On the whole Dr Seuss Thing

So this Tuesday Dr Seuss Enterprises stated that they would no longer be printing six of his books.

And the world seems to have lost its mind.

A tiny part of me gets it.  I grew up with Dr Seuss.  My kids are growing up with Dr Seuss.  I do not think he's a total hero - his books are super gendered and have little female representation.  But his books are good at teaching kids literacy in a fun way.  It is hard to envisage a world without Green Eggs and Ham, The Cat in the Hat or Fox in Socks (my favourite).  And we don't need to.  Because none of these books made the list.  This is the out-of-print list:

And To Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street (1937)  
McElligot's Pool (1947)
If I Ran The Zoo (1950)
Scrambled Eggs Super (1953)
On Beyond Zebra (1955)
The Cat's Quizzer (1976)

While I've read some of the books on that list, none of them are books I'd consider 'Classic Seuss'.  Seriously, when did you last sit down and think 'Hmmm, I really need to buy McElligot's Pool for my kids.'*  Or 'Man I miss reading On Beyond Zebra, I wonder if it's at Whitcoulls?'  Sure, it's a shame the first kids book he got published no longer will be.  But this is small fish compared to the reasons not to.

The reasons for not continuing to print these books is because they contain racist imagery**.  That's it.  As quoted directly from the statement from Dr Seuss Enterprises:

'These 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’s catalog represents and supports all communities and families.'

Because at it stands, the magic of Seuss is for white kids.

Having a relationship with an author that not only excludes you but actively makes fun of your heritage is complicated.  It's easy to love Seuss if you're white.  Even easier if your male.  It's easy to shrug these few books off as 'whoopsies'.  It's a lot harder if you're not.  If you're not, his is just another racist voice in the crowd.  Even if you love some of his books, how do you feel comfortable reading books by  someone who creates racist imagery?  Especially in a world that already treats you differently.  The discontinuation of publishing these books is an effort to make the rest of Dr Seuss's catalogue more accessible to more people.  And while this cannot rectify the issues caused by them being published in the first place, it is at least an effort to acknowledge this issue.

One of his cartoons depicting Hirohito

And honestly, I think Dr Seuss would have applauded it.

Before he was spitting rhymes in kids books Geisel was a political cartoonist.  He drew over 400 cartoons for the New York Newspaper between 1941 and 1943 .  Many of these had racist content - particularly aimed at the Japanese.  He was a product of his times.  Pearl Harbour was bombed in December 1941.  I am not justifying his actions, but I understand that this was essentially his job.  Much of the US lived in fear of what their future held, and fear is a big driver of prejudice.

 
But at his heart, Theodor Seuss Geisel was a liberal and a moralist.  Many of his books convey liberal messages - The Sneetches is a critique of anti-Semitism.  The Butter Battle Book conveys the dangers (and futility) of the arms race.  And Horton Hears A Who! is about listening, and helping uplift the powerless.  Geisel passed away in 1991.  He never witnessed the LA riots of 1992.  He never saw the rise in Islamophobia following September 11.  And he never heard about the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis Police Officer in 2020.  If he had, I really don't think he would have backed the racist imagery a younger Seuss had drawn.

Because around the same time he was drawing these awful cartoons he was also drawing these:

He understood the dangers of prejudice.  He was concerned about how they were affecting things at home in the US.  And as he got older, his books became more inclusive.  Of the more than 50 books he published from 1954 onward - only one of those books made the list.  Geisel made an effort to change with the times.  His books addressed not just issues from earlier times, but climate change, political freedom, and the importance of creativity in an ordered world.

But I think the reason we value Seuss so highly is because of how successfully he has shared his love of words.  The Cat In The Hat was written as a response to the debate about early literacy in America.  He wrote it in an effort to rid the world of Dick and Jane and the terribly boring world they occupied.  And in doing so he introduced fun and colour and rhyme which helped to engage young readers.

So if you're one of those people who is upset about this I want you to really consider what it is you're upset about.  What have you lost?  Are you really upset that these books are no longer being published - that they will be harder to get?  I honestly think this is about fear.  Fear of a changing world.  Fear of a world that looks different to the world many of us grew up in.  And it's so important to remember that fear is a dangerous thing.   Fear was used by Hitler back in the 1930's to engage the masses.  Fear was used by Donald Trump in recent times to do the same thing.  Fear is the food of racism.  Fear is the starter of wars.  But fear also halts progress, it maintains the current hegemony.

