House Republicans Are Pressuring Amazon to Sell Books on Gay Conversion

[demmiblue]

Source: Vice News

WASHINGTON — A group of House Republicans is urging their members to pressure Amazon to resume selling a set of controversial gay conversion therapy books, after the platform announced this month it would no longer carry works by the “father of conversion therapy.”

The Republican Study Committee, a conservative caucus that includes more than 70% of all GOP House members, issued a handout during a private meeting in the Capitol Wednesday asking members to “contact Amazon with concerns” about what they referred to as “Amazon censorship.”

Amazon removed books by Dr. Joseph Nicolosi, a clinical psychologist who is credited with originating gay conversion therapy, a debunked — and in some cases illegal — pseudoscientific method of trying to turn gay people straight.

Nonetheless, the Republicans want to lobby to get his books — such as “A Parent's Guide to Preventing Homosexuality” and “Reparative Therapy of Male Homosexuality” — back in circulation.

Read more: https://news.vice.com/en_us/article/qv7yqq/amazon-gay-conversion-therapy?utm_source=vicenewstwitter

[lapfog_1]

1. they should allow them to be sold

but only in the "fiction" category... or maybe "science fiction"

[Merlot]

48. Why should they "allow" them to be sold?

[SWBTATTReg]

2. Interfering w/ a business in the decisions that it makes in the normal course of business? Yeah,...

this will really fly, pushing a bigoted and anti-gay pseudo crap...

Why am I not surprised?

Again, republicans are getting desperate, and are trying to divert attention from rump and their poor performance in governing.

[mountain grammy]

44. Exactly!

[mahatmakanejeeves]

3. "Congress shall make no law...."

I'll keep putting this up as long as I have to:



Source: https://blog.library.gsu.edu/2012/03/23/secularists-descend-upon-d-c-for-reason-rally/

[Maxheader]

14. Conservatives question everything they don't agree with...

Authenticity...intent...Their interpreatation of the constitution..The 2nd amendment...

[rzemanfl]

4. You'd think the incel part of the Repuke base

wouldn't want the competition. They're gullible enough to think it works.

[Me.]

5. Do They Recognize The Word Illegal?

[underpants]

6. So I guess they want the government interfering in business now

[Demit]

7. Amazon is practicing censorship, though.

The books might be woo, and full of crapola, and I know Amazon is a business that can sell or not sell what it chooses, but I'm not exactly comfortable with the censorship.

[yaesu]

12. Well, businesses aren't democracies but no government should censor any literature. I'm glad Amazon

is taking an active role against hate and abuse propaganda though.

[Lonestarblue]

16. I agree.

These books push therapies that are actually harmful. Why should any business choose to make available books or other products that harm people?

[Demit]

19. I understand it's different from govt censorship, but would you be comfortable with Amazon

deciding it disapproves of books on other topics—crazy fad diets, say—and refuses to carry them? Or books about astrology, or the occult?

I don't care, really, it's not a matter of access for me, I get my books from the library. But I do worry about a retail giant with Amazon's reach editorializing on cultural matters. What's to stop it from going further, and labeling what you like as propaganda?

[mac56]

21. Once again, not "censorship."

I'm pretty certain Amazon already has certain types of books that it "pushes" as opposed to others. I don't think that quite rises to the level of "editorializing on cultural matters." It's their store; they can sell what they want. In fact, doing such a thing would be a big boon for small independent booksellers.

[bronxiteforever]

23. +1

[Demit]

29. The books that Amazon pushes has nothing to do with books it refuses to sell.

I'm not sure why you think it does. They are not letting a certain category of books languish on the back shelf; they are actively banning those books from their site. Of course they can sell what they want, and of course they are editorializing. They are publicly censuring a specific category of books. I suspect if they were doing this to a topic you are sympathetic to, you'd scream bloody murder.

[mac56]

34. "I suspect if they were doing this to a topic you are sympathetic to, you'd scream bloody murder."

I don't think I would. I believe I'd get it from another source, preferably small and local.

But this is interesting. By any chance, has Amazon declined to carry books in a topic that YOU are sympathetic to?

[Demit]

57. No.

[atreides1]

33. Sure I would

If it's shown that those books cause harm and can have an adverse affect on the physical and mental well being of a reader...I wouldn't have a problem if Amazon stopped selling them.

[durablend]

38. Last I looked

Amazon is a business not a government and has the right to sell what they want.

[Bradical79]

40. How about an instruction manual on rape methods?

Or a how to book for pedophiles on grooming children? Or how best to stalk a person of your choosing? A KKK recruitment manual?

Gay conversion therapy is a proven harmful human rights violation, and a technique for hate groups to hurt homosexuals. Comparing it to Astrology is a false equivalence.

[Progressive Jones]

46. Nobody is forced to shop at Amazon. nt

[Midnight Writer]

32. Walmart doesn't sell porn. Is that censorship?

[Mr.Bill]

37. Then don't do business with them. That is your right.

Look beyond Amazon and the books in question. Should the government be able to tell any bookseller what books they have to sell?

The constitution only protects us from government censorship. This very website we post on censors what we say here and they have every right to do so.

[NastyRiffraff]

43. Those books are dangerous

I wouldn't call not selling Nazi sympathizing books, or books promoting racism, or books promoting other types of bigotry "censorship." Those books aren't just "woo," they're dangerous to people's mental and even physical health. The government, any branch of government, has no right to pressure a private business about what it can and cannot sell, other than clearly dangerous products (which, BTW, these books are).

