The major international Internet book retailer, Amazon.com, is facing controversy over its refusal to stop stocking the book 'Understanding loved boys and boy lovers' after the company has received a barrage of angry complaints. As the title suggests, the book openly advocates paedophilia.
'Boy love'- sometimes written as one word - is a euphemism often used by paedophiles attempting to legitimise their perverted activities.

The book, which costs $9.99, is selling well, positioned at number 5,037 out of hundreds of thousands of books in the Amazon.com charts.

Although, the UK-specific web site, Amazon.co.uk, does not stock the book itself, many Britons prefer to visit and buy from Amazon.com where the book is currently in stock. Both Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com are among the top ten visited websites in Britain. Amazon claims to have over 30 million exceptionally loyal and enthusiastic customers.

The book's author, David L. Riegel, says: 'Men who sexually pursue young boys are not monsters but are instead sincere, concerned, loving human beings who simply have a sexual orientation that is neither understood nor accepted by most others.' Riegel also makes the astonishing claim that the 'long assumed harm of such activities has failed to be supported by research.'

Riegel also runs a website which he claims is 'concerned with responsible inter-generational relationships between males'. He calls it a 'discussion forum where the joys, sorrows, issues and questions of boy love can be brought for honest, thoughtful and respectful discussion in a positive manner.'

 Tim Wildmon of the American Family Association (ASA), which is among a number of organisations deeply opposed to Amazon selling the book, said:
'Paedophiles are child molesters, pure and simple. Anyone who uses children to gratify themselves sexually is a pervert and a sociopath. For Amazon.com to sell a book justifying such actions is not only irresponsible but is also repulsive. We're very disappointed with this company once again'. The United States Justice Foundation (USJF) has filed a criminal complaint against Amazon.com with the Seattle Police Department.

A popular feature of Amazon.com is the no-hold-barred reviews by readers who award books one to five stars. The seven reviewers of 'Understanding boy love and loved boys' rated it an average of four stars. The five self
confessed paedophiles, rather predictably perhaps, each awarded it five stars. The two anti-paedophile reviewers gave it just the minimum of one star

Joe Gardiner from the USA wrote: 'As a paedophile myself, I found this book to be enlightening in my quest to truly come to terms with my own sexuality. Although it doesn't glorify child molestation it does attempt to shed the positive aspects of a healthy boy/male relationship'

Jariel from the USA wrote: 'Relationships between men and boys, including sexual and non-sexual ones, can be extremely beneficial, enjoyable, harmless, and beautiful. There's such a fear in society of sexual relations
between an adult and a minor, when, as this book proves, there is nothing at all wrong with them. Enjoy this book, and try to think outside the square you live in.'

Michael Black from South Africa wrote: 'As a boy lover, I found this book extremely helpful. By explaining what 'paedophiles' really are, it may help parents to understand that there may actually be benefits to such
relationships'.

However, Alo Konsen of Cleveland Ohio asked:' Why should we celebrate moral relativism and degeneracy?' while John Rankin of California wrote: 'This book has nothing to do with 'love', and there is nothing noble or innocent about sexual predators, whether the victim is an adult or, as in this case, a child.' Both of these reviewers gave the book the minimum of one star.

Amazon.com is no stranger to such controversies. There were many complaints last year when it offering two books on bestiality 'Dearest Pet - On Bestiality' and 'The Horseman - Obsessions of a Zoophile' as well as a book about father-daughter incest; 'Daddy - an Erotic Memoir'.

The retailer was forced by protesters last year to stop selling another book extolling paedophilia entitled 'Varieties of Man-Boy Love'. The bookseller had posted three positive reader reviews of the book on its website, one of which said the laws protecting children from sexual predators are outdated and that 'boy love' should be accepted in society.

Three years ago, Amazon's U.K. site was also forced to remove from sale the controversial book 'The Committee: Political Assassination in Northern Ireland', written by journalist Sean McPhilemy, after Northern Ireland's First Minister, David Trimble, sued Amazon.co.uk for libel.

In a statement, Amazon said that while it does not endorse 'Understanding boys and boy lovers' 'people have the right to choose their own reading material.'

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