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The New York Times published an interview with an author, where the author showed appreciation for an anti-semitic book.

Annatar86

Banned
Jan 16, 2018
358
I don't see it. So if someone has Mein Kampf on his/her nightstand that would make said person automatically a Nazi because god forbid you read something you might disagree with?

The question is literally chit-chat, it could have been "what do you think of the weather?". Sure she could have avoided mentioning that book if she thought much of it and didn't want to seem agree with its message. At the same time maybe she said it on purpose because she agrees with the message, but given the context of the interview I don't see how having a book and wanting to read it is damning or even worse make a person anti-semitic. If the question was "what are your favorite books and why" and she mentioned that book and a reason that has anything to do with the message then sure, but this is a really long shot in my eyes.
 
Kirblar

Kirblar

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
30,745
Kin5290 said:
If an interviewee said that they had the Protocols of Zion on their nightstand I would absolutely expect a journalist to vet that recommendation.
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Sure. The issue is that the author's obscure enough to a layperson as to not raise an eyebrow relative to that title.

The appropriate response if you catch it is to run it verbatim with an editors note, imo. I think they absolutely should adjust their policies in the future, but I don't expect it because lolNYT.
 
adamsappel

adamsappel

Member
Oct 27, 2017
2,503
This is what Alice Walker said about Icke's book: " “And the Truth Shall Set You Free,” by David Icke. In Icke’s books there is the whole of existence, on this planet and several others, to think about. A curious person’s dream come true." If she'd said the same about Mein Kampf, what would you think of her then?

Annatar86 said:
I don't see it. So if someone has Mein Kampf on his/her nightstand that would make said person automatically a Nazi because god forbid you read something you might disagree with?

The question is literally chit-chat, it could have been "what do you think of the weather?". Sure she could have avoided mentioning that book if she thought much of it and didn't want to seem agree with its message. At the same time maybe she said it on purpose because she agrees with the message, but given the context of the interview I don't see how having a book and wanting to read it is damning or even worse make a person anti-semitic. If the question was "what are your favorite books and why" and she mentioned that book and a reason that has anything to do with the message then sure, but this is a really long shot in my eyes.
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Annatar86

Banned
Jan 16, 2018
358
adamsappel said:
This is what Alice Walker said about Icke's book: " “And the Truth Shall Set You Free,” by David Icke. In Icke’s books there is the whole of existence, on this planet and several others, to think about. A curious person’s dream come true." If she'd said the same about Mein Kampf, what would you think of her then?
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I doubt she could have said that about Mein Kampf, otherwise the answer would be obvious. I can't comment about that statement because I have never read that book (nor Mein Kampf actually) but it seems to me that she's more taken by the storytelling of the book rather than the message. Some of the quotes from that book that I can find on wikiquote are surely problematic to an holocaust-denial level, but without context and without getting a glimpse at the storytelling it's hard to judge her comment.

I get your point tho, thanks.
 
excelsiorlef

excelsiorlef

Member
Oct 25, 2017
55,753
The Albatross said:
OP, you should be completely embarrassed by the title of this thread.

NYT interviewed Alice Walker, a famous American author, and that's what she answered. This isn't really even newsworthy to begin with, but the right way to present this would be "The Color Purple Author, Alice Walker, reads book by noted anti-semitic conspiracy theorist David Icke." That's the story here not this ridiculous anti-New York Times tripe. And who knows why she's reading it or whether she endorses Icke's bizarre philosophies. The NYT might publish an interview with a historian who has Mein Kampf on her nightstand, that doesn't mean that the newspaper is promoting the Holocaust.
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Someone already provided receipts that this is more than a book on a nightstand.

A good interviewer pushes on such a subject not let it pass uneventfully as if it were nothing
 
Rivenblade

Rivenblade

Member
Nov 1, 2017
22,410
Yeah, really disappointing to learn this about Alice Walker. Shocking given the subject matter she covered in The Colour Purple.
 
Clockwork

Clockwork

Banned
Oct 30, 2017
864
Wisconsin
Psychoward said:
Yeah. This is a lot more damning. Something actually worth making a thread on.
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Neutra said:
damning in what way?
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Kirblar said:
They basically admit to not checking the book list (aka there's an implicit trust that no one would be that stupid, and if they do, well, it's on them)
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I'm not seeing how that is damning. They weren't writing a story on her or the books she mentions.

