Some feel S.L. club is pushing racy book
And the Salt Lake City mayor's office hunkered down Monday to head off an anticipated firestorm over the book club's profanity- and blasphemy-laced choice.
Meanwhile, at least one councilman has asked the mayor's office to consider picking a new book and plans to question Rocky Anderson's staffers about the selection at tonight's City Council meeting.
City officials apparently became aware of the controversy Monday after the Deseret Morning News inquired about the book "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time," by English author Mark Haddon.
The popular book about an autistic Sherlock Holmes wannabe who uncovers the truth about a slain dog is replete with four-letter words, including at least 22 f-words, 16 s-words and 33 profane references to Jesus Christ and God.
Oftentimes profanity and blasphemy are strung for greater effect, as in the line: "Holy f---ing J----, Christopher. How stupid are you?"
In addition to other curse words, the book includes a four-letter reference to female anatomy that in context is "horribly abusive" to women, one council member said.
"If young men were talking to their girlfriends and mothers that way, we as a society would be offended and rightfully so," Councilman Eric Jergensen said. "We as a society should not be recommending this type of literature."
Annette Daley, the only person on the mayor's book committee who is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, agreed there weren't many, if any, social conservatives on the panel who might have provided more balance to the selection process.
"This is the mayor's book club, and the mayor certainly doesn't make any beans about the fact that he's not conservative," she said. "(The committee members) reflect his political and intellectual ideologies."
Daley said she loved the book and believes others of her faith can enjoy it. After all, she said, kids hear worse language in high school.
After fielding questions from the Deseret Morning News, the mayor's public relations machine whipped into gear Monday as spokeswoman Deeda Seed called the Salt Lake Tribune to alert the paper about censorship concerns.
Next, Seed pow-wowed with Anderson's chief-of-staff Sam Guevara (the mayor is on vacation in Cambodia), who told her to write Op-Ed pieces for both the Morning News and the Tribune in an effort to head off a possible brewing controversy.
"It's just going down the road of book censorship," Seed said. "I read the book and I don't see what's so offensive about it."
Comments
- HBO defends U. logo use in 'Love' 3:06 p.m.
- Hill Cumorah Pageant 3:04 p.m.
- 2 Tooele police officers fired 2:52 p.m.
- Baseball teams fear 'haunted' hotel 2:51 p.m.
- Stocks falter 2:50 p.m.
- LDS seminary principal arrested 2:50 p.m.
- Blazers draft pick Mills breaks foot 2:47 p.m.
- Sentencing for con man moved 2:33 p.m.
- Obama and pope hold first meeting 2:33 p.m.
- Priestley and wife welcome baby 2:30 p.m.
- Jazz talking Boozer trade?
- LDS seminary principal arrested
- Stadium of Fire flag burning was fake
- Reactions on Boozer speculation
- Jazz in back of line for free agents
- A primer for the 6th Potter film
- Okur signs two-year extension
- Jazz won't meet Lopez on Europe trip
- Restaurant destroyed by fire
- Mall owner seeks to retain zoning
- Bronco collecting a galaxy of recruits
141 - Letters: Palin mistreated
140 - Teachers struggle with district cuts
136 - Jazz talking Boozer trade?
131 - Blazers may offer Millsap a contract
123 - Stadium of Fire flag burning was fake
87 - Moon landing: Let's hear from you
82 - Fairness of BCS debated
81 - Chaffetz eyes challenging Bennett
74 - Letters: Single-payer system best
71
As more and more dads are put out of work in this economy, I've been...
The photographs are mysterious, brooding, dark. They show dimples and...
Oh really? How about you tell us Obama doubters how taking from taxpayers and...
The 3:11 pm poster has spoken the truth every whit. This is the same...
If the myth that BYU is the Lord's University is true, then the Lord...
If you aren't part of LDS culture. You hear "calling" in Mormon's lexicon....
the genie is out of the bottle--finally the Iranian people are waking up and...
A freshman is all wet behind the ears, someone should let this freshman Rep....
Why is he smiling in the picture? Maybe because he realizes how lucky he is...
The reason there is a recession because the flow of debt has stopped. Money...
as goes California so goes the rest of the economy....except red states like...
Just maybe, this action by the banks will cut card use.


You can be the first to comment on this story.