1 00:00:03,560 --> 00:00:06,920 Speaker 1: On this episode of News World, I want to explore 2 00:00:07,800 --> 00:00:14,760 Speaker 1: the recent efforts to cancel Doctor SEUs and what it 3 00:00:14,880 --> 00:00:18,759 Speaker 1: tells us about how much more radical the Biden administration 4 00:00:18,840 --> 00:00:21,599 Speaker 1: is going to be than the Obama administration or the 5 00:00:21,640 --> 00:00:27,120 Speaker 1: Clinton administration. Listen just for a moment to Michelle Obama 6 00:00:27,200 --> 00:00:32,680 Speaker 1: and other leading Democrats as they read about Doctor SEUs. 7 00:00:33,000 --> 00:00:36,640 Speaker 1: Most of what you need to learn you can actually 8 00:00:37,120 --> 00:00:41,159 Speaker 1: just read Doctor SEUs. Hear this new wonderful book by 9 00:00:41,240 --> 00:00:45,960 Speaker 1: doctor SEUs. Yeah, I'm excited too. You know who saw 10 00:00:46,000 --> 00:00:48,600 Speaker 1: this book this morning before he got on a helicopter, 11 00:00:49,080 --> 00:00:53,440 Speaker 1: The President. He we love Doctor SEUs in our house. 12 00:00:53,680 --> 00:00:55,640 Speaker 1: How many people have heard of this book? The Green 13 00:00:55,680 --> 00:01:01,400 Speaker 1: Eggs in Him is one of the classics. It is 14 00:01:01,440 --> 00:01:05,399 Speaker 1: a great book. What's fascinating about all this is that Monday, 15 00:01:05,480 --> 00:01:09,440 Speaker 1: March first marked the beginning of National Reading Months, with 16 00:01:09,560 --> 00:01:14,360 Speaker 1: celebration's plan for National Read Across America Day on Tuesday, 17 00:01:14,440 --> 00:01:19,679 Speaker 1: March second, March second. He is also Theodore Suss Geistles 18 00:01:19,800 --> 00:01:30,920 Speaker 1: or Doctor Seuss one hundred and seventeenth birthday. Born in 19 00:01:31,160 --> 00:01:34,959 Speaker 1: nineteen o four. The beloved children's author wrote sixty books 20 00:01:35,360 --> 00:01:38,680 Speaker 1: during the course of his lifetime. Most Americans grew up 21 00:01:38,680 --> 00:01:42,240 Speaker 1: reading Doctor Seuss for sharing his colorful books full of 22 00:01:42,280 --> 00:01:47,000 Speaker 1: whimsical rhymes and unusual creatures with their children or grandchildren. 23 00:01:47,520 --> 00:01:51,360 Speaker 1: In honor of doctor Seus's birthday, the National Education Association 24 00:01:51,760 --> 00:01:56,920 Speaker 1: created National Read Across America in nineteen ninety eight. However, 25 00:01:57,520 --> 00:02:01,200 Speaker 1: this year, the NAA has decided to no longer focus 26 00:02:01,480 --> 00:02:04,600 Speaker 1: on doctor Seus's books, but rather focus on what they 27 00:02:04,680 --> 00:02:09,840 Speaker 1: describe as diverse children's books. In March first, the White 28 00:02:09,840 --> 00:02:13,959 Speaker 1: House published a quote proclamation on Read Across America Day 29 00:02:14,200 --> 00:02:19,880 Speaker 1: twenty twenty one, in which President Biden never mentions Doctor SEUs, 30 00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:25,200 Speaker 1: unlike his predecessors. This decision shows how radical the people 31 00:02:25,200 --> 00:02:28,560 Speaker 1: who advise Biden are. For the first time, you were 32 00:02:28,680 --> 00:02:33,960 Speaker 1: president mentioning Read Across America Day, which involves Doctor Seus's birthday, 33 00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:38,400 Speaker 1: but not mentioning maybe the most famous children's author in 34 00:02:38,480 --> 00:02:43,520 Speaker 1: our time. I was fascinated by this change because it 35 00:02:43,680 --> 00:02:47,079 Speaker 1: clearly had to be deliberate. Every president up to now 36 00:02:47,520 --> 00:02:51,320 Speaker 1: had mentioned Doctor susan in fact, he'd been integral to 37 00:02:51,440 --> 00:02:56,160 Speaker 1: the whole concept of Reading across America. So you have 38 00:02:56,200 --> 00:03:01,200 Speaker 1: to ask yourself why would Biden not mention and I 39 00:03:01,240 --> 00:03:05,920 Speaker 1: think it's a hint at how deeply profoundly woke the 40 00:03:06,040 --> 00:03:10,880 Speaker 1: Biden team is that under the land pleasant, stay in 41 00:03:10,880 --> 00:03:15,600 Speaker 1: the basement, I'm a nice guy, there's actually a deliberate, 42 00:03:16,200 --> 00:03:21,800 Speaker 1: methodical commitment to very very left wing, very cancel culture 43 00:03:22,160 --> 00:03:25,920 Speaker 1: kind of attitudes, and the assumption on the left is 44 00:03:25,960 --> 00:03:32,320 Speaker 1: that doctor SEUs, by definition, having written for generations before today, 45 00:03:32,960 --> 00:03:38,400 Speaker 1: can't possibly be acceptable. Our story begins in nineteen ninety 46 00:03:38,400 --> 00:03:42,840 Speaker 1: eight when the National Education Association the NAA, the largest 47 00:03:42,840 --> 00:03:47,320 Speaker 1: teachers union, established National Read Across America Day, when doctor 48 00:03:47,400 --> 00:03:51,280 Speaker 1: Seus's ninety fourth birthday. He passed away in nineteen ninety one, 49 00:03:51,600 --> 00:03:53,920 Speaker 1: so he did not live long enough to receive the honor, 50 00:03:54,480 --> 00:03:58,080 Speaker 1: but nonetheless it was clearly an honor. According to the 51 00:03:58,080 --> 00:04:02,240 Speaker 1: School Library Journal in twenty seventeen, any A spokesperson Stephen 52 00:04:02,280 --> 00:04:06,280 Speaker 1: Grant said, quote, one of the reasons we partnered with 53 00:04:06,320 --> 00:04:09,840 Speaker 1: suits twenty years ago in nineteen ninety seven was to 54 00:04:09,920 --> 00:04:13,720 