Many people around the world were taken by surprise on March 2, 2021 when dr. Seuss Enterprises, the estate of the famous author and illustrator, announced that he would stop publishing six of the children’s literary giant’s books, citing their racist content. the decision has provoked a wide variety of reactions around the world, ranging from support to concern and disgust.
Although the news surprised many, the racial background of some dr. The Seuss stories have been under scrutiny for several years, and the company’s decision came on the heels of a months-long review of its entire catalog with the help of professors and other experts. in the end, six books were deemed to go against the company’s values: and to think i saw it on mulberry street, mcelligot’s pool, if i run the zoo, scrambled eggs super!, on beyond zebra! and the cat’s quizzer. Other books, including the hugely popular and well-known Cat in the Hat, have also received criticism, but the company has not ceased production of any other books.
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dr. Seuss Enterprises issued a brief statement alongside the decision, saying the books “portray people in a way that is hurtful and wrong.” The statement also adds the following: “stopping the sale of these books is just one part of our broader commitment and mission to ensure that dr. The Seuss Enterprises catalog represents and supports all families and communities.”
The oldest of the books whose production is ceasing, and to think I saw it on Mulberry Street, was written in 1937 and contains racist images of a stereotypical East Asian character, and also refers to the character with a racial slur. During World War II, Dr. Seuss worked as a political cartoonist and drew several racist caricatures of Japanese people over the course of the war. he later expressed embarrassment about these drawings specifically, saying that they were, like the work of many other political satirists of the time, “full of snap judgments” and did not reflect his views in later years. the other five discontinued books were written after World War II.
Reactions to the move have been mixed, with many misreading the halt in production as an outright ban on the books. actually dr. seuss enterprises just stopped publishing and licensing, meaning none of the books will sell anymore. additionally, many libraries that have any of the six books have removed them from their shelves.
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some have also said that the decision constitutes an attack on the legacy of dr. Seuss as a whole, while the company emphasizes that this removal is not intended to discredit or “cancel” Dr. seuss, but to ensure that his legacy and his brand continue in a way that is not offensive or discriminatory.
The discussion following the suspension of the six books has also been highly politically charged, with many conservative figures such as Ted Cruz denouncing the decision. cruz even started a fundraiser for his campaign in which he sent a signed copy of the classic dr. seuss book green eggs and ham—which is not one of the books that has been removed or criticized—to anyone who has donated more than $60 to his campaign. he later tweeted that “lefties are going crazy” and that the campaign had already raised $125k. Additionally, some of the removed books have sold on eBay for thousands of dollars, although eBay has since removed all postings of the books from the site.
the debate continues to rage on various social media platforms, with many extending the situation into a broader debate about “cancel culture”, i.e. the social movement where people or products deemed problematic are invalidated and, to a greater or lesser extent, unable to work or receive care. many have incorrectly claimed that dr. seuss is being canceled, despite the fact that the decision only affects a small part of his extensive and well-known catalog.
sources:
6 dr. seuss books will no longer be published with offensive images: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/02/books/dr-seuss-mulberry-street.html
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‘forbidden’ dr. seuss books delisted on ebay after selling in the thousands: https://www.cbr.com/dr-seuss-banned-books-delisted-ebay/#:~:text=the%20six%20pulled%20books% 20were,the%20widow%20of%20theodore%20%22dr.
dr. seuss: https://www.britannica.com/biography/dr-seuss
dr. seuss bibliography: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/dr._seuss_bibliography
six dr. seuss books will no longer be published due to racist content: https://globalnews.ca/news/7671590/dr-seuss-books-racist/
statement of dr. seuss enterprises: https://www.seussville.com/statement-from-dr-seuss-enterprises/
ted cruz has been selling signed copies of dr. seuss book ‘green eggs and ham’ and raised $125,000 in 24 hours: https://www.businessinsider.com/sen-cruz-sells-signed-dr-seuss-books-green-eggs-and-ham-2021- 3
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