Does anyone know whether this is was a decision made by the Cardiff branch independently, or dictated from above? Because if the former is the case then attacking the firm because of the stupidity of one branch’s management may not be the best way forward.

http://peterblack.blogspot.com/2008/11/poetry-reading-at-assembly.html

I have always looked for a Waterstones in whatever town I’m visiting but have become increasingly frustated to find piped music in many of the stores. To me this so annoying that I have complained to the staff who sometimes do not appear to understand that the noise interfers with concentration.
And now this latest nonsense – the very silly bowing to religeous biggots in cardiff is the final straw. I will try to resist entering a Waterstones in the future and shop for my books on the Internet.
Stephen Clarke, Monmouth, Gwent

No doubt, when he’s planning his protests, Green asks himself ‘what would Jesus do?’

Who knew the answer is ‘threaten people’s safety’?

What an absurd decision- apparently they failed to contact the author and publisher before they arrived at the cancelled event. I wonder if they would remove books from their shelves if there was enough pressure?

This is the email reply I received from Gerry Johnson, Managing Director of Waterstones, yesterday:

“Waterstone’s does occasionally receive requests that we remove books from sale. Our answer is always that we do not act as a censor, and we cannot and should not decide what the public may or may not read, and we will only remove a title from sale on the advice of the publisher. That remains the case for Mr Jones’ book, and it remains available from Waterstone’s. Any questions or comments regarding the content of the book should be directed towards the Welsh Books Council.

The poetry reading was organised and planned in good faith between our store and the publisher. However, it would appear that shortly before the event took place, the author deliberately took provocative action to create a furore around the publication of his book. These actions were taken without prior discussion with the store or their consent and altered the nature of the pre-agreed event. For this reason and because of the risk of disruption to the store, our staff and customers we felt it appropriate to cancel the event.”

I’ve asked Mr Johnson what the nature of the ‘provocative action’ taken by the author was, as the issue of whether the store was right to cancel the event could hinge on this information. If/when I receive an answer I will post it here.

Green seems to see himself as a British, one man version of The American Christian Right wing. No doubt he woul love to become as powerfull as them. Watersones made a big mistake bowing to his demands. He will be back with more. These people feed on weakness.

But anyone who thinks the Right is all for freedom should take a look at nuts like him. It is freedom for me and not fot thee.

Treating “the Right” as one amorphous bloc is ludicrous, @sally. Stephen Green does not speak for many people who would describe themselves as ‘of the right’, certainly not libertarians.

The right is full of people like Green who want freedom for themselves but not for others. Look at Darce at the Mail, he is another one. These people always hide behind morality or religion, but it is always about shutting down other peoples freedoms.

And as for so called libertarians, I don’t believe in them, they don’t exist.

Sally,

‘Question That’ is probably right. This is more about the twitching curtain, Mary Whitehouse tendancy. Which seems to appeal to a significant groupiscule of our mad and bad society. Nowt like getting ones knickers in a twist ’bout what someone else thinks. Satanic Verses is a good example.

“Bloody hell Mary, they shouldn’t be allowed to read that!”

the decision to cancel the event was made centrally at head office by the MD.

They did contact the author but failed to contact the Press as they were traveling to the event and were unavailable, remember this is a very small press with only two full time workers.

There were no violent threats made.

Waterstones did not consult the police prior to the decision, either for advice or attendance.

Waterstones have just sent a message to Green and his like that they will cave in at the first sign of protest. Not very good in a company that sells books. They can now look forward to more demands by Green to ban more events.

Plus, they have lost a cutomer in me. I won’t be using them again.

Mike FW

So what? Are you excusing Greens’ campaign?

hi Douglas

Not at all.

I simply wanted to put the record straight.

I think that we need to be talking about what actually happened.

Trust me I have no sympathy for those who suppress artistic freedoms.

Mr Green’s (Christian Voice) views are deeply unpleasant on a range of issues.

Mike FW,

Fair enough.

UPDATE FROM WATERSTONE’S MD

Having said that the reading was cancelled because the author took ‘provocative action’ prior to the event – implying some breach of trust by the author in terms of his relationship with the shop – I asked for information from Waterstones as to what this ‘provocative action’ was. I’ve since heard from the publisher that the author responded in print (and in verse, apparently) to an attack by Stephen Green in some publication – I don’t have the details of this yet, but am exploring.

Waterstone’s have now refused to discuss this further – having intimated that the author brought this on himself by acting ‘provocatively’ they refuse to explain exactly WHAT it was that the author did that qualifies as sufficiently provocative to justify cancellation of the event.

It is therefore pretty clear I think that Waterstones have been attempting to dodge responsibility for their capitulation to Stephen Green and Christian Voice by implying that it was the author’s fault.

This is clearly NOT the case, and it does look as though Waterstones have been being dishonest in placing the blame, publicly, at the author’s feet.

I will no longer shop at Waterstones and will be joining the campaign to boycott the store. Behaving cowardly in the face of Christian right wing bullying is bad enough – but the slippery attempt to blame the author for their own gutless decision is unacceptable.

Borders, anyone?

The whole idea that the author brought this on himself and that he should be held accountable is pretty much the same kind of argument that is used by some to excuse rapists for attacking women in short skirts.

Patrick did not at any time write to Christian Voice in publicity of the event. his only contact with them was as part of an ongoing conversation regarding their beliefs. He also wrote to other organizations such as Dawkins Net, This is the way he has always done things. to accuse him of writing to them so as to provoke a response against the launch is just plain wrong and misconstrues the facts.

At the end of the day a radical right group of bigoted homophobes and racists made threats aimed at curtailing artistic freedom because they have political objections to the contents of a book of poetry.

Among other things they objected to poems that contained imagery about womens genitals. These poems were actually written in protest against female genital mutilation and in homage to a Somali woman who is now a UN ambassador working to end the practice.

This is the same group who managed to prevent Jerry springer the opera showing in the west end and then brought a court action against the BBC for showing it on TV. they also threatened to destroy a work of art on show at the Baltic Wharf gallery (I think in Gateshead).

The publishers have just announced that Borders bookshop have offered their Cardiff bookshop as a launch venue on 11 December and the use of their Charing Cross Road branch at a later date.

There will another Launch, also on 11 December, in the Welsh National Assembly at noon. details on the website

details to follow on their website.