Speaker 1: kick start this program. That was the strategy upfront, so 55 00:04:13,840 --> 00:04:16,839 Speaker 1: kids would see doctor Seus's cat in the hat and 56 00:04:17,040 --> 00:04:21,880 Speaker 1: sparks some attention. According to Newsweek, quote at the time, 57 00:04:21,920 --> 00:04:25,760 Speaker 1: Bob Chase, then any A president, said we are calling 58 00:04:25,800 --> 00:04:28,680 Speaker 1: for every child in every school in every community to 59 00:04:28,760 --> 00:04:30,560 Speaker 1: be in the company of a book on Read Across 60 00:04:30,640 --> 00:04:35,559 Speaker 1: America Day in celebration of Doctor Seus's birthday. So now 61 00:04:35,839 --> 00:04:39,320 Speaker 1: we're talking about just a few years ago the program, 62 00:04:39,640 --> 00:04:44,360 Speaker 1: Bob Chase added, quote, provides an excellent opportunity to work 63 00:04:44,360 --> 00:04:46,919 Speaker 1: with parents and others in our communities to make a 64 00:04:46,960 --> 00:04:50,560 Speaker 1: difference in the lives of our students. Chase also said, quote, 65 00:04:50,880 --> 00:04:54,880 Speaker 1: people of all ages love Doctor susan he epitomizes a 66 00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:58,920 Speaker 1: love of children and learning. Read Across America Day is 67 00:04:58,920 --> 00:05:02,880 Speaker 1: truly one the largest celebrations of literacy this country has. 68 00:05:03,680 --> 00:05:09,240 Speaker 1: Doctor SEUs would be proud. However, in recent years, the 69 00:05:09,360 --> 00:05:13,960 Speaker 1: NIA has distanced itself from promoting Doctor SEUs exclusively to 70 00:05:14,120 --> 00:05:17,919 Speaker 1: encourage children to read a diverse range of books. A 71 00:05:18,040 --> 00:05:21,600 Speaker 1: statement on the NA website explains why Read Across America 72 00:05:21,680 --> 00:05:24,640 Speaker 1: Day is no longer tied solely to the cat and 73 00:05:24,680 --> 00:05:28,280 Speaker 1: the Hat author quote, there's a growing need for schools 74 00:05:28,320 --> 00:05:32,640 Speaker 1: and libraries to include and promote diverse books. Students need 75 00:05:32,680 --> 00:05:35,520 Speaker 1: books that provide both windows and mirrors. If we are 76 00:05:35,560 --> 00:05:39,119 Speaker 1: going to create more readers, writers, and people who feel 77 00:05:39,120 --> 00:05:42,919 Speaker 1: included and recognized. You know, understand that the world is 78 00:05:42,960 --> 00:05:47,760 Speaker 1: far richer than just their experiences alone. The NIA recognizes 79 00:05:47,800 --> 00:05:50,359 Speaker 1: the need to work with a more diverse array of 80 00:05:50,440 --> 00:05:54,320 Speaker 1: organizations and publishers to fulfill this need, and the Read 81 00:05:54,360 --> 00:05:57,479 Speaker 1: across America brand is now one that is independent of 82 00:05:57,520 --> 00:06:01,360 Speaker 1: any one particular book, publisher or character. Close quote. So 83 00:06:01,360 --> 00:06:03,880 Speaker 1: in the sense you could have said they'd used doctor 84 00:06:03,960 --> 00:06:06,760 Speaker 1: Sus to their advantage, they no longer needed him and 85 00:06:06,839 --> 00:06:10,840 Speaker 1: it was time to dumping. I think, in fact, that 86 00:06:11,440 --> 00:06:14,240 Speaker 1: we need to look at this whole question of who 87 00:06:14,279 --> 00:06:18,200 Speaker 1: doctor SEUs was and why he now is being targeted, 88 00:06:18,839 --> 00:06:22,120 Speaker 1: because the underlying reality is that there are lots and 89 00:06:22,200 --> 00:06:29,080 Speaker 1: lots of good books. But historically what makes President Biden's 90 00:06:29,120 --> 00:06:33,839 Speaker 1: proclamation fascinating is that apparently doctor SEUs wasn't radical enough 91 00:06:34,240 --> 00:06:38,159 Speaker 1: for Joe Biden. Former presidents such as Obama and Trump 92 00:06:38,920 --> 00:06:43,440 Speaker 1: mentioned doctor SEUs in their presidential proclamation for Read across 93 00:06:43,480 --> 00:06:47,560 Speaker 1: America Day. President Trump mentioned doctor SEUs and each of 94 00:06:47,560 --> 00:06:51,960 Speaker 1: his Read across America's Day's presidential messages. In twenty nineteen, 95 00:06:52,360 --> 00:06:55,360 Speaker 1: Trump said, in the timeless words of doctor SEUs, the 96 00:06:55,440 --> 00:06:58,080 Speaker 1: more that you read, the more things you will know, 97 00:06:58,600 --> 00:07:01,279 Speaker 1: The more that you learn, the more places you'll go. 98 00:07:01,880 --> 00:07:03,839 Speaker 1: These truths should be a reminder of the duty we 99 00:07:03,920 --> 00:07:06,400 Speaker 1: all share to insider a love of reading and future 100 00:07:06,440 --> 00:07:11,240 Speaker 1: generations coming. President Obama mentioned Doctor SEUs in each of 101 00:07:11,320 --> 00:07:15,280 Speaker 1: his proclamations for Read Across America Day. In twenty eleven, 102 00:07:15,280 --> 00:07:19,360 Speaker 1: Obama said, quote, Read Across America Day marks the birthday 103 00:07:19,440 --> 00:07:22,680 Speaker 1: of Theodore Sus Kisel, better known to the world as 104 00:07:22,680 --> 00:07:27,880 Speaker 1: Doctor Sus. Through amusing wordplay and engaging tales, his stories 105 00:07:27,880 --> 00:07:32,080 Speaker 1: have helped generations of young Americans enjoy reading and sharpened 106 00:07:32,120 --> 00:07:36,840 Speaker 1: basic reading skills, vital tools for their future success. In 107 00:07:36,880 --> 00:07:40,720 Speaker 1: twenty fourteen, President Obama said, quote, this day is also 108 00:07:40,760 --> 00:07:43,960 Speaker 1: a time to honor the legacy of Theodore Sus Kistl, 109 00:07:44,360 --> 00:07:48,400 Speaker 1: known to us as Doctor Sus. Countless Americans can recall 110 00:07:48,480 --> 00:07:51,280 Speaker 1: his books as their first step into the lands of 111 00:07:51,360 --> 00:07:56,200 Speaker 1: letters and word play. With creatures, contraptions, and vibrant characters, 112 00:07:56,240 --> 00:07:59,800 Speaker 1: they have led generations of happy travelers through voyages of 113 00:07:59,840 --> 00:08:04,040 Speaker 1: the imagination. Yet his sales also challenge dictators and discrimination. 