Schools edit texts of historical books

[ThePatriot]

Schools throughout the country have begun to ban the use of Huckleberry Finn because of the use of the word ******. If schools and government can edit the text of historical text then what prevents the limiting modern free speech? Did the Nazi's not do this as well?

 

[loosecannon]

editing and banning the use of are two different things.

 

[Oddball]

More like censoring.

Par for the course, from the politically correct know-it-all leftist elite.

 

[Jackson]

Schools throughout the country have begun to ban the use of Huckleberry Finn because of the use of the word ******. If schools and government can edit the text of historical text then what prevents the limiting modern free speech? Did the Nazi's not do this as well?

Nothing. Once you start playing with an author's words for the sake of "political correctness" what ever that should be in any certain time, anything goes. It can be a word, a phrase, a scenario, or even the plot.

Especially when taking taking a great Clement's classic depicting a particular era, the words that he uses exemplifies the time of which he writes. His descriptive speech demonstrates how slaves were treated in dehumanizing ways.

When it comes to history books, new information can come forth on events in our past and can be added to new additions, but it has to be factual information. Not just the opinion of some committee in one state.

 

[ThePatriot]

editing and banning the use of are two different things.

Though they are different the ultimate point is that to change a book which reflects historical content can easily lead to editing historical fact. What's to stop editing out other historical content?

 

[Quantum Windbag]

editing and banning the use of are two different things.

How are they different? What is the problem with the way an illiterate 11 year old runaway on the Mississippi in the 19th century who had been trained by his society to think of Jim not only as a ******, but as a thief? Why shouldn't the original language be preserved so that modern children cannot only enjoy a classic as it was written, but grow with Huck as he learns that his attitude about Jim is wrong. Huckleberry Finn, as it was written, is a story that tells us about the fight against bigotry and hatred in the heart of an individual. It is a story of enlightenment and the triumph of friendship and honor over hatred and bias. The only people who could read that book and be offended by the use of ****** in it are those who cannot think.

Can you think, or are you going to prove yourself to be one of the people with small minds?

 

[Gadawg73]

editing and banning the use of are two different things.

Though they are different the ultimate point is that to change a book which reflects historical content can easily lead to editing historical fact. What's to stop editing out other historical content?

I despise censorship but what about the Thanksgiving with the Indians bullshit? And the Founders were all fine Christian men and this nation was "founded on Christianity" bullshit?
That was all made up shit.
BTW, Huck Finn is a fictional character. How is he "historical"?

 

[LordBrownTrout]

Huck Finn is one of the great literary pieces and whitewashing it is a huge disgrace. I doubt the school board even knows the context of what Clemens even meant at the time.

 

[ThePatriot]

editing and banning the use of are two different things.

Though they are different the ultimate point is that to change a book which reflects historical content can easily lead to editing historical fact. What's to stop editing out other historical content?

I despise censorship but what about the Thanksgiving with the Indians bullshit? And the Founders were all fine Christian men and this nation was "founded on Christianity" bullshit?
That was all made up shit.
BTW, Huck Finn is a fictional character. How is he "historical"?

Huck Finn is historical, however Mark Twain is not. Neither is the language implemented throughout the book. The use of the word accurately represents the country in 1884. If you change the text you change history. For the same reason Truman required documentation of liberated concentration camps, so history could not be rewritten

 

[Gadawg73]

Though they are different the ultimate point is that to change a book which reflects historical content can easily lead to editing historical fact. What's to stop editing out other historical content?

I despise censorship but what about the Thanksgiving with the Indians bullshit? And the Founders were all fine Christian men and this nation was "founded on Christianity" bullshit?
That was all made up shit.
BTW, Huck Finn is a fictional character. How is he "historical"?

Huck Finn is historical, however Mark Twain is not. Neither is the language implemented throughout the book. The use of the word accurately represents the country in 1884. If you change the text you change history. For the same reason Truman required documentation of liberated concentration camps, so history could not be rewritten

I agree but my point is school history books have been altered forever.
Nothing new.

 

[JBeukema]

What if we call him 'Mah nigga, Jim'?

 

[Tank]

This should put a stop to anyone ever saying ****** again.

 

[Cecilie1200]

Schools throughout the country have begun to ban the use of Huckleberry Finn because of the use of the word ******. If schools and government can edit the text of historical text then what prevents the limiting modern free speech? Did the Nazi's not do this as well?

