1 out of 4 stars
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Review of The Banned Book about Love by Scott Hughes
This novella is a non-fiction opinion piece contemplating the concept of love and hate within our society using a controversial topic. The main theme of the piece appears to focus on the nature of society and our culture to place all evil and wrongdoing within the realm of hatred to disregard the humanistic similarities. Through empathetic eyes, the author explores the recent controversy of a convicted rapist recently delivered a short-term sentence and suggests love does not mean leniency.
A title change followed the initial release of this book as opponents to the title “I LOVE BROCK TURNER’ spoke out strongly against title’s message and tone. The author’s self-described position of anti-rape and advocacy for victims was strongly highlighted in the prelude summary, as they felt oppressed by the immediate assumption of sympathy for the convicted rapist.
My initial reaction to the novella was that the author has taken a very well-known concept of unconditional love and applied it to a very difficult experience or situation that is still quite rampant in our times. Although the case of Brock Turner can be used, like many others to question the concept of hate versus love, humanity versus evil, I struggled to believe the author truly understands why this concept is so difficult for most to accept. Religions around the world and as old as can be found have struggled to understand human love and the unconditional aspects of it. The author’s simplified explanation did not fully grasp or represent my understanding in relation to the horrific crime.
The book provided some interesting ‘food for thought’ however, the most interesting component was his self-disclosure of being a parent to two children. I would have appreciated his own perspective on whether he would ‘love’ his own children’s perpetrators, if such event occurred? When one can recognize their own challenges or experience and relate them to complex constructs such as love and hate, it often allows readers to relate more easily.
The Banned Book about Love brings up many difficult questions regarding love and hate which is admirable, but ultimately fails to recognize that from a Feminist lens, which is most appropriately applied to the Brock Turner incident, the novel attempts to suggest love above all hate, but doesn’t recognize itself as a vehicle of harm. Harm to the millions of victims of sexual assault, their families and the many generations of children harmed by this act. Men largely perpetrate sexual assault against women and children. This author’s opinion that his previous title and persecution of it was unjust, is unfortunately a naïve and paternalistic view. The title offends women who have been raped, and the perpetrator celebrated. Using a title to catch the eye of readers does not justify the harm it does to women. The means does not justify the ends.
As a reader looking for alternative perspectives on life, love and strife I rate this book 1 out of 4 stars. I find the topic of Brock Turner too large for this writer and encourage them to seek greater education and understanding of this topic before writing about it. Although each writer is welcome to their opinion, men writing about why women should forgive rapists for the greater good of ‘love’ instead of hate are exploiting the pain of those they cannot understand. Individuals who may like reading this book would be those at the beginning of their education in theoretical frameworks or those looking to others to understand different opinions about the construct of ‘love’.
In summary, this novella attempts to discuss complex concepts of love, hate, empathy and justice within the context of the Brock Turner case. The novella will likely anger those who have been victimized, appear basic to those with any education in the feminist perspective and bore those who care not to hear another man’s perspective of the rape of women.
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The Banned Book about Love
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