Mein Kampf, by Adolph Hitler, in school libraries?

[Faran]

I was unsure if this was the correct forum or not, so please move it if it belongs elsewhere.

I have seen the subject of this post present in middle school libraries, and I was interested in the thoughts of the members here. Members of the age group are often extremely impressionable, and racist/fascist/supremacist literature may potentially, in my opinion, make monsters out of them.

I remember going through Mein Kampf a year ago when I was thirteen. Being thoroughly educated by very good parents and being of a religion which is severely discriminated against the middle east, which is the area background, I was obviously disgusted, not impressed upon, and thus the book was immensely valuable for me educationally.

My question: In your opinion, should such literature be used as a pedagogical tool or at least be available to pre-teens to earl teens, or is the age group too impressionable and liable to pick up ideas I should hope most parents wish to divert them from?

 

[Ashlea]

It's always hard to appropriately limit children's reading. The best thing is for parents to be aware of what their children are reading and discuss in with them openly and intelligently. As this isn't always possible, the librarian has to be very careful. Unfortunately, political pressure and one nasty, closeminded parent can ruin the whole thing.

I think that with something like this, a child who isn't ready for this sort of idea is likely to be bored with it on the 1st page and move on. Still, I think I would include it in a high school (age 14+) setting but not a younger one. It's easier when it's set up like American public schools with ages at different campuses, if all grades were at one school it would be harder.

I think something like Mercedes Lackey would be great in a Jr. High (age 12-14) library but with openly gay characters, I bet the librarian in my small hometown school library would be too scared to do so.

 

[piedro]

I agree with Ashlea that it is hard to limit childrens reading.

However blocking their access to such books wont solve the problem.Reverse psychology of children would ensure that they would definately go out of bounds and read it!If you ban a book the more you ensure that immature audiences will strive to obtain it
Really young kids should obviously be protected from such books but kids of the age 11 onwards should be first made aware of people like Hitler and the contents of such books.Without biasing them,they should be told what Hitler did in his lifetime.This will at least ensure that they arent hypnotised by such literature

 

[Stewart]

Originally posted by Faran
Members of the age group are often extremely impressionable, and racist/fascist/supremacist literature may potentially, in my opinion, make monsters out of them.

I disagree here; although it depends on your definition of monster. Thuggery is eventually grown out of. Any 13 year old dictatorial prodigy, however, must surely already have developed political leanings (most likely via their parents) to read such tripe anyway.

In your opinion, should such literature be used as a pedagogical tool or at least be available to pre-teens to earl teens, or is the age group too impressionable and liable to pick up ideas I should hope most parents wish to divert them from?

What exactly are you trying to teach these kids: storming France for Dummies? Yes, of course it should be available and if you can get kids wanting to read political material then it should be encouraged although getting a kid these days (especially where I am) to even have heard of Mein Kampf never mind read it is increasingly difficult. Unless Hitler makes an appearance in Celebrity Reich or some such nonsense then such material is above and beyond...

 

[VTChEwbecca]

I agree with Mile-O here, especially with the book in question. Most kids aren't going to be willing to pick up such a book and read it with video games and the like to occupy their time. If they do, by chance, pick it up, its most likely because they are already aware of what they're getting into and have a definite reason for reading the book.

 

[Stewart]

Originally posted by VTChEwbecca
I agree with Mile-O here

Hallelujah!

 

[RaVeN]

I hate to admit it but I agree with Mile-O as well.

I wonder which one of us that scares more?

Bill

 

[tms25]

Mein Kampf

I do not think that Mein Kampf can be banned from schools if students are to be taught about Adolf Hitler. What better way is there to learn about somebody then read his own book, rather than what somebody in a concentration camp wrote about him? ("Night" by Elie Weisel is read in high schools throughout California)

tms25

 

[Billy Oblivion]

I'm just wondering if anyone has actually read Mein Kampf. I used to have a 26 part magazine edition that was published during WWII (profits to the International Red Cross). Even with beautiful illustrations it was turgid to the point of unreadability (could have been the translation I guess). I would suspect that children (even teenagers) would have great difficulty in reading it or getting anything out of it. I was about 21 when I read it.

Thankfully my copy was lost years ago when my house was arsoned and I've never felt an urge to replace it (unlike other books I lost in the conflagration).

 

[z_boy]

I read it last year. Although there is alot of what you would expect, it is sort of interesting to have Hitler's point of view. Regardless of what you think of him, he was definately an intellegent person, which you can tell from his writing. I would expect this book be available to people in high school, alot of time is spent discussing him, so it wouldn't really be fair if people couldn't know what he had to say about it.

 

[mr_michel]

I read it last year. Although there is alot of what you would expect, it is sort of interesting to have Hitler's point of view. Regardless of what you think of him, he was definately an intellegent person, which you can tell from his writing. I would expect this book be available to people in high school, alot of time is spent discussing him, so it wouldn't really be fair if people couldn't know what he had to say about it.

i agree with you
it should be avaible for whoever may be interested, especially if the kid/teen/young adult its learning about the second world war.
i mean, you learn in school that hitler try a coup and fail, got to jail, in jail wrote a book expressing his ideas, which were basic for the nazi ideology, etc...., but then any one can get curious about what ideas were those.

 

[scburch]

As a school librarian...