114 00:08:04,560 --> 00:08:07,680 Speaker 1: They call us to open our minds, to take responsibility 115 00:08:07,720 --> 00:08:11,120 Speaker 1: for ourselves and our planet, and they remind us that 116 00:08:11,200 --> 00:08:14,520 Speaker 1: the value of our possessions pales in comparison to that 117 00:08:14,840 --> 00:08:18,440 Speaker 1: of the ties we share with family, friends, and community. 118 00:08:18,560 --> 00:08:23,600 Speaker 1: Close quote. Now, by contrast, President Biden said, quote, the 119 00:08:23,720 --> 00:08:26,960 Speaker 1: key to developing young learners and get to engage to 120 00:08:27,040 --> 00:08:30,080 Speaker 1: act even with these thinkers, is instilling in them a 121 00:08:30,160 --> 00:08:32,720 Speaker 1: love of reading at an early age. Reading is the 122 00:08:32,760 --> 00:08:36,319 Speaker 1: gateway to countless skills and possibilities. It sets children in 123 00:08:36,360 --> 00:08:41,360 Speaker 1: the path to a lifetime of discovery. But the first time, 124 00:08:41,800 --> 00:08:45,000 Speaker 1: he made no mention of doctor Sus, raising the question 125 00:08:45,640 --> 00:08:48,200 Speaker 1: just how far to the left do you have to 126 00:08:48,280 --> 00:08:52,679 Speaker 1: be to be acceptable to the modern Democratic Party? Don't 127 00:08:52,720 --> 00:08:55,880 Speaker 1: just trust my statement. Here are some other political leaders 128 00:08:55,880 --> 00:09:00,880 Speaker 1: and public figures. Here's First Lady Barbara Bush reading green 129 00:09:00,920 --> 00:09:04,160 Speaker 1: Eggs in Ham to a classroom at Walnut Bend Elementary 130 00:09:04,160 --> 00:09:08,679 Speaker 1: School in Houston as part of the Barbara Bush Literacy Foundation. Sam, 131 00:09:08,800 --> 00:09:14,079 Speaker 1: if you were at maybe and the Green Eggs in Ham, Oh. 132 00:09:14,840 --> 00:09:19,560 Speaker 1: Here is President Obama reading green Eggs in Ham at 133 00:09:19,559 --> 00:09:23,320 Speaker 1: the two ten White House Easter egg roll on April fifth. 134 00:09:23,720 --> 00:09:25,720 Speaker 1: I would not like them here or there, I would 135 00:09:25,760 --> 00:09:29,520 Speaker 1: not like them anywhere. I do not like green eggs 136 00:09:29,559 --> 00:09:33,440 Speaker 1: and Ham. I do not like them. Sam. I am 137 00:09:33,520 --> 00:09:38,120 Speaker 1: here's Michelle Obum in twenty fifteen reading Oh the things 138 00:09:38,160 --> 00:09:40,280 Speaker 1: you can do that are good for you at a 139 00:09:40,440 --> 00:09:44,520 Speaker 1: Let's Move initiative at the White House. I'm the cat 140 00:09:44,679 --> 00:09:48,040 Speaker 1: in the hat, and today is the day, so jump in, 141 00:09:48,240 --> 00:09:52,040 Speaker 1: buckle up. We must leave right away for the Feeling 142 00:09:52,160 --> 00:09:55,920 Speaker 1: Great Center in far off the Dow. It's a place, 143 00:09:56,040 --> 00:10:01,600 Speaker 1: part museum, part circus, part zoo. Here's President Obama again 144 00:10:02,120 --> 00:10:06,679 Speaker 1: during two thousand and fifteen question answer with White House interns, 145 00:10:07,120 --> 00:10:15,880 Speaker 1: praising doctor SEUs pretty much all all. I mean, it's 146 00:10:15,920 --> 00:10:29,840 Speaker 1: like the star. We're all treats them later just because 147 00:10:29,960 --> 00:10:35,839 Speaker 1: the star. Here is President Obama again twenty eighteen and 148 00:10:35,960 --> 00:10:39,120 Speaker 1: an event saying everything you can learn from Doctor SEUs, 149 00:10:39,679 --> 00:10:43,280 Speaker 1: most of what you need to learn, you can actually 150 00:10:43,760 --> 00:10:48,320 Speaker 1: just read Doctor SEUs, right, because you know, there's the 151 00:10:48,360 --> 00:10:53,440 Speaker 1: story the sneezes and like people, the sneeches have the 152 00:10:53,440 --> 00:10:55,480 Speaker 1: ones with stars think that they're better than the ones 153 00:10:55,520 --> 00:10:57,760 Speaker 1: who don't have stars, and they got an attitude. And 154 00:10:57,800 --> 00:11:02,320 Speaker 1: then you know there's the Ax who's trying to tell 155 00:11:02,400 --> 00:11:06,440 Speaker 1: people don't cut down the trees. Then the fish are 156 00:11:06,440 --> 00:11:10,520 Speaker 1: gonna die, right, I mean, it's all pretty much there. 