Political correctness gone maaaaaaad

finchy
finchy Posts: 6,686
edited January 2011 in The bottom bracket
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/ja ... ors-n-word

Huckleberry Finn, a classic anti-racism novel, is to be published in a new edition in which the word "nigger" is removed.

Of course, children cannot be trusted to read the book and realise that the author is using the word disapprovingly. :roll:

Comments

  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    It's for America.

    Understandably, it's a little more sensitive there.
    _
  • downfader
    downfader Posts: 3,686
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    It's for America.

    Understandably, it's a little more sensitive there.

    I still think thats a shame as it will lose context. That book is one of the greats for a reason.. :(
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    It's only a particular edition which they're making to get round the strict US education bureaucracy that forbids all texts with the aforementioned word in school.

    Could be worse.
    _
  • upperoilcan
    upperoilcan Posts: 1,180
    It's no different here......

    After the childrens toy farm fiasco where all pigs were removed as they upset the Muslim community...........

    Now that's madness.
    Cervelo S5 Ultegra Di2.
  • finchy
    finchy Posts: 6,686
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    It's only a particular edition which they're making to get round the strict US education bureaucracy that forbids all texts with the aforementioned word in school.

    Could be worse.

    I've read the article and understand the context, it's the fact that the book is forbidden in some schools which shocks me.
  • Hoopdriver
    Hoopdriver Posts: 2,023
    It is pure idiocy. Huckleberry Finn is one of the great American novels of all time with a very powerful anti-racism theme to boot; the scene where Huck, who has been raised with all the prejudices of his time and place, and believes that helping a runaway slave is wrong yet decides that he would rather go to Hell than betray Jim is perhaps the most powerful anti-racism scene yet written - and would have been all the more so in 1876 when it was first published.

    If people can't get over the use of the 'n' word , it is their problem - not that of the author or the book.

    Hopefully the marketplace will be the ultimate arbiter and this rubbishy bowdlerization won't sell and be consigned to the remainder bin, where it deserves to be.
    http://www.My-Bicycle-and-I.com
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    The biggest mistake we can make is to try to hide the bad things from history. Having them there in books should stop us repeating the mistakes. The book was published over a hundred years ago and uses the language of the time, it should be left to allow future generations to remember what black people were put through and any diluting of the language will make it seem like things weren't so bad.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    You can see how it's come about.

    Predominantly black city, mayor wants to find some cash for a particular council to support for particular white school councilor - councilman comes back saying "a particularly noisy pressure group is asking for books with 'nigger' to be removed from schools, can you live with that? You'll have their support then", mayor says sure, job done.


    Or have I been watching the Wire too much?
    _
  • downfader
    downfader Posts: 3,686
    Pross wrote:
    The biggest mistake we can make is to try to hide the bad things from history. Having them there in books should stop us repeating the mistakes. The book was published over a hundred years ago and uses the language of the time, it should be left to allow future generations to remember what black people were put through and any diluting of the language will make it seem like things weren't so bad.

    The trouble is it still goes on to some extent. I reported and had removed some rather crude s*** from the mysun site from someone espousing an EDL message.

    We should remember what the past has taught us, and never let go of what is right. It still hides in some quarters.
  • singlespeedexplosif
    singlespeedexplosif Posts: 1,564
    What next, the title of Joseph Conrad's classic has to go back to 'The children of the sea'?
  • finchy
    finchy Posts: 6,686
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Predominantly black city, mayor wants to find some cash for a particular council to support for particular white school councilor -
    /quote]

    Sorry Rick, I've read and re-read this sentence and I can't quite fathom out what you're trying to say.

    Please edit it into grammatically correct English then hang your head in shame.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    downfader wrote:
    Pross wrote:
    The biggest mistake we can make is to try to hide the bad things from history. Having them there in books should stop us repeating the mistakes. The book was published over a hundred years ago and uses the language of the time, it should be left to allow future generations to remember what black people were put through and any diluting of the language will make it seem like things weren't so bad.

