we should never use todays standards to judge those of the past. those derogatory terms are offensive by todays standards, there is no question. but the use of them in a book from 125 years ago does show the cultural divide at that time. awareness of racial inequality should never be diminished, which could happen with this censorship.
Huckleberry finn to be censored
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Please see "Lovecraft's" comments above. He sums up the subject more than adequately...
The book is a product of the time in which it is written and should be left alone. Perhaps an explanation regarding the word or words in the book should be proffered when it is given out.
Censoring dated material would be akin to totally removing the "Merchant of Venice" from any class on Shakespeare due to it's portrayal and dialogue regarding jews. Similarly, they would have to censor "The Taming of the Shrew" (including the title) as it pertains to it's protrayal of how women were looked at and/or treated.
Then I guess they'd have to look at "The Confessions of Nat Turner" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Confessions_of_Nat_Turner_(1967) and how the writer (Styron) took some liberties with the material at hand. This book could be banned for both reasons of prejudicial content against whites and blacks.
I'm sure their are 100's of examples...
Bottom line...this is bullshit!
The book is a product of the time in which it is written and should be left alone. Perhaps an explanation regarding the word or words in the book should be proffered when it is given out.
Censoring dated material would be akin to totally removing the "Merchant of Venice" from any class on Shakespeare due to it's portrayal and dialogue regarding jews. Similarly, they would have to censor "The Taming of the Shrew" (including the title) as it pertains to it's protrayal of how women were looked at and/or treated.
Then I guess they'd have to look at "The Confessions of Nat Turner" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Confessions_of_Nat_Turner_(1967) and how the writer (Styron) took some liberties with the material at hand. This book could be banned for both reasons of prejudicial content against whites and blacks.
I'm sure their are 100's of examples...
Bottom line...this is bullshit!
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