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How Huck Finn is still here

- and about an exchange of mails on the Cybermind list where we are struggling to respect each other, to proudly remember what America has been and to persistently remind oneself and each other to keep on stumbling forward on the path towards humanity and peace.

Mails by Enok and Robert

Enok started:

It happens so very often: A program in the radio is closely related to topics on the Net. This morning during my a little delayed breakfast - brunch? - it happened again: a program on Huck Finn and racism, and I at once connected it to a recent grass fire on a list, the fire kindled by Taliban being a topic.

How is Huck Finn being read and told about today - for instance in USA? And in Cyber?

A great Huck Finn site, (from where I have copied the illustrations):

Enok

Presentation on the program in Norwegian radio, the program called "Saann er livet" ("That's life"):

Tanke og Tendens er i gang igjen. Og det med en bok som flere ganger er blitt sensurert og stemplet som rasistisk.
Her kalles svarte for niggere, de er overtroiske, og de lar seg lure av barn - eller spiller de bare? Det var ikke mange antirasister ved Mississippis bredder for 150 år siden, men en gutt - en sosial outsider - rømmer sammen med en slave. Gutten het Huckelberry Finn. Så sent som på 1990-tallet ble denne boka forsøkt sensurert på nytt og saken havnet helt oppe hos Høyesterett. - Sånn er livet, 16.september 02

Robert replied:

Approximately 6  (perhaps 8?) yrs ago, the State of Wisconsin educational board wanted to bar poor ole Huck on the grounds that it contained "nigger" and references to slaves that were not complimentary. The Board  also listed Slaughterhouse 5 and some other classic gems. The outrage was incredible. It turned out that no one on the board actually read any of those books. After one board member claimed to have read it, a reporter asked her some rather direct questions about the plot, the sarcasm, the social commentary. After bluffing her way through the interview, she finally admitted that she "scanned" the book for certain words and that was enough for her.

In the end, the board lost the power to remove books from school libraries. They never knew about Mark Twain (Samuel Clemons) about his abolisionist politics, about his social commentary seeking justice for all, about his friendship with Henry Ford and how they discussed Henry's new-fangled ideas about a living wage, or his travels abroad. They ignored his dark tales, stories that scared and riveted a generation of children of all ages, early science fiction long before it became fashionable. They ignored his love of America, one that provided freedom and justice for all. They missed his jokes about company thieves, accountants, and corrupt politicians.

Oh, after the board's fiasco, sales of Twain's works boomed, again allowing us to enjoy this wise man's humor and intelligence.

Then Enok entered:

Dear Robert!

Thank you, once more it has happened like so many times before: Your reply is so well RAK written, informative and encouraging! Thank you!

What do you think: Would you like me to present our exchange in the "international crossroads" on my site www.hugen.no ?

Would be very great, - Huck Finn is read by thousands and thousands of Norwegian school kids, like I did myself. It's also a radio play on Children's Hour.

However, agree or not by your free will!

Hugs and love.

#,-)

Enok

And Robert concluded:

Dear Enok
how on earth can I refuse a request like that?

There is a video, now on DVD, I believe which shows the last years of Twain's life. It contains his famous quote " The reports of my death have been greatly exagerated", among other gems. After a disasterous investment in some new fangled printing machine, he was broke, in debt, and suffering pain and sorrow. His beloved wife was in poor health. Just to survive, he went off on a tour of Europe, giving speaches at various capitals, trying to earn enough to pay off his debts. If I can find the title, I will be glad to foward it to you. A very well down movie, shows Twain's true spirit and character.

all the best.
robert

Robert A. Kezelis

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