A sharp-eyed member of the Torchwood forums found this listing for a 2008 Torchwood wall calendar at Waterstones. It's due for publication in August, but always a good idea to get your year planned out as early as possible. We can spend the next four months predicting what pictures will go with what months.
Of course Torchwood.TV has had our own calendar on the page for about a month now because you demanded it, so I shouldn't need to remind you about the big Woodie weekend that we have in store. JB will be loose as always on ITVs Loose Women tomorrow afternoon. Then those in the London area will be able to see just how loose he can get in person Saturday at the Oxford Circus Borders.
Personally, I boycott Borders here in the US because they refused to carry Free Inquiry Magazine last April when they reprinted some of the Danish muhammad cartoons. But as far as I know you can buy the Torchwood audiobooks at another bookshop, one that supports freedom of speech, and bring them with you to the signing. Or just skip that signing entirely and meet up with Murray Melvin at the WHO shop in East Ham at his signing which is also happening Saturday afternoon.
8 comments:
Nice blog. However, I do not understand your boycott of Borders.
There have been many over-reactions to the Motoons, and I can understand why Borders may choose not to risk stocking something. I personally think that stock selection is a form of expression that booksellers have a right to.
The press is still free, and in particular is still free to print original material. What is difficult is republishing material that is known to have caused trouble. But even then, the magazine was still available outside of Borders.
Further, it is my understanding that boycotts are usually conducted in the hope of changing a company's actions. Borders are unlikely to suddenly decide to stock a year-old magazine. Been. Gone. New issues that don't reprint famously questionable content are presumably available. The staff who make decisions about stock may have changed. It is a stretch to conclude from one incident that every division of Borders continues to be against free speech in perpetuity. (Of course, you don't actually say that Borders are anti-freedom of speech, but you do imply it.)
So what exactly is the point of your boycott?
They are a private business and can carry anything they please, I also can react by shopping anywhere I please.
You're right, boycott might not be the right word. I just make the choice to go elsewhere and support their competitors because of a business decision they made which I as a citizen and consumer disagreed with.
So the POINT of 'the boycott' is: violence directed at artistic expression will simply continue if we don't all stand up together against it. So Borders aside, it's more about rewarding our allies who fight alongside us.
Absolutely Kurly.
My Grandfather said to me when I was little "Art is a freedom. Censorship is a propaganda" and it's true. The minute we stop giving freedom to our artists, in whatever form they take, is the moment that art dies.
Hi woodies remeber John Barrowman is on today on LOOSE WOMEN. and im sure he'l do plenty of flirting enjoy the show keep up good worj Kurly (cool name) lol and Jack
Julie Birchill on radio yesterday:
"I don't have to respect anyone's religion on principle any more than I have to respect people's politics if I find them bigoted. I will decide what I respect or not on the basis of whether that philosophy respects other people's rights, regardless of their colour or sex. In return, I don't want or need anyone to be bullied into respecting what I believe in. So long as they don't interfere with my right to believe in Him, they can call my God all the names under the sun. My faith is sufficiently strong that I won't run off to Headmaster Blair to tell the nasty mockers to stop it."
However
Borders had a right to choose not to carry that publication whether it was a company or individual store decision.
AND
You have a right to choose to boycott Borders if you want.
BUT
You do not have a right to suggest to other people that they think about boycotting John's signing.
John Barrowman is very obviously a fan of free speech and openly states that people should be able to live their lives the way they want so long as it doesn't trample on other peoples rights. He's not responsible for Borders attitude and it's pretty unlikely HE chose the venue. Your blog could be construed as attempting to suggest that John is guilty by association with Borders and that people who go to the signing support suppression of free speech and that's just *desperately searches for polite words* short-sighted and ignorant.
As somebody who DISrespects all religions equally I appreciate the quote from Julie Birchill above.
However, I never said JB or anybody who attends is guilty of anything at all. Personally If I was in town I would just buy the copies of the CDs elsewhere and bring them to the signing.
Then why tell people to skip a rare oppurnity to meet Captain Jack?
Well, I don't care what magazine they might not have stocked last year, I'll be there tomorrow, as I imagine loads of other people will too.
I do find it odd that a TW fansite should suggest that people should boycot an appearance by the series star!
I'd like to go to both events, but my Tardis is in for repairs.
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