If we want this world to be more accessible, if we want people to have equal opportunities we need to acknowledge the mistakes of our past.  We need to accept that while change is scary, it is necessary for us to move toward a more balanced world.  This is a small change.  Real change requires much more.  And in the famous words of Dr Seuss himself:

* And I seriously wouldn't.  Not just because of the racist imagery, but that book is super creepy.  I think that as a child it was the second most scary Dr Seuss book I ever read (the scariest was definitely What Was I Scared Of.  The third scariest was The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins).

** I do not need to repost those images here.  You can look them up for yourself if you want.

On our massive overreaction to coronavirus

Since a single case of coronavirus was confirmed last Friday afternoon, an epic level of crazy has ensued.  Sadly, this hasn't come as a surprise.  Since the WHO declared the outbreak to be an emergency on the 30th of January, I've seen and heard some crazy shit.  And most of it has come in the form of crappy ways to be racist.

In my workplace we had two racist incidents directly linked to fear of coronavirus.  In one instance a customer was afraid of touching an eftpos machine because it had been touched by a colleague.  This woman had deemed her to be a 'risk' for coronavirus based on no information other than what she looks like.  Not long after this happened one of our kids friends was told by a parent that to keep safe (regarding the virus) they needed to wash their hands regularly, and stay away from Asian people*.

At work I've had an elderly customer accuse us of 'hoarding' hand sanitiser because I could not tell them who our workplace supplier was (I do not know.  That is not my job).  I've had customers ask to purchase our half full hand sanitiser and then give me the evils when I said that wasn't possible as it was not a product we stocked.  We have hand santiser at the counters because we handle all sorts of things in the department store and don't have easy access to hand washing whilst on the floor.  We use it to keep both ourselves, and our customers safe.  We do this regardless of pandemic.  We are not hell bent on hoarding hand sanitiser.

Early in February Bunnings sold out of face masks.  These face masks do not prevent the spread of viruses.  What they are designed for is to prevent dust and wood/stone particles from being breathed in to someones lungs.  Buying these masks to prevent virus spread isn't just stupid, but it unnecessarily endangers those who actually need those masks:  our tradespeople and our DIYers.  These are the kinds of people these masks are designed to protect.

Support your local Asian Supermarket 
Unlike Countdown, there are no queues

And by mid February our Chinese restaurants were suffering.  Now unless you're dining on pangolin the likelihood of contracting coronavirus from food is very low.  Sure, most Chinese restaurants are run by Chinese people.  But being Chinese does not make people more likely to have coronavirus.  If you are assuming that most Chinese Kiwi's are flying in and out of Wuhan on the reg you would be wrong.  Not only are there travel restrictions in place, but to do that, you'd need a lot of money, and considering on average white folk earn almost double that of our Asian population that seems unlikely.  It also completely ignores the fact that many Kiwi Chinese folk may never have been to China.  Many have families that have lived here for generations and are just as likely to have come in contact with coronavirus as I am.  Today I did the vege shopping and mine was literally the only white face in my local Asian supermarket.  People, this isn't being smart or safe.  This is being racist and xenophobic. 

This is our response to one confirmed case in New Zealand.

I struggle to understand.  I truly do.

Well, I struggle to understand the panic shopping and water hoarding. 

I don't struggle to understand Brian Tamaki's reaction.  His responses are always fairly transparent.  He is taking advantage of peoples fears to promote his 'product'.  Given that his wife, Hannah Tamaki is heading a new political party, this is doubly beneficial for him.  The more folk on board with Destiny, the more votes they can count in this next election and the more power he has.  You might be thinking 'Balderdash!  No-one is crazy enough to believe in airborne demons' but you would be wrong.  People believe masks will save them.  People are hoarding food like the apocalypse is at hand.  This is the perfect time for those like Brian Tamaki to take advantage of peoples fears.

Yoda is here to save the day (again)                    

And thinking like Brian Tamaki is dangerous**.  He, and others like him will use the coronavirus to promote hate speech.  He will use coronavirus to back their idea of culling immigration by 97%.  He will use the rise in cases in Iran to back the idea that mosques are evil.  In promoting misinformation around coronavirus and its spread he is actively making it harder for us to manage best practice in containing it.  And in feeding on common fears, he will appeal to many more than you would think.

