After receiving a few veiled threats and some vague prognostications of violence by experts, Random House has gone back on its deal to publish the novel "A Jewel of Medina," by Sherry Jones.

Hey, Random House!



The book is about Mohammed's child bride, and was written with the intent to connect the world of Islam to the world of "art." Some people decided that it was offensive, while others disagreed. After some debate, Random House decided to play it safe and shitcan the novel altogether.

But isn't all competing literature offensive to anyone who believes in one special book? Listening to the opinions of religious people about fiction is like listening to the opinions of religious people about my cock. They aren't going to say they like it, no matter how good it is or how much they also ask to hold it.

"Let me hold it again! I want to complain some more!"

If I was an author published by Random House, I would seriously consider switching over to somewhere else. Don't you people want to be represented by a publishing house that will fight for the self-expression of its authors? A publishing house that will risk death and annihilation to build something great?

Once upon a time, Random House's Bennett Cerf stood up before the United States Supreme Court and argued the artistic merits of the novel "Ulysses," peeling back the boundaries of government censorship further than any other time in the history of the conflict between art and nation states.

Of course, then Random House got sold to Germany. Some people say Germany's one of those countries that has always found free speech graceless, difficult, and hard.

The hardest thing to swallow is that this book was intended to be sweet and non-confrontational: a gentle swig of mouthwash for troubled times. So what chance do the rest of us have?

"I have deliberately and consciously written respectfully about Islam and Mohammed," said Jones. "I envisioned that my book would be a bridge-builder."

Fuck it. Maybe it's not possible. If Mohammed was fucking a nine-year-old girl, then he's basically the guy that lots of moms and dads in Europe and America would like to chemically castrate. A nine-year-old isn't even a nymphette. She's larva. That book is going to be offensive.

Kids don't need to be fucked. They need hugs and candy. They will need to be fucked soon enough. Just wait, and make sure they have condoms and lube when they are ready (when they have pubes, lust, egos, power, and passports).

But what are you afraid of, Random House? Getting blown up? They are probably gonna blow you up anyway for some other reason. Maybe for this. Rapists and murderers don't need a reason. They just need a dark alley. What the fuck do you stand for?

Comment!

Posted by miracle on Fri, 08 Aug 2008 23:15:46 -0400 -- permanent link