I am completely against “sanitizing” history. It is what it is. Is not our whole motto of remembrance day “lest we forget”. Why wouldn’t we apply the same thinking to books and movies. I read the Little House book to my 7 Daughter and used it as an opportunity to explain to her how people used to think, unlike today when we have so much more respect for First Nations people.
Then again, I’m white. Maybe if I was black or First Nations, or from India then perhaps I’d find it offensive too.
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I think that we can not truly measure how far we have come OR more importantly how far we NEED to go unless we have a sincere collection of the past and present.
AND little house rocks
I’d really like to know how much money went into investigating the inappropriateness of that Dire Straits’ song because ONE person complained after hearing it played on a St. John’s radio station. ONE person. In 26 years. I’m tempted to complain about Kim Mitchell’s Patio Lanterns — just to ensure I don’t have to listen to it. EVER. AGAIN.
Nan: OMG, yes. Patio Lanterns is the worst song ever recorded, except possibly Might as Well Go For A Soda. Or, anything Kim Mitchell ever wrote.
Also, think about that Nickleback song. Girls come easy, drugs come cheap. That’s just not cool. Even if it is true for Chad Kruger.
Okay, so it’s decided then? We will go to the CRTC and complain? No more Patio Lanterns? Let’s get T-shirts!
Censorship is a silly silly thing. Trying to erase a history by censoring it does not teach our future anything. We learn from our past and our mistakes.
Are we going to censor the holocaust?
Really.
I did hear about this. I love Dire Straits, but I admit to not singing those particular lyrics in front of the kids. I also don’t like Mark Twain or any book her wrote, but I don’t agree with censoring the “n” word.
I don’t know. I’m not a keener on censorship in most cases, however that book that was being sold on Amazon a few months back where the guy was teaching pedophiles how to prep young children to be sexually abused? Um, yeah, I was all over censoring that crap.
I guess I’m for censorship in some cases, and if there’s any question on what should be censored or not, the government can just come and ask me, and I’ll set them straight.
Okay, guys, lay of “Might as Well Go For a Soda” – it’s better than slander, after all. And better than lies.
I just finished reading Little House on the Prairie to my daughter, and I agree with your analysis. There were parts of it I chose not to read aloud (especially the parts with the skunk pelts), but Pa’s respect for the Indians balances Ma’s fear and disgust. What I appreciate about the whole series is the narrator’s ability to withhold commentary – to lay something out there and let readers make their own minds up about it.
I now have Patio Lanterns in my head. Thanks guys. I disagree with glossing over history myself. And that Dire Straits song ban is ridiculous.
LisaDay
I think that these books/songs give us perspective on how far we have come (and how far we still have to go). We can’t erase the times of slavery and racism, but we can learn from them. I know for me, I try to turn these messages into a positive and use them to teach my children lessons – about how it used to be and why it’s wrong and how we need to ensure that any kind of racism doesn’t continue. If my kids heard the word faggot on the radio and asked me what it meant, I would sit down with them and tell them how it’s a hurtful word and why.
We just finished Little House a few weeks ago – me and my six year old daughter. I found it to be a great jumping off point to talk about issues like racism and fear.
But not all historical novels are like that. I am often amazed at how easily my kids believe the things they see on TV, hear on the radio, or read in books. They are young enough that they absolutely believe that everything they hear is true. So if they read something or hear something that treats certain people poorly, that’s a concern for me. If I can be there with them to talk about it, great. But I can’t always be.
It’s a very grey area. I’m just glad I’m not the one to be making these kinds of calls.