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Finwe · 11-07-2003, 06:50 PM

I think that the main thing that people need to realize that values have changed dramatically from Tolkien's time to ours. What is construed as racism today, was perfectly decent, albeit in a casually offensive manner, in his time. We cannot fault the Professor for adhering to the values and culture of the society that he lived in. No person in full possession of their faculties could expect him to look forward into the future and carefully structure his books around what would be construed as all right and accepted. All Tolkien was doing was creating a mythology for England. Is it his damn fault if he retained historical accuracy? In ancient and medieval times, Britain never had much luck with invaders. I'm assuming that was because they had a rather nasty tendency to, oh say, rape, pillage, burn, murder, etc., the usual invader stuff. I wouldn't fault any country for disliking invaders after having a history of being invaded. Tolkien merely used that dislike in his books, because he wanted to create an accurate representation of a mythology for England.

I think these damn witch-hunters need some sense knocked into their heads that they can't change literature just because they are too damn insecure about themselves and their society. Apparently, the First Amendment applies no longer in this country. I daresay that those poor Founding Fathers would be rolling in their graves to hear that their descendants were going after some of the most brilliant literature all in the name of equality, non-discrimination, and fair treatment. Those people have to realize that men, women, and children gave their damn lives to keep this kind of witch-hunting and book-bashing out of America. For the first time in my life, I am truly ashamed to be living in a country that condones such uneducated, ill-mannered barbarism.

(Can anyone tell that I'm slightly ticked off????? [img]smilies/mad.gif[/img] )

[ November 07, 2003: Message edited by: Finwe ]

11-07-2003, 06:50 PM	#35
Finwe Deathless Sun Join Date: May 2003 Location: The Royal Suite in the Halls of Mandos Posts: 2,609	I think that the main thing that people need to realize that values have changed dramatically from Tolkien's time to ours. What is construed as racism today, was perfectly decent, albeit in a casually offensive manner, in his time. We cannot fault the Professor for adhering to the values and culture of the society that he lived in. No person in full possession of their faculties could expect him to look forward into the future and carefully structure his books around what would be construed as all right and accepted. All Tolkien was doing was creating a mythology for England. Is it his damn fault if he retained historical accuracy? In ancient and medieval times, Britain never had much luck with invaders. I'm assuming that was because they had a rather nasty tendency to, oh say, rape, pillage, burn, murder, etc., the usual invader stuff. I wouldn't fault any country for disliking invaders after having a history of being invaded. Tolkien merely used that dislike in his books, because he wanted to create an accurate representation of a mythology for England. I think these damn witch-hunters need some sense knocked into their heads that they can't change literature just because they are too damn insecure about themselves and their society. Apparently, the First Amendment applies no longer in this country. I daresay that those poor Founding Fathers would be rolling in their graves to hear that their descendants were going after some of the most brilliant literature all in the name of equality, non-discrimination, and fair treatment. Those people have to realize that men, women, and children gave their damn lives to keep this kind of witch-hunting and book-bashing out of America. For the first time in my life, I am truly ashamed to be living in a country that condones such uneducated, ill-mannered barbarism. (Can anyone tell that I'm slightly ticked off????? [img]smilies/mad.gif[/img] ) [ November 07, 2003: Message edited by: Finwe ] __________________ But Melkor also was there, and he came to the house of Fëanor, and there he slew Finwë King of the Noldor before his doors, and spilled the first blood in the Blessed Realm; for Finwë alone had not fled from the horror of the Dark.