Now, onto panic buying.  Following the global trend, once Aotearoa had its first confirmed case folk started buying up large at the supermarket.  In Auckland, given we're in drought I do understand big water purchases.  What concerns me is that there are many on tank water who genuinely have need for this water***.  What if they miss out because John Smith has decided to stash some for the end of days?  I get that people are freaked out.  The reality is that this pandemic is impacting production in China.  The reality is that much of the stuff we take for granted does come from China.  But given the timing that hoarding began - immediately after a case was confirmed - I suspect most of these buyers weren't thinking of that.  I think they were thinking more about hiding at home in fear of the virus.  This thinking is also informed by how quiet my workplace has been since Thursday, and how quiet the gym and pools are.  People are scared to go out.

Panic buying is selfish.  It fails to consider those with greater need.  It fails to consider those with cancer or otherwise affected immune systems who need consistent access to hand sanitiser.  It fails to consider those for whom the masks are actually designed.  It fails to consider those affected by drought.  It fails to consider how this may impact on food banks, and those reliant on them.  On those who can't afford to panic shop.  Panic buying looks like people not thinking and making selfish choices.

What is far worse than this are those taking advantage.  Who see this fear as opportunity.

Frank and Fiona Gallagher making the most of a Chicago Blackout (Shameless)

We had a nursery sale a week ago and a man came in and purchased all of our thermometers.  Now, I could be wrong in my assumptions here.  This man may have been purchasing on behalf of a charity group, or purchasing for extended family to send overseas.  But I've often experienced customers doing both of these things and this man did not behave like them.  Usually they already have a finite number in mind, or people they are thinking of and naming/counting off as they choose what they want.  This man just said 'all'.  And to hedge his bets he bought one style of thermometer from me, and another from a co-worker at another counter in two separate trips**** so I strongly suspect they were purchased to onsell.  We have had to turn so many people away since because we do not have thermometers in stock.  Mostly parents of sick kids.  It's an awful feeling.  I am sure there are many, many other examples of this happening worldwide.

The immense drop in air pollution over China courtesy of NASA

I think the only reason we're scared about China shutting down is because we are scared of change.  We are used to our fast food and online shopping.  We are used to not having to think about where our food, clothing, furniture and phones come from.  The reality is that since production and transport has slowed in China their nitrogen dioxide rates have dropped drastically.  How can this be a bad thing?  We know global warming is real.  We see it happening right in front of us.  We just had 42 days without measurable rain in Auckland.  Why has it taken a pandemic to make immediate and massive change?

The reality is that we will have to make some changes, but most of those changes will, by necessity, be more sustainable.  We may have to start shopping seasonally as shipping from the Northern hemisphere slows.  We may have to start mending our clothes and buying second hand.  We may have to start considering buying NZ made when there are few other options available.  All of these things are things we should be doing, but many of us aren't.  These are all positive changes.

If we continue to live in fear, if we continue to perpetrate these selfish acts we will create more disorder, more hurt and more stress in what is already a scary time.  It is not hard to be kind.  In fact, we are stronger when we are united.  If growing our own fruits and veges becomes more important, we should co-ordinate with friends and neighbours to support those with greater need.  We can host clothes swaps to freshen up our wardrobes.  We can teach each others children those important skills around growing and preserving food that have been lost.  If we share what we have, we have more options.

Rather than choosing fear, choose kindness.  Support your local Chinese restaurants and supermarkets.  Think of others before you buy more than you need.  Remember the fatality rate is about 2%, and if you're under 50 that drops to 0.4%.  Transmission rates are slightly higher than the flu but much, much lower than measles.  This is not the modern plague.  Educate yourself on COVID-19.  Read the guidelines on how to keep safe.  Wash your hands.  Be rational.  But most importantly, be kind.

* I'm happy to say this misinformation was corrected by the other parent and step parent before it became a thing.

** While I'm not religious myself I believe strongly in peoples rights to religion freedom.  Consequently I cannot stomach those like Tamaki who aim to take those rights away.  While I am not religious I was raised with Christianity.  I have read the Bible (and the Bhagavad Gita) and I cannot for the life of me believe that anyone trying to be like Christ would behave as the Tamaki's do.  Jesus was about kindness.  He was about forgiveness.  He was about love of your fellow man.  He cared for those less fortunate (here's an awesome article about recontextualising how Jesus would behave now regarding homelessness).  He did not care for possessions or riches.  He threw the money lenders out of the temple.  He would never have people tithing when he knew they could not afford it.  While I believe in freedom of religion I cannot believe that a church that puts fear and hate ahead of kindness and humanity is a good thing.  I will not apologise for condemning these actions.

*** The need for tank water refills is so great that a friend said they were told by two water supply companies they couldn't get anything to them until April.  They are using the laundromat, showering at the local gym and totally reliant on bought water for drinking.

