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In reply to the discussion: I am totally worn out. [View all]Celerity
(44,146 posts)35. British Students Paint Over Kipling Mural, Protesting 'Racist Attitudes'
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/19/books/british-students-paint-over-rudyard-kipling-mural.html
LONDON Deej Malik-Johnson, an elected representative at the University of Manchesters students union, came into his office on Friday to find a poem painted on a wall opposite it. The poem, Rudyard Kiplings If, is well-loved in Britain it has been repeatedly voted the nations favorite and is almost a pioneer of self-help writing. (Keep your head when all about you/Are losing theirs and blaming it on you, it advises.) It had been painted there by staff who manage the unions building as part of a refurbishment.
Mr. Malik-Johnson and his fellow student representatives were not happy. In a telephone interview, he said that Kipling, an English journalist, author and poet who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1907 and wrote The Jungle Book, supported colonialism and had racist attitudes. Mr. Malik-Johnson pointed to works like Kiplings poem The White Mans Burden.
Around 40 percent of the universitys students comes from outside Britain, Mr. Malik-Johnson pointed out. He said that views such as Kiplings did not fit in with a diverse body.
So Mr. Malik-Johnson and his colleagues painted over it with another poem by the African-American poet Maya Angelou instead. We werent trying to erase Kipling we did it deliberately so you could still see his words, Mr. Malik-Johnson said. It was to start a conversation.
snip
LONDON Deej Malik-Johnson, an elected representative at the University of Manchesters students union, came into his office on Friday to find a poem painted on a wall opposite it. The poem, Rudyard Kiplings If, is well-loved in Britain it has been repeatedly voted the nations favorite and is almost a pioneer of self-help writing. (Keep your head when all about you/Are losing theirs and blaming it on you, it advises.) It had been painted there by staff who manage the unions building as part of a refurbishment.
Mr. Malik-Johnson and his fellow student representatives were not happy. In a telephone interview, he said that Kipling, an English journalist, author and poet who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1907 and wrote The Jungle Book, supported colonialism and had racist attitudes. Mr. Malik-Johnson pointed to works like Kiplings poem The White Mans Burden.
Around 40 percent of the universitys students comes from outside Britain, Mr. Malik-Johnson pointed out. He said that views such as Kiplings did not fit in with a diverse body.
So Mr. Malik-Johnson and his colleagues painted over it with another poem by the African-American poet Maya Angelou instead. We werent trying to erase Kipling we did it deliberately so you could still see his words, Mr. Malik-Johnson said. It was to start a conversation.
snip
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Boy does that resonate. Did you choose Paladin from Have gun, Will travel?
Evolve Dammit
Sep 2019
#46
I felt that way a few months ago. I took a three week vacation from the news.
IrishEyes
Sep 2019
#13
I KNOW which post you replied to, and am asking once again for you to explain the relevance...
Marengo
Sep 2019
#63
both the post and my reply contained Kipling's poem 'If'. How many times must I say this?
Celerity
Sep 2019
#64
LOL! You're resorting to THAT to avoid answering a simple question? Lame and comical.
Marengo
Sep 2019
#68
Don't forget the good news - he is morbidly obese, never exercises and eats fast food excessively
Moostache
Sep 2019
#19
I hope so, I hope we can hold our party together against the trolls and litmus tests.
redstatebluegirl
Sep 2019
#29
Plus they are packing the courts with nuts who are going to be on the bench for YEARS!
redstatebluegirl
Sep 2019
#34
" after he is gone, he will continue to crave attention" Umm, not if he's locked up.
YOHABLO
Sep 2019
#43
I survive by thinking of the day he will be locked up in prison. It's a nice mental image.
RKP5637
Sep 2019
#44
Summed it up perfectly. We're all in this nightmare, and it ain't over by a long shot. Take care.
Evolve Dammit
Sep 2019
#45
I live in a college town, very different dynamics than the rest of the state.
redstatebluegirl
Sep 2019
#48