NationStates Jolt Archive

http://www.sintermeerten.nl/projecten/geschiedenis/projecten/anne_frank/images/anne-frank.jpg

The Culpepper County Public Schools has become the latest addition to the dubious list of schools banning Anne Frank’s ‘Diary of a Young Girl.” The move to pull the books from all of the shelves in the county reportedly came after one parent found a passage to be sexually explicit.

The version of the book pulled from Culpepper schools is “The Diary of a Young Girl: The Definitive Edition.” This version contains passages that were edited out by Frank’s father, including her criticism of Jews living in the Jewish quarter and some sexual references. The offensive passage is:

There are little folds of skin all over the place, you can hardly find it. The little hole underneath is so terribly small that I simply can’t imagine how a man can get in there, let alone how a whole baby can get out!

The book was assigned to eighth graders.

It is astonishing that a single parent can prompt a classic book to be pulled from shelves.
Jim Allen, director of instruction for the school system, views the whole matter as a wonderful reaffirmation of parental control: “I’m happy when parents get involved with these things because it lets me know that they are really looking and have their kids’ best interest (in mind). And that’s where good parenting and good teaching comes in.” I am not so sure that I would point to banning a book as good parenting and good teaching.

These students are about to go to high school and are exposed to far more explicit references in their daily lives. Anyone who views The Diary of a Young Girl as soft porn is missing the point when you dig through all of the Holocaust material to find the reference to a feminine body part.

http://jonathanturley.org/2010/01/29/virginia-school-pulls-diary-of-anne-frank-from-shelves-after-objection-to-sexual-explicit-reference/

This can only happen in America, no? :)

Forcing yourself to wear blindfolds may be stupid and ignorant, but up to each individual I suppose.
Forcing those same blindfolds on others is just plain wrong, on all accounts.

No, I could see this shit happening in Australia, too. But, unlike in Australia, in the U.S., one can easily ask a court to orverrule the school, just like when those dumbasses pulled the dictionary for defining oral sex.

No, I could see this shit happening in Australia, too. But, unlike in Australia, in the U.S., one can easily ask a court to orverrule the school, just like when those dumbasses pulled the dictionary for defining oral sex.

I'm exaggerating a little of course, but mostly you hear such stories only coming from America.

I don't understand how it is possible, certainly if you know that USA is the biggest producer AND consumer of porn. :)

Some parents are way too overprotective.

I think we should rewrite that diary and we should load it with porn, real porn, hardcore disgusting porn.

I think we should rewrite that diary and we should load it with porn, real porn, hardcore disgusting porn.

Id read it, :)

I'm exaggerating a little of course, but mostly you hear such stories only coming from America.

I don't understand how it is possible, certainly if you know that USA is the biggest producer AND consumer of porn. :)

True, but I think the United States has the best freedom of speech of any nation in the world, so it's only a matter of time before someone stops this nonsense. We might have dunderfucks running schools, but our laws will prevail.

True, but I think the United States has the best freedom of speech of any nation in the world, so it's only a matter of time before someone stops this nonsense. We might have dunderfucks running schools, but our laws will prevail.

I don't know if it is having the best freedom of speech of any nation in the world. Honestly, I doubt it is. Many European countries score better in that field, no?

I remember that several American journalists that ventilated critique on Bush shortly after 911, lost their job. They lost their job for telling the truth. Or just say 'Fuck you, asshole' in a popular American TV Show, odds are high that it will sound like *BEEP* you, *BEEP*.

Now, such things happened (about other issues) here too. It's not that much better here in Belgium. However, we don't do the *BEEPS* :)

Whistleblowers are nowhere popular and often a victim later.

Most Americans I know are sane, rational, smart people. But they aren't determining the agenda. If I'm right, USA is having about 20% (more or less extreme) conservative Christians. And they are organised pretty well, probably they are organised the best of all lobby groups. While they aren't representative for entire USA, they act like it is. And it works:

* GW Bush, do I have to say more?
* Replacing evolution theory by creationism hocus-pocus in schoolbooks, etc..
* In the perception of many Europeans THAT's America.
* ...

I think we should rewrite that diary and we should load it with porn, real porn, hardcore disgusting porn.

Nazi fetish gore porn?

I don't know if it is having the best freedom of speech of any nation in the world. Honestly, I doubt it is. Many European countries score better in that field, no?

I remember that several American journalists that ventilated critique on Bush shortly after 911, lost their job. They lost their job for telling the truth. Or just say 'Fuck you, asshole' in a popular American TV Show, odds are high that it will sound like *BEEP* you, *BEEP*.

Now, such things happened (about other issues) here too. It's not that much better here in Belgium. However, we don't do the *BEEPS* :)

Whistleblowers are nowhere popular and often a victim later.

Most Americans I know are sane, rational, smart people. But they aren't determining the agenda. If I'm right, USA is having about 20% (more or less extreme) conservative Christians. And they are organised pretty well, probably they are organised the best of all lobby groups. While they aren't representative for entire USA, they act like it is. And it works:

* GW Bush, do I have to say more?
* Replacing evolution theory by creationism hocus-pocus in schoolbooks, etc..
* In the perception of many Europeans THAT's America.
* ...

I think the idea of free speech, though...

America is full of prudes, but we let almost all the ideas go through.