As offensive as the word itself

Saying they want to publish a version that won’t be banned from some schools because of its language, two scholars are editing Mark Twain‘s classic Adventures of Huckleberry Finn to eliminate uses of the “N” word and replace it with “slave,” Publishers Weekly writes.

The edition, from NewSouth Books, will also shorten an offensive reference to Native Americans.

Sad on so many levels. That this undisputed work of art is “relegated to optional reading lists, or banned outright” from grade school curricula proves the tyranny of political correctness. When sensitivities rise beyond reason, smarts plummet beneath comprehension — a recurring axiom in 21st Century America.

Scrubbing the ugliness from history betrays the very notion of education. And forget about context, a word few people seem to understand, or want to.

Mostly, I’m sad that American students are being robbed of Mark Twain. If you can’t summon outrage over this one, check your pulse.

Related Articles

• Bowdlerizing Huckleberry Finn (slog.thestranger.com)