Sexist and racist elements?

[Fiona1986]

Yes I'm sure she was Nigel.

[Lucky Star]

Yes she was indeed. Those two incidents and the names of The Three Golliwogs are the only things I can think of which really need to be changed.

[Moonraker]

Like it or not, even if we consider golliwogs not to be racist, the fact remains thousands (possibly millions) do. If we are to keep them, as toys, and I would be sorry not to see them again, they can't have names such as Nigger! I agree, John, they need to be changed - although I will hang on to my original copy!

[Jack400]

Five..Camp has just sprang to mind. Wasn't George described as being as black as a nigger when she was covered in soot?

Yes, I recall that, though I'm not sure that it was only George described as that.
Jack

[shadow]

Wasn't she described as black as Nigger with soot? This is different to black as a Nigger, it's like saying black as coal in times when Nigger was a colour.I can't remember the exact quote though so I may be wrong.

There is one story in Mr Meddles muddles where Aunt Jemima is raising money for poor black African children. That one story I had to change when reading to children. Luckily they couldn't read at the time so I got away with it. If they decide to read the books themselves I'm going to have to create my own disclaimer!

[Deej]

I think they're going to far with the Tom and Jerry warnings. Why treat a children's cartoon with the same caution as an 18 and over film with violent sexual scenes for instance? It's OTT.

[Francis]

I sometimes wonder how we managed to survive the 1950s and 1960s without becoming totally sexist and racist. Perhaps the books weren't that damaging after all.

[Courtenay]

I grew up on unedited Enid Blyton in the '80s - golliwogs, the occasional N word, "George you're as good as a boy any day" and all - and I somehow didn't become totally sexist and racist either! (Blimey, we even had Little Black Sambo, likewise unexpurgated. Blasphemy.)

[John Pickup]

Who are these mysterious guardians that spend hours trawling through books, cartoons and local events approving what we can read, see and do? Francis is right, those of us brought up in the 50's and 60's are very lucky indeed if we haven't turned into raving sexist racists, affiliated to the Ku Klux Klan and regularly beating our wives.

[Moonraker]

There is one story in Mr Meddles muddles where Aunt Jemima is raising money for poor black African children. That one story I had to change when reading to children.

Why was that?

Who are these mysterious guardians that spend hours trawling through books, approving what we can read

I don't know, but we are lucky to have them.

[shadow]

The story is Mr Meddle and his handkerchief. My book is from 1952. The lines I revised were

It is a meeting of some very, very good people, who are going to give money so that we may teach poor little black children their manners.

If only we could have the little black children in far off countries brought up like Meddle, what a wonderful thing it would be!

You need to be taught more manners than the little black children.

On revision I just called them children I think or coughed a bit I didn't remember any of that in the book when I read it to the kids but I must have read it a lot as I had had the book from when I was little.

[Daisy]

On revision I just called them children I think or coughed a bit I didn't remember any of that in the book when I read it to the kids but I must have read it a lot as I had had the book from when I was little.

In that case I guess it didn't have any lasting impression on you - good or bad!

[shadow]

It didn't, yet Mr Meddle and the kangaroo I could remember almost word for word.

[Courtenay]

I don't think I've read it, but I suppose "Mr Meddle and the Kangaroo" is likewise disgustingly offensive and insulting in its portrayal of Australia's largest marsupial!

[Moonraker]

Thanks for the explanation, Shadow. I thought your objection was that money was being raised for them!