ranapia

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 13:48:50 +1200

I'm going to have to put some fresh nails in my seal club of loving correction, aren't I?

Rich of Observationz

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 13:42:03 +1200

I could post something intelligent and considered, talking about the use of the media to create an "other" out of the real problem of social deprivation and child abuse. Not to mention Wishart's prior form for supporting legalised violence against children.

But instead, [[http://twitpic.com/5iwugs|have a link to the leaked book…

Public Address

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 13:42:03 +1200

Discussion from blog post.