I hid a copy of 'Babywise' - Page 3

[crazydiamond]

Originally Posted by SerafinasMommy

obviously.
If I saw it for $.50 at a garage sale I would buy it. I am talking about from the bookstore.....why put more money in his pocket?

Did I miss something then?

The only thing I saw was some one saying they bought three copies from a used bookstore and another saying they alerted the staff at a library sale to throw them away. I don't recall reading anything about people buying new copies and destroying them.

[SerafinasMommy]

Someone earlier in the thread said she bought one to use as a bad example.
I have also personally known people do buy them just to destroy them.....I just don't get the rationale.

edited to say our babies have almost the same birthday

4/29/05 here

[Joannarachel]

I was inspired by this thread!

Today I went to Barnes and Noble and 'restocked' not ONE Ezzo book but the entire damn display

I was tooling through the bookstore sticking the books in the most obscure places, and hoping no one would stop me and ask me what the hell I thought I was doing with 20 copies of the same two books.

[shooflymama]

As apparently the lone voice of dissent here...

I am really disturbed by this thread...You cannot draw a line in the sand and start to dictate, if not in words then through your actions, what people can and can't read. Do you realize that what you're doing is what other people do (and have done across time) to limit access to books on all kinds of controversial topics? How would you feel, for example, if someone went into your local library or bookstore and hid all the books that mentioned co-sleeping, because they felt as strongly as you do about it, only they thought it was horrible and creepy and wrong? What if they defaced copies of books that mentioned it? Slipped articles about the dangers and the depravement of co-sleeping into books that mentioned it? (I co-sleep by the way, so obviously I am just using this as an example.)

You may say, "yes, well, but in this case I know I'm right. I'm doing it for their own good, and especially for the good of the children." That's what every censor says, very often including that last part about the children. To have freedom to read what we want, we also have to tolerate the notion that other people have that same freedom. No matter what their motivations, those who try to keep books out of the hands of others in these ways are censors, and that, for me, is a scary path to see people, and shockingly mamas here, taking. If everyone hid, defaced, or otherwise blocked access to books they took issue witih, we might soon find our libraries and bookstores to be quite different places than they are today.

Every time I read threads like this on Mothering (this is not the first), I get really upset. History (both recent and distant) shows the folly of this type of action. If only we would see and remember history's lessons, but every new crusading generation thinks it is the first...

Sorry to get so dramatic, but it does really disturb me.

Librarian mama

[Dido]

This is to shooflymama, who felt it was wrong to move or hide copies of Babywise. This is not a case of censorship. This is a book that sells in the millions, so us doing what we can to hide the books or put brochures inside may make us feel better, but it's not going to prevent people from getting access. It's also not censorship. I hate it when that word gets tossed around. Censorship would be if the government did not allow this book to be published.

Babywise is not just "controversial". It doesn't present one more babyraising alternative, like co-sleeping or whatever. It tells parents to do things that will outright harm their kids and endanger their lives. Babies are getting starved and dehydrated. Babywise is NOT just about CIO (even Ferber is anti-Babywise!) Babywise is about DENYING your child sustenance and PHYSICALLY PUNISHING children as young as SIX MONTHS.

A hot-button babyraising issue is one thing, and child abuse is another.

[HoneymoonBaby]

Originally Posted by EvansMomma

Our Chapters store only had ONE Dr Sears book...but like a kazillion copies of Babywise...stupid book. Me and DH went around and "redistributed" them throughout the store.

Hey, that probably means people came in and bought the Sears book and left Babywise on the shelf.

[Joannarachel]

Originally Posted by BrklynMama

This is to shooflymama, who felt it was wrong to move or hide copies of Babywise. This is not a case of censorship. This is a book that sells in the millions, so us doing what we can to hide the books or put brochures inside may make us feel better, but it's not going to prevent people from getting access. It's also not censorship. I hate it when that word gets tossed around. Censorship would be if the government did not allow this book to be published.

Babywise is not just "controversial". It doesn't present one more babyraising alternative, like co-sleeping or whatever. It tells parents to do things that will outright harm their kids and endanger their lives. Babies are getting starved and dehydrated. Babywise is NOT just about CIO (even Ferber is anti-Babywise!) Babywise is about DENYING your child sustenance and PHYSICALLY PUNISHING children as young as SIX MONTHS.

A hot-button babyraising issue is one thing, and child abuse is another.

:

Shoofly, I hear your concerns on censorship, I really do. I feel the same way, and I am adamantly outspoken when I hear, for example, that school districts want to 'censor' a book for one reason or another.

But this doesn't qualify as censorship. Censorship in and of itself is a governmental action, not the action of a private citizen. If the government BANNED the printing of Babywise, THAT would be censorship, and I would disagree with it (even if I was secretly thrilled )

But, for example, if Barnes and Noble decided to stop selling Babywise, that would NOT be censorship. It would be the business decision of a private retailer. See?

And a private citizen making the book a little less accessible doesn't even come close to the idea of censorship.

I think the difference between the example you presented about co-sleeping is as follows: say someone is specifically looking for a book on co-sleeping. They are going to find one regardless of whether or not someone is creatively redestributing them or defacing them.

