Is censorship alive here at Sac State? Apparently so. I recently learned that a book by Sac State Professor Doug Rice that is sold in the Hornet Bookstore had a word in its title blocked out by a sticker. Rice confessed to pulling off the stickers, but the sticky residue and grime of censorship still sticks to the bindings of the nine or 10 copies that occupy the spot reserved for faculty authors in the Bookstore.

First, I have to admit that Rice is one of my professors. Second, I am not defending the content of Rice?s book, which is not for the sexually inhibited or faint of heart. I haven?t had the pleasure of reading the entire book, but the first couple of paragraphs were enough for me.

What really ticks me off about the actions of the bookstore is that it is not their job to censor the books they carry. It?s appalling that they would condone such behavior. It?s almost like a library thinking it?s a good idea to start banning books.

The title of Rice?s book probably cannot even be printed in this newspaper, because they think they are the keepers of what?s moral and correct, but I?ll give it a shot. The title of Rice?s book is, “A Good C-nt Boy is Hard to Find.” It really catches you right in the gut, doesn?t it? But Rice is not afraid of what you or anybody might think.

And I?ll defend his right to continue printing his books. If the Bookstore wants to carry his book, they should be willing to take any flak they get from the title or content of his book. But the fact of the matter is that if they didn?t draw attention to the book by stickering it, no one would have raised an eyebrow.

But a call to the CSUS Foundation straightened the whole matter out. Apparently an employee of the bookstore who was stocking the book was offended by the title and took it upon his or her self to put a sticker over the offensive word, according to Foundation spokeswoman Nancy Pennebaker.

She said that the Bookstore does not practice censorship and the actions of the employee are contrary to the policy of the Bookstore and the Foundation. She also said that the employee was talked to about the incident, but wasn?t disciplined since it wasn?t done in advocacy or in a malicious way.

This is heartening to hear, but it disturbs me that someone would think that they are almighty enough to decide what I should or should not read. It wasn?t OK when Adolph Hitler did it, or when school boards did it, and it?s not okay when somebody who makes $6.50 an hour decides that they are going to become my moral compass.

I get scared when people start deciding what is acceptable for me to read, and I don?t think that kind of thinking breeds anything accept a bunch of slaves who accept only what their masters tell them is truth.

It becomes an Orwellian argument about whether two plus two really equals four. The powers that be may tell you it equals three, but don?t believe the bastards who think they have the audacity to tell what is real or not.

Disagree? Contact Matt Wagar at [email protected].

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