Huck Finn being taught in school.

[walrusjk]

What do you think? I'm in Phoenix watching the local news and there are parents upset that Huck Finn is being taught in scchools. It mentions the "N" word over 400 times...

[EddieHill]

walrusjk, There are a lot of stories being tought in schools that realy suck like, Sarah Tall And Plain about a prairie farm widower getting a mail order live in girlfriend from Maine to test her to see if he wants to marry her and she sucks up to the children and then marries the guy. Yes my son is only 9 years old and he has to do book reports on two versions of this story. So much for stories that have a good moral setting for children. Useless stories waste time that could be spent studying math and science and languages and other subjects that can be used to develope skills to make lots of money later on in life. Huck Finn is another useless story and a waste of time. A lot of school stories are being modified because of political correctness and sports mascotts are being changed to accommidate those who are offended by there names logos ect. The American people are trying so hard to kiss too much ass instead of saying fuck you if you do not like it get the fuck out before we kick your ass you communist pig. That is my view on political correctness and not the Richard Pryor fans. After all we should be writing the stories that are tought in school they would be alot funnier and the children would die laughing.

[bingolong]

walrusjk,
Well Richard Pryor was selected as the first recipient of the Mark Twain Prize... so banning a book from Mark Twain is like banning Richard....

[Murphdogg]

bingolong, yep yep. I think there does however need to be a discussion about the context of languange of that time, and drive home the fact that mark Twain was trying to educate the people of his time on the ignorance and stupidity of racisism

[walrusjk]

Murphdogg,
I know what you're saying but it is a white guy writting that book and mentions that word hundreds of times and is being taught in every school. I don't know what to think. Maybee everyone that uses it, black or white, should be blasted. Hey if I was an African american I'd have a chip on my shoulder having some white guy telling me what was appropriate. I just don't know....

[bingolong]

walrusjk,
I mean I feel that ...the word is in there alot.But the thing about that book is that Jim was the good guy in a messed up situation helping Huck help him escape.In the context of that book and the times this book was released....do you realize how radical that is that a white guy was helping a slave escape!!!

When I read this topic yesterday it reminded me of a series that cable (I think Showtime buut can't find any proof this show existed)would show that was "Tom Sawyer" and then went right into "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn." Man the stry in itself was deep ..Huck was liek an orphan and a runaway, Jim was trying to get to freedom.Man I wish I could find that exact show again!! The point is after seeinfg tht show I had to read the book and I takes alot for me to read

[Murphdogg]

bingolong,
I think the problem is, people don't understand history. They don't have the ability to understand what a different world it was back then, and the fact that in that world Mark TTwain was a radical thinker.

[hellifiknow]

Murphdogg,
the book should be taught as history instead of as credit for a literature course, its a window to life, laws and attitude during slavery and most of the segregtion occuring then was still strongly encouraged into the 1960s and 70s, the attitude will probably live forever.

Huge credit to Richard Pryor for changing the way I was raised to think and the same to Mark Twain for helping me understand being true to yourself and loyal to your friends is most important...and consider myself privledged for being raised near a river with this book as a training manual.

[Murphdogg]

walrusjk,
If Kramer would of wrote the book you'd of bought 7 copies by now.

[walrusjk]

Murphdogg, That's because seven, I figure, is the minimum that could fit up your ass. Any less and they'd be falling out all over the place.