Does Jerry Saltz really advocate book burning?
In a comment thread having to do with nuclear testing and warfare Saltz offered this opinion:

"Burn EVERY holy book; every one if they are
used at all in the name of this.

Every one.
...
I am sorry you
religous people; you will either have to get a,ong without the fucking
books, memorize the God Damn idiotic things; or go it on your own. "
Salt quote continued: "I am NOT blaming all of the world's religions for this map but all of the word's religions certainly aren't helping anything in any way..Fuck it; burn ALL of the so-called holy books. EVERY ONE OF THEM WAS WRITTEN BY A HUMAN BEING.Not one of them, I am afraid you religous people wes written by God.Sorry.Fuck you."
All misspellings in this thread are preserved.
I wrote to him:

Do you really advoctate bookburning? Could you clarify or retract that amazingly ignorant rant, Jerry? If not, how can anyone take you seriously as a critic?

Mr. Saltz replied:

I didn't advocate buring any particular book, Lawrence.
I said burn EVERY religious book (new testement; old testement; koran; etc); all of 'em.
No more orgaized religion. None.
That's over.
Everyone get their own God....
Write your own book; I won't burn it.
Look if you believe in the bible or whatever holy book, that's your business.
We disagree.
I think you're wrotng; you think I'm wrong.
Nuff siad.
You can accuse me of not being a critic; fine, I'm not a critic then in your eyes.
Oh and thank you for saying that what I wrote was an "ignorant rant."
I would prefer to think it was a frustrated rant.
But have it your way. I am ignorant; you came to my FB page to call be "ignorant." you win; I lose.
Go write your own holy book; I'll worship it or you or whatever.

I wrote back and removed him from my FB friend list:

I can't believe I have to defend books and civil liberties to a prominent NY art critic, but if I don't I'll have to turn in my ACLU card. I'm just an art bum, and former bookstore employee, and I understand and agree with your frustration with organized religion and the destruction it has caused over the centuries. I believe that these books should be rread critically and don't have to be read at all.What amazes me is that you wrote your opinion that all "holy books" be burned, if someone (anyone?) uses them to justify nuclear testing (or warfare?) and no one called you on it. I'm not even sure what you are saying or how serious you are. If it was Glenn Beck or Sarah Palin calling for censorship I wouldn't be surprised, but this is surprising, and it is especially disturbing that none of your FB followers questioned it. You have spce for a new friend on Facebook, Jerry, because I'm removing you.

Postscript:
Coincidentally, I watched Fahrenheit 451 last week as research for my book fetish project. To be fair, Mr. Saltz doesn't want all books to be burned, only those he considers dangerous.