The Humpty Dumpty left uses “ban” to mean whatever they say it does
And that meaning is 100% determined by politics.
Used to be that just about everyone understood that little kids didn’t have free access in their school libraries to everything ever published. Nor was every book in the world on their “recommended reading” lists.
Duuuh.
The word “ban” was reserved for prohibitions on the publishing or distribution of a book even for adults in a certain country or state or city. And the sale of pornography to minors was prohibited just about everywhere in the US (and plenty of other countries). I seem to recall that, in my youth, kids under 18 couldn’t even purchase a Playboy magazine, although I certainly knew that didn’t stop them from locating one. Even now, I don’t think kids can enter an “adult” bookstore or a shop that sells erotica and purchase something.
Remember the quaint “Banned in Boston”? That didn’t mean “not available in grade school libraries” or “not recommended for younger students.”
Now, however, there are numerous claims by the left that that type of school rule or non-recommendation constitutes a “banning” by the right. And I’ve heard Democrat voters I know parrot this idea back as though these actions constitute a real banning, whereas if most of them knew what was actually involved they’d be in favor of it. But the left doesn’t want them to know that.
Here’s the latest incident of this type from the left.
I know the definition of “ban” is already somewhat flexible but surely there are better words to to describe a book being moved from one section of the school library to… another section of the same library pic.twitter.com/x3icdHKtA1
— Kat Rosenfield (@katrosenfield) May 24, 2023
The left pays particular attention to the use of language, as Orwell knew full well.
And why do I call them the “Humpty Dumpty left”? This is why:
`And only ONE for birthday presents, you know. There’s glory for you!’
`I don’t know what you mean by “glory,”‘ Alice said.
Humpty Dumpty smiled contemptuously. `Of course you don’t– till I tell you. I meant “there’s a nice knock-down argument for you!”‘
`But “glory” doesn’t mean “a nice knock-down argument,”‘ Alice objected.
`When I use a word,’ Humpty Dumpty said in rather a scornful tone, `it means just what I choose it to mean–neither more nor less.’
`The question is,’ said Alice, `whether you CAN make words mean so many different things.’
`The question is,’ said Humpty Dumpty, `which is to be master– that’s all.’
Huckleberry Finn back on the shelves?
I’ve been very disappointed with one of my favorite organizations, FIRE.
They’ve decided that Florida is “banning” books by keeping obviously pornographic books out of public school libraries. They’ve been roasted in the FB comments, as they should have been.
The ALA (American Library Association) has been working this schtick for decades with their “Banned Books Week.” It’s appallingly dishonest. They finally got a bit more honest by referring to “banned or challenged” books. But even that’s dishonest, because the majority of their cases are simply disagreements about whether this or that book belongs in the library.
I call it Librarians Hate It When You Question Their Judgment Week. That’s really all it is.
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland was published in 1865. Humpty Dumpty could be from a current news report.
A book is not “banned” if adults can still find it at the public library or at Barnes and Noble, or if it’s moved from the K-5 library to the middle school library.
I’m sure sick of going to my local library and always, always, always seeing only books pushing left/women/black/latinx/LGBTQ+ messages on the special display shelf.
The ALA has been left-wing for decades. Don’t expect honesty or respect for opposing opinions.
Trolls even show up in the comments section of the Fox News website claiming that DeSantis is ” banning books”. I explained to one the other day that this was about age appropriate books for children. Then I straight up called him a liar for pushing his non sense. I suppose he might not have known better. Perhaps I shouldn’t have called called him a liar. I loose patience with people I suspect are knowingly pushing a false narrative. Vinegar and honey and all of that. Some of them just don’t know. It is hard to tell if they really believe something or if they are knowingly pushing a false narrative.
I’m sure that those lefties bitching about banned books would never in a million years read them to THEIR kids or allow their kids to have access to them. This includes all those lefty librarians.
Recently Chelsea Clinton made disparaging comments about certain books being banned. It’s too bad she cannot be compelled to read these books to her kids or be forced to allow her kids to read them. Imagine what she would say about that.
OF course, the media is leading the charge by broadcasting the lie that legitimate books are being banned in schools. They can always be relied upon to disseminate any and all information – truthful or not – that is harmful to this nation .
I’m sure that those lefties bitching about banned books would never in a million years read them to THEIR kids or allow their kids to have access to them. This includes all those lefty librarians.
John Tyler:
Don’t be too sure! 🙂
Seriously.
I am afraid that all of this craziness is contagious. That is why I am trying to ignore it.
Unfortunately, that is about as easy as ignoring a boil on your rear end. Or in another vein, just because you ignore it doesn’t mean it won’t fester.
