Books banned from schools

[Armistead]

For most of us older folks, Mark Twain's books were on the reading list. Last few years many schools have removed his books. My son's school still has it, but it's a new addition changing the "N" word.

Should we rewrite history to be politically correct. The danger I see here is our kids will lose an understanding of the time and culture of when these books were written. What if we remove all racist tones from all required reading, could it actully backfire and future generations not have a true understanding of the culture that created racism.

The other issue is obvious that we have a culture where the "N" word is the word of choice by many blacks. Is the goal to ban the old word and replace it with a new word, somehow making it a positive word. I understand blacks say it's OK for them and not whites, but the fact is they drive so much of the music industry and one only watch white kids in a mall calling their friends "my n,,,".


One can just look at books banned from schools and it blows my mind.

[Buddahaid]

Originally Posted by Armistead

For most of us older folks, Mark Twain's books were on the reading list. Last few years many schools have removed his books. My son's school still has it, but it's a new addition changing the "N" word.

Should we rewrite history to be politically correct. The danger I see here is our kids will lose an understanding of the time and culture of when these books were written. What if we remove all racist tones from all required reading, could it actully backfire and future generations not have a true understanding of the culture that created racism.

The other issue is obvious that we have a culture where the "N" word is the word of choice by many blacks. Is the goal to ban the old word and replace it with a new word, somehow making it a positive word. I understand blacks say it's OK for them and not whites, but the fact is they drive so much of the music industry and one only watch white kids in a mall calling their friends "my n,,,".


One can just look at books banned from schools and it blows my mind.

Welcome to namby-pamby-land where everyone is a victim and so fragile they must never see anything sad or they will be ruined for life. Except for violence and female sexual organs of course.

[STEED]

Not long before the Fireman has a new role...

[Skybird]

I read it some days ago, and couldn'T believe it (or could I...). This is forging of arts. What next? Covering pictures of arts and marmore status showing nudity? In Germany, there is a pedagogic movement that weants to ban the tales of the Brothers Grimm for it'S cruelty that is unappropriate for children. And sweriously, in several countries in Europe there are attempts to get Asterix banned, too, for it'S explicit brutality hindering kids and teens to develope adequate cognitive conflict solution behavior. Some years ago we had news that some British schools had banned sports like Basketball or Football, because they are "too competitive".

I love the idea of what Europe could be by its diverse and rich and precious cultural and value-related heritage. I despise and hate what instead it is degenerating to in reality. In principle, the same conflict I have with the US, which also is admirable for what it was meant to be, but showing an unbridgable gap between the historic idea, and the reality it had turned out into.

Maybe it is something like a law of faste - that the idea and the imagination always beats the realisation, and is much better than reality ever will (and could?) be.

Good book, not so good movie (Farenheit 451), btw. But Truffaut never was my taste anyway.

'Banned' isn't the correct word really. More like censored.

In the name of political correctness the point of using the words, by Clemens to show the injustice, is lost on the reader and the possibility of repeated racism rears its ugliness.

"Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it"

[kranz]

I'm just wondering...Are you sure it's only about the "N" word? Coz sth like two years ago we were discussing this novel and the teacher told us that in the USA the book is being banned in some schools bcoz of the n word but also bcoz of sth that we gonna learn after discussing the whole novel. So we did all the stuff and among it we discussed the stages on which Huck perceives the world, the blacks (lol-this word is banned as well, right?) and slavery. So after all Huck says that "Jim is ok coz he's black on the outiside but has a white soul". Dunno- but for us it meant that he simply learned nothing. And this was the another reason for banning the book. Of course I'm not trying to say that banning this book can be justified by anything but this is a much more valid argument than the "N word" one. (from my non-US perspective)

Originally Posted by kranz

I'm just wondering...Are you sure it's only about the "N" word? Coz sth like two years ago we were discussing this novel and the teacher told us that in the USA the book is being banned in some schools bcoz of the n word but also bcoz of sth that we gonna learn after discussing the whole novel. So we did all the stuff and among it we discussed the stages on which Huck perceives the world, the blacks (lol-this word is banned as well, right?) and slavery. So after all Huck says that "Jim is ok coz he's black on the outiside but has a white soul". Dunno- but for us it meant that he simply learned nothing. And this was the another reason for banning the book. Of course I'm not trying to say that banning this book can be justified by anything but this is a much more valid argument than the "N word" one. (from my non-US perspective)

"Injun" is also being changed.

