THE UNWOKE BLIND RACISM OF CANCEL CULTURE
Sometimes the white supremacy assumptions of extreme liberal Cancel Culture betrays its own subconscious racism. Take, for example, the banning of the Dr. Seuss 1937 children's book To Think That I Saw it on Mulberry Street. This book has been banned because of its caricature of a Chinese man. The Chinese man was originally drawn with yellow skin. Now, of course, Chinese do not have yellow skin, but have skin a shade of tan. So, because of complaints the drawing was changed in the 70s. What skin color was the drawing changed to? Not to natural Asian skin color, but to white skin. That's right, to white! I am not sure which is more racist: to depict Asians with yellow skin or to imply that they are not acceptable unless their skin is depicted as white. So, the racism of an Asian caricature was replaced with the assumptions of white supremacy. You are only acceptable if you are depicted with white skin. Now since then, in the last 50 years, this could have been corrected by re-issuing the book with accurate Asian skin color. But, it seems that that an outright ban is preferable to depicting Asians naturally. This is implied white supremacist racism itself. You are depicted with white skin, or you are banned.
Now, another reason for banning TTTISIOMS was because the 1937 Chinese man caricature was because he was depicted with slanted eyes. This could have easily been corrected. Now Asian eyes are not slanted, but they are somewhat differently shaped than typical Caucasian eyes. They are sometimes described as almond-shaped, which I happen to think is a beautiful shape. But rather than depict Asians naturally, the book is banned. Another implication that white is right, and anything else is banned.
Another reason for banning TTTISIOMS was because the Chinese man caricature was depicted with chopsticks. Obviously, Asians do not always, or even usually, eat with chopsticks. But what is so horribly unacceptable about traditional Asian chopsticks that they have to be banned from our sight? Are Asians themselves being racist when they provide chopsticks at Asian restaurants? I really don't think so. Do you? But, once again, white is right and Chinese tradition is unacceptable. You are depicted as eating in the acceptable Caucasian manner or your image is banned. This is another white supremacist assumption.
Now again, I do not mean to suggest that there is any conscious racism at play here. But I do think that there are Cancel Culture extremists who so entrapped in the amber of their own white fragility that they are blind, or unwoke, to their own white supremacy assumptions. This simply re-enforces, albeit unintentionally, systemic racism. Until we accept each other as we really are, rather than make people into sometime they are not or ban their images from our sight, there is little hope that we will arouse ourselves from the white supremacy slumber.
Your thoughts?
3
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9 comments
Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.I am still amazed with how many people completely missed the point of the OP, whether consciously or unconsciously, simply by taking issue with the single word "banned" and totally ignoring the entire substance of the OP as if they would not, or could not deal with it. Cancel culture does not, of course, legally ban anything and that, of course, is not what I meant. I was rather referring to being effectively removed or "banned" from our culture, society, and schools, which is what happened through the effect of getting TTTISIOMS removed from publication. It is now a collectors item, quite expensive and effectively beyond the access of almost all of us. I did not simply keep using the same word "canceled" because that would have been a tedious redundancy and hence poor grammar. I did not use the world "censored" would not have been an appropriate word either, for that implies a forceful legal action that did not occur. What I really find scary, however, is the ostrich-with-its-head-in-the-sand approach of distraction by focusing on a misinterpretation of a single word as an excuse for completely ignoring a serious issue on several levels.
Heraclitus
Level 8
Mar 12, 2023
0
It was the publishers of the book that decided on their own to stop printing some books with defamatory stereotypes. They didn't want to change the original drawings out of respect for the artist/author.
The author in his late years had changed views and thought some of the depictions in his books were racist himself. The publishers are just finally agreeing with him.
snytiger6
Level 9
Apr 4, 2021
2
The whole concept of "cancel culture" is utter bullshit.
The believers have been doing it for centuries.
Now, the assholes on the right are using it to avoid accountability.
Griping about Dr. Seuss is avoidance of accepting responsibility for lying about voter fraud, lying about voter suppression efforts, lying about corruption, downplaying the insurrection on Jan. 6,
lying about the virus, and a whole host of other bullshit.
The Seuss estate controls publication of his works. They're the ones who made the decision. They were not pressured by the public.
I have no time for this silly bullshit.
KKGator
Level 9
Apr 3, 2021
9
Ask someone ranting about "cancel culture" if they think Colin Kaepernick should get his job back.
Thank you for stating what so many know and saving us the time.
Conservatives using smoke and mirrors to deflect from voter suppression
bobwjr
Level 10
Apr 3, 2021
7
"We aren't removing ballot drop boxes. We are just relocating them."
We know what you're doing assholes.
@BufftonBeotch They certainly DO know: Stopping black people from voting.
@Beowulfsfriend I really had hoped all these colon knotted fools would have died off by now.
Somehow they keep breeding and brainwashing these racist, red hat broods.
First of all it wasn't banned they ended production. If you're gonna come here with this at least bring facts.
Also I find it amusing when people call CONSEQUENCES cancel culture.
redhog
Level 7
Apr 3, 2021
3
Not banned. And smart people are making a killing on Ebay.
Libraries will still have it. Some may move it from the children's section. That will probably be up to each locale's decision.
Most librarians are very much against literal book banning.
Ummmm, it was Not "banned`",it was withdrawn by its owners & publishers. So your entire rant is Ridiculous. They thought in light of today's ideas it was not appropriate for children and kudos to them for their sensitivity. I believe Dr Suess himself would have agreed!
Here's an idea, get some Facts before you yap!
AnneWimsey
Level 9
Apr 3, 2021
5
Many of the images are really obnoxious.
Many of the works of Dr Seuss are very anti-racist and environmentally conscious.
Right wingers hate those ones.
