The Cleansing of Huckleberry Finn

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The Cleansing of Huckleberry Finn - 1/5/2011 8:09:03 PM

TheHeretic

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It seems to me that if we are going to have fits over a word, we ought to at least have the stones to look it in the eye.

This article does that

I hope this edition finds it's way into the dumpbins, straight from the presses.

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RE: The Cleansing of Huckleberry Finn - 1/5/2011 8:27:27 PM

ThatDamnedPanda

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I've been shaking my head in disgust ever since I heard this on NPR this morning. Jesus fucking christ. If the word "nigger" offends you so much that you can't bear to see it in print, then read a different book - but leave this one alone, the way it was written.

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RE: The Cleansing of Huckleberry Finn - 1/5/2011 8:30:36 PM

TreasureKY

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quote:

ORIGINAL: TheHeretic

It seems to me that if we are going to have fits over a word, we ought to at least have the stones to look it in the eye.

This article does that

I hope this edition finds it's way into the dumpbins, straight from the presses.

*shakes head* Political correctness, run amok.

It's a wonder the book wasn't just banned.

(in reply to TheHeretic)

Post #: 3

RE: The Cleansing of Huckleberry Finn - 1/5/2011 8:40:42 PM

DarkSteven

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I'm totally confused. Huckleberry Fin was all about the relationship between whites and blacks at that point in history. Altering that to alleviate contemporary sensibilities is defeating the very point of the book.

If you really want to do this right, feature that book and Invisible Man and have the class discuss how race relations differ between those books and eras.

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RE: The Cleansing of Huckleberry Finn - 1/5/2011 8:48:24 PM

lazarus1983

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Ah good, and here I was thinking I could skip reading Fahrenheit 451 this year.

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RE: The Cleansing of Huckleberry Finn - 1/5/2011 8:51:05 PM

dcnovice

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FR

Anyone else notice that the CM software won't actually let us use the word "nigger"?

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RE: The Cleansing of Huckleberry Finn - 1/5/2011 8:56:38 PM

TheHeretic

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I wasn't aware of that, DC. I decided against using it in the first post. Maybe we need a randomly stupid "offensive words" thread, to test what else might be a Bozo no-no?

Damn. Now I need to go check the dictionary on iphone scrabble.

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RE: The Cleansing of Huckleberry Finn - 1/5/2011 9:02:13 PM

dcnovice

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Harry lay there, lost for words. Dumbledore hummed a little and smiled at the ceiling.

“Sir?” said Harry. “I’ve been thinking . . . Vol-, I mean, You-Know-Who—”

“Call him Voldemort, Harry. Always use the proper name for things. Fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself.”

-- J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

ETA: I should probably stress that I'm not saying that "nigger" is the "proper name" for anyone, just that the word's becoming unspeakable probably adds to its malign power.

< Message edited by dcnovice -- 1/5/2011 9:16:37 PM >

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RE: The Cleansing of Huckleberry Finn - 1/5/2011 9:13:56 PM

ThatDamnedPanda

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quote:

ORIGINAL: TheHeretic

I wasn't aware of that, DC. I decided against using it in the first post. Maybe we need a randomly stupid "offensive words" thread, to test what else might be a Bozo no-no?

Damn. Now I need to go check the dictionary on iphone scrabble.

We did a thread on this a few years ago, and nigger is the only word we could find that was filtered out. Amazing, isn't it?

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RE: The Cleansing of Huckleberry Finn - 1/5/2011 9:20:21 PM

dcnovice

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Interestingly, that wasn't the case when I first joined CM. The word came up in a thread about Ann Coulter, and the software let me use it then, but has since blocked it out.

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RE: The Cleansing of Huckleberry Finn - 1/5/2011 9:49:38 PM

kdsub

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OK… if the books are banned from schools because of the word nigger now why not print a clearly marked children’s version so at least they can enjoy one of our great authors.

It does seem to me however just switching the word with slave would make many instances of the word out of context.

I would be interested to know at what school age the unabridged version would be allowed in most states.

Butch

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RE: The Cleansing of Huckleberry Finn - 1/5/2011 10:26:53 PM

Termyn8or

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FR

Hey, let's rewrite the old testament while we're at it.

T

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RE: The Cleansing of Huckleberry Finn - 1/5/2011 10:56:48 PM

PyrotheClown

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quote:

ORIGINAL: kdsub

OK… if the books are banned from schools because of the word nigger now why not print a clearly marked children’s version so at least they can enjoy one of our great authors.

It does seem to me however just switching the word with slave would make many instances of the word out of context.

I would be interested to know at what school age the unabridged version would be allowed in most states.

Butch

Just what I was thinking...if we're gonna go through the bother of mess'n with a classic in such a way, then might as well re-introduce it to our school curriculum.

(in reply to kdsub)

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RE: The Cleansing of Huckleberry Finn - 1/5/2011 10:57:52 PM

PyrotheClown

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quote:

ORIGINAL: TheHeretic

I wasn't aware of that, DC. I decided against using it in the first post. Maybe we need a randomly stupid "offensive words" thread, to test what else might be a Bozo no-no?

Damn. Now I need to go check the dictionary on iphone scrabble.

like George Carlins list...only alot shorter

(in reply to TheHeretic)

Post #: 14

RE: The Cleansing of Huckleberry Finn - 1/5/2011 11:28:43 PM

CherryNeko

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quote:

ORIGINAL: dcnovice
FR
Anyone else notice that the CM software won't actually let us use the word "nigger"?

Nigger. Nigger nigger nigger... oh my god, you are right!

I still can't believe they did that, it should be against the law! It's Twain, for heaven's sake! What is even the point of writing, if whatever you publish is anyway going to be USURPED by someone's mercilessly pointless buffoonery in the future? It's not even worth being called a kid's edition... it's rubbish! Arrrrrrgh, goddamn it! Taking the word away just awakens sensibilities that it would be wiser to let asleep!

People are so stupid.

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RE: The Cleansing of Huckleberry Finn - 1/6/2011 12:19:59 AM

GreedyTop

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Song of the South

another example of "let's be PC rather than recognizing that this was referencing a part of our past (and shamefully also current) part of our history"?

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RE: The Cleansing of Huckleberry Finn - 1/6/2011 6:56:40 AM

tazzygirl

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oops... i mean this was one of my favorite books growing up. cant believe its being messed with.

< Message edited by tazzygirl -- 1/6/2011 7:00:01 AM >

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RE: The Cleansing of Huckleberry Finn - 1/6/2011 7:00:06 AM

chiaThePet

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There's absolutely nothing here related to enemas and colon cleansing.

Fine!

Bait and switch.....bait and switch.....bait and switch.

(no switches were baited in the proceeding post)

(or were they?)

chia* (the pet)

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RE: The Cleansing of Huckleberry Finn - 1/6/2011 7:26:29 AM

flcouple2009

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How about we burn those who wish to ban books are rewrite them?

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RE: The Cleansing of Huckleberry Finn - 1/6/2011 8:09:18 AM

PeonForHer

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FR

Wog

ETA: Just an experiment. - that's a near equivalent to the 'N' word in UK slang.

< Message edited by PeonForHer -- 1/6/2011 8:11:13 AM >

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