Re: "All-Inclusive" Bookstore Co-Founded By RuPaul Yanks Conservative Titles Following Backlash

In article <[email protected]>,
 Ubiquitous <[email protected]> wrote:

> An online bookstore that advertised itself as being committed to sharing 
> ideas, even those which are deemed controversial, has removed titles from 
> conservative authors amid backlash.
> 
> Television host and activist RuPaul is a co-founder of the "all-inclusive" 
> online bookstore Allstora, according to National Review. He started the 
> online store with LGBTQ advocate and author Eric Cervini and drag performer 
> Adam Powell.
> 
> The site advertised that they would carry titles from authors of all points 
> of view, and books for sale on the site initially ranged from Adolf Hitler's 
> "Mein Kampf" to the graphic, controversial coming-of-age book "Gender Queer".
> 
> "We're a marketplace for all books and all stories, with a focus on elevating 
> marginalized voices," the site originally touted, according to NR. "You may 
> find books you disagree with," a pop-up ad warned, while the FAQ page said, 
> "Allstora has made the decision to carry all books" and "censorship of any 
> book, perspective, or story is incompatible with the survival of democracy."
> 
> "Banning books is never the answer," the site's messaging, which has since 
> been deleted, said, according to The Mary Sue. "We cannot fight the 
> ideologies of hate if we lack the ability to study, understand, and react to 
> them. We do that by reading books."
> 
> However, left-wing activists were outraged that Allstora offered titles by 
> Donald Trump, Elon Musk, Matt Walsh, Riley Gaines, and Libs of TikTok founder 
> Chaya Raichik, among others. At first, the website's founders attempted to 
> diffuse tension by promising to create "a community-led flagging system for 
> titles that are contrary to our core values and donating all proceeds from
> these titles to fight book bans," National Review noted.
> 
> But that wasn't enough. After three days of critics railing against Allstora 
> for selling "homophobic", "transphobic", "anti-woke", and "Nazi" books, the 
> founders relented and removed all free speech messaging from the page. Many
> works by conservative authors were removed from the page, while some other
> titles remained available.
> 
> The drama comes on the heels of RuPaul announcing a "Rainbow Book Bus" that 
> seeks to distribute "diverse books to communities facing book bans and 
> censorship, especially in LGBTQ+ communities". The bus will embark on a cross 
> country tour later this year, the DRAG RACE host told People during an 
> interview this month.

Just goes to show you how downright hypocritical leftists are when the 
screech about "Republican book bans".

They'll ban a book in the blink of an eye if it doesn't meet their 
ideological rigor.