When the people alleging totalitarianism engage in totalitarianism, Episode #4,712

While not a direct cause-and-effect, the fact that stories of this nature crop up in the press and are covered with a particular tone is itself revelatory what we can expect should we be subjected to a Joe Biden presidency. In California it comes as hardly a surprise to learn that in the school district of Burbank it has been announced certain books will be banned from school curriculums, done in the name of sensitivity.

In the California Burbank Unified School District they have announced that a list of classic novels will no longer be permitted to be taught to middle school and high school students. The move has been in reaction to a handful of parents who have come forward with complaints of racism directed at a collection of books. Just four complaints were lodged alleging that racist behavior between students had been inspired by the content found in the literature, so the district leaders listed those books which would be banned.

• The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn – Mark Twain
• To Kill A Mockingbird – Harper Lee
• Of Mice And Men – John Steinbeck
• Roll Of Thunder, Hear My Cry – Mildred D. Taylor
• The Cay – Theodore Taylor

One of the examples held up as a cause for the book ban was a mother who cited an incident in which her child was confronted by a white student with racial slurs that had been learned from Roll Of Thunder… That a few isolated incidents can lead to this is not shocking, though it is asinine. We do of course get delivered the catch phrase, ‘’These books are problematic,’’ as a justification for the organized censorship.

Blaming books on the behavior is as short-sighted as one can get. The ridiculousness of this claim is that the book in question specifically addresses racism during the Jim Crow Law era, centering on a POC family as it carries one other pertinent detail. It was written by an African American author. Taylor’s series of books specifically addresses racism and explains the error of the mindset. To suggest this is a source of racial intolerance is the depth of ignorance.

The whole concept of banning, censorship, silencing, and even book burning have long been held up as examples of an oppressive government. Yet here we are, once again, faced with the normalizing of the removal and muzzling of cultural items, forwarded by the very leftist entities who love to accuse those on the right of being oppressive and stifling of expression. And the press has little to say.

This follows suit for the pattern seen throughout this year. Recall how many stories we witnessed of conservative voices being silenced and deplatformed.  Note how often we were presented with scenes of statues and historical landmarks being hauled down, and the media — rather than pointing out the oppression on display — went out of their way to present the causes behind such moves. The press justifying these actions only emboldens and provokes more of the same. 

Most notable is from where these police-state behaviors are found to emanate. A state-run school district in a liberal state is promoting the banning of books, matching the monuments eradication movement seen from the leftist demonstrations this year, all while overseen by an approving press corps. So tell us again, how is it that conservatives and Republicans are so often accused of being the repressive party?