It’s been a while since we last checked in with celebrated author Joyce Carol Oates … let’s see what she’s up to:
A Faulkner banner at Mississippi State University. pic.twitter.com/exZNLvqK5O
— Carl Rollyson (@crollyson) October 18, 2017
So funny! If Mississippians read, Faulkner would be banned. https://t.co/vK7EEBxmOX
— Joyce Carol Oates (@JoyceCarolOates) October 18, 2017
Get it? Because Mississippians are stupid, ignorant, and illiterate! Unlike the esteemed Ms. Oates here:
"So funny," snarks the woman who thought Steven Spielberg hunted and killed a triceratops. https://t.co/GSjfpur4JV
— Joel Engel (@joelengel) October 18, 2017
This guy thinks it's cool to kill defenceless animals then take a selfie. Jerk. pic.twitter.com/WbgMklrd9u
— Chris Tilly (@TillyTweets) June 9, 2015
So barbaric that this should still be allowed… No conservation laws in effect wherever this is? https://t.co/hgavm9IBaM
— Joyce Carol Oates (@JoyceCarolOates) June 9, 2015
Anyone have anything to say to Joyce?
Mississippians read your tweet. How’s that working out for your mentions?
— Hunter Kinniburgh (@HuntKinniburgh) October 18, 2017
You're about to get a fantastic lesson in how Mississippians feel about being called illiterate. Enjoy the experience
— Evan (@evans_ellington) October 18, 2017
.@JoyceCarolOates pic.twitter.com/dpu1qUHtaW
— Jezi Belle (@Jezi_Belle) October 18, 2017
And away we go!
Oh look! A Mississippi illiteracy joke! Hilarious! Bonus points for originality! ???
— sean (@wigginstock) October 18, 2017
https://twitter.com/DawnMacc/status/920670889808609281
What the hell. This is just awful.
— Kate Tuttle (@katekilla) October 18, 2017
That is truly a shockingly ignorant thing to tweet. So disappointing.
— Katy Carter (@katyshecooks) October 18, 2017
You know this is a shitty thing to say, right? And that taking pleasure in being mean isn't funny at all?
— Amy Jo Cousins (@_AJCousins) October 18, 2017
Joyce, please.
— Big Meaty White Claws (@SKEEerra) October 18, 2017
I mean what the smothered in gravy fuck?
— Guns are post-birth abortifacients♑ (@ritaresarian) October 18, 2017
WTF? Seriously? This is an awful statement to make. What is wrong with you?
— ??Donna?? (@dcompbooks) October 18, 2017
Come on my radio show tonight. I'll tell you about all the great people I know who read voraciously. You can tell me why you said we don't.
— Jon Wiener (@JonWienerBBM) October 18, 2017
I would love to stay and chat, but as a librarian I’m busy helping Mississippians find books that they ABSOLUTELY read! #MississippiReads
— Maddie Ludt (@maddieludt) October 18, 2017
— Amy Tate (@TVA_Amy) October 18, 2017
https://twitter.com/koolaidpickle/status/920674697796292608
Hi. I'm from Mississippi, I'm an avid reader, and I'm devastated that an author of your stature would say this.
— Emily Liner (@MsEmilyLiner) October 18, 2017
This Mississippi-educated Ph.D. begs to disagree.
— Kidlit Tidbits (@KidlitTidbits) October 18, 2017
1. I'm a Mississippian.
2. I'm a writer.
3. That's my university library that I have used since I was 9 years old to borrow books…— Simone Cottrell (@Sim1_Says) October 18, 2017
@NYCNYLawyer but the most well-known Faulkner scholar was a @msstate English professor Noel Polk.
— Simone Cottrell (@Sim1_Says) October 18, 2017
As a former MSU English major who has moved on to study English and writing in an MFA program, I feel as if I'm relatively good at reading. Maybe that's just the Mississippi in me.
— Hannah V Warren (@hannahvwarren) October 18, 2017
@MSStateEnglish Just wanted to throw a quick thanks to the English Department at MSU for making sure I knew how to read before graduation.