On edit - I was tempted to keep "woks" of Dr Seuss, because I imagined the way he would rhyme what he was flopping about in his giant, round pot.
Personally I think in the long run the policy of the "woke" generation of rewriting history, denying art and literature of the past and trying to pretend that if we do not talk about past mistakes, misjudgments and crimes this will means they will just go away and we nor anyone else will never do those things again, will ultimately turn out to be counter productive.
to paraphrase Churchill and Marx
Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it, first as tragedy then again as farce
LenHazell53
Level 9
Apr 3, 2021
1
Is this a way of saying only a white man perspective on history, art and literature is legitimate?
And statues to Civil War generals who lost the war are ridiculous and were erected in the Jim Crow era to intimidate the black populace.
The KKK emblem was placed on the Georgia flag at the same time the state legislature nullified Brown vs the Board of Education and declared that they would not desegregate.
When you say you don't want history rewritten do you mean to say you want to continue teaching children lies that make you feel good?
@BufftonBeotch That is not what I said, don't put words in my mouth and stop looking for reasons to be offended.
If the woke brigade had their way, you would not be able cite those examples given, because you would not know them, because they would be removed as "problematic".
This is the filth I am talking about, revisionist history.
History is real, good and bad, pretending it did not happen is foolish and counter productive.
Saying Jim crow did not happen is as bad as saying the holocaust did not happen.
It did happen, teaching that it SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED, is a necessity, teaching it DID NOT happen is a crime against history and the victims.
The art and literature of the time are the evidence of HOW AND WHY it happened and how and why it ended, you don't disregard evidence because it is uncomfortable.
@LenHazell53 That's not how it works. The Dr. Suess books were not banned.
You can still possess them and read them to your children and grandchildren and point to the pictures of the funny looking "China Man" and "Eskimos" and barefoot men from Africa looking like monkeys and laugh and laugh and laugh. You will still be able to instill racism to the children on your laps because the books are not banned by anybody.
And I do see that your sense of white male victimhood is fully intact.
I will help pull down any Confederate statue though.
Those losers are not heroes in any legitimate sense.
They buried the Civil War dead in General Lee's yard for a reason.
@BufftonBeotch Sorry but you are an idiot with a victim culture addiction, you don't understand because you won't understand and that I am afraid makes you both, a waste of my time and an idiot.
Bye bye.
@LenHazell53 A flounce stomp off Piers Morgan would be proud of!
Do you think you're hurting anyone's feelings or that anyone cares that you are being offended?
@BufftonBeotch Which parts of Idiot and Bye Bye don't you understand? 
Let's not deny history - spread some statues of General Sherman all over the state of Georgia.
@LenHazell53 You thought I was going to OBEY you?
You think piddling your fingers over some keyboard letters means you FORBID me to speak?
I think your Internet tantrum means YOU stop speaking.
What are you, anyway?
@LenHazell53, @Beowulfsfriend And in earshot of scowling Southerners.
"Do you smell something burning? "
Nah. Sherman was pretty much an asshole. He abandoned slaves who were following the Union army by burning down a bridge once they were close to Savannah.
I have been on kayak trips and seen the exact spot it happened on the Ebenezer.
@BufftonBeotch Well since you assume you know what I am thinking, my answering your twaddle would seem to be superfluous, but your blather is amusing, go ahead read my mind again, tell me what I am contemplating, wise one 
I think talking about race so much, is racist. No matter which side of the political spectrum.
Mvtt
Level 7
Apr 3, 2021
1
It would be very convenient for some, if people just stopped talking about "Race."
Maybe I will stop, when people stop justifying the murder of black men and women in police custody, and the terrorizing and torture of black children as young as five.
Maybe I will stop when they stop saying there is no way to get water TO an Indian reservation but you can pipe toxic fuel THROUGH it.
Maybe I will stop when a racist scuzz of an ex-president is publicly called out and shamed for saying something like Kung Flu.
@BufftonBeotch
Correction It would be very convenient for some, if people just stopped talking about "Prejudice/ racism"
Race is a fact of life, that needs to be accepted by fools who cannot see beyond superficialities talking about it is no different to talking about culture, education is the only way to end fear and thus end hate.
Using it as an excuse for hate is abominable and ridiculous, you may as well hate because of hair colour or shoe size.
Making race a no no subject for conversation is equally stupid, it simply drives racism under ground where it can fester, rot, and poison the very ground it is buried in.
@LenHazell53 I'm still going to tell my daughter i want a Washington "Rednecks" shirt for Mother's Day.
My thought is that you may be a teensy bit preoccupied with a book the family itself pulled from the market.
Look up the hysteria the right wing media had about The Lorax being made into a movie.
Do that and get back to us.
How 'bout that?
Just a thought.
BufftonBeotch
Level 8
Apr 3, 2021
2
Read the statement again. I am not preoccupied with TTTISIOMT or Dr. Seuss. But I am preoccupied with systemic racism, white supremacist assumptions, and subconscious white fragility blindness that perpetuates racism in any form. Color me guilty.
I am familiar with the fact that the Seuss family eventually agreed to pull the book from the market. So what? Can you blame them? They have been under social pressure for over half a century. That makes the argument stronger, not weaker.
I am familiar with the Lorax movie media hysteria as you call it. How about that? So what? What does that have to do with the argument presented? Sounds like a red herring. How does one nullify the other? Are you of the opinion that the hysteria of the right-wing media somehow justifies the subconscious racist assumptions of Cancel Culture? Or vice versa? Are you of the opinion that two wrongs made a right?
BTW, I see no reason to be preoccupied with The Lorax movie, either. But you brought it up.
@Heraclitus What is TTTISIOMT? Google had nothing.
That must really be a pale acronym for the pale males believing they are suppressed.
Why would you want to think it is cute and funny to depict people who are not white in horrific ways?
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