She answered questions and outside of reviewing errors they published them.

That's kind of how it works.

If you now want to provide some commentary it should be about her beliefs or choices in reading material, not the method in which an interview is published.

Geez.
 
entremet

entremet

Member
Oct 26, 2017
36,627
adamsappel said:
The OP's title wasn't good, either, but this is all on a mod who doesn't want Alice Walker's name besmirched.
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I wouldn't say that, but it's strange that her name is not on the title. She's rather notable, not some random author.

Kirblar said:
It's not actually an interview, it's a take home test Q/A done over email.
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Interviews themselves are contextual. This was a simple QA, not part of some major profile on Alice Walker.
 
Kirblar

Kirblar

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
30,745
Clockwork said:
I'm not seeing how that is damning. They weren't writing a story on her or the books she mentions.

She answered questions and outside of reviewing errors they published them.

That's kind of how it works.

If you now want to provide some commentary it should be about her beliefs or choices in reading material, not the method in which an interview is published.

Geez.
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I don't think it is, I'm actually on the "they screwed up, but not by much" side here. It should have been published as-is but needed an editor's note, but I think the lack of one was reasonable in the context of "this is going to go over the heads of a lot of people and expecting a fact-check on all 50 books is unreasonable."
 

Cybit

Member
Oct 25, 2017
1,186
entremet said:
I wouldn't say that, but it's strange that her name is not on the title. She's rather notable, not some random author.


Interviews themselves are contextual. This was a simple QA, not part of some major profile on Alice Walker.
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Fwiw, I reported the post asking for a title change to name the author instead of an awkward "an author" in the title, but it is being continuously ignored. The title "The New York Times published an interview with Alice Walker (author of The Color Purple), where she showed appreciation for an anti-semitic book." seems far more appropriate and would be the title for almost anyone else.
 
Psychoward

Psychoward

Banned
Nov 7, 2017
30,874
Lonewolf said:
Shall we see her own opinion then?

http://alicewalkersgarden.com/2017/11/it-is-our-frightful-duty-to-study-the-talmud/
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Oh coolsbe supports Palestine that's cool.... and then it just nosedives.
Kirblar said:
I don't think it is, I'm actually on the "they screwed up, but not by much" side here. It should have been published as-is but needed an editor's note, but I think the lack of one was reasonable in the context of "this is going to go over the heads of a lot of people and expecting a fact-check on all 50 books is unreasonable."
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Sure the intial pass is fine and I said it was a clickbait thread title. But now with the new info they have and they still refuse to add an editor's note? Lol
 
entremet

entremet

Member
Oct 26, 2017
36,627
travisbickle said:
This seems an extreme reaction to someone who reads a David Icke book.

I've never read anything by him, I feel at some point I should out of morbid curiosity.
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I think people looked her up views after the interview. It's not the book itself. If it is just about the book itself, the reaction is rather strange.
 
adamsappel

adamsappel

Member
Oct 27, 2017
2,503
travisbickle said:
This seems an extreme reaction to someone who reads a David Icke book.

I've never read anything by him, I feel at some point I should out of morbid curiosity.
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She didn't just read the book, she said "in Icke’s books there is the whole of existence, on this planet and several others, to think about. A curious person’s dream come true." And she's not talking about morbid curiosity, either.

B-Dubs, can you explain why this title is allowed to be so uninformative and disingenuous?
 

Cybit

Member
Oct 25, 2017
1,186
entremet

entremet

Member
Oct 26, 2017
36,627
Yeah, very weird that mods have ignored feedback to updates to the title for one of the most notable 20th century American authors. Bizarre.
 

