Lies And Consequences

It looks like Margaret B. Jones, author of the so-called "critically acclaimed" gang memoir "Love and Consequences" has turned out to be a major fraud.

See Report from the New York Times

Has the world of book publishing really become this much of a joke Or is this an aberration? Can anyone get published by a major publisher?

I think the issue here is that Penguin books was so eager to gain clout in the World of Black "Thug Literature" and to profit from Black death, that they failed to use the kind of caution and scrutiny that they might have normally used. This is not the kind of book that I would read. And the people who buy this garbage are contributing to the "Thug Literature" madness.
What's even more annoying is the fact that this book appeared to be another effort to glorify the Thug & Gang Culture.

The author turns out to be Margaret "Peggy" Seltzer, a well-to-do white woman who was never a Foster kid and never experienced the trauma that she so vividly recalled in her book. Not only do you have an author attempting to profit from the Black crime culture, but you have a major publisher complicit in the deal, also attempting to profit from it. It's great that they were busted.

But I wonder about all of the legitimate authors who were turned down by this publisher. What about all of the young minority authors who probably had more positive stories to tell about their life experiences? How many were turned away, especially during the time when editors were working on this particular book? There seems to be more of an interest in publishing material that highlights the worst aspects of the "Black race".

And what is it about Whites who seem so eager to identify with the thug culture? I'm Black and I do all I can everyday to rebuke & reject this culture and to be the opposite of the stereotypes that the Black thug culture creates for the rest of Black people (Black men in particular). It is because of that culture that I hate being in my own skin. Yet, so many people are willing to do just about anything to be a part of the thug/criminal street culture, including many Whites. What is so cool about this nonsense? It's baffling. But then again, perhaps it should not be such a surprise considering how hard this lifestyle is pushed by the Rap/Hip Hop industry.

Hear how convincing Margaret Seltzer was in an interview she gave just a few days ago on NPR's OnPointRadio program.

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UPDATE: Tom Ashbrook wipes the Egg from his face after being duped by the author of "Love(Lies) and Consequences". The host responds for first time since the interview with Seltzer. Listen Here.

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UPDATE 2: Hear two short segments on this topic from NPR's News and Notes program. Listen Here: Segment 1 and segment 2.

More NPR Links

Tell Me More program with Michel Martin

Tell Me More Audio segment

commentary from News and Views