Facebook group advocating book burning voluntarily shuts down
Jon Fisher
Issue date: 4/17/08 Section: News
The Facebook group "'Tis a Pity so Many Books Go Unburned," which advocated burning books the group's founders deemed 'uncatholic,' shut down last week.
"It was voluntarily taken down because the discussion has been started and [the group] really served its purpose," said Hillsdale College sophomore Anthony Mocny, a former group officer.
The group's 50 members lived across the nation and held discussions on the site, Mocny said. Not all the group's members supported its ideas, but joined because Facebook only allows group members to post comments. Only a few members attend Hillsdale College.
The group's founder, Charles Le Jeune, no longer attends Hillsdale College for reasons unrelated to the Facebook group, Dean of Men Aaron Peterson said.
Last week's Collegian article describing the group stirred student reaction, much of it negative.
Junior Nathanael Rhea, a Roman Catholic, said Le Jeune's comments were not common Roman Catholic teaching and damaging to the pursuit of truth.
Sophomore Matt Johnson, a Russian Orthodox, said he does not advocate burning books, but that Le Jeune's group was meant to be humorous.
Sophomore Raymond Spiotta, a Catholic, said the discussion misses the point.
"The objections that I have seen to this group are uncomprehending in the main," Spiotta said. "They do not address the fundamental claim that true liberty is of its nature contrary to error."
Junior Tom Cox, a Catholic, said more important than this Facebook group are stronger organizations that exercise censorship, like the New York Times Book Review.
"The more dangerous forms of censorship are ignored and this form is sensationalized to an extreme degree," he said.
Northwestern University sophomore Meriwether Clarke created an opposition Facebook group.
"To me it is a supreme act of ignorance and condescension to presume that something should be destroyed simply because it isn't in line with my beliefs," Clarke said.
For the previous article please click on this link
"It was voluntarily taken down because the discussion has been started and [the group] really served its purpose," said Hillsdale College sophomore Anthony Mocny, a former group officer.
The group's 50 members lived across the nation and held discussions on the site, Mocny said. Not all the group's members supported its ideas, but joined because Facebook only allows group members to post comments. Only a few members attend Hillsdale College.
The group's founder, Charles Le Jeune, no longer attends Hillsdale College for reasons unrelated to the Facebook group, Dean of Men Aaron Peterson said.
Last week's Collegian article describing the group stirred student reaction, much of it negative.
Junior Nathanael Rhea, a Roman Catholic, said Le Jeune's comments were not common Roman Catholic teaching and damaging to the pursuit of truth.
Sophomore Matt Johnson, a Russian Orthodox, said he does not advocate burning books, but that Le Jeune's group was meant to be humorous.
Sophomore Raymond Spiotta, a Catholic, said the discussion misses the point.
"The objections that I have seen to this group are uncomprehending in the main," Spiotta said. "They do not address the fundamental claim that true liberty is of its nature contrary to error."
Junior Tom Cox, a Catholic, said more important than this Facebook group are stronger organizations that exercise censorship, like the New York Times Book Review.
"The more dangerous forms of censorship are ignored and this form is sensationalized to an extreme degree," he said.
Northwestern University sophomore Meriwether Clarke created an opposition Facebook group.
"To me it is a supreme act of ignorance and condescension to presume that something should be destroyed simply because it isn't in line with my beliefs," Clarke said.
For the previous article please click on this link
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Maxwell
Maxwell
posted 4/18/08 @ 3:40 PM EST
With all due respect, is Mr. Rhea acquainted with universal Catholic practice well into the latter half of the XXth century, with the virtually immutable and unanimous policy of Roman Popes to speak for it? I'm not saying one way is right or another, but if one is interested in placing faith in the Catholic Church, one would think one should do so in a way consistent with its concomitant traditions. (Continued…)
Robby Ellis
posted 5/30/08 @ 5:42 PM EST
forget this!
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