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I read about that today. I'm not sure how I feel about their explanation. I think changing the "N" word to "slave" loses the power of the word and meaning - as despicable as it is. That's the point, right?
I can remember reading Twain in 5th Grade...back when students all got a copy of the book and were called upon by the teacher to read aloud. Our teacher, Mr O'Connell...used the word as a teaching point. We discussed race, color, and slavery for hours if not days.
Not sure how I feel about the 'editing'...and I am not sure it's going to make a difference either way.
Well, considering the incredible Political Correctness of the times we live in and the ramifications of not adhering to such, one can understand the reasoning behind this edited version. Consider the following (from Wikipedia.)
"In late January or early February 2002, a white fourth-grade teacher in Wilmington, North Carolina was formally reprimanded for teaching the word and told to attend sensitivity training.[7] The teacher, Stephanie Bell, said she used "*****rdly" during a discussion about literary characters. Parent Akwana Walker, who is black, protested the use of the word, saying it offended her because it sounds similar to a racial slur.[7]
Bell's union, the North Carolina Association of Educators, told her not to speak about the situation, so her son, Tarl Bell, spoke to the newspaper. Tarl Bell said his mother received a letter from the school principal stating that the teacher used poor judgment and instructing her to send an apology to the parents of her students, which was done. The principal's letter also criticized the teacher for lacking sensitivity.[7] The daughter of the complaining parent was moved to another classroom."
There are a number of other instances of people getting fired or in trouble for using the word, "*****rdly," which, of course is an adjective that means "miserly" and has no etymological relationship to the "n" racial slur word. Just go to Wikipedia or do a Google Search if your interested.
So, from a practical standpoint, it might make sense. But still...
I find it interesting that when my dd was in 5th grade in the public schools, the library was filled with books which she was strongly encouraged to read that had words like, "FU*K," "G*D DA*N," & "BLO* J*B" and no one (other than me!) batted an eyelash. But, people can get fired over using a word that just sounds similar to a PC Incorrect word.
Words are very potent because of their social context . To remove the "N" word in the context of the world Mark Twain lived in and considering he was a staunch advocate of the abolition of slavery is to water down not only his wonderful writings but most importantly its social message. It is intellectually counter-intuitive as well as an act of literary vandalism.
Social sensitivity is important but this is simply PC gone mad IMO.
Well, considering the incredible Political Correctness of the times we live in and the ramifications of not adhering to such, one can understand the reasoning behind this edited version. Consider the following (from Wikipedia.)
"In late January or early February 2002, a white fourth-grade teacher in Wilmington, North Carolina was formally reprimanded for teaching the word and told to attend sensitivity training.[7] The teacher, Stephanie Bell, said she used "*****rdly" during a discussion about literary characters. Parent Akwana Walker, who is black, protested the use of the word, saying it offended her because it sounds similar to a racial slur.[7]
Bell's union, the North Carolina Association of Educators, told her not to speak about the situation, so her son, Tarl Bell, spoke to the newspaper. Tarl Bell said his mother received a letter from the school principal stating that the teacher used poor judgment and instructing her to send an apology to the parents of her students, which was done. The principal's letter also criticized the teacher for lacking sensitivity.[7] The daughter of the complaining parent was moved to another classroom."
There are a number of other instances of people getting fired or in trouble for using the word, "*****rdly," which, of course is an adjective that means "miserly" and has no etymological relationship to the "n" racial slur word. Just go to Wikipedia or do a Google Search if your interested.
So, from a practical standpoint, it might make sense. But still...
I find it interesting that when my dd was in 5th grade in the public schools, the library was filled with books which she was strongly encouraged to read that had words like, "FU*K," "G*D DA*N," & "BLO* J*B" and no one (other than me!) batted an eyelash. But, people can get fired over using a word that just sounds similar to a PC Incorrect word.
My recollection is of a similar dustup in some college years ago when some instructior used the word *****rdly, and was dumped from his job. Considering that the word has absolutely nothing to with the racial slur, it would have been a good opportunity to teach English vocabulary instead of political correctness.
I had not on the whole been opposed to much of what is called PC up to that point, but this incident was so incredibly stupied and wronghead that I have done an almost total reverese on the idea.
And I just so love the fact that C-D forums automatically slams in a bunch of stars in the word....what total ignorance!
I almost fell out of my chair when I read that!! The offensive "N" word is in about every gang banger rap song out there yet they want to rewrite a classic so as to not offend
Why stop there?? I'm sure there are plenty of books out there that use not so nice terms to describe the Irish, Italian,Polish, Jews etc etc.
This bowdlerizer goes even further: In addition to replacing the N-word, Gribben changes the villain in "Tom Sawyer" from "***** Joe" to "Indian Joe" and "half-breed" becomes "half-blood."
This bowdlerizer goes even further: In addition to replacing the N-word, Gribben changes the villain in "Tom Sawyer" from "***** Joe" to "Indian Joe" and "half-breed" becomes "half-blood."
Ironic how the publisher's name is New South!!!!!
Hey boys and girls---- let's revise history-----
I'm black, and I'll tell you, that word pushes my buttons like nothing else...
Whether it's heard in a rap song, or used in any kind of racist context, I don't like it...
BUT, here's the thing...back when 'Huck Finn' was written, the sad inescapable fact of the matter was---that's just ONE of the things we (blacks) were called...same as there were derogatory terms used for other racial, ethnic, and religious groups (i.e. changing '***** Joe' to 'Indian Joe', and your reference to 'half-breed' vs 'half-blood')
And as I grew older, I began to let the n-word fade into the dark recesses of history, and tried not to let its' use in whatever context bother me...
After carefully reading every scrap of news about this, and after much thought, I lend my voice to those who are here saying 'that's just a bit too much, dont'cha think?'
On an interesting side note, here's another little-known whitewash job...back in the 70's, actor Fred Williamson starred in 2 'blaxploitation' Westerns---one was originally called 'Boss N****r' and the second was 'The Soul Of N****r Charley'...these titles underwent some (ahem) pre-PC 'revision', and thus became 'Boss' and 'The Soul Of Black Charley'...all of which left the post-adolescent me scratching my head
Were the studio ad departments A) misguidedly trying to appeal to the black audiences of the day by copious use of the N-word? Or B) did they bow to said pre-PC pressure and make the changes? This case (Huck Finn) has a strange modern parallel to all of that
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