There is a reason Bob Dylan won a Nobel Prize for literature. His ability to use various metaphors to define the issues of the day are profound. Here are the lyrics to “Blowing in the Wind” which were sung by Peter, Paul and Mary on the day of Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech at the Lincoln Memorial.
How many roads must a man walk down
Before you call him a man?
How many seas must a white dove sail
Before she sleeps in the sand?
Yes, and how many times must the cannonballs fly
Before they’re forever banned?
The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind
The answer is blowin’ in the wind
Yes, and how many years must a mountain exist
Before it is washed to the sea?
And how many years can some people exist
Before they’re allowed to be free?
Yes, and how many times can a man turn his head
And pretend that he just doesn’t see?
The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind
The answer is blowin’ in the wind
Yes, and how many times must a man look up
Before he can see the sky?
And how many ears must one man have
Before he can hear people cry?
Yes, and how many deaths will it take ’til he knows
That too many people have died?
The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind
The answer is blowin’ in the wind
When I think of the banning of books forced upon us by elected officials who do not want to make people feel uncomfortable, I am reminded of the above lyrics “Yes, and how many times must a man turn his head, and pretend he just doesn’t see?” We must learn the lessons of history, the good, the bad and yes, the ugly. We must not let the ugly stuff happen again. History class is not a pep rally. We must learn about Jim Crow, Apartheid, slavery, Nazi’s mass murder of Jews, the genocide of Native Americans, the Communist witch hunts, etc. These things happened.
musingsofanoldfart 
I just recently watched the documentary series: Happy Shiny People about the fundamentalist movement to take over. It is haunting really. They home school purposefully to eliminate the study of history, science and other important understandings.
I haven’t watched that, nor am I likely to, but I have read about it. It features, I believe, the Duggar family who have 19 children, which in and of itself is unconscionable in my book. If they eliminate the study of history, science, and no doubt most literature, then just what do they teach, I wonder? Only religion? Happy, Shiny, and Mindless People …
Exactly. It is frightening how they are preparing their children to be the next leaders without a “Christian” bias. Not Christians in my books.
I fully agree … and so do most Christians I know! They are an anomaly that I hope never becomes the norm.
VJ, thanks. I will need to look into that one. It sounds like a “Stepford Family” kind of thing. Keith
It is based on the Duggars, as Jill commented. Not fiction as the Stepford Wives were.
Omg I’m watching that now. Horrifying is the only way to describe it.
Thanks for the added recommendation to watch, but it sounds like an unintended horror movie. Keith
I had no idea what to expect. I’m glad I watched it. It explains a lot.
Thanks for saying that, Nancy. I said to my husband that everyone needs to watch it. It is cultish plot to maintain a racist, misogynist, and progressive culture
I finished it last night. It explains a lot about how some of these politicians get elected.
Yes. Scary
Thanks VJ, Nancy. Keith
Well said, Keith. Yes, those things happened and will happen again and again if we keep hiding them in boxes rather than teaching about them. Oh, and thanks for the ear worm!
Jill, it will be up to all of us to spread as many history lessons as possible. And, we need to push back on others who want to whitewash history.
My son and I were talking about tough WWI and WWII movies to watch. It started with our discussion on “Sophie’s Choice,” but moved onto other like “The Boy in the Striped Pajamas,” “Life is Biutiful,” “Schindler’s List,” “1917,” “Saviors in the Night,” etc. There are many excellent German, French, Danish, Swedish et al movies about the wars.
We can never forget the Holocaust or any of these other atrocities. Keith
Definitely so! We will … we must insist that our history be told … the good, the bad, and the ugly parts. To do otherwise is to cheat future generations of the ammunition they need to fight against the evil that once pervaded this nation.
I have seen all but one of the movies yyou mention, and while yes, they are all tough to watch, they are also essential to our understanding of the past. I think they should be standard fare in all high school history classes!
Agreed. My youngest son was asked to watch either “Schindler’s List” or “Life is Biutiful” and do a report on it when he was in High School. Keith
A great, meaningful song that has as much relevance today as ever.
Dylan has written so many wonderful songs but I still think Leonard Cohen was robbed by the Nobel Prize Committee, though 😉
Clive, there is still time for Cohen. A couple of other Canadians were great songwriters – Gordon Lightfoot and Neil Young. With Dylan from Minnesota, maybe the cold weather caused good songwriting indoors. Keith
Do they award posthumously? That might rule out Cohen and Lightfoot, though I agree all three (including Neil Young) are great songwriters. I’ll take your word for the weather impact: not my strong point!
Clive, I am not sure about the post-humous awards. Although a different genre, Prince was from Minneapolis. Keith
Dylan has written some incredible songs (‘Knocking on Heaven’s Door’ will always be a most moving lament, even without seeing the film).
For me his most prescient song will always be ‘Hard Rains A ‘Gonna Fall’. Even though it related to the spectre of Nuclear War, how very apt it is for today’s politic atmosphere.
Take Care.
Roger
Roger, two good choices. I am partial to “Tangled up in Blue.” He also had some prescient songs like “Masters of War.” Keith
Another two masterful works.
The man will be recognised as one of the giants of 20th / 21st Century music.
As an aside his version of ‘Must Be Santa’ is one of the rare Christmas songs I can enjoy all year around.
That one I am not familiar with, so I will need to check it out. Keith
I think you’re generous to the book banners. I don’t believe they are concerned about hurting anyone’s feelings. Their goal is to shirk reality, responsibility, and historical record. A dumbed down populace won’t have the tools to engage and fight for what is right.
Thanks. Well said.