One of my favorite authors getting some regional press. I’ve mentioned Mr. Gertzman here on a couple of occasions here and I consider his book a must read if you’re interested in censorship issues or the history of marginalized publishing (aka pornography). Yeah, it’s hard to think of pornography as a marginalized commodity these days, but in the past plenty of American publishers spent time in prison for producing and selling works that are entirely tame by today’s standards. (Forget having a fisting scene landing you in court — back then, printing a book that repeatedly used the word fuck could place you before a judge.)
Some months ago (and several email software crashes ago), Mr. Gertzman wrote me a nice note, thanking me for writing about publishing and his work and for doing so without an anti-semitic slant. Which drew me up straight in my chair.
Anti-semitic?
I did a quick Google on Mr. Gertzman’s name and discovered that his book has been co-opted by American antisemites. They routinely used it to prove Jews are responsible for American pornography. It really shook me up, open-minded goy that I am, to see such prejudice this active in American culture.
I’m pleased to say that in the months since then, Gertzman’s book has recieved enough positive, free-of-prejudice web attention that you have to go deep into a search string on Jay Gertzman to get to the anti-semitic stuff.
(And here’s how you can do so: See this Google search string?
http://www.google.com/search?q=Jay+Gertzman&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&start=10&sa=N
See the 8&start=? Right after that comes a two-digit numeric. Changing that number moves you along through the search. 50 will give you items 50 – 59, for example. Use numbers 50, 90, and 110, and on each of the pages those numbers return, you’ll find at least one anti-semitic co-opting of Gertzman’s book as of this morning.)
I generally want to avoid giving these sites hits but it’s important for you to know they’re out there and it’s important for you to know that plenty of people are blaming pornography on Jews. Enter 110 in the string and look for the one entitled Rabbi Dresner; I find this article chilling because it is so intellectually weighty. And check out the publication listed at the end of the Google search. (Enter 160 in the string.)
Jews in pornography? Sure, of course. But SO WHAT. It doesn’t matter to me one whit. However, I suggest you read Mr. Gertzman’s book to understand how pariah capitalism came to be. I suggest its early 20th-century roots still influence current generations of pariah capitalists, that it’s become something of a legacy. But again, SO WHAT.
Oh, and just so you know, anti-semitic unease isn’t just among the fringe right. It even pops up on the wild, wild west of KSEX radio.
I’d like to say more about this, but it essentially verges into politics and religion, and it’s a bright Saturday morning with little wind, so I’ll wander off now and start my day. I hope, however, it gives you something to think about.
