what happens if the publishers find that Harry Potter Volume 3 is racist because the escaped murderer is called Black. (yes, I've read it. No spoiler alerts, please)
i remember seeing a ww2 cartoon caricaturising japanese americans as a 5th column. You can argue that that was the spirit of the times and he isn't to blame, but it does feel wrong to me. (granted Japan were fearsome opponents)
seeing that cartoon, i realised that the good Doctor wasn't quite the lovely man that comes through in his books.
Dr Suess was undeniably a racist, but i think at this stage people are looking to find stuff that may be offensive to someone, somewhere and then ban it. What next? Mr Potato Head has gone gender neutral. i think we are overestimating children.I doubt the next Suess free generation will be less racist as a result. What they will have is no appreciation of one of the most talented childrens writers ever. The only author who has managed to make poetry interesting to children, who can spark their imagination with genuine wit. For what reason? Roald Dahl was genuinely anti-semitic. I still enjoy his books, but they don't come close to the Doctor. The purge of childrens toys seem to be that they are poisoned with outdated and racist notions and they are poisoning the minds of children who grow up as racist. But its absurd, intentional conditioning of childrens minds by a social convention is acceptable. How can this possibly be the reality. Only totalitarian regimes put such effort into brainwashing children. I'm not doing justice to the issue. If someone can word my points better, i shall be grateful.
Iran is in a bad predicament. Largely self inflicted but that in no way diminishes from the horror of a looming humanitarian disaster.