— Hannah V Warren (@hannahvwarren) October 18, 2017
I have a BA in English and Literary Arts from Brown and an MFA in Creative Writing from Columbia. I'm from Mississippi.
— Kayla Smith (@KaylaMSmith89) October 18, 2017
It seems we at least read your tweets.
— Kayla Smith (@KaylaMSmith89) October 18, 2017
As a Mississippian employed in the book industry, this is a revolting reminder of the damage stereotypes can do.
— Ivy Givens (@ruthlessivy) October 18, 2017
I teach your essay, "They All Just Went Away" to classrooms of reading Mississippians. I just took it off the syllabus. Faulkner remains.
— Blair Hobbs (@blairhobbs) October 18, 2017
This semester alone, my kids have read landmark SC cases, classic literature, short stories written by authors of all gender, race, and age.
— ? Mrs. Meyers-Rock ? (@MrsRockFCAHS) October 18, 2017
They read knowing that they are not only expanding their worldview, but are also expanding their understanding of the self. And I am proud.
— ? Mrs. Meyers-Rock ? (@MrsRockFCAHS) October 18, 2017
Perhaps you are unaware that a Mississippian is a finalist for this year's National Book Award–@jesmimi .
— Cristen Hemmins (@CristenHemmins) October 18, 2017
And she just won a MacArthur #Genius award.
— Beth (@Beth_Herstein) October 18, 2017
https://twitter.com/JeffMcCrary_/status/920675579543871488
And @aceatkins, another NYT best-selling author, and my neighbor here in Lafayette County
— Cristen Hemmins (@CristenHemmins) October 18, 2017
“To understand the world, you must first understand a place like Mississippi."
— Ace Atkins (@aceatkins) October 18, 2017
Now don't go confusing her with quotes she believes we don't read.
— Laurie Bertram Roberts✊??️?♿️? (@smartstatistic) October 18, 2017
To quote Faulkner -“To understand the world, you must first understand a place like Mississippi.”- I suggest you try reading him like we do.
— Will Caves (@willcaves) October 18, 2017
Because it’s pretty clear you don’t understand us.
— Will Caves (@willcaves) October 18, 2017
It’s pretty clear she doesn’t understand a lot of things.
Not funny at all, Joyce. Pathetic that you wrote it.
— Laurie Halse Anderson (@halseanderson) October 18, 2017
Yikes. Someone woke up and decided "today I'm gonna be ignorant."
— ol' what's her name (@OhDionne) October 18, 2017
She wakes up like that everyday but lives in denial. This is the real Joyce Carol Oates.
— CNN-word™ (@CNN_word) October 18, 2017
The real Joyce Carol Oates is … kinda racist:
This is a racist and classist statement.
— Tina ☹️ (@Nice_White_Lady) October 18, 2017
https://twitter.com/mattbramanti/status/920705012203843584
Delightful woman, that Joyce Carol Oates. Nothing says “I’m a compassionate liberal” like acting like a condescending, elitist snob.
https://twitter.com/Humphreys_McGee/status/920669818793091073
Well, if nothing else, Joyce is at least doing her part to ensure that Mississippians don’t read her books.
I'm a lifelong Mississippian and a writer. I USED to read your books.
— Lori (@thebutterknife) October 18, 2017
This Mississippian, who reads, will never read anything else you write. Not funny. Not cool. Not true. Keep your narrow mind to yourself
— Sam Edmondson (@SammyEdm) October 18, 2017
FWIW don't ever do a book signing here. What? Did you think all the liberals down here wld assume you didn't mean us? pic.twitter.com/LsHsVIspMM
— Laurie Bertram Roberts✊??️?♿️? (@smartstatistic) October 18, 2017
I'm sure many Mississippians read your work in the past and might never read it again. They deserve better.
— Vicky Skinner (@vickyskribenten) October 18, 2017
— Ben (@MrWhippa) October 18, 2017
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