Why We Need Profanity Warning Labels on Books to Protect Our Young People

You're assuming that adults have access to these books first, that they are allowed to do "research" first, stand between vulnerable young people and the offensive and damaging material, which in this case is a book. The issue is that it's not responsible adults left to make these decisions. Books -- even harmful ones (as the recent pedophile book on Amazon.com proves) -- are completely left unguarded and available to anyone, and maybe this is under the assumption that young people "won't read" anyway? Well, in the case of the anti-social and highly negative (and in my opinion harmful) work of Chuck Palahniuk, this is absolutely incorrect. And to go one step further: just look at the cover of "Permanent Obscurity" online and tell me if you've ever seen anything more offensive and insulting to women and decent people as this? Then glowing reviews on Amazon, which is where this young person bought it. Then look around Amazon and you'll see endless material just as twisted, sleazy and pornographic; it's like public access to an S&M bookshop. There's not even an Adult section. (EBay has one, why not Amazon?) I'm not promoting censorship (though I do think we would be better off without books like "Permanent Obscurity"); but warning labels like the kind that "rap" records have (for offensive language) and R-rated movies have (for sexually explicit content) are good things; again, it's my belief that boundaries are a good thing. Before people can access certain books on Amazon, there should be at least an age verification pop-up window, don't you think? In the case of "Permanent Obscurity" -- I mean, this novel is so disgusting, I can't tell you. One of the characters in it, Serena, makes a living off sadomasochistic men through ads she places on Craigslist, making use of them as collared servants or slaves. (These adventures -- and others, just as equally appalling -- are cheerfully narrated by Dolores, her gay lover, using the most obscene language imaginable; of course, it's the author writing "as a girl," using a young female character as the Devil's mouthpiece). It's just such a relentless, odious assault on everything healthy and decent that it actually sickens me; gives me a headache. Now -- back to our issue -- who should apply warning labels? Well, industries/corporations, left to their own devices (and profit scales), won't regulate themselves. Warning labels were put on foul-mouthed "rap" CDs only after protests by concerned and responsible citizens, and the same goes for movies, years ago. But individuals alone -- parents alone -- can't realistically gauge if every single item their child comes in contact with will be harmful. Communities (collectives of concerned adults) should together be allowed to regulate material such as books. Just as communities vote in government -- and vote out government. We -- the people, the adults -- are the government, and it seems that people often forget that. I stand firm in my belief that we need to take stronger measure on books, especially novels with anti-social, anti-American and highly negative ideas cloaked in emotional stories that will ultimately damage our young people. ----------------------------------- original argument: Case in point is this recent novel, "Permanent Obscurity" by Richard Perez, which was recommended to me by a troubled young reader, who purchased it from Amazon after seeing it at a local library. Here's my stance: What can be said of a novel preaching negative values as "cool?" A book featuring two antisocial, self-loathing, drug-taking girls portrayed as "heroes?" What message does this convey -- especially to the young reader with an impressionable mind? Here is a book that glorifies irresponsible behavior, man-hating, an anti-work ethic, degeneracy, bad language, filth, sadomasochistic and lesbian sex -- all conveniently delivered under the guise of "comedy." Yet what's funny about all this, I ask? Better said, this novel by Richard Perez called "Permanent Obscurity" currently being sold to young readers -- and even available at public libraries -- is a disgusting display and a firm reminder of why we need to safeguard our youth: implement certain strict "Adult Only" profanity warning labels on books or be more vigilant about the kind of books we allow our young people to access. Movies have a rating system -- from "G" to "X" -- why not books? As a good example of the trash I mean: the story of "Permanent Obscurity," which should be rated "X" (at the very least), revolves around drugs; in fact, the book is a thinly disguised celebration of the joys of illegal drug-use and perverted sex (while pretending to be a "morality" tale). Dolores, the vulgar narrator of this tripe, is a lazy, foul-mouthed, Godless, good-for-nothing smoker of marijuana and an abuser of alcohol while her best friend, Serena -- equally lazy, foul-mouthed, Godless, and useless -- abuses alcohol and cocaine. Together, they drop "shrooms" and plot fetish movie escapades, featuring themselves as men-abusing dominatrixes. Does this sound like something that should be available in the "Young Adults" section of a library, protected by First Amendment Rights? Where is the fairness and decency here? Who is looking out for our young people? We need to convey positivity to our young people, not this negative, anti-social and destructive material. Boundaries are healthy and beneficial, even necessary! I say, we should implement strict warning labels on books. These labels could say "WARNING: LIBERAL ADULTS ONLY" or "Warning: TWISTED PORNOGRAPHIC MATERIAL" or "WARNING: PERVERTED TRASH" It's been days since I've read "Permanent Obscurity" and I can't get it off my mind. That's how disturbing it is. On all counts this is an irresponsible, deplorable, propagandist and morally reprehensible book. And, no, it isn't "cool" to plot, lie and cheat, imbibe alcohol, smoke marijuana, snort cocaine, shoot heroin, engage in anti-social behavior and sexual perversion of the kind described in this book -- even under the pretense of "hipness" or comedy. It's outrageous that such books like "Permanent Obscurity" are brazenly marketed to young people (and even teens!), while books promoting truly positive values -- Christian-based or otherwise -- are ridiculed and left largely ignored. Other books that deserve warning labels are those by Chuck Palahniuk, novels like "Fight Club" and "Choke" that reek of this kind of anti-social, anti-American and highly negative propaganda (but at least without the perverted sexual content and outrageous profanity of "Permanent Obscurity"). -- Dr. Ballard Owens