They’re not burning books yet, but…

[Unseen]

In the American state of Tennessee, a local schoolboard has banned from their curriculum and, presumably, their school libraries, Maus, a graphic novel allegory about the holocaust in which the Jews are mice and the Nazis are cats. The reason given for the unanimous decision is coarse language and rodent nudity.

And short of outright Holocaust denial, the far right seeks to depict The Holocaust as not such a big deal. There was a war going on and shit happens during wars, after all. They also don’t want people discussing our American holocaust that nearly wiped the Native Americans off the face of the Earth. The government actually paid white Americans a bounty per dead Indian. 

Here’s the really bad news: The left has the same inclination.

So, here’s the question: Are there books that need to be banned? Why or why not? Or is that a slippery slope, as they say?

• This topic was modified 4 years, 4 months ago by Unseen.
• This topic was modified 4 years, 4 months ago by Reg the Fronkey Farmer.

[Simon Paynton]

Unseen wrote:

Are there books that need to be banned? Why or why not? Or is that a slippery slope, as they say?

I think the Marquis de Sade’s books are really horrible.  But they’re not banned.  I don’t think you can ban books.  Yes, it’s a slippery slope.

[Reg the Fronkey Farmer]

“It is there, where they burn books, that eventually they burn people.”
― Heinrich Heine

Banning a book only amplifies its message. I am certain that many more school children will now read it. I for one will buy a copy as soon as I post this because “There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is not reading them.” – Joseph Brodsky. (see link in this week’s Sunday School)

[Reg the Fronkey Farmer]

I think the Marquis de Sade’s books are really horrible. But they’re not banned. I don’t think you can ban books.

They were banned in France until 1957. Pornography in his time was (in this context) a form of satire aimed in part at royalty and in greater part at the Catholic Church for its bigoted views on purity and chastity. I could easily spend time in my favorite bar with him.

[Simon Paynton]

Reg the Fronkey Farmer wrote:

Pornography in his time was (in this context) a form of satire aimed in part at royalty and in greater part at the Catholic Church for its bigoted views on purity and chastity.

They contain a lot of nasty evil torture and wanton sick Isis-style depravity.  It doesn’t get much worse.  But if it’s a part of human nature, there’s a place for it in the canon.  I don’t think they cause harm and encourage serial killers, or if they do, it’s irrelevant since serial killers and Isis don’t need encouragement.

[Unseen]

Reg the Fronkey Farmer wrote:

“It is there, where they burn books, that eventually they burn people.” ― Heinrich Heine Banning a book only amplifies its message. I am certain that many more school children will now read it. I for one will buy a copy as soon as I post this because “There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is not reading them.” – Joseph Brodsky. (see link in this week’s Sunday School)

In this book review, the writer says that Maus “is not for children.”

I hope she means elementary or middle-school kids. Certainly, by the time kids are in those two or three years readying to go to college, they can handle an explicit and depressing graphic novel. They started watching sex and/or violence porn when they were 13 and smoked their first cigarette or joint at 15. Many kids lose their virginity around 13-15. They aren’t that shockable or innocent.

But…I have to admit that I’ve never read it, though I might seek it out now.

[Reg the Fronkey Farmer]

@Simon – They contain a lot of nasty evil torture and wanton sick Isis-style depravity.

Are you referring to his 5 banned books or the Catholic Church? 🙂

 

[Reg the Fronkey Farmer]

A Texas lawmaker also introduced us to a new list of books to read.

[Reg the Fronkey Farmer]

I remember thinking that some of the animation in the Pink Floyd’s “The Wall” was inspired by the artwork in that book. I also think the Holocaust was not suitable for children but in general I agree about parental guidance on literature. Maus did win a Pulitzer prize.

[_Robert_]

Of course, we all learnt about the war of northern aggression over states’ rights. Back then just before forced integration it was a hoot watching our all-white football team loose 74-0 when playing that school in the hood.

[Unseen]

_Robert_ wrote:

Of course, we all learnt about the war of northern aggression over states’ rights. Back then just before forced integration it was a hoot watching our all-white football team loose 74-0 when playing that school in the hood.

I wonder what the win-loss record of the White Nationalist basketball team would look like. The White Nationalist entrants to the national Spelling Bee.

[TheEncogitationer]

Unseen,

It took that school board 42 years to get around to banning Maus? Looks like Old Uncle Joe is a’movin’ kinda slow at The Junction. At that pace, I doubt lovers of hard copy books have much reason to worry.

The instataneous censorship on Cyberspace media by governments, however, is a much more pressing matter, often now done in the name of “bad algorithms,” “trigger words,” “unwokeness,” and “misinformation.”

[Author]

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