Less than 5 days after posting the Daniel Clowes NY Times Weekly Strip on my blog, I came across this blurb on Vulture about this article.
What is the world coming to? How did Americans…a people that should be like the revolutionary teenagers of the universe (making idiot rookie mistakes but being young and confident and full of ideas about change and pushing limits) become the fucking scared conservative old woman of the world? When did this happen? WHY?
Yesterday it is cover stories about genital cutting and today it is about censorship in schools, it’s too much. If the father of this girl (who is a complete ass) would read a book once in a while maybe they would realize that their daughter is actually better off being challenged by teachers that don’t have blinders on.
I have read the book in question and while I will concede that it is debatable as to whether it is definitely appropriate for a 14 year old (it really depends on the 14 year old I suspect) I can also say in no uncertain terms that I WISH I had been given something like this by a teacher. Something that actually was outside the box. Something that made me think and/or feel. One of the mother’s complaints is that the teacher asked the student “how does this make you feel?” she said it like that was an inappropriate (read: pornographic) question for a teacher to ask a student…are we really no longer even allowed to FEEL? Is it wrong to read something that causes you to feel something more than the crappy television shows that just wash right over you? Is it a crime to challenge a student to not just do the assignment but to be challenged to answer tough questions about it? I just can’t believe this. If I had been given things like this when I was kid, maybe I would have learned something about life and what else was out there much sooner…as is, I feel like I had to hunt down every single thing I have learned…if ONLY someone could have handed me something that would have challenged me…think what I could have been.
I’m so disappointed in this planet and especially my backwards fucking nation. Stop the planet, I’d like to get off please.
http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2007/09/daniel_clowes_pornographer.html
-
The father’s interpretation that the comic was pornography is completely baseless, and so reactionary that it disqualifies everything he says. While the book may not have been appropriate for that particular 14 year old, it is not pornography. What people (re: ignorant people) don’t seem to understand is that pornography’s intent is to titillate. The scenes in the Clowes book are not intended to arouse the reader anymore than a stiff breeze would.
-
The best part is that the girl is getting teased by all the kids in school because she’s an immature rat basically. The kids’ favorite teacher is gone from the school and it’s because of a comic book (a brilliant one) that is not pornography as the father of the girl suggests. Fucking people.
-
you are 100% correct.
-
Here is what Fantagraphics (the comic’s publisher) has said about the issue:
http://www.fantagraphics.com/blog/2007_09_16_fantagraphics_archive.html#1637626463242511918
I think it’s eloquent and a more concise way of expressing what I feel.
-
that’s a great link. they referenced part of that in the original CT article, but that “press release” is dead on accurate and so well said. i should have just linked to that in the first place. thanks!
Comments are now closed.
5 comments