157 00:11:11,280 --> 00:11:14,800 Speaker 1: Here's Milannia Trump reading all the places You'll go to 158 00:11:15,000 --> 00:11:19,000 Speaker 1: children in New York Children's Hospital in twenty seventeen for 159 00:11:19,160 --> 00:11:23,600 Speaker 1: Doctor Sus Day, all the places you will go. Congratulations, 160 00:11:24,720 --> 00:11:29,920 Speaker 1: Today is your day. You're off to great places. You're 161 00:11:30,040 --> 00:11:35,440 Speaker 1: off and away. You have brains in your head, you 162 00:11:35,520 --> 00:11:41,000 Speaker 1: have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any 163 00:11:41,040 --> 00:11:48,240 Speaker 1: directions you choose. Now, suddenly, after several generations of people 164 00:11:48,960 --> 00:11:54,600 Speaker 1: enjoy doctor SEUs, after president after president praise doctresses, suddenly 165 00:11:55,080 --> 00:12:12,160 Speaker 1: there are allegations of racism. There are number of books 166 00:12:12,160 --> 00:12:16,400 Speaker 1: which have accused doctor Suits of racism. One was The 167 00:12:16,480 --> 00:12:19,680 Speaker 1: Cat in the Hat Black The Hidden Racism of Children's 168 00:12:19,679 --> 00:12:23,120 Speaker 1: Literature and the Need for Diverse Books by Philip Nol. 169 00:12:23,720 --> 00:12:27,400 Speaker 1: The description is that the book fearlessly examines topics both 170 00:12:27,559 --> 00:12:30,200 Speaker 1: vivid such as the Cat in the Hat's roots and 171 00:12:30,320 --> 00:12:34,040 Speaker 1: black face minstry, and more opaque, like how the children's 172 00:12:34,080 --> 00:12:39,600 Speaker 1: book industry can perpetuate structural racism vio whitewashed covers even 173 00:12:39,640 --> 00:12:42,840 Speaker 1: while making efforts to increase diversity. So once you have 174 00:12:42,920 --> 00:12:46,600 Speaker 1: here is a left wing intellectual arguing that the Cat 175 00:12:46,720 --> 00:12:51,720 Speaker 1: and the Hat somehow relates to black faced minstrels, something 176 00:12:51,720 --> 00:12:55,280 Speaker 1: which I suspect no one who read Cat in the 177 00:12:55,320 --> 00:12:58,280 Speaker 1: Hat had ever thought about. Just to start the notion 178 00:12:58,640 --> 00:13:02,800 Speaker 1: that if you are a woke left wing intellectual, everything 179 00:13:02,880 --> 00:13:07,360 Speaker 1: is racist, everything is wrong. The real game changer may 180 00:13:07,360 --> 00:13:10,520 Speaker 1: have been a study in twenty nineteen entitled The Cat 181 00:13:10,640 --> 00:13:15,080 Speaker 1: Is Out of the Bag Orientalism, Anti Blackness and White 182 00:13:15,160 --> 00:13:19,439 Speaker 1: Supremacy and Doctor Seuss's Children's Books. The study was written 183 00:13:19,600 --> 00:13:24,400 Speaker 1: by Katie Ishizuka and Ramon Stevens, co directors of The 184 00:13:24,480 --> 00:13:28,680 Speaker 1: Conscious Kid, which is dedicated to equity and promoting healthy 185 00:13:28,760 --> 00:13:34,160 Speaker 1: racial identity development youth. We support organizations, families and educators 186 00:13:34,400 --> 00:13:38,880 Speaker 1: and taking action to disrupt racism and young children. Stevens 187 00:13:38,960 --> 00:13:42,160 Speaker 1: is also from the University of California in San Diego. 188 00:13:42,760 --> 00:13:46,160 Speaker 1: The study was published in the February twenty nineteen edition 189 00:13:46,520 --> 00:13:49,800 Speaker 1: of Research on Diversity and Youth Literature, which is a 190 00:13:49,920 --> 00:13:55,120 Speaker 1: quote peer reviewed online open access journal hosted by Saint 191 00:13:55,200 --> 00:13:59,440 Speaker 1: Catherine's University's Master of Library and Information Science Program and 192 00:13:59,600 --> 00:14:03,360 Speaker 1: Universe Library. Let me just point out as a fellow 193 00:14:03,360 --> 00:14:09,000 Speaker 1: academic that peer reviewed is a very strange term depending 194 00:14:09,000 --> 00:14:11,480 Speaker 1: on who the peers are. If the peers are all 195 00:14:11,600 --> 00:14:15,080 Speaker 1: woke left wingers, then the review is going to represent 196 00:14:15,280 --> 00:14:20,640 Speaker 1: their values. So twenty nineteen study found that the vast 197 00:14:20,680 --> 00:14:24,160 Speaker 1: majority of Doctor Seus's human characters are white, and those 198 00:14:24,200 --> 00:14:27,840 Speaker 1: who aren't are depicted with racist undertones. The study found 199 00:14:27,880 --> 00:14:32,000 Speaker 1: the quote in the fifty Doctor Seus's children's books, two thousand, 200 00:14:32,080 --> 00:14:35,320 Speaker 1: two hundred and forty human characters are identified. Of the 201 00:14:35,360 --> 00:14:38,720 Speaker 1: two thousand, two hundred and forty characters, there are forty 202 00:14:38,720 --> 00:14:42,400 Speaker 1: five characters of color, representing two percent of the total 203 00:14:42,480 --> 00:14:46,160 Speaker 1: number of human characters close quote. In fact, the researchers 204 00:14:46,200 --> 00:14:50,120 Speaker 1: page through fifty Doctor SEUs books and found that forty 205 00:14:50,160 --> 00:14:53,200 Speaker 1: three out of forty five characters of color had quote 206 00:14:53,480 --> 00:14:58,120 Speaker 1: characteristics aligning with the definition of orientalism close quote. What's more, 207 00:14:58,440 --> 00:15:02,080 Speaker 1: the two African characters drawn in these books displayed anti 208 00:15:02,120 --> 00:15:07,880 Speaker 1: black characteristics, often with men of color presented in subservient, exotified, 209 00:15:08,160 --> 00:15:12,200 Speaker 1: or dehumanized roles, according to the report. Now, before I 210 00:15:12,280 --> 00:15:15,680 Speaker 1: go on with their further condemnation of Doctor Says, let 211 00:15:15,760 --> 00:15:18,640 Speaker 1: me just point out that all of Edgar Rice Burrough's 212 00:15:18,720 --> 00:15:22,720 Speaker 1: writing Cars and the Mars series, all of it could 213 00:15:22,720 --> 00:15:25,400 Speaker 1: be attacked along the same lines because he wrote in 214 00:15:25,440 --> 00:15:29,400 Speaker 1: a different era at a different time. Huckleberry Finn has 215 00:15:29,440 --> 00:15:32,640 Speaker 1: been banned from school libraries, even though it is considered 216 00:15:32,680 --> 00:15:36,040 Speaker 1: by many the greatest single novel ever written in the 