Censored Books: Forget Fundamentalists, What About Lawsuits As Book Killers?

Salon.com:

Main's book describes a long-standing and rancorous dispute over eminent domain seizures in the town of Freeport, Texas, and her defense is spearheaded by the Texas-based Institute for Justice, which describes itself as the "nation's only libertarian public interest law firm." While Main's plight may not tug as forcefully on the heartstrings as the idea of young people deprived of the right to read by fundamentalist fanatics, she and her publisher are nevertheless fighting an important battle.

Read the whole story: Salon.com

Comments

[Aardvaark]

02:37 PM on 10/07/2010

This seems to be the same type of tactic, called "fair game" that the Scientologists claim to have renounced, which makes the legal expenses of defending oneself from lawsuits so high that one gives up, no matter how justified or true a publication is.

[MARYHOBE]

01:56 PM on 10/07/2010

I have a radical suggestion in support of freedom of speech, make it free; I mean really free, of all cost and copyright. I realize that an author with any success at all, would rise in vitriolic opposition to my suggestion. But I do believe the time will come, keep in mind freedom of speech has two face, ability to publish and the access of the work by the masses. We are moving fast in the area of our ability to reach all corners of the planet and the wealth of popular art is growing at a tremendous rate. Popular art is quite simply a creative endeavor by any person, and this wealth that I speak of is increasing in quantity and quality. Finally the democratization of popular art should be welcome as it is well under way, maybe we might lose our rock and roll millionaires, but in my estimation this will simply be a rationalization of their market worth. Next, we might look at CEOs.

[eric14]

06:29 AM on 10/08/2010

Copyright killed Collage.

[MARYHOBE]

10:07 AM on 10/08/2010

We have lost many of these battles the last few years, hopefully technology and the efforts of those who are younger will bring a more positive outcome!

[SF TKF]

03:01 PM on 10/06/2010

This is another reason it’s important to have a publisher behind you. If you self-publish a book and get sued, you’re on the hook for all the bills yourself.