    The trouble is it still goes on to some extent. I reported and had removed some rather crude s*** from the mysun site from someone espousing an EDL message.

    We should remember what the past has taught us, and never let go of what is right. It still hides in some quarters.

    [pet hate]
    The past doesn't teach anything. 'Reading' stuff into the past, stuff that you want to learn a lesson in, 'teaches' you stuff. The past is in past and as such, can't do anything.

    [/pet hate]
    _
  • legin
    legin Posts: 132
    i bet the same kids who read it are on their playstations killing cops shooting the taliban hearing all kinds of bad language and blacks in america call each other niggers it is a strange world full of hypocrisy.
    when you make up your own mind in life it shows strength of character.when we live in a world where were told what to say, do and believe we end up depending on others to the extent we cant be ourselves.
    things change when someone stands up for their beliefs not when their cower to the masses.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    johnfinch wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Take a predominantly black city, with a mayor wants to find some cash from a particular council to help support a particular white school councilor -

    Sorry Rick, I've read and re-read this sentence and I can't quite fathom out what you're trying to say.

    Please edit it into grammatically correct English then hang your head in shame.

    Pffft.

    I'm supposed to be working here.
    _
  • downfader
    downfader Posts: 3,686
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    downfader wrote:
    Pross wrote:
    The biggest mistake we can make is to try to hide the bad things from history. Having them there in books should stop us repeating the mistakes. The book was published over a hundred years ago and uses the language of the time, it should be left to allow future generations to remember what black people were put through and any diluting of the language will make it seem like things weren't so bad.

    The trouble is it still goes on to some extent. I reported and had removed some rather crude s*** from the mysun site from someone espousing an EDL message.

    We should remember what the past has taught us, and never let go of what is right. It still hides in some quarters.

    [pet hate]
    The past doesn't teach anything. 'Reading' stuff into the past, stuff that you want to learn a lesson in, 'teaches' you stuff. The past is in past and as such, can't do anything.

    [/pet hate]

    I dont see why it should be a pet hate. You understood what I meant. :lol:
  • finchy
    finchy Posts: 6,686
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    johnfinch wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Take a predominantly black city, with a mayor wants to find some cash from a particular council to help support a particular white school councilor -

    Sorry Rick, I've read and re-read this sentence and I can't quite fathom out what you're trying to say.

    Please edit it into grammatically correct English then hang your head in shame.

    Pffft.

    I'm supposed to be working here.

    That's better. :wink:
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    downfader wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    downfader wrote:
    Pross wrote:
    The biggest mistake we can make is to try to hide the bad things from history. Having them there in books should stop us repeating the mistakes. The book was published over a hundred years ago and uses the language of the time, it should be left to allow future generations to remember what black people were put through and any diluting of the language will make it seem like things weren't so bad.

    The trouble is it still goes on to some extent. I reported and had removed some rather crude s*** from the mysun site from someone espousing an EDL message.

    We should remember what the past has taught us, and never let go of what is right. It still hides in some quarters.

    [pet hate]
    The past doesn't teach anything. 'Reading' stuff into the past, stuff that you want to learn a lesson in, 'teaches' you stuff. The past is in past and as such, can't do anything.

    [/pet hate]

    I dont see why it should be a pet hate. You understood what I meant. :lol:

    [smug] I got my highest ever mark at university on the essay question "can we learn from the past?" [/smug]
    _
  • finchy
    finchy Posts: 6,686
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    [smug] I got my highest ever mark at university on the essay question "can we learn from the past?" [/smug]

    To which I'd answer "yes".
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    If you can't learn from the past what can you learn from? Some bloke makes a round wheel another makes a square wheel - the round wheel works better. A year later another person needs to move a load he can either a) look at what the person in the PAST did that worked and copy it (having also looked at the square wheel and realised it was stupid or b) start again from scratch and end up with an inefficient square wheel as he has thought of making it round.

    Or are you making an obscure, pedantic point of grammar? :wink:

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