I’m a liberal democrat horrified by the current Dr Seuss drama and normalization of censorship

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I came to the US in the mid 80s, from communist China. People in the modern day have no conception of what it's like to experience the western culture for the first time, coming from a nearly perfect state of vacuum. Everything was new, vibrant, and amazing, including sliced bread and bologna.

Now throw on top of this, Dr Seuss books. It's like adding Mentos to a bottle of soda. I remember vividly pulling those books off the shelf at the local public library, which was mind blowing in and of itself. An air-conditioned building where everyone is polite and quiet, filled with books! A children's section, my gawd! What are these books, with cats, funny hats, strange words, what does it all mean?

Of all the books I read during those first few months of being in the US, the only ones I remember is my English text book, and Dr Seuss books. Maybe Dr Seuss books contain racially insensitive content, but to stop printing a volume because it talks about Chinese people using chopsticks? I imagine the 11-year-old me would have giggled at understanding that one reference, a moment of familiarity on and otherwise wild mental ride.

Read the article, it isn't the government taking this action. It is the company that holds the rights. This isn't the authoritarian communist state. Please.

Exactly. I thought Republicans all had such a boner for the rights of private businesses to do as they wish. Or is that only when they refuse to bake cakes for gay couples?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I came to the US in the mid 80s, from communist China. People in the modern day have no conception of what it's like to experience the western culture for the first time, coming from a nearly perfect state of vacuum. Everything was new, vibrant, and amazing, including sliced bread and bologna.

Now throw on top of this, Dr Seuss books. It's like adding Mentos to a bottle of soda. I remember vividly pulling those books off the shelf at the local public library, which was mind blowing in and of itself. An air-conditioned building where everyone is polite and quiet, filled with books! A children's section, my gawd! What are these books, with cats, funny hats, strange words, what does it all mean?

Of all the books I read during those first few months of being in the US, the only ones I remember is my English text book, and Dr Seuss books. Maybe Dr Seuss books contain racially insensitive content, but to stop printing a volume because it talks about Chinese people using chopsticks? I imagine the 11-year-old me would have giggled at understanding that one reference, a moment of familiarity on and otherwise wild mental ride.

Read the article, it isn't the government taking this action. It is the company that holds the rights. This isn't the authoritarian communist state. Please.

You didn't read what I wrote. I only mentioned my home country as a contrast to the rich and vibrant culture I encountered in the US. Dr. Seuss books are representative of the unrestrained imaginations of a child's mind, immersed in the glimmering melting pot that is the United States, feeding off of its nutrients. Ironically, the same parents who pay $6 for a dozen of eggs from certified cage-free antibiotic-free grain-fed chickens want their kids to experience a literary world that is sterile, scrubbed of impurities, liberally sprayed with the pesticide of leftist conformity.

Notice I didn't blame the government for anything in the above.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I came to the US in the mid 80s, from communist China. People in the modern day have no conception of what it's like to experience the western culture for the first time, coming from a nearly perfect state of vacuum. Everything was new, vibrant, and amazing, including sliced bread and bologna.

Now throw on top of this, Dr Seuss books. It's like adding Mentos to a bottle of soda. I remember vividly pulling those books off the shelf at the local public library, which was mind blowing in and of itself. An air-conditioned building where everyone is polite and quiet, filled with books! A children's section, my gawd! What are these books, with cats, funny hats, strange words, what does it all mean?

Of all the books I read during those first few months of being in the US, the only ones I remember is my English text book, and Dr Seuss books. Maybe Dr Seuss books contain racially insensitive content, but to stop printing a volume because it talks about Chinese people using chopsticks? I imagine the 11-year-old me would have giggled at understanding that one reference, a moment of familiarity on and otherwise wild mental ride.

Read the article, it isn't the government taking this action. It is the company that holds the rights. This isn't the authoritarian communist state. Please.

Exactly. I thought Republicans all had such a boner for the rights of private businesses to do as they wish. Or is that only when they refuse to bake cakes for gay couples?

Right? So the government should...force companies to publish books? Sounds awfully authoritarian.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Even Dr. Suess was ashamed of his early works, which, yes, exhibited racism by his own admission.

If this is the case (and I'm not saying that in a sarcastic way) then I would have appreciated a longer statement/analysis of why they ceasing publication of the titles they chose.

I would classify myself as pretty liberal and when I heard this story this morning I kind of rolled my eyes at what I assumed was the RWNJ outrage of the day. And then come to find out it's pretty much true.

I think it's a bit over the top.

You do you, boo. Is it "over the top" to remove these types of images from kids' libraries?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I came to the US in the mid 80s, from communist China. People in the modern day have no conception of what it's like to experience the western culture for the first time, coming from a nearly perfect state of vacuum. Everything was new, vibrant, and amazing, including sliced bread and bologna.

