Comments

1
"...I think associating book-banners with Nazis, and calling them un-American loudly and repeatedly, is the way to win."

I couldn't agree more.
2
Hell yeah! Here's a video of Goebbels presiding over a massive book-burning rally:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jF5kMVIol…

Full translation of his speech at http://stevenlehrer.com/opernplatz.htm -

German students: We have directed our dealings against the un-German spirit; consign everything un-German to the fire, against class conflict and materialism, for people, community, and idealistic living standards. I hand over the writings of Karl Marx and Kautsky to the fire.

Against decadence and moral decay! For discipline and propriety in family and state! I hand over to the fire the writings of Heinrich Mann, Ernst Glaeser and Erich Kästner.

Against a rascally attitude and political betrayal, for dedication to Volk and state! I hand over the writings of Friedrich Wilhelm Förster to the fire.

Against soul-fraying overestimation of the instinctual life, for the aristocracy of the human soul! I hand over the writings of Sigmund Freud to the fire.

Against falsification of our history and disparagement of its great figures, for respect for our past! I hand over the writings of Emil Ludwig Kohn and Werner Hegemann to the fire.

Against Jewish-democratic-influenced journalism alien to our people, for responsible collaboration in the work of national reconstruction! I hand over the writings of Theodor Wolff and Georg Bernhard to the fire.

Against literary betrayal of the soldiers of the world war, for education of the people in the spirit of truthfulness! I hand over the writings of Erich Maria Remarque to the fire.

Against condescending debasement of the German language, for care of the most precious property of our people! I hand over the writings of Alfred Kerr to the fire.

Against cheek and arrogance, for respect and reverence for the immortal German Volk-spirit. Devour, fire, also the writings of Tucholsky and Ossietzky!
3
So if all books where fictional characters do bad things or make questionable choices are verboten, I wonder what books this woman is proposing not banning?
4
Sadly, we Americans have a long and distinguished history of book burning, film banning, and the like. Unfortunately, the shoe fits.
5
Wait - now it's okay to compare a stupid mom to Hitler? I have trouble keeping track.
6
Whoa, people. She didn't call for the book to be banned, she wanted it removed from the elementary school library. She had no problem with older kids reading it. I still think that what she's proposing is completely unnecessary, and that she's being WAY too uptight, but let's not jump to hysterical conclusions. This isn't about banning books, and it sure as hell isn't about the Nazis.
7
@6 She's the bitch who's being hysterical here.
8
I've been reading the series with my 7-yr-old (1st grader). They are fabulous books and hardly objectionable. Smith's response is perfect.
9
@6: Well, maybe we should throw her on the fire then, huh?

So much for Democrats being rational. This thread is bullshit.
10
@9 what's not rational about doing something about crazy people who want to restrict others' rights because they feel that they alone are capable of making decisions about decency, morality and ethics for everyone else in the world?
11
Seriously, @2, Goebbels? Really? You're comparing this to the Holocaust? This is the kind of crap that tea baggers spew!

I am so embarrassed for Slog right now.
12
@10

Perspective n. 3. c. The ability to perceive things in their actual interrelations or comparative importance.

Exhibit A: Uptight mom petitioning elementary school to remove what she considers to be non-age appropriate material.

Exhibit B: The murder of six million innocent people in an attempt to take over the world.
13
@11, 12:
As terrible as murdering 6 million people is, it's a good thing that the Nazis didn't do anything else bad ever. Otherwise, there might be legitimate reasons to draw comparisons to them with non-genocidal regimes in the world today.
14
@12 I thought the comparison was to the nazis banning of books. I could understand if a video of starving concentration camp survivors had been invoked and I'm perfectly aware of Godwin's law, but the comparison is nowhere near as outrageous as people are making it out to be.

Besides, you know who else got outraged by perceived hyperbole? Hitler.
15
@13: So now this woman is merely a "non-genocidal regime"? Well, that makes sense, then.

@14: And now I'm Hitler. Got it. Nothing tea-baggy about this thread at all.
16
@8: I agree entirely. My daughter read the whole series when she was 7 and has re-read it multiple times. She would probably say it was her favorite book. What a sad situation.
17
Jeff Smith the Frugal Gourmet?
18
Holy shit Irena has apparently never visited the interwubs before.
19
that is right, de-bone the library.

Drew
20
Ah hell people, why not throw in Playboy and Penthouse to the libraries? Oh, Oh, I know some gay porn would fit right in. I mean come on, if you are going to throw morals and values out the door then go for the gusto! You people are a bunch of idiots. And people ask what has happened to America and why we are looked at as evil. Uneducated Dumb asses! What the hell happened to being a kid and being sheltered from the world? Hmmm, teen pregnancy, underage drinking and smoking on the rise... You people can't even put things into context. It's no wonder our country is in the shitter. We have tards like you guiding our youth. Yeah, be proud people real proud.

Please wait...

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