The good news is that I think DeSantis is the man to lance the boil. The bad news is that he has the Democrat machine and the “Only Trumpers” arrayed against him.
Whenever you use a word, I choose it to mean the opposite of what you do.
There are some people I know who seem to think I pay attention to events. When I explain what ” ban” means–what’s really going on–they seem to accept it. Perhaps they’re aware of lies like this and can accept that this ” ban” is another one.
If you apply the definition that not allocating funds or shelf space in either a library or bookstore is ‘banning’, the left has been proudly banning conservative books for decades.
To use a quote from a favorite movie, “That word you use? I don’t think it means what you think it means.”
Even top universities used to keep the salacious material in locked cages in the upper floors of the library. Rare and valuable materials are still under lock and key, but I wonder if they still keep the porn in there.
`The question is,’ said Humpty Dumpty, `which is to be master– that’s all.’
Clearly, Humpty Dumpty was a progressive. And today’s progressives like Humpty Dumpty are headed for a great fall.
A fall which will be brought about by their own actions. Most recently demonstrated in Australia. Whose lawmakers have just made it ILLEGAL to state that men who ‘identify’ as women are incapable of breastfeeding a baby. Just the latest example of the inmates running the asylum.
Progressivism rests upon premises that reject both objective reality and basic aspects of human nature. And that is a path to certain self-destruction.
No banning allowed? Then KJV, NKJV, CSB, NIV bibles must all be on the shelf.
Christopher B: “If you apply the definition that not allocating funds or shelf space in either a library or bookstore is ‘banning’, the left has been proudly banning conservative books for decades.”
Exactly. It really drives me mad that they get away with this dishonesty. Which I could say about a whole lot of things in Humpty-Dumpty World.
Richard Aubrey (7:57 am) said: “When I explain what ‘ban’ means–what’s really going on–they seem to accept it. Perhaps they’re aware of lies like this and can accept that this ‘ban’ is another one.”
At some level, they’re aware, but only at that level, On another level, they’re repeating what others are (ubiquitously) saying, because they figure that using that terminology is sufficient to communicate what they’re trying to communicate:
– not that, for example, DeSantis literally wants (only) to restrict availability of certain books to children, but
– but that DeSantis is a very very bad person, and my comrades-in-cultural-arms will oppose whatever DeSantis does, and I will use whatever language is efficacious to rouse ugly passions against DeSantis.
Rush Limbaugh used to occasionally intone that “words have meanings”. Not any more, Rushbo, if these cultural warriors have any say in things, not any more.
Solid thread topic, neo. From “banned books” to internet censorship, let me add to the noxious, Left censoring tide by adding…France!
CAUTION: huxley alert! French lover challenge coming.
I’m combining family history with book research and tourism in Europe.
And I’ve discovered something missing in US news: FRANCE CENSORS US Right-leaning NEWS SITES on the internet.
And neither Italy nor Germany does.
Examples: post-Drudge, I use newsammo.com for news aggregation that bypasses the State News Swamp.
Newsammo simply lists the story headlines of familiar You -side alt outlets, at least 20 some.
From France, on the internet, I can connect with American Greatness and Rightscoop. That’s it.
From France, I cannot access Breitbart or pjmedia or bizpacreview. Nor the Blaze, American Thinker, or OAN. I gave up trying more sites.
France censors the American Right.
France also apparently censors Global Warming hysteric dissent websites like wattsupwiththat, notrickzone, joannenova.com.au, and judithcurry.com.
The weird exception is Marc Morano’s climatedepot site — that’s reachable.
Yet neither Germany nor Italy does so — so it cannot be an EU thing.
There is the workaround: VPN accessing sites based in the US or Mexico or New Zealand — and thereafter to tge banned sites works.
Still, nothing directly from France.
If my observation is true, then we have a new and possibly better explanation for why a pro-capitalist Right has emerged in Italy and Germany, but France remains stubbornly dominated by Fascist big government socialist Right. LePen.
It also helps to explain why Hungary in early May has hosted CPAC, now an annual event. (Kari Lake of Arizona attended this event.)
Ironically, because of the Fall of Communism and the rise of the internet and cell phones, English has become the lingua franca for the European Union.
I don’t see that Humpty Dumpty subjective nominalism applies here, to French censorship. But perhaps I’m just wrong.
Maybe huxley’s devoted studies can Enlighten us further?
Merely a case of “Voltaire, who”?
The Left uses EVERY word to mean exactly what THEY want it to mean.
They constantly abuse a wide array of words — woman, equality, racism, sexism, ban, police brutality, fairness, right… the list goes on and on.
Tbanks Neo. Now Alice and all of Wonderland is gonna get the heave ho.