217 00:15:36,080 --> 00:15:39,200 Speaker 1: American system. If you have somebody who starts out in 218 00:15:39,200 --> 00:15:42,520 Speaker 1: the morning thinking that everything is racist and all their 219 00:15:42,600 --> 00:15:46,360 Speaker 1: job is is to find what's racist, it's amazing what 220 00:15:46,400 --> 00:15:49,120 Speaker 1: they're going to find. And if they also insist on 221 00:15:49,720 --> 00:15:53,600 Speaker 1: being a historic and ignoring the realities of the world 222 00:15:53,680 --> 00:15:56,400 Speaker 1: that they're writing about, then they will always be able 223 00:15:56,440 --> 00:16:00,240 Speaker 1: to find something to condemn this study. For example, did 224 00:16:00,240 --> 00:16:04,360 Speaker 1: the Doctor Seuss racist political cartoons before and after his 225 00:16:04,440 --> 00:16:08,760 Speaker 1: children's books publishing career, stating that he quote published hundreds 226 00:16:08,800 --> 00:16:13,960 Speaker 1: of racist political cartoons, comics, and advertisements for newspapers, magazines, 227 00:16:14,280 --> 00:16:17,280 Speaker 1: companies in the United States government. In fact, in the 228 00:16:17,320 --> 00:16:20,840 Speaker 1: nineteen twenties, Doctor SEUs published anti block and anti submitted 229 00:16:20,920 --> 00:16:25,240 Speaker 1: cartoons in Darknous Humor magazine, The jack O Lantern. He 230 00:16:25,360 --> 00:16:29,480 Speaker 1: depicted a Jewish couple captured the Cohens with oversized noses 231 00:16:29,720 --> 00:16:33,400 Speaker 1: and Jewish merchants on a football field, with quote quarterback 232 00:16:33,520 --> 00:16:37,480 Speaker 1: Mosenblum refusing to relinquish the ball into a bargain price 233 00:16:37,520 --> 00:16:40,600 Speaker 1: has been established for the goods being sold. In the 234 00:16:40,640 --> 00:16:44,000 Speaker 1: same issue of Jack O' Lantern, Sue Strove black mail 235 00:16:44,080 --> 00:16:49,320 Speaker 1: boxers as guerrillas. His cartoons, advertisements, and writings often exhibited 236 00:16:49,360 --> 00:16:53,840 Speaker 1: explicit anti black racism. He consistently portrayed Africans and African 237 00:16:53,880 --> 00:16:58,480 Speaker 1: Americans as monkeys and cannibals, often holding spears, surrounded by 238 00:16:58,520 --> 00:17:04,000 Speaker 1: flies and wearing graps skirts. But in two seventeen, a 239 00:17:04,080 --> 00:17:09,120 Speaker 1: SIUs Museum in Springfield, Massachusetts replacing a mural from Quote 240 00:17:09,240 --> 00:17:11,320 Speaker 1: and to Think that I saw it on Marlbury Street 241 00:17:11,840 --> 00:17:14,960 Speaker 1: featuring a Chinese character running while carrying a bowl of 242 00:17:15,040 --> 00:17:17,880 Speaker 1: rice and chopsticks, dressed in a silk robe after two 243 00:17:17,920 --> 00:17:21,440 Speaker 1: authors threatened to boycott events there because of the jarring 244 00:17:21,640 --> 00:17:26,920 Speaker 1: racial stereotype. Since the twenty seventeen reading across Americans started 245 00:17:26,920 --> 00:17:30,240 Speaker 1: to shift away from Doctor Sis, saying quote, it's not 246 00:17:30,320 --> 00:17:33,399 Speaker 1: about reading or not reading certain books. It's about raising 247 00:17:33,440 --> 00:17:38,400 Speaker 1: awareness around the social and systemic bias that such books promote. 248 00:17:38,920 --> 00:17:42,520 Speaker 1: Doctor SEUs and whiteness is a reflection of the overwhelming 249 00:17:42,600 --> 00:17:47,080 Speaker 1: silence and literacy regarding matters of race, especially with both 250 00:17:47,119 --> 00:17:51,040 Speaker 1: young people and white people close quote. Until twenty eighteen, 251 00:17:51,440 --> 00:17:55,760 Speaker 1: when its contract ended the National Education Association and partnered 252 00:17:55,760 --> 00:17:59,199 Speaker 1: with Doctor Sus Enterprises. One of the reasons we partnered 253 00:17:59,240 --> 00:18:02,639 Speaker 1: with Sus twenty years ago in nineteen ninety seven was 254 00:18:02,680 --> 00:18:06,120 Speaker 1: to kick start this program. ANIA spokesman Stephen Grant told 255 00:18:06,160 --> 00:18:10,760 Speaker 1: the School Library Journal in twenty seventeen. Quote that was 256 00:18:10,800 --> 00:18:13,880 Speaker 1: the strategy up front, so kids would see doctor Seus's 257 00:18:13,920 --> 00:18:16,960 Speaker 1: cat and the hat and spark some attention. Close quote. 258 00:18:17,440 --> 00:18:21,520 Speaker 1: So even the NAA is admitting the Doctor SEUs was 259 00:18:21,560 --> 00:18:26,560 Speaker 1: so popular and his books were so dynamic that he 260 00:18:26,680 --> 00:18:31,800 Speaker 1: was a tremendous advocate for reading, maybe the most successful 261 00:18:32,400 --> 00:18:34,960 Speaker 1: advocate if you look at total sales and you think 262 00:18:34,960 --> 00:18:39,600 Speaker 1: about how many parents and how many grandparents read from it. Now, 263 00:18:39,920 --> 00:18:43,600 Speaker 1: the current fights focusing in on six of his books 264 00:18:44,240 --> 00:18:47,199 Speaker 1: which are being shelves started March second for quote for 265 00:18:47,320 --> 00:18:50,920 Speaker 1: racist images including quote and to think that I saw 266 00:18:50,960 --> 00:18:55,680 Speaker 1: it at Marlbury Stream if I ran the zoo, Mcgelagat's 267 00:18:55,720 --> 00:19:01,159 Speaker 1: pool on beyond Zebra, scrambled Egg super and the Cat's quistion. 