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Jordan Bans Saddam Novel

June 27, 2005 - 10:09pm — Karl

JET wants us to know what The Guardian has to say about the literary Hussein.

Critics judge it boring, but some in the Middle East consider Get Out of Here, Curse You!, the latest novel by Saddam Hussein, dangerous.The former Iraqi dictator is behind bars and stripped of power but Jordan was anxious enough to ban his tale yesterday, claiming it could damage regional relations.I suppose this is one author who will definitely NOT be doing a book tour this summer.

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June 27, 2005 - 10:19pm — GregS*

question

Don't we have laws that prevent criminals from making money off of their crimes? Would that include preventing a book they had written from being published or simply not allowing any profit from it?

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June 27, 2005 - 10:51pm — Great Western Dragon

Re:question

In short, no.

Some states do indeed have such laws, but many states quietly repealed these laws in the last few years. The law that many people speak of when they talk about criminals profiting from their crimes originated in California. I believe California also repealed the law.

Keep in mind that we're talking about an international incident here. I have no idea what laws come into play when you're trying the deposed dictator of another country. I'm sure there's a blending of international, US, and Iraqi laws somewhere in there. Depending on what they do in Iraq, it could be very different from what happens here.

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June 27, 2005 - 10:57pm — GregS*

Re:question

Thank you, I'm amazed the laws were repealed. I realize our law isn't their law but I'm not going to knock Jordan for something we already do (wouldn't knock them on this anyway).

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June 28, 2005 - 12:38am — Anonymous Patron (not verified)

Re:question

So, government censorship is good!?!

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June 28, 2005 - 12:53am — GregS*

Re:question

So publishing the works of mass-murderers is good?!? Who gets the money?

Yes yes Mein Kampf yadda yadda yadda. It was already out before he died, its historically significant, and as far as I know no one is getting a monthly check from every copy sold.

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June 28, 2005 - 3:00am — mdoneil

Re:question

Son of Sam laws here

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June 28, 2005 - 3:06pm — Karl

Re:question

Speaking of Mein Kampf....
Bestselling Author of the Century: Hitler?

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June 28, 2005 - 4:29pm — Fang-Face

Re:question

If various Son of Sam laws have been repealed its because some others have been struck down as unconstitutional.

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June 28, 2005 - 4:36pm — GregS*

Re:question

Thank you, apparently they do exist and are constitutional as long as the focus on the guilty. If we were to apply it to Jordan, they should publish the books and then give the profits the Iraqi gov't.

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June 28, 2005 - 6:51pm — Anonymous Patron (not verified)

Re:question

> So publishing the works of mass-murderers is good?!?Freedom of speech means nothing if it only applies to books about Grandma and Apple Pie.> Who gets the money?Publication does not equal profit. Ain't nothing wrong with preventing a criminal from profiting from his crimes. But that is entirely seperate from preventing them from publishing.

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June 28, 2005 - 7:36pm — Lis

Re:question

When there have been laws like that, they have simply prevented the criminal from making a profit--royalties going into a victims' compensation fund, for instance, whether a general fund or the victims of that particular criminal.

Feel free to explain why funding victims' compensation funds is a bad idea, either generally, or in the specific case of Saddam Hussein.

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June 28, 2005 - 7:48pm — GregS*

Re:question

"Feel free to explain why funding victims' compensation funds is a bad idea, either generally, or in the specific case of Saddam Hussein."

I don't think they're a bad idea.

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June 28, 2005 - 8:38pm — Anonymous Patron (not verified)

Re:question

Besides we only have to worry if they decide to give Saddam his own talk show.

/You'd watch it. //You know you would...

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