Book burning
Scott Smith and 'The Arts'
Indeed Scott, 'in the eyes of the beholder'. Even if I, as a sidethrow feel that much on the 'modern art world' are wards of the taxpayer who have taken a very profitable leaf out of H.C. Andersens 'The Emperors New Clothes' and are fleecing us for a layabout life in which only a minute minority - show an interest. As for the book-burnings I deliberately dragged Appollinaire in front of the flames because he was one of the 'incinerated' authors.Required reading is his 'Count Vibescu', which - when you have absorbed all the excreta, intestines and decapitations - you will fully agree with,not only the Nazis but the rest of mankind - that such excuses for 'literature' deserves nothing better. Perhaps - in the company of those who call it literature?
- Bill Medland
- Member
- Posts: 754
- Joined: 12 Mar 2002, 09:14
- Location: Germany Niederrhein (Lower Rhine).
- Contact:
For Max
You ask me why I am proud to own a book with Dr Robert Ley's original signature in it?
The answer is simple, I am "proud" from a collectors point of view, as it must be very rare and difficult to find. When I only paid four US dollars for it, I think that is reason to be proud.
Or were you hoping for a "political" reason for being proud?
regards,Bill.
You ask me why I am proud to own a book with Dr Robert Ley's original signature in it?
The answer is simple, I am "proud" from a collectors point of view, as it must be very rare and difficult to find. When I only paid four US dollars for it, I think that is reason to be proud.
Or were you hoping for a "political" reason for being proud?
regards,Bill.
- David C. Clarke
- Member
- Posts: 11368
- Joined: 10 Mar 2002, 18:17
- Location: U.S. of A.
Generally,
Burning books is certainly nasty.
It is however only a way to show-off the fact that some people do want to impose their views in a particular field.
I feel more hurt by the fact that people have been sent to KZ because certain titles have been found in their possession. A mob can be pushed to burn and manifest, the fact that a men reading a book can be put in jail by the Gestapo shows that the men in power deny an elementary liberty, information individually collected and right to form his own opinion.
In fact this intolerance is old. May I recall that the books of Alexandria library finished in ovens from the hand of arabs claiming that "if they say what the prophet said, they are superflous, if they say something the prohet did not say, they are heretic "
The catholic power has had the index, books forbidden to ordinary people.
The temptation to ignore that other people say, and destruct the books they have written is permanent.
Let us say that liberty in thinking and writing is a sign of civilisation, and that forbidding, burning and condemning books is a part of barbary.
Burning books is certainly nasty.
It is however only a way to show-off the fact that some people do want to impose their views in a particular field.
I feel more hurt by the fact that people have been sent to KZ because certain titles have been found in their possession. A mob can be pushed to burn and manifest, the fact that a men reading a book can be put in jail by the Gestapo shows that the men in power deny an elementary liberty, information individually collected and right to form his own opinion.
In fact this intolerance is old. May I recall that the books of Alexandria library finished in ovens from the hand of arabs claiming that "if they say what the prophet said, they are superflous, if they say something the prohet did not say, they are heretic "
The catholic power has had the index, books forbidden to ordinary people.
The temptation to ignore that other people say, and destruct the books they have written is permanent.
Let us say that liberty in thinking and writing is a sign of civilisation, and that forbidding, burning and condemning books is a part of barbary.
Links to knowledge
Thank you Scott, for the link.
"the stalwart, conservative, noncredulous character of Missourians."
IMO Harry Truman's demeaner reflected that character.
alsaco - I recently saw some short news item on the rebuilding of the Library of Alexander.
"the stalwart, conservative, noncredulous character of Missourians."
IMO Harry Truman's demeaner reflected that character.
alsaco - I recently saw some short news item on the rebuilding of the Library of Alexander.
-
- Member
- Posts: 223
- Joined: 14 Mar 2002, 23:04
- Location: USA
Haven't some of you considered the fatuousness of criticizing the National Socialist regime for suppressing free speech, especially since all of our respective governments have banned certain works of literature, music, and art? As Scott had argued, book banning is not just one of those little fascist idiosyncrasies. Wasn't Salinger's "Catcher in the Rye" banned from most American public libraries in the 50's? How about Walt Whitman's "Leaves of Grass", which was blacklisted in the 1800's? Didn't politicians like Jesse Helmes and Rudy Giulianni launch a campaign against "degenerate art" a decade or so ago? To this day can't you be arrested in France or Germany for publishing any historical work that even questions the numbers killed in the Holocaust? So why is there all this high-toned moralizing about the "crime" of the book bonfires?
Bill Medland said
Then I thought that perhaps Ley might be related to you.[through your wife?]
Nothing on this link regarding Ley but you may be able to make some judgement as to his signature's worth by comparison with those of other Nazi leaders.
http://www.goldbergcoins.net/catalogarc ... tml#045217
Max
It did occur to me that this might be the case [not an unreasonable conclusion I would have thought]Or were you hoping for a "political" reason for being proud?
Perhaps more romantic than political.But when I see old film of Brownshirts marching through Berlin in a torchlight parade, with the pagentry, uniforms and marching music, then they become my heroes and I say to myself "I wish I had been born earlier!"
Then I thought that perhaps Ley might be related to you.[through your wife?]
Nothing on this link regarding Ley but you may be able to make some judgement as to his signature's worth by comparison with those of other Nazi leaders.
http://www.goldbergcoins.net/catalogarc ... tml#045217
Max
]
Tony
"Cor Blimey Sarge, I just never saw it like that. Ain't war 'orrible""They killed Tommy! Blimey Sir, those pesky oriental fellows aren't very sporting are they?"
"Now now Pvt Atkins, they are just decent fellows like you or I, only they chose the wrong side in this dreadful war-it's not their fault"
Haven't a clue Dave, Sorry. I think its coming soon enough though. As for a PC 2000ad, I wonder what they'll do to Dredd? The most Un-PC comic character ever.Man, a PC 2000ad hehe .
can't wait - do you know what issue/date this story will be started?
Tony
While this is true that many countries impose varies degrees of prohibition and cencorships on some publicatons ( most of them on the materials propagating racial or religious intolerance and pornography) it could not be denied that the scope of such measures is incomparable with the Nazis or Soviet persecutions of Free Thought.So why is there all this high-toned moralizing about the "crime" of the book bonfires?
The very idea of burning books on bonfires is reminiscent of the worst Middle Ages obscurantism .
BTW.I am personally against every kind of book banning. I think that
it is better for people to judge for themselves what is good and what is not .For example I am glad that I was able to read "Main Kampf ".
Reading it just strengthened my anti -Nazi position