Holocaust Remembrance Day

[sabotabby]

 A school district in Tennessee commemorated the deaths of 6 million Jews (and maybe around 17 million total victims of the Nazi regime), by banning Maus, the Pulitzer-prize winning graphic novel that tells the story of Art Spiegelman's parents, who survived Auschwitz. 

(If you haven't read it, go do so. It's one of the most brilliant books I've ever read.)

The pearl-clutching antisemites on the school board were, ostensibly, concerned about cartoon mice being naked in it and swear words, including "God damn." But. We all know the reason, right?

This is part of a broader movement in American schools to teach a version of history in which racism never happened, queer people never existed, and America has always been number one in things other than mass incarceration. That they did this the day before Holocaust Remembrance Day adds insult to outrage.

Comments

[dewline]

We do know the reason. And McMinn County School Board is likely not the only school board in need of being liberated from such people holding such thinking.

[sabotabby]

I am sure not.

[lynnenne]

HULK SMASH.

[sabotabby]

CONCUR WITH HULK

[sara]

We aren't going to let them win.

[sabotabby]

We'd better not.

Right now, school districts here for the most part attempt to mandate equity and inclusion. They're clumsy and superficial about it but at least they're paying lip service to the right side of history. I hope I'm at retirement age when the pendulum inevitably swings the other way.

[mistersmearcase]

It drives me mad because I still believe, in spite of everything (no, I'm kidding with the Anne Frank windup but) I just don't think it's THAT many people that are this horrible and insane. Bad people are just better at getting things done and getting their way. But I should knock on wood or something if my basic sentiment is "well it's not like there are enough of us to like ROUND US UP or anything..." so I'm knocking on wood.

[sabotabby]

I can't conceive of it. But there are, and they're not like, in one convenient geographical location either.

I think I read somewhere that there's a steady 20-30% of the population that is, for whatever reason, invariably authoritarian-minded and all they need is a leader to mobilize them to fuck up the rest of our lives.

[disastrid]

This kind of racism dressed up as "but we're doing this BECAUSE we're concerned about social justice!!" is so fucking rancid. Reminds me of people taking issue with To Kill A Mockingbird because it has the n-word in it.

I've been listening to Jon Ronson's excellent new podcast "Things Fell Apart" (about the origin of the current culture wars) so I'm especially hopped up about this disingenuous bullshit right now.

[sabotabby]

Well, we can't teach "To Kill a Mockingbird" here because it has the n-word in it. I don't really object because there are other books to teach that don't centre liberal white people, and it's not like it's banned or anything. What I do object to is that this year, I've been advised rather strongly not to show things like Desmond Cole's "The Skin We're In" because it has the n-word in it and might trigger someone. It is a documentary about anti-Black racism in Canada created by a Black journalist and the word is uttered by a Black man describing his experiences of racism.

Thanks for the podcast recommendation! I love Jon Ronson and always need new podcasts.

[smhwpf]

As Neil Gaiman commented, there's only one type of person that tries to ban a book like Maus, whatever they're calling themselves these days.

[sabotabby]

Neil is correct.

[lapinlunaire]

Once upon a time, I would have believed that the reasoning was 95% antisemitism but also that 5% was about the naked mice.

After the Lola Bunny debacle, I think that 5% was about the naked mice being depicted in a non-sexy manner.

[sabotabby]

The right will fight to the death for their right to fuck cartoon characters. It's a consistent theme.

[lapinlunaire]

I'm pretty sure Maus would get unbanned if someone started a campaign about how ACTUALLY the Maus ban is about evil feminists taking away your God-given right to look at naked anthropomorphic animals!!!1!!!! Political correctness gone too far!! You too can own the libs by unbanning Maus today!

[sabotabby]

Has anyone tried this approach? Asking for a friend.

[lapinlunaire]

I don't know, but someone totally should!