Now throw on top of this, Dr Seuss books. It's like adding Mentos to a bottle of soda. I remember vividly pulling those books off the shelf at the local public library, which was mind blowing in and of itself. An air-conditioned building where everyone is polite and quiet, filled with books! A children's section, my gawd! What are these books, with cats, funny hats, strange words, what does it all mean?

Of all the books I read during those first few months of being in the US, the only ones I remember is my English text book, and Dr Seuss books. Maybe Dr Seuss books contain racially insensitive content, but to stop printing a volume because it talks about Chinese people using chopsticks? I imagine the 11-year-old me would have giggled at understanding that one reference, a moment of familiarity on and otherwise wild mental ride.

Read the article, it isn't the government taking this action. It is the company that holds the rights. This isn't the authoritarian communist state. Please.

You didn't read what I wrote. I only mentioned my home country as a contrast to the rich and vibrant culture I encountered in the US. Dr. Seuss books are representative of the unrestrained imaginations of a child's mind, immersed in the glimmering melting pot that is the United States, feeding off of its nutrients. Ironically, the same parents who pay $6 for a dozen of eggs from certified cage-free antibiotic-free grain-fed chickens want their kids to experience a literary world that is sterile, scrubbed of impurities, liberally sprayed with the pesticide of leftist conformity.

Notice I didn't blame the government for anything in the above.

Good news! There will still be tons of Dr. Seuss books in the library with the unrestrained imaginations of a child's mind on full display! And go buy whatever eggs you want, dude, although I don't quite get why that's relevant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I came to the US in the mid 80s, from communist China. People in the modern day have no conception of what it's like to experience the western culture for the first time, coming from a nearly perfect state of vacuum. Everything was new, vibrant, and amazing, including sliced bread and bologna.

Now throw on top of this, Dr Seuss books. It's like adding Mentos to a bottle of soda. I remember vividly pulling those books off the shelf at the local public library, which was mind blowing in and of itself. An air-conditioned building where everyone is polite and quiet, filled with books! A children's section, my gawd! What are these books, with cats, funny hats, strange words, what does it all mean?

Of all the books I read during those first few months of being in the US, the only ones I remember is my English text book, and Dr Seuss books. Maybe Dr Seuss books contain racially insensitive content, but to stop printing a volume because it talks about Chinese people using chopsticks? I imagine the 11-year-old me would have giggled at understanding that one reference, a moment of familiarity on and otherwise wild mental ride.

Read the article, it isn't the government taking this action. It is the company that holds the rights. This isn't the authoritarian communist state. Please.

Exactly. I thought Republicans all had such a boner for the rights of private businesses to do as they wish. Or is that only when they refuse to bake cakes for gay couples?

I see that lack of reading comprehension is an endemic challenge among certain populations. Maybe that's why they spend so much time focusing their attention on picturebooks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I came to the US in the mid 80s, from communist China. People in the modern day have no conception of what it's like to experience the western culture for the first time, coming from a nearly perfect state of vacuum. Everything was new, vibrant, and amazing, including sliced bread and bologna.

Now throw on top of this, Dr Seuss books. It's like adding Mentos to a bottle of soda. I remember vividly pulling those books off the shelf at the local public library, which was mind blowing in and of itself. An air-conditioned building where everyone is polite and quiet, filled with books! A children's section, my gawd! What are these books, with cats, funny hats, strange words, what does it all mean?

Of all the books I read during those first few months of being in the US, the only ones I remember is my English text book, and Dr Seuss books. Maybe Dr Seuss books contain racially insensitive content, but to stop printing a volume because it talks about Chinese people using chopsticks? I imagine the 11-year-old me would have giggled at understanding that one reference, a moment of familiarity on and otherwise wild mental ride.

Read the article, it isn't the government taking this action. It is the company that holds the rights. This isn't the authoritarian communist state. Please.

You didn't read what I wrote. I only mentioned my home country as a contrast to the rich and vibrant culture I encountered in the US. Dr. Seuss books are representative of the unrestrained imaginations of a child's mind, immersed in the glimmering melting pot that is the United States, feeding off of its nutrients. Ironically, the same parents who pay $6 for a dozen of eggs from certified cage-free antibiotic-free grain-fed chickens want their kids to experience a literary world that is sterile, scrubbed of impurities, liberally sprayed with the pesticide of leftist conformity.

Notice I didn't blame the government for anything in the above.

What is your proof for this claim?

[Anonymous]

I don’t understand why Dr Suess but perhaps I have read his racist books.