Deleted member 48897

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 22, 2018
13,623
I'll help the mods a bit
"Alice Walker (The Color Purple) announces support for anti-Semitic conspiracy theorist author in NYT interview"
 
Amnesty

Amnesty

Member
Nov 7, 2017
1,578
I remember this documentary about Icke, from I think around 2001, done by Jon Ronson. It touched on whether or not he meant Jews when he was talking about Lizard people. Icke remains adamant that it's lizards, but the ADL insists that it's code.

 
adamsappel

adamsappel

Member
Oct 27, 2017
2,503
Author Alice Walker under fire for endorsing book by 'anti-Semitic conspiracy theorist'

Icke himself noticed Walker's kind words for his book, tweeting a link to a story about the controversy with a graphic that called Walker an "acclaimed author and outstanding human being."
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The Alice Walker anti-Semitism controversy, explained

Walker has since endorsed Icke numerous times on her blog, and even recommended an interview he did with Alex Jones, who also promotes racist conspiracy theories, in 2015. “I like these two because they’re real, and sometimes Alex Jones is a bit crazy; many Aquarians are,” Walker explained. “Icke only appears crazy to people who don’t appreciate the stubbornness required when one is called to a duty it is impossible to evade.”
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The New York Times Just Published an Unqualified Recommendation for an Insanely Anti-Semitic Book

That a celebrated cultural figure like Walker would promote such a self-evidently unhinged bigot might seem surprising at first glance. But this is only because the cultural establishment has spent years studiously looking away from Walker’s praise of Icke and his work, and her repeated expressions of anti-Semitism.

Back in June 2013, Walker wrote an effusive blog post showering accolades on Icke and his book Human Race Get off Your Knees. “It’s an amazing book, HUMAN RACE GET OFF YOUR KNEES,” she enthused, “and reading it was the ultimate reading adventure. I felt it was the first time I was able to observe, and mostly imagine and comprehend, the root of the incredible evil that has engulfed our planet.”

In May 2013, Walker told the BBC’s Desert Island Discs that if she could have only one book, it would be Icke’s Human Race.

In December 2013, Walker offered end-of-year thanks to an array of “beloved humans who’ve stuck their necks out for the collective.” One of them was David Icke, whose Human Race Get off Your Knees book also got its own entry.

In July 2015, Walker shared an interview between David Icke and Alex Jones, his American analogue. The account that posted the video has since been banned from YouTube.

In September 2016, Walker promoted a lecture of Icke’s to her readers, writing, “I decided to find, among Icke’s numerous videos, one lecture that might offer an introduction that wouldn’t be too scary for folks leery of being nudged in a direction of inquiry that might upset, destroy possibly, their worldview. I think this one might fit the bill.” YouTube has since taken down that lecture.
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Cybit

Member
Oct 25, 2017
1,186
Alice walker and Alex Jones. That’s a hell of a duo.

Have we gotten any answer on why Alice Walker’s name hasn’t been added to the title yet?
 
L Thammy

L Thammy

Spacenoid - One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
30,219
If I decided to read Mein Kampf or The Protocols of Elder Zion and told that to someone, especially someone who was going to write that fact down and publish it I'd probably make it pretty clear why I'm reading Mein Kampf or the Protocols of Elder Zion because I really don't want people to get the wrong idea.
 
Jag

Jag

Member
Oct 26, 2017
8,216
From her website:

Are Goyim (us) meant to be slaves of Jews, and not only
That, but to enjoy it?
Are three year old (and a day) girls eligible for marriage and intercourse?
Are young boys fair game for rape?
Must even the best of the Goyim (us, again) be killed?
Pause a moment and think what this could mean
Or already has meant
In our own lifetime.

You may find that as the cattle
We have begun to feel we are
We have an ancient history of oppression
Of which most of us have not been even vaguely
Aware. You will find that we, Goyim, sub-humans, animals
The Palestinians of Gaza
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She is a total piece of shit.
 
nemoral

nemoral

Member
Oct 25, 2017
2,080
Fiddler's Green
It's depressing that Alice Walker is anti-semitic. She was a great writer and activist, and it's a shame she's wrecked all that by turning out to be a shithead. Also, that title is genuinely stupid.

Btw, there's nothing wrong with having copies of Mein Kampf or Icke's stupid book, inherently. I have copies of several really awful books that I read to understand where nutjobs were coming from, but having them on your bedside table and recommending them to people without the context of "these books are full of poisonous thoughts" is pretty shitty.
 
Grouch Douglass

Grouch Douglass

Member
Nov 9, 2017
3,286
This seems to be more about Alice Walker's anti-semitism than the NYT. Do people want to give her a pass because she is a famous black author who opposes Israel?
 
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