Submitted by Kevin Palmer
Dear Afro.com Editor,
To discontinue publishing six Dr. Suess books because of racist and insensitive imagery will not help change America’s racist character no more than dressing up like a clown changed serial killer John Wayne Gacy’s character.
Hiding racially insensitive books from children does not foster long-standing amicable race relations. Books containing racist imagery are opportunities to teach children how not to allow another’s racist beliefs to influence their character development. As children learn to become less racist, America will become less racist.
Instead of becoming less racist, America has become like the Teacher and Pharisee described by Jesus in the gospel of Matthew, chapter 23. Jesus said, “You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside is full of dead men’s bones. In the same way, you appear to people as righteous, but on the inside, you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.”
Not publishing racially insensitive books is just more whitewash for the tomb.
Kevin Palmer, Evans, GA
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