Pastor, Parents Struggle with Gutter Language Contained in Classics

[everythingsxen]

http://headlines.agapepress.org/archive/3/afa/242004g.asp

From the article:

Some parents in Georgia want several pieces of classic literature removed from their local schools' reading list.

Parents with the group Crusaders for Christ recently told the Bartow County Board of Education that several books contain use of God's name in vain and racial slurs. Among the books being protested are To Kill a Mockingbird, The Martian Chronicles, A Raisin in the Sun, and Of Mice and Men.

*snip*

"I can tell these same stories and not use my Lord's name in vain and without using all these other words that are not permitted in public," he says. "If they're spoken in public, you will be arrested for the use of profanity."

*snip*

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:shrug: I am not sure what to make of this one.

[Maat]

1. I can't believe it.

I love sharing classics with my kid. She's very analytical. Can't believe that they would want their children to forego these classic pieces of literature. How sad.

[Caution]

2. Huh?

What friggin country is this guy living in? I can walk outside right now into a crowded street and scream the word fuck. I can have a conversation in a bar where I use any word I damned well please without getting arrested (I might get my ass kicked and that might result in an arrest but no cop I've ever met is going to arrest me for saying something unless I directed it at the cop.)

[LynzM]

3. "Arrested for profanity"??

I'd like to see that one happen :)

I have such an issue with the book-banning thing. If anything, it should give parents an opportunity to talk with their kids about why they feel these things are wrong, what their issues are with profanity, how they think the "same story could be told", etc. You cannot protect your kids from everything, forever. Why not educate them, instead? </rant>

[AJ BENDER]

4. American Taliban

Oh if only the Bible were true !

Speaking of which... maybe we should edit this piece of ancient fiction replete with condemnation, prejudices, calls to mass murder, etc.
etc.
etc.


:shrug:

[KamaAina]

15. Not to mention the entire book of Song of Solomon

"Thy belly is like an heap of wheat..." and so on. Sounds like soft-core porn to me. Not at all the sort of thing we need to be foisting on our pure, virginal children. </sarcasm>

[TOhioLiberal]

5. We wouldn't want...

Their little heads to explode, now would we? :shrug: All that BAD language!
/sarcasm off/

[sangh0]

6. I guess it's profane to write about the poor

and in doing so, reflect the speech they actually use. Note how many of the works listed make the condition of the poor a central part of it's theme.

BTW, I wonder if these Crusaders ever noticed how much foul language is found in the Bible, which also makes some points about the condition of the poor?

[CaptainClark23]

7. WARNING: INFURIATED RANTING IN THIS POST

sorry, I just have to let this out:

To Crusaders for Christ:

FUCK YOU, FUCK YOU, FUCK YOU, AND FUCK YOU TOO!

this shit disturbs me more than anything else. economy, conspiracy, all of it...these motherfuckers are going to tell anyone how to live, how to die, what to read?!

I swear to God (and the irony of that isn't lost on me), that if there were a Civil War tomorrow based down these lines of morality I would welcome it. I would take my weapon and march right out to the front line wherever it would be.

I weep for us.

[AJ BENDER]

12. Don't Get Too Upset

After all it's just a pack of Barn-Again Fundies with a good press agent. Every year/month there's an array of these backwater asswipes moaning about something that dosen't mesh with their FUBAR mindset.


"What's it all mean Mr. Natural ? ... It don't mean Sheet !

:boring:

[Roaming]

13. Please calm down... these people do NOT represent the majority of

Christians. I cannot believe they are objecting to these books. In fact, they would present a wonderful opportunity for a Christian parent to discuss the issues presented in these books with their children.

[CaptainClark23]

14. I gave a warning.

So terribly sorry if my outburst offended, but I'll judge when its best to let my emotions run, and when to restrain them.

Myself, being of a Christian background, am fully aware that these do not represent mainstream Christian values.

And that is PRECISELY the root cause of my outrage. That such perversions of thought should be dressed in the mantle of religousity.

I'll not calm down. The stakes for this Country, and for the World are too high now. The time for polite restraint has long past.

[Roaming]

16. My statement was meant to soothe, not judge. Sorry you misunderstood.

[CaptainClark23]

17. replied offline, thanks

[noiretextatique]

8. this shit is ridiculous

and it's gotten way out of hand. some people just need to live in a bubble and leave the rest of us the hell alone.

[Gildor Inglorion]

9. These creeps would have no qualms about banning any book

except the Bible. They think it contains all the "wisdom" that's needed. Like the (apocryphal?) story of the Muslim ruler of Alexandria who used the manuscripts from its fabulous library to heat his bath. "If these writings are not in accord with the Koran, they should be burned," he said. "If they are in accord with the Koran, then they can be burned anyway, because the Koran is sufficient without them." ;)

[atreides1]

10. One Word-Cowards

Another group hiding behind God, and using his name to cover their own cowardice.

But this is the way the RW religious fanatics do things, they attack
what they don't like and hide behind God's name.

I would like to place all of these kinds of people in one location, and let them create their own Theocratic government. With the stipulation that in order for them to enter into US territory legally
they would have to request a visa. And that should they try to enter
the US they would be shot.

I know, it's a little radical, but I'm funny that way.

[Bandit]

11. What about the Wizard of Oz and the Harry Potter books?

Gone with the Wind comes to mind. Let's all have a book burning party while chanting from the Third Reich.

[tnlefty]

18. Some parents in my school district wanted to ban those along with

Where the Red Fern Grows, Alice in Wonderland and some others that just absolutely blew my mind.

[gottaB]

19. for fuck's sake

I thought they were agonizing over how to teach Catullus.