[Merlot]

49. It's not censorship.

[Kashkakat v.2.0]

50. No it isnt. Its a business decision. Im far more uncomfortable with govt intrusion in the form of

these legislators trying to coerce a private business into selling stuff they've chosen not to sell.

since when is a book seller required to sell every book known to man, present and past. They're not. They are allowed to pick and choose.

Censorship = govt repression.

[Betty88]

58. Im sure fine books like that

Can be found on other sites with just a short stop at google.com first. That is not censorship

[DBoon]

8. Why don't they just create a conservative Amazon?

It's a free country nobody is stopping them

[NBachers]

9. Yes, let the Invisible Hand of the Mighty Free Market manifest in their business endeavor.

I think this is a great idea!

Then they can pass laws deporting anyone who doesn't shop there.

[dalton99a]

11. +1

[Dave Starsky]

31. An online book store for people who don't read books.

Now, that's a business model that Donald Trump would endorse wholeheartedly!

[Progressive Jones]

47. I have always wondered about this sort of thing.

They whine about "Hollywood". Well, if there was a market for an alternative, right wing entertainment industry, it would already exist. TV networks, movie studios, etc. They have none of this. These folks do not have the numbers that they believe they have.

[Initech]

10. They should just give the LGBT community the finger and get it over with.

[Behind the Aegis]

24. They have...multiple times.

It just doesn't get much press outside the queer community.

[Initech]

26. One thing I have repeatedly said is that if the GOP is good at anything...

It's convincing people to vote against their best interests. I have seen and know quite a few LGBT people who are rabid Chump supporters. I just want to scream "THE GOP DOESN'T GIVE A FUCK ABOUT YOU!!! DON'T VOTE AGAINST YOUR BEST INTERESTS!!!"

[Behind the Aegis]

28. They are a small minority, but it is frustrating.

Latinos/Women for the Asshole? WTF?! FFS, there have been at least three stories at DU regarding people who voted for the POS, had a family member DEPORTED, and still plan to vote for him again! That is not cognitive dissonance; that is BRAIN DAMAGE!

[Initech]

30. Brain damage? I'd say it's more brainwashing.

Being fed a constant 24/7 nonstop stream of fear, hate and misinformation can do that to a person.

[JudyM]

52. Many think only in terms of short term selfish rewards. This immaturity creates such world problems.

[tanyev]

13. Gosh, that seems kind of...fascist.

[Fullduplexxx]

15. What happened to free market forces

Last edited Fri Jul 19, 2019, 01:58 PM - Edit history (1)

[milestogo]

17. Converting gays to Republicans?

[bronxiteforever]

18. Free market means Info Wars can publish them or Regnery

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regnery_Publishing
Welcome to the world of Regnery Publishing—lifestyle press for conservatives, preferred printer of presidential hopefuls, and venerable publisher of books for the culture wars. Call it—gracelessly but more accurately—a medium-sized, loosely linked network of conservative types, with few degrees of separation and similar political aims. Just don't call it a conspiracy.

Amazon can choose to sell whatever in a free market.

[keithbvadu2]

42. Then our republicans will insist that Regnery publish gay friendly books?

Then our republicans will insist that Regnery publish gay friendly books?

[keithbvadu2]

20. How about some successful republican testimonials? Like Dennis Hastert. Larry Craig. Mark Foley.

How about some successful republican testimonials?

Like Dennis Hastert. Larry Craig. Mark Foley. Ed Schrock.

20 Republican Politicians Brought Down By Big Gay Sex Scandals

http://www.newnownext.com/19-republican-politicians-gay-sex/12/2016/

[Behind the Aegis]

22. Goes great with my story I posted...

Trump administration civil rights lawyer arrested multiple times for harassing women & gays

[bronxiteforever]

25. +1

[snowybirdie]

27. This is the USA

We do not ban books. Let them be sold to the fools interested in that drivel.

[bronxiteforever]

36. The book is not banned.

[Bradical79]

41. They can buy the book. What are you talking about?

[Curtis]

35. Do I understand this correctly?

The same people who say a bakery shouldn't be forced to bake a wedding cake for a gay couple want to force a company to sell books they don't want to be associated with selling?

Yeah, that makes all the sense in the world

[Chrysanthemum]

39. this is NOT censorship

I doubt that Amazon would sell books encouraging readers to engage in acts of self-harm either. I see the two situations as analogous,

[paleotn]

45. Private business

ass holes. They can sell or not sell whatever the hell the like.

[Kashkakat v.2.0]

51. Govt intrusion into the operations of a private business - that's the problem. No "censorship" is

occurring here.

[Polybius]

53. I didn't realize Amazon stopped selling extremist books

Just recently, they were selling David Dukes' books, one called Jewish Supremacism.

[Captain Zero]

54. Amazon should sell some...

Sell them for 89.98 each.

[DeminPennswoods]

55. My guess is lack of sales made Amazon's

business decision pretty easy.

[not_the_one]

56. You know... IF IT WORKS...

Conversion therapy can go both ways....

I'm just sayin'...

But it doesn't work. It may just make people lie to themselves, while living a life of misery, all to please others, who's opinions are irrelevant.

It's all the bible's fault. Fuck the bible. I can say that. I'm an atheist, and I have a really low tolerance for bullshit.