A Utah congressman calls an open letter signed by hundreds of members of the literary community opposing any publisher that signs book deals with former President Donald Trump or members of his administration “un-American.”
“It’s just absurd,” Rep. Chris Stewart, R-Utah, said on Fox News last week. “Is their view going to be that if someone does publish these individuals, that they’ll go burn those books, they’ll ban them? I mean, for heaven sakes, this is like Germany in 1936.”
Nearly 600 writers, editors, journalists, agents and professionals in multiple forms of publishing say in the letter that participation in the Trump administration must be considered a uniquely mitigating criterion for publishing houses when considering book deals.
“People will find a way to exchange ideas. American people aren’t stupid. It’s not like we’re just going to say, ‘Well, gosh that’s too bad. I guess I’ll never get to hear what any of these individuals say.’” — Rep. Chris Stewart
“No participant in an administration that caged children, performed involuntary surgeries on captive women, and scoffed at science as millions were infected with a deadly virus should be enriched by the almost rote largesse of a big book deal,” according to the letter. “And no one who incited, suborned, instigated, or otherwise supported the Jan. 6, 2021 coup attempt should have their philosophies remunerated and disseminated through our beloved publishing houses.
The letter cites “Son of Sam” laws that prevent criminals from benefiting financially from writing about their crimes.
“In that spirit, those who enabled, promulgated, and covered up crimes against the American people should not be enriched through the coffers of publishing,” says the letter written by novelist Barry Lyga and titled “No Book Deals for Traitors.”
Stewart wanted to know when the United States became a place where major portions of business and tech decided it’s not only going to not listen to certain people but they’re not going to let them speak and shame anyone who does read their books or consider their ideas.
If they could defend their own ideas and policies, they wouldn’t have to shut other people down, he said.
“But if you’re not confident you can defend your own ideas, your own values, then you default to that position of shutting everything else down and that’s exactly what we’re witnessing today,” Stewart told Fox.
“It’s frankly just un-American,” he said. “It’s as un-American as anything we’ve seen for anyone to take this view.”
The letter says the country is where it is in part because publishing has chased the money and notoriety of some “pretty sketchy” people, and has granted those same people both the sanction of respectability and a lot of money through sweetheart book deals.
“We believe in the power of words and we are tired of the industry we love enriching the monsters among us, and we will do whatever is in our power to stop it,” according to the letter.
Asked by the Los Angeles Times to specify what actions the signatories might take in the event of an objectionable book deal, Lyga wrote in an email, “Each person will act to the dictates of their conscience and to the extent they are able to effect change.”
Stewart said someone will step in to publish books written by Trump and members of his administration.
“People will find a way to exchange ideas. American people aren’t stupid. It’s not like we’re just going to say, ‘Well, gosh that’s too bad. I guess I’ll never get to hear what any of these individuals say,’” he said. “These ideas will be heard and the American people will be able to hear them.”