MEDIA RELEASE: Censored! OpusGroup refuses to print Dr van Gend’s book

Unbelievable! Commercial printer acts as censor; bans book against same-sex 'marriage'

Today is the release date for a much-anticipated book by Dr David van Gend, President of the Australian Marriage Forum. 

The book is titled, Stealing from a Child: the Injustice of 'Marriage Equality', and has sold over two thousand copies prior to its release. It is described as "a manifesto in defense of society's inviolable foundation: Father, Mother, Child".

stealing-from-a-child-book-cover

The first in a series of launches in all state capitals begins tonight in Brisbane.

Yesterday, the publisher, Connor Court, was notified by the printer, McPherson's, in writing:

"Due to the subject matter and content of your book, unfortunately I have been instructed by senior management not to proceed with printing this title."

McPherson's is a printer in regional Victoria now owned by OpusGroup, headquartered in Sydney.

McPherson's has had a ten year relationship with Connor Court, publishing controversial books such as Ian Plimer's best-seller, Heaven and Earth, and Cory Bernardi's Conservative Revolution. Never before has the publisher known a printer to refuse to print a book on political grounds.

REACTION FROM DR VAN GEND

"This was a shock, because you don't expect a printing firm to act as a political censor for the gay lobby.

"It is also a shock because it comes just days after the Mercure International Hotel in Sydney cancelled the venue for our big gathering of groups opposing same-sex 'marriage', after gay activists threatened hotel staff if they let us meet there.

"We had to find a different venue in Sydney at short notice, and we will have to find a different printer at short notice - but we will not be silenced.

"I defy anyone to find a single word in my book that should not be printed. I can understand the gay lobby being worried about a book that so clearly exposes the harms of genderless 'marriage' and of the whole genderless package deal that comes with it, but they should not try to shut down our side of the debate by banning a book!

"We have been through this censorship already, with our TV Ad last year for the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras banned at the last minute by SBS - but that led to widespread condemnation of SBS, and I hope this act of political censorship by a corporation gets the condemnation it deserves.

"We are meant to be an open society where great issues are debated freely. What's the difference between burning books and banning them being printed?

"The printing company, OpusGroup, has had my book with them for two weeks - why did they wait until the day before the launch to pull the plug? If they were trying to make it impossible for me to supply books for the national tour, they have failed, because the heavy early demand for books meant we had to run off a few thousand interim copies digitally at a different company and we will be able to supply demand for at least the next week, until we find a new offset-printer.

"I can only say to people, read the book and try to find anything that could justify this printing company acting as a branch of the Thought Police. Only today a Member of Parliament messaged me and said, "I couldn't put the book down. It's a clarion call to the complacent - a wonderfully kind but persuasive read."

The national book tour starts in Brisbane today, and goes to all state capitals before ending in Canberra on Monday 10th October, the day Parliament is expected to resume debate on the marriage plebiscite.

INFORMATION

For details of the national book launch tour, see HERE
For copies of the book, see HERE

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