268 00:19:02,119 --> 00:19:06,080 Speaker 1: Doctor Sus Enterprises explained in his statement that after working 269 00:19:06,160 --> 00:19:09,640 Speaker 1: with a panel of experts, which included educators, it decided 270 00:19:09,640 --> 00:19:13,840 Speaker 1: to cease licensing and publishing those particular titles, saying these 271 00:19:13,840 --> 00:19:16,840 Speaker 1: books portray people in ways that are hurtful and wrong. 272 00:19:17,160 --> 00:19:18,760 Speaker 1: And by the way, a side effect of that has 273 00:19:18,800 --> 00:19:21,879 Speaker 1: been that on eBay, the price of these books has 274 00:19:21,880 --> 00:19:24,960 Speaker 1: gone up. One of them sells for seven hundred dollars 275 00:19:25,000 --> 00:19:28,920 Speaker 1: on eBay because people realize they're being canceled, that there's 276 00:19:28,960 --> 00:19:32,520 Speaker 1: an effort here to eliminate them from American life. The 277 00:19:32,640 --> 00:19:36,200 Speaker 1: Loudon County, Virginia School District will no longer celebrate Doctor 278 00:19:36,240 --> 00:19:40,639 Speaker 1: SEUs during Read Across America Day, citing quote strong racial 279 00:19:40,720 --> 00:19:44,560 Speaker 1: undertones in some of his books and illustrations. Now remember 280 00:19:44,920 --> 00:19:46,960 Speaker 1: this is a guy who had written an amazing number 281 00:19:46,960 --> 00:19:50,320 Speaker 1: of books. They were almost all bestsellers. They were among 282 00:19:50,359 --> 00:19:53,400 Speaker 1: the most common books, probably the most common books read 283 00:19:53,440 --> 00:19:58,760 Speaker 1: to children for three generations. But now suddenly they're unacceptable. 284 00:19:59,400 --> 00:20:01,560 Speaker 1: The fact is Doctor SEUs is being caught up in 285 00:20:01,560 --> 00:20:07,160 Speaker 1: the cancel culture, in which self appointed moral police run 286 00:20:07,200 --> 00:20:11,520 Speaker 1: around trying to decide what to destroy, which statues to destroy, 287 00:20:11,600 --> 00:20:16,199 Speaker 1: which schools to rename, which books to burn, and the 288 00:20:16,280 --> 00:20:22,040 Speaker 1: resemblance to maoist China, Nazi Germany, stylinist Russia gets more 289 00:20:22,080 --> 00:20:24,919 Speaker 1: and more weird. And this is a perfect example to 290 00:20:24,920 --> 00:20:27,520 Speaker 1: stop and have a debate the fact. As doctor SEUs 291 00:20:27,600 --> 00:20:32,399 Speaker 1: was born on March nineteen oh four, he lived in 292 00:20:32,400 --> 00:20:36,679 Speaker 1: a different world. There were different standards, people did different things. 293 00:20:37,600 --> 00:20:41,240 Speaker 1: He wrote the book The Cat and the Hat because 294 00:20:41,240 --> 00:20:45,280 Speaker 1: he was concerned about children learning to read. His publisher 295 00:20:45,359 --> 00:20:48,440 Speaker 1: challenged him to write a story that first graders can't 296 00:20:48,480 --> 00:20:52,280 Speaker 1: put down, and he rose the challenge and he did it. 297 00:21:07,680 --> 00:21:11,520 Speaker 1: He wrote his first children's book in nineteen thirty seven, 298 00:21:12,040 --> 00:21:14,200 Speaker 1: and to think that I saw it in Mulberry Street 299 00:21:14,640 --> 00:21:17,600 Speaker 1: wrote his last book, Oh the Places You'll Go in 300 00:21:17,720 --> 00:21:22,600 Speaker 1: nineteen ninety one, year before his death. Doctor SEUs began 301 00:21:22,640 --> 00:21:26,679 Speaker 1: to be very successful and as publisher bet him he 302 00:21:26,760 --> 00:21:30,680 Speaker 1: couldn't write a book with only fifty words, Doctor Sus 303 00:21:30,760 --> 00:21:34,240 Speaker 1: used exactly fifty words in his book Green Eggs in Hand. 304 00:21:34,760 --> 00:21:37,960 Speaker 1: By nineteen eighty four, he won the Pulitzer Prize for 305 00:21:38,119 --> 00:21:42,760 Speaker 1: quote his contribution to the education and enjoyment of America's 306 00:21:42,840 --> 00:21:46,800 Speaker 1: children and their parents. Now here's lons you think about. 307 00:21:47,960 --> 00:21:53,879 Speaker 1: Here's a man who desperately cared about children, who wrote 308 00:21:53,960 --> 00:22:00,400 Speaker 1: specifically to have children get involved with reading. Thing which 309 00:22:00,440 --> 00:22:03,399 Speaker 1: we desperately need, particularly by the way we need among 310 00:22:03,440 --> 00:22:07,399 Speaker 1: minority children and school systems were there trapped by the 311 00:22:07,400 --> 00:22:11,880 Speaker 1: teachers union with no learning, no literacy. The whole purpose 312 00:22:12,640 --> 00:22:15,000 Speaker 1: of having a day dedicated to reading in a month 313 00:22:15,040 --> 00:22:19,560 Speaker 1: dedicated to reading is exemplified by doctor SEUs person who 314 00:22:19,640 --> 00:22:24,240 Speaker 1: despite his weaknesses, and I've deliberately outlined, yes he had weaknesses, 315 00:22:24,560 --> 00:22:28,119 Speaker 1: let's have an honest debate. He wasn't perfect. He was 316 00:22:28,160 --> 00:22:30,640 Speaker 1: a creature of his time. He was born in nineteen 317 00:22:30,680 --> 00:22:34,200 Speaker 1: o four. He was writing in a different era where 318 00:22:34,240 --> 00:22:37,159 Speaker 1: different things were appropriate, and yet by every standard we 319 00:22:37,280 --> 00:22:42,439 Speaker 1: know of, he was deeply anti Nazi, deeply anti communist. 320 00:22:43,000 --> 00:22:48,720 Speaker 1: He desperately favored freedom, and he tried to write things 321 00:22:48,800 --> 00:22:52,240 Speaker 1: that take place outside of the common culture so that 322 00:22:52,920 --> 00:22:57,080 Speaker 1: his books really are remarkable. At the time of his 323 00:22:57,200 --> 00:23:01,680 Speaker 1: death he was worth about seventy five million dollars. As 324 00:23:01,720 --> 00:23:07,080 Speaker 1: recently as last year he sold six million copies. Now 325 00:23:07,119 --> 00:23:09,680 Speaker 1: think about this, This isn't a guy we had one 326 00:23:09,800 --> 00:23:14,719 Speaker 1: great strength. Children liked his books. They listened to his books. 