In international theft news, a British minister is under fire for advising parishioners that stealing was OK if the victim was wealthier than them:

Rev. Tim Jones, 41, told his followers stealing from large chain stores is sometimes the best option for the poor. He said it is better for people to steal than resort to prostitution, mugging or burglary.

He also said it is better to steal from large, national businesses rather than small businesses.

The Daily Mail reported that Jones claims his sermon at St. Lawrence Church in York did not violate the Bible commandment: "Thou shalt not steal," because God's love for the poor is more important than the property rights of the rich.

The Rev. Jones was presumably referring to essentials like food or clothing, but in the U.S. the New York Times reports an upsurge in shoplifting at book stores, with certain titles dominating:

At BookPeople in Austin, Tex., the rate of theft has increased to approximately one book per hour. I asked Steve Bercu, BookPeople’s owner, what the most frequently stolen title was.

“The Bible,” he said, without pausing.

Maybe they were all fans of the Rev. Jones. Next to the Good Book, popular titles for thieves tend to be concentrated among books of interest to youthful males.

Fiction is the most commonly poached genre at St. Mark’s Bookshop in the East Village of Manhattan; the titles that continually disappear are moved to the X-Case, safely ensconced behind the counter. This library of temptation includes books by Martin Amis, Charles Bukowski, William S. Burroughs, Raymond Carver, Don DeLillo and Jack Kerouac, among others. Sometimes the staff isn’t sure whether an author is still popular to swipe until they return their books to the main floor. “Amis went out and came right back,” Michael Russo, the manager, told me. 

Women's titles presumably don't rate. In Canada, even feminist shops are having trouble moving inventory. The Toronto Women's Bookstore declared recently its finances are "in crisis" and it will be lucky to survive after almost four decades in business. If it loses the struggle, says Canadian Press, it will join feminist outlets in Calgary, Saskatoon, Hamilton, London, and Sudbury in being forced to close its doors.

Supporters insist the decline in business in no way reflects a waning of interest in feminism, and that big bookstores offering big discounts are to blame.

But then there's this to ponder:

Feminist organizations of all stripes, not just bookstores, have been hit hard by a "lack of support" over the past few years, particularly since the Conservative government came to power in Ottawa, said Margaret Phillips, the owner of the Northern Woman's Bookstore in Thunder Bay, Ont.

The government's drastic changes to Status of Women Canada in 2006 -- which cut off funding for women's groups that do lobbying, advocacy -- and general research, raised the ire of feminists across the country.

"When a women's centre closes down or a feminist regional organization closes down, that affects everybody," said Phillips.

"And it affects women's bookstores too, because those people are not there to promote and support women's books."

Obviously, "lack of support" means government subsidies. If women are really ardent about the cause, should they really need subsidies to keep the lights on? If women won't support an organization that lobbies on their behalf, should it be the taxpayers responsibility to prop it up? 

Just wondering. We're talking half the population here. With no shortage of buying power.Maybe they just don't like the product. 

Kelly McParland
National Post