The primary objection appears to be the abusive relationship angle. We have seen in this very thread that that particular argument is being accepted by those unwilling to actually read the book. Where-as, if one reads the book, one may come away from it with that opinion, or that that opinion is unfounded based on unintended metaphors based on the vampire element of the main male protagonist, or that the book is harmless drivel, or some other opinion.
I think you are severely conflating my reaction to my friends' experiences of this book with the "movement" to talk about this book. My reaction is very emotional, grounded in personal relationships with people who have been abused in relationships, one of whom was so affected by trying to read the book that she threw it against the wall and left it there for days, unable to make herself pick it up. As her friend, I became emotionally involved when she shared that story.
That is my prerogative as a human being who is a rational, careful scientist, but also a friend to people who have been through awful things. In this case, human pain trumps geek pluralism.
But there are a lot of people who simply have legitimate, analytical concerns about the content and are approaching it in a very measured way.
Look around, there are behavioral correlations drawn up by learned men and women in the fields of clinical psychology, gender studies, and half a dozen others. They are not pulling a witch-hunt. They are not advocating book burning. They are saying, (and I paraphrase) "This book showcases characters who would be very worrying in the real world. We think parents should take an interest and could use it as a teachable moment with their children to talk about the problem of abusive relationships that is unfortunately endemic to our society."
That is not, as the D&D witch-hunt was, blaming the books for abuse. Actually, some have put it the other way around, that emotionally and physically abusive relationships are so prevalent in our culture that the books are more a product than a cause. The books are not a problem, per se, and can actually be a help. Since the single most at-risk population for emotional, sexual, and physical abuse is reading these books like they are the Gospels of Romance, they are probably a good way to start a discussion. The discussion could conclude that Vampire boy is OK and the girl just needs to grow up a bit. That conclusion would be just as acceptable to me as "These books are an example of what not to do." I just think the discussion should take place.
If that discussion took place more often, I wouldn't see so many girls come to campus with no understanding of the warning signs of an abusive guy. Maybe I could go a semester without having a girl show up to a class desperately trying to cover up bruises.
Obviously, I have a personal stake in this that may be clouding
my judgment. But don't use my quick judgment as a way to dismiss the legitimate concerns of others. Educate yourself on the issues before throwing out the reasoned conclusions of experts in the field of human relationships and gender issues.
