Saving children from pornography...

[Kara]

Sigh

I don't blame the publisher. It's clear they didn't want to do it, but had to ask in the event that a parent got upset and sued. So, good job, American mom and dad! You have ensured your child won't be exposed to such filth and corrupted to grow up to be a prostitute or pedophile. You should do something as a family to celebrate. Maybe take the kids to the museum to view some classic works of art...

[Boozy]

You really should have labelled that link "NSFW" Kara.



(Totally kidding, guys - the link is so safe its laughable.)

[air914]

Well the picture certainly isn't going to HURT anyone or drive them to become a prostitute..... but I don't think I'd be really comfortable with those pictures in a children's book. Simply b/c if I was babysitting or something and read that book and the child asked a question about the naked picture or statue, I might be uncomfortable. It just doesn't seem appropriate for a children's book... would it have been so awful to have another work of art or statue displayed? I don't really understand the need to have "realistic" cartoonish pictures/statues of naked people in a museum... I've been to plenty of museums where the pictures & statues/ sculptures, etc. have been clothed......

[DesignFox]

I like, in the illustration, where the two kids are looking at each other and giggling about the nude painting... I think that's funny.

[Broomjockey]

Well the picture certainly isn't going to HURT anyone or drive them to become a prostitute..... but I don't think I'd be really comfortable with those pictures in a children's book. Simply b/c if I was babysitting or something and read that book and the child asked a question about the naked picture or statue, I might be uncomfortable.

Well, it's your choice to be uncomfortable with that, but I put forth that since you ARE uncomfortable, it would be more likely that it was the child's book, and therefore the parents have made the choice already, and they should have to explain it. I just think it proves how uptight they can be with nudity. It's a cartoon depiction of art. It's less than what kids would see if you took them to an actual museum. I think it's beyond horrible that they'd block the book based on that picture. It's another blow against people having to actually *gasp* CHECK WHAT THEIR KIDS ARE SEEING!

[CancelMyService]

I hate to sound elitist, but Americans in general are so obsessed with anything remotely sexual as being a sign of evil. Was it being descended from Puritans that made everyone afraid of dangly parts?

Hell, most kids have a phase where they want to run around (indoors, hopefully) with no clothes on so that should tell you that fear of sex/nudity is not a natural state of mind. Obviously you have to teach what's acceptable like not walking to the store with your willy waving in the breeze, but beating it over a child's head that parts of their bodies are shameful is just wrong.

[Kara]

Obviously you have to teach what's acceptable like not walking to the store with your willy waving in the breeze, but beating it over a child's head...

I don't know if you intended that statement the way I read, it, but

[Rapscallion]

I'm glad there's a comma in there to separate the concepts...

Rapscallion

[BlaqueKatt]

but beating it over a child's head that parts of their bodies are shameful is just wrong.

and that is actually what leads to children not reporting abuse-teaching them to be ashamed of their bodies, leads them to think THEY caused the abuse, and they don't report it for fear of getting in trouble due to the "naughty parts" being involved. And people that abuse children know and prey on this.

[Aldous]

God forbid kids actually learn about their bodies. Last year when I decided to go to school, I was Dr. Kinsey for alot of kids, explaining stuff that the health teacher wouldn't because it was "Immoral." We were in High School. My Health Teacher deserves a thread of his own for his complete lack of intelligence, understanding, charisma, and his classes being filled with Religion-based ideals. I hated him. With a burning passion, that would make Satan go "Damn, that is EVIL"

[FuzzyKitten99]

But I have heard those same people with the attitude that "It's just a boob/penis" also profess their disgust of a woman breasfeeding her child in public, covered or not. Not all of them have that attitude, but amazing is the hypocrisy of those who wish this country to be more like Europe...

[DigitalEngine]

Heh. This is going to sound so sad, but in my country, even kissing is considered pornographic. Hence this little gem. I'll try to translate the best I can hear, but the point is the translated title of the movie is roughly "Kiss Me Please". And of course, it sent a wave of outrage since, naturally, kissing is pornographic[/sarcasm]. So what does the Indonesian government do? They banned the movie from theaters and pulled it out of circulation.

