UK bid to ban 'racist' Tintin book

[Connavar]

Grrr!!! Books are history! I know it's acceptable for the winning side in a conflict to write the 'official version' of what happened, but if the PC-morons get their hands on fiction, it's taking it too far!

All of the 'ism's are a result of poor education, not comic books and tv programmes. Instead of banning books and censoring and editing, use them to promote discussion and enquiry: Why are things different now? Are the views in this book accurate or acceptable? Kids AREN'T idiots, and the best way to teach them is to let them think for themselves.

I remember, after reading the blue lotus, forming some strong impressions about Chinese people, and I was very surprised to learn they don't have slitty eyes and buck teeth. I din't think they were all devious toe rags out to entrap young boy reporters!

Welcome to the club many of us think these people are fools.

 

[HappyHippo]

they're just jumping on a very public bandwagon. Imbeciles.

 

[Connavar]

Exactly, its like those who when something really violent happens they go and blame it on video games instead of talking about the real problem.

PR stunt.

I have thinking about collecting my childhood heroes like Tintin,Asterix,Prins Valiant. I have to be careful about these edited versions of TinTin.

 

[Pyan]

Books are history!

Well put, HH - and as long as it's explained to children that the way we think about things has changed since they were written, I see no need to re-write history.
Anybody suggested yet that the Old Testament be re-written because of the obvious racial prejudice against everyone but the Chosen People?

 

[dustinzgirl]

This is the 1930's tintin book, right?

so how are we, as a culture, supposed to learn from our mistakes if we refuse to teach our children about them? Furthermore, how can we learn about a mindset of a previous time so we can prevent it from becoming a mindset of a future time? Banning books leads to prevalent idiocy. We have to be able to look at different persepectives and teach the differences between opinion, mindset, fact, and fiction.

Anybody suggested yet that the Old Testament be re-written because of the obvious racial prejudice against everyone but the Chosen People?

No because the Chosen are a "racial minority".

I don't believe in "race" anyways, there is nothing to suggest that any human is of a different "race" but there are different cultures.

 

[Patrick Mahon]

Yep, from time to time the Commission for Racial Equality in Britain does some very stupid things. This is one of them. Normally they don't get anywhere...

 

[chrispenycate]

I've just noticed a newspaper aticle that it's being moved out of the chidren's section of libraries in Switzerland, too, so you will be glad to know the UK doesn't have a monopoly of PC imbecility.
kazoo solo of "rule britania“ followed by a raspberry

 

[HardScienceFan]

"Kazoo solo"

 

[Nesacat]

It's with neither the adults books nor the children's books here. It's with all the other comics and graphics novels, which have a section of their own. Quite sensible that. Same place you find Asterix.

 

[j d worthington]

This is the 1930's tintin book, right?

so how are we, as a culture, supposed to learn from our mistakes if we refuse to teach our children about them? Furthermore, how can we learn about a mindset of a previous time so we can prevent it from becoming a mindset of a future time? Banning books leads to prevalent idiocy. We have to be able to look at different persepectives and teach the differences between opinion, mindset, fact, and fiction.

Frankly, folks, from observation, I'm not so sure we've changed all that much deep down. On the surface, yes; these racial stereotypes aren't allowed. But I'd say the basic causes are still very much in place, and we've done little to eradicate them. I also think that it may be even harder to combat now, because the whole thing has taken more devious form....

 

[The Ace]

I recently read,'Swallows and Amazons," and found the historical context strange, but charming.

 

[Allegra]

C S Lewis was attacked by Philip Pullman as a racist, sexist... If Pullman has more supporters would Narnia be off shelf?

 

[HappyHippo]

The thing is, all this PC nonsense is in a way bigotism; intolerance for bigots. Or percieved bigots.

Narnia is again, very much a product of it's time. How is it racist? I just reread 'Swish of the Curtain', which I loved as a kid, and it's so dated, and very sexist, but that's how people were in the 40's. It doesn't make it a bad or ignorant book. The kindly local Bishop takes seven kiddies to Straford-upon-Avon for the Shakespeare festival - that dates it more than anything!

Oooh, I'm all irate. Society's getting too Big Brother for me. Can't think for ourselves at all anymore. Just in case we offend someone. Flaming stupid behaviour, IMHO.

 

[Curt Chiarelli]

A product of its time should always be judged from that perspective.

Precisely. And if they're going to ban this one, then the logical next step would be Little Nemo in Slumberland and so on, and so on, ad naseum, until anything with any distinctive perspective has been eviscerated, muzzled or deep-sixed by the moralists and self-annointed blue pencil boys.