![]() Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird” became a classic the moment it was published in 1960 – a tale of racial injustice set in Depression-era Alabama told through the eyes of 6-year-old Scout. This winter it made it to Broadway, grossing more at the box office in its first full week than any other play in history. Last fall it was voted America’s best-loved book. Moral clarity and human decency are both needed for societies to move from strife toward healing. I’ll be encouraging them to follow the story closely and get a better grasp of the complex forces at work. “The defendant must be presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law,” said special counsel Jack Smith.Moreover, strong stands can sometimes descend into dehumanizing: What are “those people” thinking? Do Germans want to understand why many Americans continue to support Mr. Yet it’s important to remember this is a legal case, and it is by no means certain what the outcome will be. Mild rebukes are often the same as tacit acceptance. Any attempt to overthrow a legitimate democratic election should be addressed with clarity and conviction. The certainty of black and white fades into shades of gray.This can be good and bad. Problems that seem simple in other countries often feel much more complicated at home. I’ve noticed this from Germany to Afghanistan. It is always easier to be categorical about someone else’s country. Watergate and every other scandal pale in comparison.”That’s strong meat. Here are a few choice words from a commentary in today’s Frankfurter Allgemeine, arguably the country’s leading daily newspaper:“Anyone who hasn’t become jaded three years after the storming of the Capitol and hasn’t written off America as a beacon of democracy will have their blood run cold when reading this document-packed description of Trump’s election fraud attempts. ![]() The easy answer is they are fairly appalled. President Donald Trump?There is an easy answer and a somewhat more complicated one. (See last Thursday’s Daily for details.) In a Monitor meeting this morning came the obvious question: What do people in Germany think about the indictment of former U.S. When a Virginia school board banned Mockingbird in 1966 because of an “immoral” depiction of rape, Lee wrote a scathing letter to local media.As many of you know, I have arrived in Berlin and will be living in Germany for the next year. Lee, who died last year, zealously defended her novel’s values throughout her life. Most recently, both Mockingbird and Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finnwere removed from some Virginia classrooms last year due to concerns about language. In fact, according to the American Library Association, Lee’s novel was one of the 25 most frequently banned or challenged books in U.S. This isn’t the first time school districts have attempted to censor Mockingbird. The Biloxi school system should follow his example.” And that is because their father, Atticus, treats them maturely and guides them in the right direction. “In the book, the Finch children, Scout and Jem, grow when they confront evil. “Perhaps if we talked about race more there would be fewer people cavalierly tossing out hurtful, racist language,” the editorial read. As the The Washington Postput it, “The book is widely celebrated as a condemnation of the racist language it so often offends its readers with.” The word “nigger” is used multiple times in Mockingbird, but Lee frames it so that the reader knows it’s not a positive term. So it’s more than a little ironic that his story is being removed from the district syllabus. Atticus Finch, a lawyer who selflessly defends a black man in the face of mass criticism, is among the best examples of these characteristics in American literature. The story was allegedly removed from lesson plans because parents objected to Lee’s use of the word “nigger.” The racial slur was commonly heard in early 20th century Alabama (when Mockingbird is set), but the district apparently didn’t want modern children exposed to it.Īccording to the district website, however, Biloxi’s eighth grade English classes should include texts that focus on empathy, the Golden Rule and taking a stand. But Biloxi eighth graders will no longer learn Atticus Finch’s story in class. Mockingbird hasn’t been “ banned,” per se-it will still be available in school libraries.
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