327 00:23:14,960 --> 00:23:18,000 Speaker 1: They wanted their parents and grandparents and their older brother 328 00:23:18,040 --> 00:23:21,439 Speaker 1: and sister to read the books as an introduction to 329 00:23:21,600 --> 00:23:26,520 Speaker 1: literacy in a nation which desperately needs it. Doctor SEUs 330 00:23:26,640 --> 00:23:31,960 Speaker 1: is to be celebrated, not canceled. By twenty fifteen, What 331 00:23:32,080 --> 00:23:35,680 Speaker 1: Pet Should I Get, which was an unpublished Doctor Seus' book, 332 00:23:36,280 --> 00:23:39,040 Speaker 1: ended up selling more than two hundred thousand copies in 333 00:23:39,080 --> 00:23:42,080 Speaker 1: his first week. Sewi thought he had been written between 334 00:23:42,160 --> 00:23:45,600 Speaker 1: nineteen fifty eight and nineteen sixty two. Remember that's before 335 00:23:45,760 --> 00:23:48,679 Speaker 1: any of the civil rights acts. That's in a different 336 00:23:48,720 --> 00:23:52,680 Speaker 1: world with a different set of values. When they made 337 00:23:52,680 --> 00:23:55,840 Speaker 1: the movie How the Gride Stole Christmas was based on 338 00:23:55,840 --> 00:23:59,120 Speaker 1: one of his books, It grows two hundred and sixty 339 00:23:59,240 --> 00:24:03,600 Speaker 1: million dollar That was in two thou eight years later, 340 00:24:03,920 --> 00:24:06,920 Speaker 1: Horton hears a who grows to hundred and fifty four 341 00:24:06,960 --> 00:24:12,120 Speaker 1: million dollars. So you have here a popular figure attracting children, 342 00:24:12,560 --> 00:24:17,160 Speaker 1: convincing them to read, teaching them words. It is astonishing. 343 00:24:18,080 --> 00:24:22,400 Speaker 1: None of his critics, none of his critics, have come 344 00:24:22,440 --> 00:24:26,360 Speaker 1: anywhere near helping children read on the scale that he did. 345 00:24:27,160 --> 00:24:29,960 Speaker 1: And it tells you how sick our culture is. Though, 346 00:24:29,960 --> 00:24:32,919 Speaker 1: when you have a person who, over a lifetime, beginning 347 00:24:32,920 --> 00:24:39,840 Speaker 1: in nineteen oh four, develops a real effort to be 348 00:24:40,000 --> 00:24:44,640 Speaker 1: involved and develops a real concern for children, to learn 349 00:24:44,680 --> 00:24:50,200 Speaker 1: to read and tries to write four children on their 350 00:24:50,359 --> 00:24:55,000 Speaker 1: terms so they will be excited. The answer on the 351 00:24:55,080 --> 00:24:58,800 Speaker 1: left is not to praising, not to encourage him. The 352 00:24:58,880 --> 00:25:03,040 Speaker 1: answer on the left is to ban him because he 353 00:25:03,160 --> 00:25:09,720 Speaker 1: somehow isn't perfect. So to put this in context, if 354 00:25:09,760 --> 00:25:14,320 Speaker 1: Doctor SEUs was more than fine for First Lady Barbara Bush, 355 00:25:14,400 --> 00:25:18,880 Speaker 1: whose passion for reading was deep, fine for President Obama 356 00:25:18,880 --> 00:25:24,199 Speaker 1: and First Lady Michelle Obama, but somehow he's inadequate for 357 00:25:24,320 --> 00:25:29,639 Speaker 1: Joe Biden. The cancel culture is endless to totitarium and 358 00:25:30,080 --> 00:25:35,560 Speaker 1: seeks any excuse to destroy the common culture. And Joe 359 00:25:35,560 --> 00:25:39,400 Speaker 1: Biden played up to it in the way he dropped 360 00:25:39,840 --> 00:25:45,720 Speaker 1: Doctor SEUs, and the cancel culture is really truly dangerous. Notice, 361 00:25:45,760 --> 00:25:51,000 Speaker 1: for example, that Amazon took down the Clarence Thomas documentary 362 00:25:51,520 --> 00:25:55,760 Speaker 1: quote created equal Clarence Thomas in his own words on 363 00:25:55,840 --> 00:26:00,880 Speaker 1: February eighth, So they decided to celebrate black history by 364 00:26:00,960 --> 00:26:04,560 Speaker 1: eliminating the African American who was on the Supreme Court 365 00:26:05,000 --> 00:26:09,639 Speaker 1: because he's too conservative. That documentary began airing on PBSA 366 00:26:09,760 --> 00:26:13,800 Speaker 1: made twenty twenty streaming on Amazon in October, and then 367 00:26:13,840 --> 00:26:17,439 Speaker 1: it was suddenly taken down The director, Michael Pack, said 368 00:26:17,640 --> 00:26:20,040 Speaker 1: he has never been told why they took it down. 369 00:26:20,680 --> 00:26:22,879 Speaker 1: An interview for The Wall Street Journal, he said, quote, 370 00:26:23,240 --> 00:26:26,160 Speaker 1: our distributor, who's the one who made the deal with Amazon, 371 00:26:26,720 --> 00:26:30,880 Speaker 1: has repeatedly asked them for explanations, but they haven't given any. 372 00:26:30,920 --> 00:26:32,840 Speaker 1: They have the right to pull anything from their site, 373 00:26:33,119 --> 00:26:35,320 Speaker 1: and they don't have to give an explanation. So it's 374 00:26:35,359 --> 00:26:38,840 Speaker 1: not a contract vileage. But many people have complained and 375 00:26:38,880 --> 00:26:41,760 Speaker 1: they haven't put it back up close quote, according to 376 00:26:41,800 --> 00:26:43,720 Speaker 1: the director, was not because no one was watching the 377 00:26:43,760 --> 00:26:46,440 Speaker 1: film for a while. The film was briefly number one 378 00:26:46,440 --> 00:26:50,359 Speaker 1: in documentaries and is still number twenty five or thirty. 