WDYT... Should classic literature be censored?

Something has struck me as odd for a very long time. I'm not sure I have a handle on it even at this point.
The PC crowd wants to edit the use of a name in a book written over 100 years ago. I assume this is being done to prevent someone reading the book in it's original form from being offended by the use of that name.
Where do they get the idea that being offended is the worst thing in the world to happen to someone? Live life for longer than 5 minutes and someone will do/say/write something offensive about you. Do they think we are all so fragile that we can't handle (in whatever fashion we deem appropriate) the use of a derogatory name in a literary work of fiction that's 100 years old?
I'm sorry but I'm more offended at being thought of as helpless, hopeless and pathetic than I am of the "n" word.

 

@Marty

THAAAAAAAANNNNNK YOU!!! About time someone said it.

 

well where I work they had a program about that on Friday and all the kids said to leave it we are old enough to understand. Why change it. They also stated you can't keep everything from us all the time. I agree its part of growing up. I think they should leave the books alone. If they do that they are going to have to change tons and tons of books and they just wouldn't be the same.

 

Marty, I sure wish Amanda would set this place up with a LIKE button!!!

 

Just to give a hint at where this could take us: In Britain, the "Three Little Pigs" was pulled from school libraries because it could offend some people. 'Baa baa black sheep' is banned, Humpty Dumpty's demise is kept hidden so children don't get upset, and dwarfs can't be mentioned in the story of Snow White (I'm not making this up, folks!). When you start down this slippery slope, it's difficult to stop.

 

Oh for crying out loud!!!!

 

I don't like the word. And I don't use it...ever! We have a very multicultural family, and my kids have NO CLUE why someone else would think less of someone because of the color of their skin. I like it that way. BUT, they are 7 5 and 3. My 7 year old is old enough to start learning about it, although, because I know him, I know how hard it's going to be for him to understand. Not because he's not old enough to, but because the thought is so...wrong...and I have to admit, it's hard for me to understand.

That being said, I don't think the book should be changed. If you wish to not read that word in your class or to your kids, then change it. But, it's there...like it or not. Are we going to censor anything that may offend someone? Because if we are, I'd like to nominate the comments on CNN, MSNBC, and FOX. Because, whether I agree with their point of view or not, some of those comments are offensive! To BOTH sides of an issue! And what about the people (and there are many) who are offended by the Harry Potter series...are we going to censor that?

Sheesh!

 

Lovinhomeschool, I read Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry aloud to my kids. Phillip was about 5 or 6. And he commented that he thought the one white boy "liked" the black girl. And maybe they'd get married. I had to explain to him that no, this boy wasn't allowed to "like" the black girl in that way. They could actually both be killed for that. And that totally blew his mind away. We know several couples who are "mixed", some casual friends, some good friends. He doesn't think twice about it.

 

At some point in the future, not only will the n word be gone, but so will "don't say the n word". When people say "n" word, "n" will mean something completely different. For example, I remember reading Romeo and Juliet in high school. The teacher had to explain to us that "biting your thumb" back then was the same as "flipping someone off" today. We all thought it was funny. Offensive to the character who was being thumb-bitten TO, but not to readers who don't see things like that anymore. Someday, perhaps in 100 years, we'll read right over the n-word ORALLY and think nothing of it because the generation of "we's" I speak of will be so disconnected from racism that it will mean nothing to them until it's explained. It's still very much in our society today. Even my grandmother uses the n word with pride, says white boys aren't allowed to play basketball anymore, etc., etc. A few generations will have to pass, and by then, we'll all be offended by something else.

If there were only two people in the world, one would still offend the other. Book editors, get over it!

 

Remember the book by Ray Bradbury, Farenheit 451? That was how it started. They banned books that were offensive, until EVERY book was banned, because they ALL offended someone. And owning a book was illegal.

 

if we banned every book that offended everyone we wouldn't have any books on our self. I say we all are adults read what we want and go from there.
Why? Do we have to ban a book because one person, group or school got upset because of word or two. Just take it off your shelf and go find something else.

 

I don't think the original text is being banned. I would have a huge problem with that. They are just making an edited printing. There is a huge difference.