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MadameButterfly

(4,072 posts)

11. I think sometimes it's unfair for us to judge people of that time

Sun Mar 15, 2026, 08:30 PM

Mar 15

or imagine what it was like to know as little as they knew, or expect them to fully understand the ramifications of how these policies might be carried out. We have the benefit of hindsight, and Keller once she knew what we have always known, made the right decision. Fortunately, society as a whole learned from that experiment.

I have watched condemnation of a famous family member, the renaming of a chapel at college, and I wonder what we are accomplishing. Unless we can put ourselves in their shoes, in their time, I wonder if we really know what we ourselves would have thought--at lease at the beginning when it was an ideal without the grim realities of carrying it out.

I can't help but see comparison with the deportation of immigrants today. The idea that we can solve problems by expunging ourselves of perceived undesirable people by making them go away. Requiring the ignoring of the human ramifications of such an idea.

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Helen Keller: [View all] applegrove Mar 15 OP

I have gained a new respect for Ms. Keller--- lastlib Mar 15 #1

One of the first books I read as a child was about Kelller applegrove Mar 15 #2

I remember reading one too.... lastlib Mar 15 #7

Yes, me too senseandsensibility Mar 15 #8

That is so cool. I just remember the spelling of wa-t-t-er. applegrove Mar 16 #14

I had that book too! PCIntern Mar 16 #16

I can't picture my book. I think it was blue but I'm not sure. We did not applegrove Mar 16 #17

Did you also get Weekly Reader Children's Book Club? PCIntern Mar 16 #21

Nope. No book clubs. applegrove Mar 16 #22

Understood. PCIntern Mar 16 #23

I just got Amelia Bedelia for my great niece. My grandmother applegrove Mar 16 #24

Never read it but distinctly recall PCIntern Mar 16 #25

I also had one about Ben Franklin senseandsensibility Mar 16 #20

Helen Keller was a strong supporter of the wnylib Mar 15 #6

I think sometimes it's unfair for us to judge people of that time MadameButterfly Mar 15 #11

My post was not a judgment of Keller. wnylib Mar 15 #12

i thought your description of Keller's position MadameButterfly Mar 15 #13

Canada's favourite person was Tommy Douglas who introduced applegrove Mar 16 #18

Yup. The application of the faulty scientific reasoning wnylib Mar 16 #19

"Then Nazis showed up on the world stage, did the holocaust, and that was the end of eugenics." TheProle Mar 16 #26

End of the progressive fad of eugenics. The right wing applegrove Mar 16 #27

Careful there. Helen Keller was a radical leftist. DJ Synikus Makisimus Mar 15 #3

I didn't know that but samplegirl Mar 16 #15

Helen Keller was amazing.. whathehell Mar 15 #4

The movie "The Miracle Worker" is so good. twodogsbarking Mar 15 #5

His6ory books never seem to mention Warpy Mar 15 #9

i was at helen kellers home. i didn't take time to go in to her house but i did walk thru the displays in her garden. dawn5651 Mar 15 #10