379 00:26:50,840 --> 00:26:55,359 Speaker 1: Less popular documentaries about Anita Hill and Justice Ruth Vader 380 00:26:55,400 --> 00:27:00,840 Speaker 1: Ginsburg continue to be available. The Cancel called and the 381 00:27:00,920 --> 00:27:05,680 Speaker 1: Cancel dictatorship are very clear about what they're doing. They 382 00:27:05,720 --> 00:27:11,280 Speaker 1: want to eliminate any representation of traditional America. They want 383 00:27:11,280 --> 00:27:14,640 Speaker 1: to create an environment were the only things you can 384 00:27:14,680 --> 00:27:18,640 Speaker 1: find are on the left, brainwashing you and your children 385 00:27:19,040 --> 00:27:22,000 Speaker 1: and making sure that your only points of reference are 386 00:27:22,040 --> 00:27:27,520 Speaker 1: on the left. And Joe Biden is the Cancel culture President, 387 00:27:28,359 --> 00:27:31,119 Speaker 1: don't be mistaken. Both this the people he's going to 388 00:27:31,160 --> 00:27:34,159 Speaker 1: appoint to the Department of Education, the people he's going 389 00:27:34,200 --> 00:27:37,680 Speaker 1: to point across the board, the organizations he's going to 390 00:27:37,720 --> 00:27:41,199 Speaker 1: listen to, they are all dedicated to the cancel culture. 391 00:27:41,600 --> 00:27:45,120 Speaker 1: And I have a very simple proposition. If you think 392 00:27:45,119 --> 00:27:51,000 Speaker 1: that the most popular writer for children in history should 393 00:27:51,000 --> 00:27:55,480 Speaker 1: be available, then you probably ought to be a Republican. If, 394 00:27:55,520 --> 00:27:59,040 Speaker 1: on the other hand, you think that Clarence Thomas ought 395 00:27:59,080 --> 00:28:03,280 Speaker 1: to be taken down, that Doctor SEUs should be canceled, 396 00:28:04,000 --> 00:28:09,040 Speaker 1: and that only left wing publications, the clear propaganda biases 397 00:28:09,520 --> 00:28:12,200 Speaker 1: should be available, then you want to be a Democrat. 398 00:28:12,320 --> 00:28:15,960 Speaker 1: Because that's who they're becoming. They're becoming a party of censorship, 399 00:28:16,480 --> 00:28:21,239 Speaker 1: a party of tyranny, a party of getting rid of books. 400 00:28:21,480 --> 00:28:24,119 Speaker 1: Oh they don't warn them, they just make it impossible 401 00:28:24,119 --> 00:28:28,320 Speaker 1: to publish them. And you saw the Doctor Seus' organization cave. 402 00:28:29,359 --> 00:28:31,439 Speaker 1: You're not going to be able to buy six books 403 00:28:31,600 --> 00:28:34,600 Speaker 1: because they're not even going to publish them anymore. So 404 00:28:34,640 --> 00:28:38,360 Speaker 1: we moved from a country which cherished freedom to a 405 00:28:38,400 --> 00:28:41,840 Speaker 1: country which cherishes tyranny. And I think that this is 406 00:28:41,880 --> 00:28:45,520 Speaker 1: a very important point. This was not going after some 407 00:28:45,760 --> 00:28:50,360 Speaker 1: ideological right winger. This was not going after some Trump supporter. 408 00:28:50,800 --> 00:28:55,000 Speaker 1: This is going after the most popular children's writer in history. 409 00:28:55,280 --> 00:29:00,200 Speaker 1: It tells you about the boldness, the self confidence, and 410 00:29:00,240 --> 00:29:03,720 Speaker 1: the arrogance of the modern left that they think it's 411 00:29:03,760 --> 00:29:08,760 Speaker 1: possible to cancel and they're succeeding. Don't kid yourself. When 412 00:29:08,960 --> 00:29:12,840 Speaker 1: the company, which continues to prosper by being associated with 413 00:29:12,920 --> 00:29:19,000 Speaker 1: Doctor Suits backs down and eliminates six titles, it's very 414 00:29:19,040 --> 00:29:23,560 Speaker 1: clear that the tutolitarian left is on the march. And 415 00:29:23,680 --> 00:29:28,600 Speaker 1: when the President states cancels in his statement on National 416 00:29:28,640 --> 00:29:32,600 Speaker 1: Reading and takes out for the first time ever Doctor SEUs, 417 00:29:33,520 --> 00:29:37,479 Speaker 1: it tells you how powerful, how arrogant, and how willing 418 00:29:37,520 --> 00:29:39,640 Speaker 1: they are to tell the rest of us who were 419 00:29:39,640 --> 00:29:42,360 Speaker 1: allowed to be I think this is more than just 420 00:29:42,840 --> 00:29:46,080 Speaker 1: a minor issue. I think this is a symptom of 421 00:29:46,120 --> 00:29:50,520 Speaker 1: a very deep, very profound problem that threatens the very 422 00:29:50,560 --> 00:29:57,000 Speaker 1: heart of American liberty. This World is produced by Gamers 423 00:29:57,000 --> 00:30:01,440 Speaker 1: three Safety and I Heart Media or producers Debbie Marks, 424 00:30:01,480 --> 00:30:05,200 Speaker 1: our producers guards Is Salm and our researcher as Rachel Pearson. 425 00:30:05,880 --> 00:30:08,640 Speaker 1: The art work for the show was created by Steve Petlick. 426 00:30:09,200 --> 00:30:12,360 Speaker 1: Special thanks to the team of Ginger's three sistem if 427 00:30:12,400 --> 00:30:14,760 Speaker 1: you've been enjoying news World, I hope you'll go to 428 00:30:14,760 --> 00:30:18,200 Speaker 1: Apple Podcast and both rate us for five stars and 429 00:30:18,320 --> 00:30:20,959 Speaker 1: give us a review so others can learn what it's 430 00:30:21,000 --> 00:30:24,920 Speaker 1: all about. Right now, listen as a Newsworld consign. Up 431 00:30:24,960 --> 00:30:28,200 Speaker 1: for my three three weekly columns at Ganwich three sixty 432 00:30:28,320 --> 00:30:32,600 Speaker 1: dot com slash newsletter. I'm new Gangwich. This is news 433 00:30:32,640 --> 00:30:32,920 Speaker 1: World