The above article may be the most offensive article I have ever read.
"But the nostalgia and thrill of bonding over a book makes it all the more crushing when an offensive paragraph stops the young reader in their tracks.
It's an ugly surprise present in classics like "Little House on the Prairie," "Peter Pan" and several Dr. Seuss picture books...that mar some of the best-loved works in children's literature."
So the solution, according to CNN? Ban books. The American Library Association opposes banning books. CNN's retort?
"The fact is that library collections are dynamic, there's only so much shelf space, and over time collections will shift."
So CNN's angle is that you're not really banning books, but evolving library collections. When a book gets old, just toss it out.
"It's a chance to add new books to the canon."
Hmmm. I wonder what kind of books. New books like Rush Revere and the Brave Pilgrams? Oh certainly not. Of course CNN has some suggestions.
"Books to read on Indigenous People's Day, such as "I Am Not a Number;" picture books with Black protagonists, like "Don't Touch My Hair" and alternatives to "Harry Potter" that feature LGBTQ-friendly magic schools, like "Not Your Sidekick."
Let me, let you in on a little secret. I hated the Little House on the Prairie Books. But what I like and what you like are not the same. I defend a library's right to carry Little House on the Prairie's books because I understand the importance of Free Speech.
Now, here's the crux of the article.
"If a classic is still popular, librarian Kaitlin Frick wrote in a blog post for the Association for Library Service to Children, library staff should attach to it a guide for discussing racism for parents and young readers. She also suggests librarians encourage parents to check out anti-racist books or more inclusive titles along with a classic book."
CNN wants disclaimers and suggestions for better books? I don't think the general population realizes what a dangerous precedent a for-profit media company is trying to establish. What they did is softened the language to make it easier to ban books.
My last article about Sparky the Buffalo gave a nebulous, benign example of the erosion of free speech in America. This article about CNN gives a very concrete and malignant example of the erosion of free speech in America.
Sparky strongly disapproves of CNN. He personally recommends this book from Buffalo Heaven:
