Dr Seuss racist?

[Kurieuo]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BA4xYheq_AM

[Kurieuo]

Point is, this lady thought the Cat in the Hat was cool, until Trump's wife donated some books - so, out comes the hate as well as common sense abandoned with her seething hatred of all things related to Trump.

Got it. So according to the nuanced coverage from FOX and Breitbart this lady is a crazy, hypocritical liar blinded by hate.

Meantime, the blatant racism exemplified in Dr. Seuss's Flit ads and anti-Japanese propaganda is beside the point.

I recall seeing "nip" cartoons of all sorts back in WWII days under my grandparents house. Was taken back when reading some, but then I did understand the context of that war and atrocities Japs committed. I'm sure if you had to fight them back then with your mates in jungle terrain you'd get come down from your high-horse and would have been no different.

[edwardmurphy]

First off, atrocities were committed by both sides. There's no excusing the Bataan Death March or the casual enslavement and murder of the Chinese and Koreans during the occupation, but let's not act like we didn't firebomb population centers or shoot prisoners. War is horrible, and nobody comes out with clean hands.

Second, I don't know if fighting the Japanese would have turned me into a howling racist. It didn't have that effect on everyone who did it, though. I can tell you that 9/11 didn't have that effect on me.

And third, even if racist propaganda is justified in wartime - and it isn't - there was no critical need to make Africans, or whoever they were supposed to be, look like monkeys in order to sell bug spray.

[Philip]

To be fair, the widest use of the term "Japs" referred to those intent upon committing genocide upon not just America, but a whole range of Asians in Japan's militarists ambitions, that they killed, maimed and enslaved. It wasn't applied to all Japanese - certainly not by most vets. My dad was a WWII vet - growing up, I never heard the term used as more than specifically as a generic directed at a certain group of fanatic Japanese and it implement (all those fighting in its army) of terror and mayhem - and that's amidst seeing blatant racism all over. It was mostly used as a shorthand, like the terms "Brits" - or for Germans, "Krauts" - and remember, there were many German Americans who also used that term. But, yeah, these terms were and are also used with a racist intent. But that doesn't mean in a historical context, for many, they had a different understanding.

[RickD]

To be fair, the widest use of the term "Japs" referred to those intent upon committing genocide upon not just America, but a whole range of Asians in Japan's militarists ambitions, that they killed, maimed and enslaved. It wasn't applied to all Japanese - certainly not by most vets. My dad was a WWII vet - growing up, I never heard the term used as more than specifically as a generic directed at a certain group of fanatic Japanese and it implement (all those fighting in its army) of terror and mayhem - and that's amidst seeing blatant racism all over. It was mostly used as a shorthand, like the terms "Brits" - or for Germans, "Krauts" - and remember, there were many German Americans who also used that term. But, yeah, these terms were and are also used with a racist intent. But that doesn't mean in a historical context, for many, they had a different understanding.

So...

During WW2, white Americans used terms like Brits, and Krauts, as racist terms against white Brits and Germans?

When white Americans called white soviets "commies" was that racist too?

[RickD]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BA4xYheq_AM

I wonder what Michelle Obama and president Obama thought, once they realized the racist cat in the hat snuck in unawares?

They must've been appalled?

To think that the secret service had a lapse of security which allowed a racist cat into the first lady's presence. Someone needs to get fired over that!

[B. W.]

First off, atrocities were committed by both sides. There's no excusing the Bataan Death March or the casual enslavement and murder of the Chinese and Koreans during the occupation, but let's not act like we didn't firebomb population centers or shoot prisoners. War is horrible, and nobody comes out with clean hands.

Second, I don't know if fighting the Japanese would have turned me into a howling racist. It didn't have that effect on everyone who did it, though. I can tell you that 9/11 didn't have that effect on me.

And third, even if racist propaganda is justified in wartime - and it isn't - there was no critical need to make Africans, or whoever they were supposed to be, look like monkeys in order to sell bug spray.

No different than you calling Christians bigots and painting us as the greatest threat and enemy of freedom known to humanity and the FFRF wanting the extermination of Christianity off the face of the planet...

How is that not any different?

You said recently that you would like to see the day when there are no Christians around.. How is that not hate and bigotry on your part?

How is it okay to demonize people and desire the destruction of their love and faith in the Lord Almighty?

What gives you the right to propagandize against the USA and lecture everyone about how wrong we are for firebombing Japanese and Germans who did likewise and committed far more atrocities against humanity than the USA ever did fighting against true evil?

Guess the best policy would let Japan and Germany own the world... yep .. makes sense for a post modernist to think on these lines.
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[edwardmurphy]

No different than you calling Christians bigots and painting us as the greatest threat and enemy of freedom known to humanity and the FFRF wanting the extermination of Christianity off the face of the planet...

How is that not any different?

I guess the biggest difference is that the stuff I was talking about actually happened, while the stuff you're talking about happened only in your fevered imagination.

You said recently that you would like to see the day when there are no Christians around.. How is that not hate and bigotry on your part?

If I said that then you should have no trouble producing a link to the post.

How is it okay to demonize people and desire the destruction of their love and faith in the Lord Almighty?

It isn't, but since I didn't do that and never have I don't see how that's relevant to this particular conversation.

What gives you the right to propagandize against the USA and lecture everyone about how wrong we are for firebombing Japanese and Germans who did likewise and committed far more atrocities against humanity than the USA ever did fighting against true evil?

What gives you the right to constantly mischaracterize my statements and tell offensive lies about me?

And before you get your knickers twisted about me using the L word take a second to remember that you made some specific claims in this thread. If you have any honor then back them up or apologize. If you don't then go ahead and ban me.

As a mod you have the power to lie with impunity and then threaten me with the boot if I call you out on it. Well, do what you will. I'm sick of your lies and I'm sick of tap-dancing around the subject.

Guess the best policy would let Japan and Germany own the world... yep .. makes sense for a post modernist to think on these lines.

I never said anything of the sort, dunce cap.

[Philip]

Guys, regardless of the past and who said what and when, please refrain from a spiral of personal attacks - it's really unnecessary. I think everyone on here has previously pushed someone's hot buttons with verbiage that was unneccesarily insulting. Let's please not get into a pointless pissing match, regardless of who started it. If this argument needs to continue, take it PRIVATE!

[edwardmurphy]

Ok.

[Philip]

Thanks.