I’m stunned that Babar is still around. I bought it for my kids because I loved it as a kid. But holy colonialism!! The images 🤭.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I came to the US in the mid 80s, from communist China. People in the modern day have no conception of what it's like to experience the western culture for the first time, coming from a nearly perfect state of vacuum. Everything was new, vibrant, and amazing, including sliced bread and bologna.

Now throw on top of this, Dr Seuss books. It's like adding Mentos to a bottle of soda. I remember vividly pulling those books off the shelf at the local public library, which was mind blowing in and of itself. An air-conditioned building where everyone is polite and quiet, filled with books! A children's section, my gawd! What are these books, with cats, funny hats, strange words, what does it all mean?

Of all the books I read during those first few months of being in the US, the only ones I remember is my English text book, and Dr Seuss books. Maybe Dr Seuss books contain racially insensitive content, but to stop printing a volume because it talks about Chinese people using chopsticks? I imagine the 11-year-old me would have giggled at understanding that one reference, a moment of familiarity on and otherwise wild mental ride.

Read the article, it isn't the government taking this action. It is the company that holds the rights. This isn't the authoritarian communist state. Please.

Exactly. I thought Republicans all had such a boner for the rights of private businesses to do as they wish. Or is that only when they refuse to bake cakes for gay couples?

I see that lack of reading comprehension is an endemic challenge among certain populations. Maybe that's why they spend so much time focusing their attention on picturebooks.

I was adding on to what the poster I was quoting said. And I'm the one with reading comprehension issues? Did you honestly think what was some kind of zinger?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I came to the US in the mid 80s, from communist China. People in the modern day have no conception of what it's like to experience the western culture for the first time, coming from a nearly perfect state of vacuum. Everything was new, vibrant, and amazing, including sliced bread and bologna.

Now throw on top of this, Dr Seuss books. It's like adding Mentos to a bottle of soda. I remember vividly pulling those books off the shelf at the local public library, which was mind blowing in and of itself. An air-conditioned building where everyone is polite and quiet, filled with books! A children's section, my gawd! What are these books, with cats, funny hats, strange words, what does it all mean?

Of all the books I read during those first few months of being in the US, the only ones I remember is my English text book, and Dr Seuss books. Maybe Dr Seuss books contain racially insensitive content, but to stop printing a volume because it talks about Chinese people using chopsticks? I imagine the 11-year-old me would have giggled at understanding that one reference, a moment of familiarity on and otherwise wild mental ride.

Read the article, it isn't the government taking this action. It is the company that holds the rights. This isn't the authoritarian communist state. Please.

You didn't read what I wrote. I only mentioned my home country as a contrast to the rich and vibrant culture I encountered in the US. Dr. Seuss books are representative of the unrestrained imaginations of a child's mind, immersed in the glimmering melting pot that is the United States, feeding off of its nutrients. Ironically, the same parents who pay $6 for a dozen of eggs from certified cage-free antibiotic-free grain-fed chickens want their kids to experience a literary world that is sterile, scrubbed of impurities, liberally sprayed with the pesticide of leftist conformity.

Notice I didn't blame the government for anything in the above.

You're far down the propaganda rabbit hole with this kind of stereotyping. You see yourself an enlightened thinker, but you're not. You resolve your trauma by swinging hard to the opposite side of the ideological spectrum. You're not the first - or last - immigrant to experience this. Your kids will be more balanced.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t understand why Dr Suess but perhaps I have read his racist books.

I’m stunned that Babar is still around. I bought it for my kids because I loved it as a kid. But holy colonialism!! The images 🤭.

Ahh saw the images of Dr Seuss. I don’t remember those but yes times have changed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I came to the US in the mid 80s, from communist China. People in the modern day have no conception of what it's like to experience the western culture for the first time, coming from a nearly perfect state of vacuum. Everything was new, vibrant, and amazing, including sliced bread and bologna.

Now throw on top of this, Dr Seuss books. It's like adding Mentos to a bottle of soda. I remember vividly pulling those books off the shelf at the local public library, which was mind blowing in and of itself. An air-conditioned building where everyone is polite and quiet, filled with books! A children's section, my gawd! What are these books, with cats, funny hats, strange words, what does it all mean?

Of all the books I read during those first few months of being in the US, the only ones I remember is my English text book, and Dr Seuss books. Maybe Dr Seuss books contain racially insensitive content, but to stop printing a volume because it talks about Chinese people using chopsticks? I imagine the 11-year-old me would have giggled at understanding that one reference, a moment of familiarity on and otherwise wild mental ride.

Read the article, it isn't the government taking this action. It is the company that holds the rights. This isn't the authoritarian communist state. Please.