[Takeda Shingen]

The strength of the language used by Clemens is so that is emphasizes the dehuminization of these figures, who the author places in a distinctly human light. This was an unthinkable honor to bestow upon an African American in the America of the day. It is the same as Stephen Foster's Nelly was a Lady. The term lady would not be used to describe one of African descent. Just as Foster's use of lady elevates the title figure, Clemens' dichotomy elevates the characters in his novel. Eliminating the language removes that primary artistic pillar, and the afforementioned elevated stature.

Originally Posted by Takeda Shingen

The strength of the language used by Clemens is so that is emphasizes the dehuminization of these figures, who the author places in a distinctly human light. This was an unthinkable honor to bestow upon an African American in the America of the day. It is the same as Stephen Foster's Nelly was a Lady. The term lady would not be used to describe one of African descent. Just as Foster's use of lady elevates the title figure, Clemens' dichotomy elevates the characters in his novel. Eliminating the language removes that primary artistic pillar.

So we agree, this is an irreverant act by a few to mitigate their own discomfort.

[Takeda Shingen]

Originally Posted by The Third Man

So we agree, this is an irreverant act by a few to mitigate their own discomfort.

You must learn to read what people write. I said that removing the terms eliminate some of the author's artistic intent; nothing more.

[XabbaRus]

Geez

When I lived in Houston we had to read it in school and we had a black kid there. The teacher made us all take turns reading the dialogue and there was never one complaint.

Originally Posted by Takeda Shingen

You must learn to read what people write. I said that removing the terms eliminate some of the author's artistic intent; nothing more.

Now we get down to what you really meant. How is it that it takes my aggrement with your position, however variant you see it, for you to state your real position? Or is it that you just don't want to agree with me, and be seen as a reasonable person visa vi my opinion?

[Armistead]

Originally Posted by kranz

I'm just wondering...Are you sure it's only about the "N" word? Coz sth like two years ago we were discussing this novel and the teacher told us that in the USA the book is being banned in some schools bcoz of the n word but also bcoz of sth that we gonna learn after discussing the whole novel. So we did all the stuff and among it we discussed the stages on which Huck perceives the world, the blacks (lol-this word is banned as well, right?) and slavery. So after all Huck says that "Jim is ok coz he's black on the outiside but has a white soul". Dunno- but for us it meant that he simply learned nothing. And this was the another reason for banning the book. Of course I'm not trying to say that banning this book can be justified by anything but this is a much more valid argument than the "N word" one. (from my non-US perspective)

The problem I have is kids will lose the lack of understanding of the culture then. Do we start applying our current culture and rewrite context of past culture. Part of that culture was slavery and racism and to remove that element does an injustice to history.

What's next...rewrite the history books to be politically correct? Actually, Huck Finn taught properly really shows the current view then. Before you know it Hitler will be seen in a different light.

[krashkart]

I guess it's one way of dealing with our species' checkered past: just sweep all the ugliness under the rug and replace it with something more "antiseptic".

Why face the truth about our species when it's so much easier to act like nothing bad has ever happened? We can lobotomize the future (one piece of history at a time).

[Takeda Shingen]

Originally Posted by The Third Man

Now we get down to what you really meant. How is it that it takes my aggrement with your position, however variant you see it, for you to state your real position? Or is it that you just don't want to agree with me, and be seen as a reasonable person visa vi my opinion?

How is is that you cannot allow my statement to be without telling me what you think I really meant? I made no sweeping societal observation. I spoke of the work of Samuel Clemens. It was you that saw what you wanted to see. Regarding your opinion and reason, it is subjective, with a capital S.