In case you missed it, late last month:
The Association for Library Services to Children (ALSC) decided on June 23 to strip Laura Ingalls Wilder’s name from an award established in 1954 to honor “the lasting contribution which [her] books have made to literature for children.” The telegram Wilder received on her 87th birthday informing her of the award continued, “In future years the award will be made in your name and be called the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award.” Overturning 65 years of honoring the most significant legacies in children’s literature with an award named for Wilder, the current ALSC noted “anti-Native and anti-Black sentiments in her work” when it called for a review of the award in February 2018. The decision this week followed that review process. “This decision was made in consideration of the fact that Wilder’s legacy, as represented by her body of work, includes expressions of stereotypical attitudes inconsistent with ALSC’s core values of inclusiveness, integrity and respect, and responsiveness,” according to the statement on the organization’s website.
William Shatner is among those who find the ALSC’s decision utterly ridiculous.
Did you hear about the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award being renamed over negative lines on the indigenous people of America? Laura changed the lines in the 50’s. I find it disturbing that some take modern opinion & obliterate the past. Isn’t progress @ learning from our mistakes??
— William Shatner (@WilliamShatner) July 1, 2018
Good point. And as he tweeted yesterday:
NOWHERE have I said don’t learn from past mistakes. The Wilder Award was awarded for substantial & lasting contributions to children's lit. Just because we have evolved & can recognize prejudices in viewpoints of 1867 pioneers should not negate the reasons behind the award. https://t.co/oCD8vdTevD
— William Shatner (@WilliamShatner) July 3, 2018
He also pointed this out:
BTW, Shakespeare forbade woman to act in his plays, Merchant of Venice is thought to be anti-Semitic. Some believe the Chronicles of Narnia are racist. Tolkien’s writings exhibit black and white biases. Most great works have biases: the Odyssey; the Canterbury tales… ??♂️
— William Shatner (@WilliamShatner) July 3, 2018
Which rubbed this tweeter the wrong way:
Recommended
At some point, he'll tell us that what those stories did was HONOR us somehow.
Try putting yourself in our shoes, not the 'if I were you I wouldn't care/get over it' shoes. The history of genocide that continues to this day. Of being actively erased by views like yours. Try it.
— Ali Watson (@aliwatson117) July 3, 2018
But Shatner had no interest in going on a guilt trip, thank you very much:
Get as angry as you want over sentiments from 150 years ago. You cannot change the past or the sentiments but if you are suggesting removing the works then all the power to you. ? https://t.co/fsBy8IHR7R
— William Shatner (@WilliamShatner) July 3, 2018
That didn’t stop this woman from trying to send him on one:
Don’t talk about getting over the past until your people have been systematically murdered, until genocide has been brought against your people, until your children are ripped away and beaten when they try to speak their language. Grow up and own up
— Kenzie (@A_nishinaababe) July 3, 2018
Little did she know … she’d made a HUGE mistake:
Sweetheart I’m Jewish so go play victim to others. ? https://t.co/FN5U5QSQJf
— William Shatner (@WilliamShatner) July 3, 2018
Daaaaang. Even in space, you could hear that mic drop!
BOOM! https://t.co/CF8LC4u87G
— It's Only Words (@itsonlywords) July 4, 2018
— Allison Rose is not a replicant (@alrosethewriter) July 3, 2018
— Irma (@zoogirl123) July 4, 2018
https://twitter.com/BelleroseCb/status/1014295324414939137
I was going to say Shat on!
— Grassy (@_grassy) July 4, 2018
Damn capt kirk, you set your phasers to savage.
— Andrew (@Bursaw85) July 4, 2018
And …Mr. Shatner for the win..
— Susan Tait Porcaro Illustrator (@2lipsartdesign) July 3, 2018
Ouch. Gotta love the Captain. https://t.co/eyrOuq3StC
— Kathleen McKinley (@KatMcKinley) July 4, 2018
Yeah you do.
And he’s still melting trollish snowflakes like a boss. Check his timeline for more.
Mr. Shatner… I'm just curious as to why you indulge in continuing this conversation?? Not many people seem to actually comprehend your words…
— Kimarie Frakes (@KimarieFrakes) July 4, 2018
They comprehend- they just want to find something to be outraged over. https://t.co/wprETFs4vF
— William Shatner (@WilliamShatner) July 4, 2018
Nailed it.
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