You didn't read what I wrote. I only mentioned my home country as a contrast to the rich and vibrant culture I encountered in the US. Dr. Seuss books are representative of the unrestrained imaginations of a child's mind, immersed in the glimmering melting pot that is the United States, feeding off of its nutrients. Ironically, the same parents who pay $6 for a dozen of eggs from certified cage-free antibiotic-free grain-fed chickens want their kids to experience a literary world that is sterile, scrubbed of impurities, liberally sprayed with the pesticide of leftist conformity.

Notice I didn't blame the government for anything in the above.

Good news! There will still be tons of Dr. Seuss books in the library with the unrestrained imaginations of a child's mind on full display! And go buy whatever eggs you want, dude, although I don't quite get why that's relevant.

But now there will be less, and the book that's no longer printed contains an image that portrays a culture that I identify with, not because people like me complained, but because some people who don't understand my culture pressured the publisher to stop printing it. That vibrant world is now dimmer out of ignorance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I’m OP, not a troll. Before posting here I mentioned this article to my husband (a conservative) and how it bothered me, and he said “well this is exactly what you voted for! You voted to affirm behavior like this”. Which made me very angry, and I turned here for a discussion. As a democrat, I am afraid of the influence this extremely loud minority has. I do not support pulling books from shelves, or re-writing history, or large tech companies silencing opposing or even offensive participants. It just seems like society is going to a weird place, and the corporations are perhaps in a place to censor on behalf of the government, which can claim it has no influence?

Here is the truth: the company that oversees the Seuss estate has decided, in concert with interested parties, to no longer publish six of his books due to racist imagery. There’s no “extremely loud minority.” You can still buy the books and read them to your kids from secondhand sources. I haven’t heard that most libraries will be pulling these. Hell you can get a copy of Little Black Sambo secondhand if that’s what blows your hair back.

It’s going to make you so sad to discover that every year libraries cull books and publishers decide not to publish certain books anymore. Yes, OP, every year! You can even buy some of these books at library book sales. Would you like to discuss why? It’s because things change and evolve. And culturally we have decided that these images that are stereotypical and racist, not something that we want to expose children to as culturally normative.

But seriously, I know someone who is “liberal” like you but spends hours every night listening to her husband’s amygdala-enlarging right wing media choices. She sounds as freaked out about regular life as you do right now. Might be time to step back or convince your husband to watch PBS instead.

[Anonymous]

Y'all do know the religious right has been doing this same sort of thing for decades?

Apparently it was good then but "bad" now that "the left" is doing it. Amazing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I came to the US in the mid 80s, from communist China. People in the modern day have no conception of what it's like to experience the western culture for the first time, coming from a nearly perfect state of vacuum. Everything was new, vibrant, and amazing, including sliced bread and bologna.

Now throw on top of this, Dr Seuss books. It's like adding Mentos to a bottle of soda. I remember vividly pulling those books off the shelf at the local public library, which was mind blowing in and of itself. An air-conditioned building where everyone is polite and quiet, filled with books! A children's section, my gawd! What are these books, with cats, funny hats, strange words, what does it all mean?

Of all the books I read during those first few months of being in the US, the only ones I remember is my English text book, and Dr Seuss books. Maybe Dr Seuss books contain racially insensitive content, but to stop printing a volume because it talks about Chinese people using chopsticks? I imagine the 11-year-old me would have giggled at understanding that one reference, a moment of familiarity on and otherwise wild mental ride.

Read the article, it isn't the government taking this action. It is the company that holds the rights. This isn't the authoritarian communist state. Please.

You didn't read what I wrote. I only mentioned my home country as a contrast to the rich and vibrant culture I encountered in the US. Dr. Seuss books are representative of the unrestrained imaginations of a child's mind, immersed in the glimmering melting pot that is the United States, feeding off of its nutrients. Ironically, the same parents who pay $6 for a dozen of eggs from certified cage-free antibiotic-free grain-fed chickens want their kids to experience a literary world that is sterile, scrubbed of impurities, liberally sprayed with the pesticide of leftist conformity.

Notice I didn't blame the government for anything in the above.

Good news! There will still be tons of Dr. Seuss books in the library with the unrestrained imaginations of a child's mind on full display! And go buy whatever eggs you want, dude, although I don't quite get why that's relevant.

But now there will be less, and the book that's no longer printed contains an image that portrays a culture that I identify with, not because people like me complained, but because some people who don't understand my culture pressured the publisher to stop printing it. That vibrant world is now dimmer out of ignorance.

I think Asian Americans were one of the groups that lobbied for these to be no longer printed.

And what a fcked up worldview that celebrates stereotypes as “vibrant.”