And if a book like that should be published here, I can only imagine what these guys would do. I mean, did you know that they actually ransacked Playboy Indonesia's headquarters several times and got away with only a slap on their wrists? And that the models that have posed in Playboy Indonesia are facing lawsuits for .. let me see, what was it? Oh yeah, indecent exposure.
Have you ever seen what Playboy Indonesia is like? Absolutely no nudity, not even half nudity. As in boobs and nether regions are always covered all the time. I'm not saying the the clothes the models wear are not minimal, but that they're so much covered compared to other Playboy models in other parts of the world. Hell, I personally think that FHM Indonesia's stuff are alot more hardcore. But holier-than-thou as these people are, they see the name "Playboy" and immediately think that the country's going to hell.

They're writing a bill now about a certain law that's going to be put in motion in Indonesia http://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rancang..._dan_Pornoaksi.
The gist of this law when it starts going into effect is:
1. No public display of affection between people of the opposite sex unless they can prove that they are closely blood related (as in no hugging, no holding hands, and absolutely no kissing in any form whatsoever).
2. Women, when in a public place, must wear clothes that cover all the "erotic parts of their body that will tempt men into sin" (such as cleavage, thighs, and even BARE UPPER ARMS! ) So no more tank-tops once this law starts going into effect. A hint of a cleavage could get you 2-10 years in jail. Yeah, so what they're basically saying is when a woman gets raped, it's her own fault because she shows so much "tempting skin"

They're actually going to ban traditional Indonesian clothing that shows too much skin. Such as kebayas that shows too much skin. What's going to happen to our culture and nation history I don't want to know.
If this law is really going into effect, I guess I'm just going to pack up and leave, since this country's obviously going back to the Stone Age. Really, it breaks my heart to see this happening to my country and it's women.


-- End of rant --

Guys, I don't want to start something here, just needed to rant and let you guys know .. well .. what's going on in this corner of the world. Sorry because the links mostly in my language. Anyone needs a translation, I'll be happy to

[Rapscallion]

1. No public display of affection between people of the opposite sex unless they can prove that they are closely blood related (as in no hugging, no holding hands, and absolutely no kissing in any form whatsoever).

How about public displays of affection between people of the same sex? Part of me really hopes they missed that bit.

EDITNOTE - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_ag...nd_Pornoaction for the English version of the legislation.

Rapscallion

[air914]

I had the opposite health teacher. I think it was maybe the third day of class she said "everyone masturbates and anyone who says they don't is a liar". She also entertained us with stories of how her daughter lied to Planned Parenthood in order to get birth control pills, and we had an assignment to "plan" a lesson for 8th graders and one of the "ideas" was to have them use banana and condoms to learn how to put the condoms on. I sat there w/a b/c at least the people in MY 8th grade were not mature enough to handle that - I said "don't u know what kids are going to do w/ a bunch of bananas and condoms? blowing the condoms up, smashing the banana in the condom...." i wasn't convinced that even one banana was going to get a condom on it. of course, the people I went to middle school w/ were pretty immature anyway. the principle of teh school told my parents that i as "too mature" and that's why I didn't do well w/ te other students...... whatever.....

I don't think children have to be ashamed of their bodies.... but I'm not going to go show them pictures of naked people to make them feel "more comfortable".... not that this book is doing it - I don't know, it just feels wrong to have that in a kid's book - to me at least. However, I dont' see the big deal in just putting in two different "works of art" to sell the books in the U.S......

[DigitalEngine]

Of course girls are allowed to hold hands, hug, or peck cheeks with each other.
If guys here were to hold hands, hug, or peck cheeks with each other, well, let's just say I've heard some horror stories about that.

But if girls would show affection to one another really blatantly and in public, the least of what they would get are funny looks and/or maybe rude remarks from guys. The worst is probably public lynching (Yes, they still have public lynching here. I remember something that happened when I was in high school *sorry, no links* about this pick-pocket that got caught on a bus. They dragged him off the bus, beat the living crap out of him, then doused him in gasoline and set him on fire. This happened right by the side of a really large, busy street. The police made some investigations but nobody was arrested)

Ya know, it's really weird about how people are dealing with homosexuality here. This friend of mine (a girl) happens to be gay, and when I introduce her to a guy friend of mine or they've seen her picture (she's really pretty) and want to know if I can play matchmaker or something and I mention that she's gay, they'll get this really smug look on their faces and say something to the effect of "Oh, but I can fix her" like all she needs is a good repair and possibly a good tune up. Pigs.
OTOH, if I were to introduce a gay friend who's a guy, or even talk about my male gay friends, most of my straight male friends would say something like (and I quote, since this is probably the most common remark I'd hear): "He'd better not be coming anywhere near me or I'll beat his ass good". PIGS!

@Raps: thanks for the English version.