I try very hard not to censor materials available to students. It is the parents' job to be aware of what their child is reading and be prepared to discuss and help them understand disturbing / confusing material... The role of the library is to present as many reading and perspective opportunities as possible.... Therefore is is often the case that a library will contain much material which may be offensive to a few or many people....

 

[Sun-SSS]

Mein Kampf

It's good to see most people agree that there should be no censorship. Hitler, of course, would disagree. Like George W., he would like his view to be the only one heard.

In Hitler's day, when he was not too busy waging war to write, the free world had free access to his ideas. Some people agreed with some of them, sympathised with his cause, and were free to say so.

Things seem to have changed. Today we have no idea where Osama Bin Laden is coming from, what his grievance is. We had better not try to find out, either, because if we are not with George we are against him, and likely to be kidnapped and taken to Cuba.

Where is Osama's book? Or Idi Amin's, or Pol Pot's? These crazies, too, had philosophies behind their agendas. Western Governments and the half-dozen or so multi-billionaires who own the media and draw the line between what is politically correct and incorrect scratch each other's backs, and we who will have to die in their wars are kept happily ignorant.

 

[Ou Be Low hoo]

All I initally saw was:

Children's Fiction: Mein Kampf, by Adolph Hitler...!

It wasn't till I clicked on it that I saw the '...in school libraries' bit...shame, really...

As for it being there, I think it's best left out. The further children are distanced from delusions of this kind, perhaps the more archaic they - the delusions - will become...wishful thinking? Probably...

 

[Ou Be Low hoo]

Today we have no idea where Osama Bin Laden is coming from, what his grievance is. We had better not try to find out, either, because if we are not with George we are against him, and likely to be kidnapped and taken to Cuba.

This is totally incorrect. If you have access to the internet, newspapers and other media outlets then you can understand OBL's grievances...The power that capitalism dictates is what he is attacking. Whether you agree with it or not, he goes about it the wrong way...but, perhaps it is the only way he feels his voice can be heard...

 

[Sun-SSS]

The power that capitalism dictates is what he is attacking…?

What on earth does that mean? Mein Kampf was pretty convoluted, and pretty juvenile, but at least in came to us in understandable English, not internetesque gobbledegook.

 

[Ou Be Low hoo]

I shall explain:

Capitalism = power.

The refusal to agree with the nature of this system leads to a rejection of what it ('CAPITALISM') dictates ('commands') to the world.

 

[cajunmama]

Maybe I can clear up your confusion by subracting the 'tude and simplifying some things.

OBL is attacking the power that is the result of capitalism.

Did I get that right, Ou Be? Understand, Sun?

 

[Sun-SSS]

Maybe I can clear up your confusion by subracting the 'tude and simplifying some things.

OBL is attacking the power that is the result of capitalism.

Did I get that right, Ou Be? Understand, Sun?

Understand? Yes, I guess, sort of. I was being sarcastic. guess I could have understood what Ou Be was saying in the first place, in a general and indistinct sort of way, if I took the trouble to translate it into something that made sense. I resent the effort it takes to make sense of it. The writer should make the effort, not the reader. And there's not much sense in it anyway.

Capitalism equals power? What sort of fuzzy logic is that? And since when did "dictates" mean "commands"?

Ou Be's over-simplification is frightening. So Bin Laden is anti-capitalist? That's like saying Hitler was anti-semitic, and that's why he wanted to make war on the world. From a reading of Mein Kapmpf, Hitler and the German people (not without some justification) resented their treatment by the world subsequent to defeat in WWI. They resented their treatment and wanted to assert themselves. Hitler provided them with a vision of greatness. His scapegoating the Jews was just one of Hitler's ways of goading an alienated German People into hostile action.

Osama Bin Laden is not anti-capital. He is a financier. Currently financing terrorism, according to his enemies; justifiably striking back at a predatory aggressor, his supporters would say. The Islamic prohibition on usury doesn't make its followers anti-capitalist. Looks to me like all they want to do is be left alone to go their own way, but the rest of the world won't let them.

 

[Ou Be Low hoo]

I resent the effort it takes to make sense of it. The writer should make the effort, not the reader.

Capitalism equals power? What sort of fuzzy logic is that? And since when did "dictates" mean "commands"?

Looks to me like all they want to do is be left alone to go their own way, but the rest of the world won't let them.

I should apologise...I'm sorry...From now on, I shall lower the required reading age for my posts, just to suit you. You're welcome.

You complain about 'convulated posts', yet are also angry when things are made simple...strange. As for the meaning of 'dictates', I've been very kind and found the definition of it from our friends at http://dictionary.reference.com/ :

dic·tate ( P ) Pronunciation Key (dktt, dk-tt)
v. dic·tat·ed, dic·tat·ing, dic·tates
v. tr.

1)To say or read aloud to be recorded or written by another: dictate a letter.

2) To prescribe with authority; impose: dictated the rules of the game.

3)To control or command: “Foreign leaders were... dictated by their own circumstances, bound by the universal imperatives of politics” (Doris Kearns Goodwin).

You should pay particular reference to the part that I've placed in BOLD type...again, you don't need to thank me...I'm here for your benefit.

Your final statement is correct. They want to be left alone by the rest of the CAPITALIST world.

Thank-you and good-night.