General Discussion

jberryhill

(62,444 posts)

62. I would have no idea

Fri Sep 29, 2017, 11:56 AM

Sep 2017

Nor would I care.

As a product of his times, he drew many racial stereotypes in his early commercial and government work. Several of the characters depicted in those early works evolved into his later characters.

That doesn't make him much different from Walt Disney in that regard, and I'm sure there are a range of opinions that people have about him too.

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

129 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Racist propaganda: Librarian rejects Melania Trumps gift of Dr. Seuss books [View all] oberliner Sep 2017 OP

What an idiot joeybee12 Sep 2017 #1

Interesting. Turbineguy Sep 2017 #2

You can't be serious. B2G Sep 2017 #4

Fair enough. Turbineguy Sep 2017 #6

One fish two fish red fish blue fish Throck Sep 2017 #129

OMFG. nt B2G Sep 2017 #3

Wow shenmue Sep 2017 #5

Melania is receiving very poor guidance in her role as First Lady. Since English is not her firstt monmouth4 Sep 2017 #7

What is wrong with Dr. Seuss books?? nt B2G Sep 2017 #8

Exactly. This library is coming off, (IMO) as elitist/snobbery. Take the damn books and say thank monmouth4 Sep 2017 #10

I'm not a snob and I would have NOTHING to do with that racist cretin 6000eliot Sep 2017 #72

And that would be fine, if that's what the librarian did. Act_of_Reparation Sep 2017 #93

actually, that's not the reason that she gave for refusing the books fishwax Sep 2017 #127

Unbelievable. cwydro Sep 2017 #19

As long as the dark ones who sit in back do all the work jberryhill Sep 2017 #82

I always suspected sarisataka Sep 2017 #9

+1 B2G Sep 2017 #11

and "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" gopiscrap Sep 2017 #53

Perfect! +1 Adrahil Sep 2017 #95

LOL, that was funny as hell. ATL Ebony Sep 2017 #103

I have no clue what she's talking about! MoonRiver Sep 2017 #12

The reference is to WW2 propaganda cartoons, particularly anti-Japanese brooklynite Sep 2017 #14

1943 B2G Sep 2017 #15

...and before that he did commercial art for Flit... jberryhill Sep 2017 #38

Evidently the Obamas never saw those, huh? nt B2G Sep 2017 #42

I would have no idea jberryhill Sep 2017 #62

The books she cited were "If I Ran a Zoo" and "And to Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street" oberliner Sep 2017 #16

Well it is banned book week! thinkingagain Sep 2017 #13

This librarian is making Melania Trump look good. Paladin Sep 2017 #17

Agree. It's idiotic. B2G Sep 2017 #18

Yes! mountain grammy Sep 2017 #29

Slightly off topic... demmiblue Sep 2017 #20

Her letter makes a lot of great points. It's also important for people to understand that their WhiskeyGrinder Sep 2017 #21

Do you think Dr. Seuss is problematic? oberliner Sep 2017 #23

Sure. Some of his work uses racial caricatures that are behind the times for a modern classroom. WhiskeyGrinder Sep 2017 #27

Do you think any of his books ought to be read by students? oberliner Sep 2017 #46

The way you phrase it, I don't see it as an either/or. WhiskeyGrinder Sep 2017 #60

I appreciate your response oberliner Sep 2017 #64

She raises important points about things that we as a society are not very good at talking about. WhiskeyGrinder Sep 2017 #67

The library has an image of The Cat in the Hat on the wall oberliner Sep 2017 #69

Funny, I don't think it's odd at all. WhiskeyGrinder Sep 2017 #83

good point Whiskey.. JHan Sep 2017 #34

Thanks, and well said: WhiskeyGrinder Sep 2017 #41

I couldn't put it better! +++ JHan Sep 2017 #49

Yes, I agree. A very fine letter. fishwax Sep 2017 #87

I applaud heaven05 Sep 2017 #22

They could have done so without calling Dr. Seuss racist oberliner Sep 2017 #24

I read him heaven05 Sep 2017 #30

Everyone is a product of their time - *warning - offensive* jberryhill Sep 2017 #40

What is your position on libraries carrying Dr. Seuss books? oberliner Sep 2017 #43

My "position on libraries carrying Dr. Seuss"? jberryhill Sep 2017 #59

It is preposterous to call Dr. Seuss racist oberliner Sep 2017 #63

Is this your thing? jberryhill Sep 2017 #71

Oh, I do have an opinion on one other thing jberryhill Sep 2017 #84

No need to be awestruck oberliner Sep 2017 #112

Did any other part of the letter make an impression on you? jberryhill Sep 2017 #113

she didn't call Dr. Seuss racist fishwax Sep 2017 #88

I read that book to my son almost nightly. Weekend Warrior Sep 2017 #25

She should be giving food, water and medicine to Puerto Rico leftstreet Sep 2017 #26

yep heaven05 Sep 2017 #32

They actually have all the food, water, and medicine that they need oberliner Sep 2017 #58

Very unfortunate. I don't have an answer. Racism and other nasty biases Hortensis Sep 2017 #28

