In Sunday’s Huntsville Times Enjoy section, book reviewer Ann Marie Martin recommends the children’s book “The Georges and the Jewels”, by Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Jane Smiley.
Hmm… I remember associating the name Jane Smiley with something bad, so I did a Google search on her name. The FIRST words of the FIRST entry refer to a 2004 Slate article: “The unteachable ignorance of the red states”. Now I remember.
The day George W. Bush was re-elected President of the US, Jane Smiley had an article published at Slate: “Why Americans Hate Democrats - A Dialogue – The unteachable ignorance of the red states”. Here are some thoughts from this ‘eloquent’ writer:
The election results reflect the decision of the right wing to cultivate and exploit ignorance in the citizenry.
Smiley continues on to an intellectually dishonest ‘dialogue’ about how ‘red state’ people are the same kind of people who massacred ‘blue state’ people in Lawrence, Kansas during the Civil War. Why do I say she is intellectually dishonest? Because Lawrence, Kansas was founded by abolitionist Republicans like Eli Thayer. Read the Slate article and you’ll wonder how this woman ever received a PhD, much less why she is allowed to teach school.
Here is how ignorance works: First, they put the fear of God into you—if you don’t believe in the literal word of the Bible, you will burn in hell. Of course, the literal word of the Bible is tremendously contradictory, and so you must abdicate all critical thinking, and accept a simple but logical system of belief that is dangerous to question…
The history of the last four years shows that red state types, above all, do not want to be told what to do—they prefer to be ignorant. As a result, they are virtually unteachable.
Offended yet, Bible-thumpers? How about you “do not want to be told what to do” ignorant libertarians? Here’s where she goes Commie:
A generation ago, the big capitalists, who have no morals, as we know, decided to make use of the religious right in their class war against the middle class… They are predatory and resentful, amoral, avaricious, and arrogant… Can the Democrats appeal to such voters? Do they want to? The Republicans have sold their souls for power.
Class warfare. Yeah, I’ll go right out and buy her children’s book… Here’s some more ‘eloquence’:
…red state types love to cheat and intimidate… they are borne of hubris and hatred…
Read the book? I don’t have to stir up a pile of horse manure to know that it stinks…
I’m left wondering about the apparently unteachable ignorance of The Huntsville Times. The book reviewer was at best INCURIOUS (which should be an insult to a newspaper), at worst sympathetic to Smiley’s viewpoint. This is an example of what I mean when I say the stench of liberalism permeates The Times.
Don’t even get me started about the stench of the Pulitzer…
One of your best posts ever, Jay. Great job.
I’ll be passing it around to make sure that “The Georges and the Jewels” is not on anyone’s gift list over the next month … or ever.
Poor Jane. If it’s possible to emasculate a woman –
(actually, since she’s a liberal female, I’m torn as to whether she would appreciate or hate that phrase)
– you did it.
In fairness, it was a review of the book, not Smiley, right? It is entirely possible for loathsome individuals to create appealing books, music, art, etc. You should see my CD collection.
Well just to prove there is hypocrisy in all of us , I do indeed watch what actors are in the movies I watch and make a concerted effort to make sure money I earn does not go to celebrities that are working against my values. Unfortunately I do NOT do the same with my music, I think I don’t really want to know their politics, about the only one I do know is Bruce Springsteen and I must have been one of the only people on the planet that hated his music long before I knew any of his politics. My eclectic tastes in music would surprise most people also and I am not ready to give any of it up (ahhhh, yet another sweet addiction)
dcm
Claiming the heritage of abolitionist Republicans while embracing the red state plantation values of the enemies they defeated is the definition of intellectual dishonesty. Or of unteachable ignorance.
Second, calling any criticism of predatory capitalism “commie” is either sloppy language or a confession of your inability to tell the difference between one thing and another.
Ban whatever you want from your reading list. Enjoy your happy little red state life. Or your angry little red state life. Whatever floats your boat.
“Or your angry little red state life”
Trust me Bob, a LOT of us are VERY angry and it is not a good thing for the long term health of this country. You can’t keep stealing our money and ignoring us and our ideas and values. Middle class America is buying up weapons at a rate never seen before, even you ought to be able to see there is a siege mentality coming if the 2 parties don’t remember what the hell we actually wanted them to do.
dcm
Wow, you have a good memory.
Unless I read their work often, or they are already a national figure I would never remember a random person’s ranting.
Kudos.
What do Martin Luther King Jr., Frederick Douglas, and Abraham Lincoln all have in common?
ALL REPUBLICANS
Hearing the Democrats, the legacy of George Wallace, Robert(KKK) Byrd, and Bull(Firehose) Connor, lecture us on race relations is comical. The racists in the Democratic Party may not be as vocal as they were in the 1960′s but they are still just as powerful. The only difference is that now they use their mantra of equality and tolerance to push a racist agenda.
Who needs charter schools? Poor Black children belong in poor Black schools!
—–Paul Hubbert
I believe you would have a hard time sourcing that Hubbert comment.
Brian – Of course you’re right, but IMO ‘bad’ authors usually create ‘bad’ books: Mao, Lenin, Obama…
I should have included the reviewer’s description of Smiley’s book:
“Like the story’s setting, the socially tumultuous 1960s…”
I’ll probably read Smiley’s book, if I can do so without enriching her, just to see how bad it is (I’ve been known to stir up piles of manure). My point is that what The Times covers (or not) and what The Times includes in their articles (or not) is indicative of their culture.