OTOH, a person is fairly unlikely to be *looking* for a book on how to physically and emotionally abuse and neglect a newborn. But if a desperate, sleep craving mother SAW it while looking for a book on infant sleep, she might try it. See?

A baby won't necessarily be permanently harmed or scarred by not-cosleeping, but anyone of Ezzo's methods could permanently harm or scar an infant.

[cuddleluvinma]

well put.

I would have no problem hiding the book in the store. I would have no problem sliding a paper with info into it. But, I would have a problem with the gov. not allowing the publishing of it.

I just wish that -sleep deprived or no- more people would recognize this type of books as they are...dangerous!

I really like the idea about sliding good info in there for reasons obvious.

[flyingspaghettimama]

I hate to burst the bubble, but large bookchains (and other retailers) are likely to notice the copies missing/damaged during monthly inventory and reorder said copies, the same amount that are missing. So now the publisher has made twice as much money.

I'm also a librarian. The team effort would be far more effective if you were to write letters to the retailer, pointing out the possible ramifications of selling books that harm babies due to false information. Suggest they sell them online only (where less people will browse to them). I also think the idea of putting in your own papers on the dangers isn't a bad idea (freedom of information and all); but also consider what you'd do if you opened a book and found a piece of paper telling you that you were going to kill your baby by sleeping with him/her. It probably wouldn't affect us. But stiill, there's always the hope...

[flyingspaghettimama]

FlyingSpaghettiBaby hit send too many times...

[flyingspaghettimama]

but that excuse is getting old, isn't it?

[wombatclay]

but also consider what you'd do if you opened a book and found a piece of paper telling you that you were going to kill your baby by sleeping with him/her.

I think that if it was a print out of the AAP position statement on safe sleeping (which, as we know, does not rec co-sleeping) it would make me stop and think. I'd research the subject and make an informed decision. This may not be the response of the "average sleep deprived mama in the stacks", but I can hope that putting the AAP statement about the Ezzo method in the book would prompt a similar "stop and think" moment.

I'm all in favor of information...but not in favor of defacing or damaging property I don't own!

[midwifetx]

Doesn't everyon hide copies of babywise when they go to HPB or B&N? I have even 'found' (but not returned to their proper places) Babywise when looking at other books. Makes me glad to know I'm not the only nutjob doing this!

[guestmama9924]

Originally Posted by midwifetx

Doesn't everyon hide copies of babywise when they go to HPB or B&N? I have even 'found' (but not returned to their proper places) Babywise when looking at other books. Makes me glad to know I'm not the only nutjob doing this!

No. I agree with the other couple of moms who say this is censorship. I do not agree. YES it is tempting, YES book spiking sounds cool, but it is not. Doulas and CBE's that I know that "spike" books ( put a dissenting opinon or business card in a book" are horribly unprofessional.
Hiding a book because "WE" believe we are actually doing the world a favor is NO different than Bush spreading democracy or the AAP warning us not to sleep with our babies.
I take a different approach. I give good books ( those that I happen to find good as a doula/cbe and mom) as gifts. I write book reviews about books which I find questionable ( I did a book review for BirthWise an Ezzo birth book for the International Doula publication), I also discuss books at book clubs with moms and such....
To deny a different approach, even those we hold to be repugnant, is to deny someone the self-realization of being an instinctual parent.

[wannabe]

Originally Posted by midwifetx

Doesn't everyon hide copies of babywise when they go to HPB or B&N? I have even 'found' (but not returned to their proper places) Babywise when looking at other books. Makes me glad to know I'm not the only nutjob doing this!

Hiding a book because "WE" believe we are actually doing the world a favor is NO different than Bush spreading democracy or the AAP warning us not to sleep with our babies...is to deny someone the self-realization of being an instinctual parent.

But what if the woman really really wants to breastfeed her baby, buys this book in good faith, and her her milk dries up? Don't we have a duty of care? stuff self realisation - this is about life and death and outright lies.

[guestmama9924]

Originally Posted by wannabe

But what if the woman really really wants to breastfeed her baby, buys this book in good faith, and her her milk dries up? Don't we have a duty of care? stuff self realisation - this is about life and death and outright lies.

I hear ya! Breastfeeding education and cbe/doula work have been my LIFE for 10 years! But no, it is not up to me, or you, to save someone. "Enlightenment" is a beautiful journey that we should all have a chance to have if we want it.

[Dragonfly]

Originally Posted by KeysMama

I hear ya! Breastfeeding education and cbe/doula work have been my LIFE for 10 years! But no, it is not up to me, or you, to save someone. "Enlightenment" is a beautiful journey that we should all have a chance to have if we want it.

Perhaps the act of someone hiding the book that teaches you to deny your impulses so that you, instead, pick up the book that tells you it's okay to honor them is part of the path.

[REDBREAST]

Oh, a few years ago, I was at a used bookstore and guess what book was staring me straight into my face? Babywise! I stole it, yes I did and ripped it to shreds!!! I did not pay for it, because it is not worth my money. :

[primjillie]

You stole it? And you are bragging about it?

[nannymom]

IMHO stealing babywise is civil disobdience