[jpoesen]

Exactly this.

Similar example: Tintin in Congo is by today's standards absolutely racist, but reflects the era when it was published. The last decade the (Belgian) publisher was sued multiple times to try and force it off the shelves.

Also: calls to remove statues of King Leopold II (who committed horrible atrocities in "his" Congolese colony).

In both cases, why not leave access to the original books/statue/... intact but add an introductory section on why this is no longer appropriate today. Or place a contrasting statue, opposite King Leopold II, that embodies the struggle for independence / the colonial horrors / the blight that is racism / etc.

Overall it feels like there's a drive to remove "inappropriate" materials from society, instead of leaving them accessible as living proof of the mistakes that were made, and to provide backstory, context, and the "appropriate" contemporary view.

[cld8483]

Leopold II, judged by the values of his time, was still a fiend. He was widely and rightly criticized by his own contemporaries.

[irthomasthomas]

Then his statue should serve as a reminder of his crimes, of our ancestors failure to oppose him and his supporters.

[mauvehaus]

> Overall it feels like there's a drive to remove "inappropriate" materials from society, instead of leaving them accessible as living proof of the mistakes that were made, and to provide backstory, context, and the "appropriate" contemporary view.

I share this view, but I also recognize that as a white dude, what is to me a learning opportunity about the things that folks (who mostly look like me) have done in the past isn't necessarily seen that way by everyone.

Unfortunately, even if you get a whole mess of folks of different backgrounds to have an honest and meaningful conversation about what to do about these many things, you aren't going to please everybody. The easiest solution is to just remove the materials rather than having to continuously justify leaving them available and reinterpret the historical context for them from a contemporary standpoint.

[irthomasthomas]

  The easiest solution is to just remove the materials 

And so doom us to repeat the mistakes of our forebears and bring violent racisim back into fashion?

It is racists, more than anyone, who wish to hide the historical roots of racism. That we might find it impossible to recognise it's impending revival.

[quickthrowman]

I see no reason to keep around statues of a man that is responsible for countless atrocities in the Belgian Congo. A statue is an honor, not history. Removing a statue does not change history, despite what some people may try and tell you.

Leopold II isn’t far down the list from Hitler and Stalin.

[irthomasthomas]

One reason is to understand how such a man could come to rule. And how the people can be so easily fooled to revere such evil. Lest we forget and allow it to happen again.

[akhosravian]

Leaving the books as-is is one thing, but keeping a statue of a person implies they were worth honoring. Leopold II committed some of the most heinous acts ever done by any individual: about half the population of Congo was killed in the two decades he ran things.

The only place a statue of him belongs is in an exhibit on the worst actions taken against fellow humans.

[eldaisfish]

there is a massive different between the two examples you use. A writer reflects society but a book and the damage it generally can do is in no way comparable to the actions of the state.

Mind you, Leopold was a horrible person, did horrible things and the Belgian monarchy and state have only recently begun to issue apologies for their atrocities. The debate on statues is settled, except in the minds of those who glorify wrongdoing.

The other difference is agency - there exists a legal successor to the belgian monarchy and a legal successor to the powers of the monarchy in the form of the belgian state. These have power today to acknowledge and right the wrongs of the past. In contrast, Georges Remi and Roald Dahl are both dead, unable to correct their errors.