I think it is important to clarify part of this issue ExciteBike66 Sep 2017 #31

Franklin Delano Roosevelt imprisoned Japanese-Americans in internment camps oberliner Sep 2017 #36

Possibly true, but irrelevant. ExciteBike66 Sep 2017 #70

I love Dr Seuss's stories but the illustrations TheDebbieDee Sep 2017 #33

Obama: 'Pretty much all the stuff you need to know is in Dr. Seuss' oberliner Sep 2017 #37

Is this all your Google search showed you? TheDebbieDee Sep 2017 #74

I try to back up my arguments with evidence oberliner Sep 2017 #76

I'm on my phone now but I will post links TheDebbieDee Sep 2017 #81

Horton, the early years.... jberryhill Sep 2017 #86

Here's a whole page full of the racist illustrations that were found in his earlier books... TheDebbieDee Sep 2017 #121

More on the librarian: demmiblue Sep 2017 #35

Interesting that she has an image of Obama on the wall behind her oberliner Sep 2017 #39

And? demmiblue Sep 2017 #45

Perhaps she can learn from the Obamas oberliner Sep 2017 #47

Lol... oh. n/t demmiblue Sep 2017 #48

According to the letter, the book sent was "Oh, The Places You'll Go" oberliner Sep 2017 #51

And? demmiblue Sep 2017 #54

And so her response to Dr. Seuss seems bizarre oberliner Sep 2017 #56

Most people are. demmiblue Sep 2017 #66

It just seems odd to me for her to go after Dr. Seuss in this way oberliner Sep 2017 #73

I don't care. n/t demmiblue Sep 2017 #75

Oh dear. This is awkward. grossproffit Sep 2017 #119

I know people who know her -- she is a treasure. WhiskeyGrinder Sep 2017 #44

Do you find her reaction here at all off-putting? oberliner Sep 2017 #57

No. WhiskeyGrinder Sep 2017 #61

Sorry - my other question above sort of duplicates this one oberliner Sep 2017 #65

No problem, answered them both! WhiskeyGrinder Sep 2017 #68

Would they not accept To Kill A Mockingbird and Huckleberry Finn? edbermac Sep 2017 #50

Our Job In Japan struggle4progress Sep 2017 #52

I'm assuming you are not a fan of FDR oberliner Sep 2017 #55

We should view the world as accurately as we can, to gauge what we can accomplish struggle4progress Sep 2017 #79

I'm skeptical, despite the fact that it's a Washington Post story Blindingly apparent Sep 2017 #77

Here's the letter she posted on the subject oberliner Sep 2017 #78

Look at me! Look at me! I just dissed the First La-dee! n/t TexasBushwhacker Sep 2017 #102

The school library that doesn't have Seuss books is probably not going to be a school that spends WhiskeyGrinder Sep 2017 #85

What do you get for the school that has everything? Why, The Cat in the Hat, of course fishwax Sep 2017 #90

Hee! Exactly. WhiskeyGrinder Sep 2017 #91

Ridiculous, but not all that surprising. bluepen Sep 2017 #80

Oh good lord. LEAVE SEUSS ALONE! Vinca Sep 2017 #89

What do we lose if we acknowledge our faves are problematic? WhiskeyGrinder Sep 2017 #92

We lose an opportunity to introduce children to a great writer oberliner Sep 2017 #97

Is he the only great writer who has written inspiring stories? WhiskeyGrinder Sep 2017 #99

No, there are many great writers oberliner Sep 2017 #110

I don't think Seuss is problematic. I think this is nuts. Vinca Sep 2017 #104

What, exactly, do you think is nuts? WhiskeyGrinder Sep 2017 #108

The notion a librarian would somehow think Seuss characters are unacceptable. Vinca Sep 2017 #117

I have to say this. This is why gives them stuff to beat us with. redstatebluegirl Sep 2017 #94

Agreed oberliner Sep 2017 #98

Yup. You have to choose your battles TexasBushwhacker Sep 2017 #100

That is the point, we can't be seen as banning books the first lady suggests. redstatebluegirl Sep 2017 #106

Yep. romanic Sep 2017 #122

Badly done, Liz! Badly done! califootman Sep 2017 #96

hmmmmm..... samnsara Sep 2017 #101

I was struck by the thoughtfulness of the letter NJCher Sep 2017 #105

The letter was neither thoughtful nor gracious oberliner Sep 2017 #107

urm NJCher Sep 2017 #109

Imagine if Michelle Obama had gifted a book to a school library oberliner Sep 2017 #111

first of all NJCher Sep 2017 #114

Thank you for your thoughtful and gracious response oberliner Sep 2017 #128

Thoughtful and gracious: Ms. Toad Sep 2017 #118

Apparently the school district wasn't too happy with her: EX500rider Sep 2017 #115

Breaking: Librarian once dressed up as the "Cat in the Hat" brooklynite Sep 2017 #116

*facepalm* romanic Sep 2017 #123

That's Catural Appropriation! Dr. Strange Sep 2017 #125

The proper response would have been 6000eliot Sep 2017 #120

This message was self-deleted by its author Raine Sep 2017 #124

Sorry, but I like Dr. Seuss. I have so many good memories of my mom PatrickforO Sep 2017 #126