In one of my groups the moderator had a plea for all of the members of the group to help her out. Apparently she spotted a book a few days ago on Amazon.com that she wanted to purchase called "Her Master's Courtesan" by Lily White and went back today to make that purchase to find that Amazon.com had removed the book from their shelves due to "policy violation". This book is in the 'Dark Erotic ' genre and a warning on the book states this. I should also add that there are hundreds of novels in this genre still for sale on Amazon. This book had around 90 5 star reviews on Amazon within the week it was released and 62 on Goodreads.
Now please don't get me wrong, I have not read the book, in fact I don't think any of my "friends" on GR have read it. However, I must speak up and demand that the *right* to read this book is not taken away from me by a company who wants to "protect" me from elements that they don't feel is appropriate. I am the *only* one who can deem what is appropriate for me to read. I don't tell anyone what they can or can't read. I don't tell anyone what they can buy or not buy. I let the power of the $DOLLAR$ do that. If I like something I spend my hard earned money and purchase it. If I don't feel it is right for me then I don't buy it. Simple right?
Back to the GR group, this moderator requested that we sign a petition to Amazon to get this book put back on their site so we the readers can purchase if we choose. The link to this petition Petition to get Her Master's Courtesan put back on shelves was posted in the group. I took this opportunity to voice my objections on this practice and sign the petition. I then tweeted about it and also invited *all* my Facebook friends to sign the petition.
Whether you read dark erotic books or not I believe we each should maintain the right to purchase them or not based on our reading tastes and I for one will sign any petition an author cares to contact me with to fight for the right of others to be able to *choose* to read what they wish.
I hope if some of you also believe in maintaining this right to choose that you will step up and sign this petition or any others that deal with a corporation who denies the public their rights to choose reading material. This is not Nazi Germany and I know my Grandfather fought for the right for me to choose and I know we have many brave fighting men and women who are currently abroad fighting for the right of others to have this choice as well. Step up and say HELL NO! Amazon I will choose my own reading material thank you very much!
Stop Censorship by Corporations!
Cen-sor-ship
The act and process of controlling ideas and information dispersed within a society. It is achieved through the extermination of communication channels such as books, plays, and is a trademark of dictatorships throughout history.
We fight our governments for the right to choose isn't it time we fight big corporations for this same right?
