Free Speech for Me, but Not For Thee

[MeDotOrg]

January 6th was legitimate political discourse.
War is peace.
Slavery is freedom.
We have always been at war Eastasia.

I think a class in Newspeak is essential for understanding the language of the modern GOP.

Imagine if there were no Trump flags, no American Flags, No Confederate Flags, no Swastikas...That on January 6th you could not identify the political motivations of the demonstrators. Imagine if you could only identify them by their actions. How many people would say that the demonstrators constituted "legitimate political discourse"?

I don't know when the Republican Party officially took leave of its senses, but "legitimate political discourse" could serve as a bon voyage party.

by the way, here's Webster on the definition of discourse:

the use of words to exchange thoughts and ideas
[examples]
It's a word that doesn't have much use in ordinary discourse. [=conversation]
He likes to engage in lively discourse with his visitors.
public/political discourse
Is that a refutation or whataboutism?

...so I guess January 6th was all about the use of words. Tell that to the dead and wounded.

Does understanding the Democrats come naturally, or does that require filters and distortions and affirmation too?

Is that a logical refutation or whataboutism?

[Binger]

Does understanding the Democrats come naturally, or does that require filters and distortions and affirmation too?

Is that a logical refutation or whataboutism?

Is that a question?

[ajax18]

Justice for my enemies and mercy for my friends.

[canpakes]

De-emphasized is a fancy way of saying ‘not promoted’. Like statues of confederate generals, sometimes old standards give way to newer ones. A promoted icon need not always be preserved in the face of many competing items over time.

<snip>
eta: this might have pushed the issue along, too (it’s from the Pragmatic Mom blog where one of your images is linked)

https://www.pragmaticmom.com/wp-content ... andRAA.pdf

tl;dr - Dr. Seuss is racist and the NEA needs to move off him and his books

- Doc

From that report:

Dr. Seuss books are the most well-known and probably most-read children’s books of our time, in large part because of the exposure they continue to receive in schools across America through the NEA and Read Across America Day. It has been, in some cases, over 80 years (1st Dr. Seuss book published in 1937) since these books were written, and 20 years since the NEA has been celebrating RAA Day on Dr. Seuss’s birthday. In 2014, children of color became the majority in America’s K-12 public schools and this majority will only continue to grow. It’s time to reconsider the impact that these books have on today’s youth (and in today’s context), and be aware of, and intentional about, who and what is being celebrated and upheld in education (and for whom).

The National Education Association has a powerful opportunity to use Read Across America Day to not only promote a love of reading, but to be a leader in using books to celebrate the diversity of its 45 million annual participants, foster safe and inclusives spaces in classrooms across the country and support positive identity development, cultural pride and empowerment for millions of youth. The diverse books highlighted through NEA’s 2016-17 Read Across America Calendar are a step in the right direction, but they don’t fully honor or reflect the diversity of students; and Read Across America Day remains focused on Dr. Seuss. Beyond a celebration and focus on Dr. Seuss’s books, Read Across America Day is often observed as a week-long celebration of Dr. Seuss’s birthday and the man himself. Regardless of what we think about Dr. Seuss/Theodor Geisel as a person, or our perceptions of what the historical and cultural context was when he was alive, the books themselves need to be looked at for the racism (and xenophobia) they are reinforcing and the impact they have on today’s youth.

Alternatives to Dr. Seuss: Diverse Children’s Book Authors that Can be Celebrated for Read Across America Day

There are many children’s book authors whose books can be used to inspire a lifelong love of reading and whose lives themselves can (and do) inspire youth. These are some of the ​many children’s book authors that can be used as anti-racist, anti-oppressive alternatives to Dr. Seuss. This list is not comprehensive, but includes a selection of African American, Indigenous, Muslim, Caribbean, African, Latinx, Asian, Jewish, immigrant, trans, autistic, gender non-conforming and deaf authors:
:: list follows ::

A lot of folks will look at this part of the report and will want to see plenty that is wrong. But there is plenty that is also right.

I’m not sure how Dr. Seuss became the singular face of children’s books, but with 80 years having passed since his first, and aside from whatever anyone wants to think of any of his perceived racist illustrations, I’d say that spreading a bit of recognition across a universe of subsequent authors doesn’t necessarily have to be seen as a bad thing.

I’m sticking with de-emphasized. Banned doesn’t fit.

[MeDotOrg]

Is that a logical refutation or whataboutism?

Is that a question?

Whataboutism simply means that instead of making a logical refutation of the statements made (in this case that the actions of January 6th were legitimate political discourse) you change the subject. What about Democrats? Asking what about Democrats does not address the point being made. So instead of making a point, you change the subject.

[Binger]

Is that a question?

Whataboutism simply means that instead of making a logical refutation of the statements made (in this case that the actions of January 6th were legitimate political discourse) you change the subject. What about Democrats? Asking what about Democrats does not address the point being made. So instead of making a point, you change the subject.

So it was not a question?

[Gadianton]

I loved Dr. Seuss as a kid. I doubt that any of these other authors will write a better critique of in-groups than the Sneetches, in fact, I doubt that anything in critical race theory can equal the Sneetches for making the most relevant points they have to make. And it certainly can't make them in a way that would be as comprehensible to their acolytes. I like the lesser-known stuff too. It didn't get any better than Tweetle Beatle for me. Until Canpakes posted that second image I had no idea. Pretty disturbing, but doesn't erase everything else.

I think the weirdness of Seuss was amplified by the fact that even when I was a kid the drawing was dated. So I think there is definitely room for new storytellers. I'm not wild about high level conversations over who we're going to let brainwash our kids. I'd prefer storytelling to precede ideology. Well, the way it usually works is that if you're going to enforce the ideology, it's going to be really hard to do so memorably. Good luck coming up with something kids actually want to read that way.

[canpakes]

I think the weirdness of Seuss was amplified by the fact that even when I was a kid the drawing was dated. So I think there is definitely room for new storytellers. I'm not wild about high level conversations over who we're going to let brainwash our kids. I'd prefer storytelling to precede ideology.

I’m with you on that. We have a stack of Seuss books here that we’ve read to the kids. Several are copies from my own childhood. I wouldn’t regard any of them as problematic. And I don’t prefer to try to introduce lessons correcting Seuss’s more-racist depictions during bedtime reading sessions.

Seuss aside, the world of children’s books is wild and incredible, vast and imaginative, and beautiful. There are so many choices available to engage a child’s newfound appreciation for reading. So I take exception to the suggestion (as seen in the excerpt posted from Doc’s link) that children need be bombarded with deep social lessons at an age when they’re just learning to digest words and meaning off the page. There are plenty of books that spark imagination and cultivate curiosity, and they should be the primers of a young mind, with more serious matters to be introduced a bit later as a child’s mind matures, and within more relevant context.