To Kill a Mockingbird controversy

[Diable Rouge]

The classic anti-racist polemic has generated controversy in Ireland over recent days, as some black students take issue with the appearance of the "N" word in the text, and a Labour politician has called for the book to be dropped from the Junior Cert curriculum. Of course, some of the portrayals of African-Americans are rather dated, particularly Calpurnia, but necessarily so in order to highlight the degree of segregation and absence of opportunities in the 1930s Deep South. More contemporary texts on discrimination, such as The Power of One, and Rabbit-Proof Fence could also be added, but to drop Harper Lee would appear to be throwing the baby out with the bathwater, when discussions on the temporal context might be more fruitful.

[G-Man]

I hesitate to lecture black people on racism, but it would seem that in this case there might be cause for engagement with a view to a fruitful dialogue. And that dialogue might take directions which are uncomfortable for all parties involved.