Thanks Jennifer – did this topic push one of your buttons? It did for me. I pay attention to the books that the children in my life read (e.g., I read textbooks every year and note inaccuracies or opinions).
MCROOP – it’s a blessing and a curse…
Troll Bob – I live a happy life.
@Young GOP, were you homeschooled? If you’re happy with your alternate reality, by all means keep it. And tell lots of independent voters about it.
@Doug, if I’m stealing your money, where is it?
Ignoring your ideas? The Right made conservative ideas irrelevant all by themselves. It’s called losing. And, of course, failing.
As to ignoring your values, the less said about them, the better.
Cheer up. Supporters and allies of the Republican Southern White People’s Jesus Party are always good for a laugh. Look. They have a new Republican Purity Test! Hope you pass it.
“Republican Southern White People’s Jesus Party are always good for a laugh”
Hope so Bob, since the Democratic Northern Black People’s Atheist Chicago Crime Syndicate is not funny at all … but they do allow stupid white people to think they are really part of it. Nope Rev Wright was not funny one damn bit.
dcm
@Doug: Still upset about Rev. Wright? The election is over. Your side lost.
I’m proud to stand with America. If you hate America so much, there are planes leaving every hour. Hop on one and you’re out of this troublesome democratic republic.
But where to go? A right wing military junta took over Honduras last summer in a coup, which is right up your alley. But there’s bad news for you if you wanted to move there. they had an election on Sunday. An election where they didn’t try to keep scary Negroes from voting. They elected a conservative, Porfirio Lobo, but he’s a far cry from the Limbaughs and Bachmanns and Becks our right-wing loons prefer.
How about Uganda? They’re about to enact a law that will execute people for being gay.
And if you don’t like atheists, there’s always Saudi Arabia. You’ll be surrounded by religious people.
And since you keep talking about guns and anger, there’s Somalia. You could be a pirate. Arrrr.
Rev. Bob,
I welcome dissenting opinions here. But my patience is growing quite thin with your antics. Your pattern (and stated objective) of hijacking threads with personal attacks interspersed with left wing cliches is not conducive to dialog. You appear to be a man on a mission to fight against a preconceived image in your head and assail people here without the benefit of knowledge about them.
You are welcome to comment here. I just ask that you work on your civility (and I’ll expect others to do the same in turn). As commenting policy #1 says, “Act like an adult.”
Any idea if her children’s book is any good? I always say when someone goes ad hominem on me I know I’ve won. I hate to see that logic applied here.
Agreed, Jeff. I always recall the bit by comedian Bill Hicks. (From memory) “I think drugs have done some good things for us. And if you disagree go home and take all your CDs and burn them. Because all those musicians who made all that great music that enhanced your life throughout the years… Real f’n high on drugs.”
Point (as I see it) is that if you only consume art created by people with political/social/religious views in keeping with your own then you will have a limited, bland life.
Judge “art” on its own merits.
At the same time, if you choose not to enrich individuals you dislike, whatever the reason, then that is just fine.
Jeff – if her book is as well-written as her article, then I wouldn’t let a child near it. BTW that’s also why I don’t see my post as an ad hominen argument. The article is bad: it is intellectually dishonest, displays tortured logic, and the phrasing is ineloquent. The author denigrates people for their religion, independence, and station in life.
This is not what I expect from the author of a children’s book. It’s tough enough to teach kids without having to be concerned about leftist activism too. Like I said, I’ll try to find the book and read it, at this point just to prove to myself that I was right.
To me, a children’s book is more than ‘art’.
For example, one of my favorite childrens’ book author was a Democrat who not so subtly inserted his political views into many of his best-selling books. He also wrote a racy (nudity) adult book, “The Seven Lady Godivas”. He didn’t win awards for his efforts (no Pulitzer, Caldicott, or Newberry), but I’m sure that almost everyone here is familiar with his work. The author: Theodor Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss.
@Brian: I tremble in fear that I might be banned from this Klavern of angry white guys. Wrt namecalling, motes and beams. Reactionary just called me “Troll Bob.” Poor old Doug is talking about how he’s angry and armed.
And just read your post. Normal people don’t talk like that.
America is right here. You’re surrounded by it. You might want to think about joining us. It’s a great country.
Bob,
You seem to think very highly of yourself. Does anyone else?
I agree with Rev Bob. You guys are acting like a “klavern of angry white guys”.
If this blog wishes to be considered a serious forum for political debate by the elite elected officials and candidates, then liberals (Bob), media hacks (Dale Jackson), and rasicts (myself) should be completely ignored in the comment forums.
Can I just be a plain angry white guy who is concerned about the enrichment of people who would love to tear down the country? Everyone has an opinion and in this case the quality of the book is not as important to me as the integrity of the writer. Just so we are clear I am pretty hypocritical on this since, I apply that filter on books my kids would read and not necessarily to those I buy for my own enjoyment unless it crosses a few lines I won’t allow for anyone. Most parents probably do the same, I knew a lot more about the people who wrote the books my kids read than I did about the authors who wrote the stuff I read. I love the writings of L. Ron Hubbard but his legacy is a bunch of nuts with a still unclear goal.
dcm