If it weren’t vaguely sinister, it would be ridiculous. I refer, of course, to the latest successful crusade of the book-banners: Dr. Seuss. Six of the author’s titles will no longer be published due to imagery dubbed “racist and insensitive,” and Dr. Seuss Enterprises says the books “portray people in ways that are hurtful and wrong … Ceasing sales of these books is only part of our commitment and our broader plan to ensure Dr. Seuss Enterprises’ catalog represents and supports all communities and families.”
Big Tech immediately assisted the memory-holing of the offensive children’s books, with the titles being pulled from Ebay as prices were driven sky-high by nostalgic buyers looking to lock down copies of childhood favorites. Ebay began to pull down copies posted for sale, stating that “listings that promote or glorify hatred, violence, or discrimination aren’t allowed. Dr. Seuss Enterprises has stopped publication of this book due to its negative portrayal of some ethnicities. As a courtesy, we have ended your item and refunded your selling fees, and as long as you do not relist the item, there will be no negative impact to your account.”
Five of the six books — McElligot’s Pool, If I Ran the Zoo, And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street, Scrambled Eggs Super!, and On Beyond Zebra — are all titles I used to read at my grandmother’s house when I was small.
