Roger Ebert Gets Fired Up Over 'Huck Finn' Censorship, Then Apologizes
Almost 101 years after Mark Twain died, one of his most famous works is causing controversy once again, only this time on Twitter. After news broke Tuesday that publisher NewSouth will release a
new edition of 'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn' with all 219 N-words excluded, movie critic Roger Ebert reacted with a controversial tweet. He quickly apologized after receiving harsh criticism.
Ebert responded to the 'Huck Finn' announcement on Wednesday by
tweeting to his 300,000-plus followers, "I'd rather be called a N***** than a Slave."
The tweet set off a storm of heated feedback toward the influential critic, describing him as "disrespectful" and "ignorant."
"Fair point, from some1 who's likely to be called neither,"
@urbanbohemian said.
Others accused Ebert of believing he's allowed to take liberties with the word because his wife, Charlie "Chaz" Hammel-Smith, is black.
"R U OUT OF UR freakin head? jus cos ya wife is black dont give u the right to throw tht word around like its nothing. A*******"
@iamichelle said.
Ebert retracted his statement Thursday by conceding that, as people like @urbanbohemian pointed out, he would never be called either word.
"You know, this is very true. I'll never be called a N***** *or* a Slave, so I should have shut the **** up," Ebert
tweeted.
The new edition, 'Mark Twain's Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn: The NewSouth Edition,' is set for release in February.
Did Roger Ebert cross the line?
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Not if you really are a monkey's uncle. Are u?
At the time that Huck Finn was to take place like it or not those were the words that were used. If we change history just to be PC we will not understand just how we as a civilization has changed. It is important NOT to change history but to learn from it.
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I can think of 219 names for white people! If Mark twain had given the slaves pen and paper they could of thought of then too!
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johnson, I've read your replies to others' posts and it's clear you are a racist pig. It is for people like you that this book should not be censored. The use of the N-word by the author was supposed to be offensive, that's the point. It brings to attention how Blacks were de-humanized and demonized in society. It seems to me that this was Mark Twain's point because when you read the book you are less likely to be a bigot.
Try not to suck in life too much, Johnson.
If the N-word bothers you so much, don't read the book.
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I'm sure the next book that will be edited (like it or NOT) will be Gone With The Wind. Both Twain and Mitchells books are period pieces. Leave them alone. I for one will not read or buy either books if one single words is change.
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"I for one will not read or buy either books if one single words is change." can you even reads? lol
Next thing you know some people will be denying that the Holocaust ever happened.
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Do you live under a rock? They already do deny the Holocaust!
They're called revisionists.
They already do!
I wonder if we would be editing books written by black folks from that period if it referred(Whites) as white-devils!or crackers!
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No they won't because blacks are allowed to racists. Check out Barracks books
It's just a word. If someone is going to take offense then so be it. Be offended! Where will we go from here? ROFL!!!!
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bronxriza Hitler was jewish!
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Of course it's a word that is not politically or any other way correct to use today, but are they going to go through all the books and strike the words cracker, whitey, etc. I think it's wrong to go back and try to rewrite history. You'd have to be crazy to believe they were called African Americans back then. It was Ni****, darkies, or other unflattering terms of address, but I must admit, even the race today isn't sure what they wish to be called. We have gone through Colored, African Americans, and I'm sure before I'm through with this old world, there will be new terms.
as for me, We used to be called, Red skins, Indians, Cherokees, and now it's Native Americans. Just leave it alone. We all are what we are, and just because the name doesn't mean the content has changed.
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Hey Moon, I grew out up in 40's, 50's, 60's, 70's ,80's, 90's and on... white people were aways ready to say something Negative about every nob- white person on earth, But when it came to saying something negative them it always got Omitted out of the text ! And that's the truth from one who's live through it all ! I'm African (I called my self this back 1958 when it wasn't allowed) and Native American and proud of It ! Welsh too
I stand corrected. You guys are right. Everything is just peachy in Black America. Enjoy your dilusions. A lot will improve when you have your heads in the sand.
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The rewriting of Huck Finn is ridiculous. Rewriting literature is like rewriting history. Next we will be dressing nude art and statutes.
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I'm with Roger. There should not have been any changes to those great books.
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