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« Bellydancing! | Main | Friday Music » March 31, 2006
Cowardice
Posted by Dorkafork You know what irritates me the most about the recent controversy over Borders & Waldenbooks decision to not carry an issue of Free Inquiry with the Muhammed cartoons? It's just a little thing. Certainly their decision is bad enough on its own. "For us, the safety and security of our customers and employees is a top priority, and we believe that carrying this issue could challenge that priority," Borders Group Inc. spokeswoman Beth Bingham said Wednesday. I'm sure you've heard all the commentary on this. It's giving into thuggery. Cowering in the face of threats. Here's* a good one: "Borders has set a morally irresponsible and frighteningly dangerous precedent. It has told fanatics everywhere that all they need to do in order to obliterate First Amendment rights is to growl menacingly -- at which point a leading bookstore chain in America will clear its shelves of anything that could possibly offend the thug of the moment." I agree completely. But you want to know the thing about it that really sticks in my craw? The icing on the cake, as it were? How much violence has there been in America over the Danish cartoons?** You know, it's one thing to cave in to threats to save your own skin. Though not particularly noble, it's at least understandable. But to cave in when there's a distinct lack of violence in the area in question, now that takes a pretty amazing lack of intenstinal fortitude to pull off.
* There's also some good links at Bidinotto's post, which includes contact info for Borders: ** I could only find one incident where somebody threw rocks at a newspaper's door. The issue of Free Inquiry in question is currently available for purchase online for $5.95. One more thing. Continuing the theme here, when you consider the lack of violence related to the Danish cartoon controversy here in America, Borders is basically saying American Muslims are violent and will attack people, which is contrary to the historical record. Posted by Dorkafork at March 31, 2006 02:10 AM | TrackBack (3) Trackback PingsTrackBack URL for this entry: CommentsAnother thing Borders is saying is that none of those who inhabit its boardroom bother to crack open a book. Specifically history books. Posted by: Retread at March 31, 2006 10:58 AM Well, it may have saved their skin, but it just cost them a customer (and I'm one of those people who a $25 a year, discount card membership pays for itself within a month). What pisses me off is that it's only a single issue. They've sold other mags with the cartoons before but now that someone pointed it out, they crapped their corporate britches. Now, I'm all about a company not selling an item that they don't find conducive to their customer base. For example, I doubt Toys 'R' Us wants to sell 'Tickle Me Dildos'. And bookstores don't exist solely for the benefit of society and the free exchange of information - they exist for profit and selling books happens to produce that side effect. But caving into thugs is a repulsive business practice to me and I plan on ceasing my business with them. And it's shitty logic to boot. Islamofascists will harm their employees not because of a magazine they carry, but because their employees aren't Muslims. Posted by: Robb Allen (Sharp as a Marble) at March 31, 2006 11:03 AM Borders is basically saying American Muslims are violent and will attack people, which is contrary to the historical record. Agreed. Painting all Muslims with one brush. Not good. Posted by: Nancy at March 31, 2006 11:07 AM Totally agreed, Robb. I'm super-pissed because I just got my Rewards card this weekend, and I was looking forward to using the 30% off coupon they gave me when I signed up for it. Sigh. I have a Borders in walking distance from my apartment, for Pete's sake. I was so happy when it opened! But I'll get my ass in my car and drive to B&N next time I want a book. Posted by: Stacy at March 31, 2006 12:58 PM Hey guys, here's a link I found today at http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/ Apparently, Borders now puts the Qur'ans on the top shelf... Posted by: Philip Damon at March 31, 2006 01:24 PM I spoke with Miss Bingham & she said they considered dropping the Da Vinci Code book too, but there was money involved with that one Posted by: beautifulatrocities at March 31, 2006 02:29 PM After reading about Borders' feckless behavior, I immediately scrapped my plans to shop there with my kids. Took them to B&N instead. Don't know if it makes a lot of difference, but I felt much better. Posted by: JS at March 31, 2006 04:41 PM Doesn't Borders have stores abroad? Posted by: aaron at April 3, 2006 04:05 AM Not that many. Most are in the UK, Australia, 2 in NZ. They have 2 stores in Malaysia and 1 in Singapore. (This seems to include Waldenbooks.) There are "more than 475 Borders and 650 Waldenbooks stores in the United States, though not all regularly carry the magazine" according to the SFGate story. Posted by: dorkafork at April 4, 2006 02:41 AM http://www.ringtones-dir.com/get/ ringtones site. ringtones site, Free nokia ringtones here, Download ringtones FREE. From website . Posted by: ringtones free at June 22, 2006 11:41 AM ionolsen16 Your home page its greatwww_4_2 Posted by: utilizera at October 13, 2006 06:58 AM Posted by: buy viagra at November 17, 2006 11:06 AM Posted by: cheap viagra at November 19, 2006 09:57 PM gke3whu0wnii521u gke3whu0wnii521u gke3whu0wnii521u gke3whu0wnii521u gke3whu0wnii521uq Posted by: free ringtones at November 28, 2006 06:58 PM clgp5t7crc8r clgp5t7crc8r clgp5t7crc8r clgp5t7crc8r clgp5t7crc8rc Posted by: download ringtones at November 28, 2006 07:37 PM zapca9ia7zfoj8s zapca9ia7zfoj8s zapca9ia7zfoj8s zapca9ia7zfoj8s zapca9ia7zfoj8sc Posted by: free ringtones at November 28, 2006 09:09 PM f6b5b97c6300 Nice site free teen porn vids free teen porn vids Posted by: free teen porn vids at November 29, 2006 05:44 PM Nice resource, very interesting reading. http://s1u.net/inob Posted by: Cellphone at April 14, 2007 12:11 PM |
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