-by Ptera Hunter
Among the best responses that I have seen to date about the recent mashugana decision by the Tennessee School Board to ban a book about the holocaust (because a cartoon mouse shows a breast) comes from graphic artist Ruben Bolling (a.k.a., Tom the Dancing Bug.) One of Mr. Bolling’s most recent parodies, the Approved Maus, features two mice desperate to be themselves in a world that demands masks and vaccines. In lieu of a license to post it, I am providing a link to his blog and cartoon:
https://boingboing.net/author/ruben_bolling
As the author of a book on deceit, I feel compelled to ask the school board, “Are you kidding me? –Or, is your intent more malignant?”
Mashugana (adj, n. ): Yiddish expression that describes someone or something as crazy, nonsensical or bizarre. E.g.: (1)The mashugana school board think eight graders will be scarred for life by seeing a dead cartoon mouse with an exposed breast. (2) The mashuganas think we’ll believe that they banned Maus is over a fake mouse’s breast to protect children, even as the threats from bullying continue to haunt LGBTQ and Jewish kids.
Click to access Tennessee_Snapshot_2017_0.pdf
(study published in 2019)
https://forward.com/fast-forward/424366/nazi-salute-heil-hitler-tennessee-11-year-old-girl/
(Article from 2019)
The sales of Maus have skyrocketed since the ban was announced. Please, ladies and gentlemen of the Tennessee School Board, please ban my books! I need the income.