Senators Send Letter to Amazon Asking for Explanation Over Removal of Book on Transgender Ideology

Four Senators have authored a letter to Amazon blasting the company for waging an “assault on free speech” and inquiring about its removal of Christian philosopher Ryan T. Anderson’s book When Harry Became Sally from its cyber shelves.

As The Daily Citizen previously reported, Amazon recently decided to censor Anderson’s book which argues that for transgender individuals, “the most beneficial therapies focus on helping people accept themselves and live in harmony with their bodies.”

The company removed the book entirely from its website including on its Kindle and Audible platforms.

Intriguingly, Amazon is still selling the book Let Harry Become Sally which argues in favor of providing so-called sex change surgery for transgender individuals.

The letter was written by U.S. Senators Marco Rubio, R-Fla., Mike Lee, R-Utah., Mike Braun, R-Ind., and Josh Hawley, R-Mo. and addressed to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos.

“We write regarding Amazon’s recent political censorship activities, particularly the decision to remove the book When Harry Became Sally by conservative scholar, Ryan Anderson, from the Amazon website, Kindle, and Audible platforms,” the letter began.

“Over the past 72 hours, Amazon has been unable to provide a sufficient explanation as to how Anderson’s book, which reached the top of two of Amazon’s best-seller lists before it was even released in 2018, supposedly violated a vague, undefined ‘offensive content’ standard…

“By removing this book from its marketplaces and services, Amazon has unabashedly wielded its outsized market share to silence an important voice merely for the crime of violating woke groupthink…

“In its decision to remove Mr. Anderson’s book from its platforms, Amazon has openly signaled to conservative Americans that their views are not welcome on its platforms. Amazon’s shortsighted censorship of this well-researched and thoughtful contribution to modern American discourse is not just a decision made in poor taste, but an assault on free speech that carries weighty implications for the future of open discourse in the digital age.”

The letter then goes on to ask Mr. Bezos six questions, including what the motivation was for removing the book and whether the decision was “part of a broader campaign against conservative material and voices on Amazon’s platforms?”

The senators requested a response from Mr. Bezos by March 9, 2021.

So far, Amazon has made no public statement regarding the decision to censor When Harry Became Sally.

The tech giant’s decision directly implicates two important cultural flashpoints that our society is currently debating: free speech and transgender issues.

Even the left-leaning American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) used to be fond of the idea, “I may not agree with what you’re saying, but I’ll defend to the death your right to say it.” Within the past few years, that seems to have been tossed out the window.

In the coming years, Christians can expect the censorship of free speech, conservative thought, and Christian teachings to continue to increase.

How will you respond?

When Harry Became Sally is still available for purchase at Barnes & Noble and directly from its publisher Encounter Books.

You can follow this author on Parler @ZacharyMettler

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