Okay, first of all, "Huckleberry Finn" is not a "historical text". It's a work of fiction. Second, banning it is not editing it. Third, do you have any proof that schools are currently banning "Huckleberry Finn"?

 

[Cecilie1200]

editing and banning the use of are two different things.

How are they different? What is the problem with the way an illiterate 11 year old runaway on the Mississippi in the 19th century who had been trained by his society to think of Jim not only as a ******, but as a thief? Why shouldn't the original language be preserved so that modern children cannot only enjoy a classic as it was written, but grow with Huck as he learns that his attitude about Jim is wrong. Huckleberry Finn, as it was written, is a story that tells us about the fight against bigotry and hatred in the heart of an individual. It is a story of enlightenment and the triumph of friendship and honor over hatred and bias. The only people who could read that book and be offended by the use of ****** in it are those who cannot think.

Can you think, or are you going to prove yourself to be one of the people with small minds?

You ask "how are they different", and then you go on to answer your own question: editing is changing the words, and banning is simply refusing to allow the book to be available.

The OP said that schools are BANNING the book - which he hasn't demonstrated - not that they're changing the words - which he also hasn't demonstrated.

Neither is a good thing, and they ARE different.

 

[Tank]

The original version has been banned

 

[Baruch Menachem]

It is freely available here.


I don't believe this will do any good.

And a word exists in english because of this kind of stupid. "Bowdlerize." A cleric name Bowdler edited an edition of Shakespeare that young ladies could read without blushing. It also removed most of the reason to read it in the first place.

 

[Cecilie1200]

The original version has been banned

By whom? When? Let's see some specifics and proof, because I KNOW you don't think I'm going to just take your word for it, let alone get my panties all in a ruffle and start issuing outraged denunciations based on it.

 

[HUGGY]

Huck Finn is one of the great literary pieces and whitewashing it is a huge disgrace. I doubt the school board even knows the context of what Clemens even meant at the time.

I agree...Huck "whitewashing" that fence was disgraceful!!!!

 

[Quantum Windbag]

editing and banning the use of are two different things.

How are they different? What is the problem with the way an illiterate 11 year old runaway on the Mississippi in the 19th century who had been trained by his society to think of Jim not only as a ******, but as a thief? Why shouldn't the original language be preserved so that modern children cannot only enjoy a classic as it was written, but grow with Huck as he learns that his attitude about Jim is wrong. Huckleberry Finn, as it was written, is a story that tells us about the fight against bigotry and hatred in the heart of an individual. It is a story of enlightenment and the triumph of friendship and honor over hatred and bias. The only people who could read that book and be offended by the use of ****** in it are those who cannot think.

Can you think, or are you going to prove yourself to be one of the people with small minds?

You ask "how are they different", and then you go on to answer your own question: editing is changing the words, and banning is simply refusing to allow the book to be available.

The OP said that schools are BANNING the book - which he hasn't demonstrated - not that they're changing the words - which he also hasn't demonstrated.

Neither is a good thing, and they ARE different.

The book is considered "unteachable" in its original form.

I don't call that little speech rocket science. Yet NewSouth Books would seem to be creating a baby-food version of Huckleberry Finn, with the n-word replaced by "slave" because of feedback from teachers who claim the book has become "unteachable."

I see. Eighth-graders are too unformed to understand the difference between someone calling someone else the n-word and an author using the word in an ancient book to reveal characters as ignorant. Interesting, given that the same eighth-graders hear the same word used by rappers daily and understand the difference between that usage — as a term of endearment — and the epithet one.

The Root: Students Cheated By Censored 'Huck Finn' : NPR

I am not debating whether the intent is to directly ban the book, I am pointing out that by teaching a censored version of the book in schools the effect is the same as banning it. It deprives students of the insights that have made Huckleberry Finn one of the great classics. Do you really think students are too stupid to understand, and appreciate, the historical context of a word they here every day? The only thing that makes it unteachable is the lack of teaching skills demonstrated by teachers who are afraid of words.

 

[Cecilie1200]

Huck Finn is one of the great literary pieces and whitewashing it is a huge disgrace. I doubt the school board even knows the context of what Clemens even meant at the time.

I agree...Huck "whitewashing" that fence was disgraceful!!!!

You're thinking of "Tom Sawyer".