**** We just realised this yesterday ie: I didn't know she had also sold him a ridiculous number of thermometers and vice versa.  We conferred after another store called in the hopes that we had one, so I suspect this happened at other stores too.

On NZd's Darkest Day

I am writing because I was too upset to press 'refresh' on the news pages any more times.

I am writing because I tried to read my bedtime book and I cannot focus.

I am writing because I just want to eat salt and vinegar chips until I pass out but I have no chips left.

I am writing because I need New Zealand to know what in spite of what Jacinda said about why they chose us, and in spite of what many are saying across social media* we have to own our shit and recognise that New Zealand is still largely a racist nation.

Yes, the nutbar gunman social media live streamer said he chose us precisely because he wanted to demostrate that 'this' could happen in even the quietest place.  And yes, that nutbar gunman was Australian.  But if you think he and the other gunman acted alone then you are kidding yourself.

How did they get access to weapons here?  How, under our strict gun laws, do you think that happened without help from people here?  And why would this happen in Christchurch?  Why not Auckland where we have bigger, more populated mosques?

I cannot recall the amount of times I have witnessed racism during my life because it is countless, but I can recount some events.

Like how when my Kiwi Chinese Uncle got beaten up in Kaitaia so badly that his jaw was broken and needed pins put into it just because some randoms decided he was a 'g**k.'**

Like how in my first ever job an older colleague told me knowledgeably that all Islanders were lazy which I thought was an odd thing to say given there were almost zero Islanders in the small town we lived in and I had said nothing at all about Pasifika peoples.

Like how when I called the local police that time our neighbour was beating the shit out of someone on their deck their response was 'Are they coconuts?'  They're probably coconuts.  They're always beating each other up.  Don't worry about it.'  I was too gobsmacked to say anything (I was 18).

Like how my Kiwi Chinese boyfriend wouldn't tell people his ethnicity in certain circles and just let them assume he was part Maori so he could keep skateboarding in Helensville without dramas.

Like how I've only seen my POC boyfriends*** get punched in the face by random strangers and never my Pakeha boyfriends.

Like how the first time I visited the Gold Coast I found it so racist I cried and wanted to go home after the first two days but the thing is, the people who were most racist were all ex-pat Kiwi's who said things like 'at least they know how to treat their Blacks over here.'

Like how I had an argument about anti-Muslim ideologies with certain family members whilst on holiday in Rarotonga and was told to walk away so as not to ruin our holiday.

Like how I'm still having to argue with people on social media about systemic inequality and why Māori scholarships are not racist.

Like how I'm still having to explain income inequality due to ethnicity using basic statistics anyone could easily find themselves if they could be bothered.

Like how I had to tell my four year old that her friend telling her she should only be friends with white people was wrong.  And I had to hear her friend was bullying a new kid at Kindy because of her skin colour.  And how I then had to front up to Kindy and tell them this awful thing, in a place we had chosen for our kids because it reflected the diverse community we live in.  And I had to remind my daughter that her friend was not a bad person, she had just been taught unkind things.

I see and experience racism in New Zealand on an almost daily basis.

And this is what this terrorism is about.  The gunman's manifesto is largely anti-immigrationist and separatist.  In one part it states: “We must crush immigration and deport those invaders living on our soil. It’s not just a matter of prosperity, but the very survival of our people.”

So it is no surprise he chose New Zealand as a place to carry out this horrific act of violence.  Here, we are all immigrants or descendants of immigrants.  From the Māori who traveled here from Hawaiki, to the Pākehā who have arrived here steadily over the past 200+ years, to our Pasifika, Chinese and Indian communities and our refugee communities.  We, or our parents or Grandparents or distant ancestors came here to Aotearoa to find a better life.  In this, we are all the same.

Yet still, so many of us are focused on our differences.

No, casual racism is not the same as spitting bullets in a mosque during prayer time.  But it builds the culture that grows extremists.
 
We spent some time in our honeymoon in Brunei, and what struck me about being in this predominantly Muslim country was how friendly it was.  We were welcomed into the homes of strangers.  We got into cars with strangers.  We experienced hospitality and kindness from this community every day we were there even though we were different.  Even through we were travelers who were not only not Muslim, but not religious.

If any good is to come of this horror it should be that we think about how we treat others.  We need to acknowledge our failings as a nation and accept that we need to change.

We can do better.  We need to do better.  And we need to start now.



*Fucking Aussies!

** Just a heads up - this isn't a euphamism for 'geek'

*** And no, they weren't getting lippy.  Both times, they'd not even engaged in conversation with their face puncher.