Author: Em

"The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience." - Eleanor Roosevelt

Library Scavenger Hunt and AI Assignment: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fz7sw7l1AZi26iiFimEzpPJ6KGFOFTh2/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=118073462577958172665&rtpof=true&sd=true

Group project presentation: Censorship of Identities in American Literature: https://www.canva.com/design/DAG0qrKVFCY/XIwLLJuVwmrt8lpH2Wxe6w/edit

Group project handout: https://www.canva.com/design/DAG3A_cNXus/tK9ud4s6pssyaE3Oq9xj2A/edit

Final project presentation: The Censorship of LGBTQ Identities in American School Districts: https://www.canva.com/design/DAG6R7YMeHI/SufpJAXCRgFyPCbB33qdEA/edit

Final project handout: https://www.canva.com/design/DAG6Sjhaf5A/vURKQmobVmdkWja-J_bugA/edit

Final essay: The Censorship of LGBTQ Identities in American School Districts: https://docs.google.com/document/d/107aNjSP_B7ZPIhR9qNtax4DvVpdgzAVhVMIcB7ZkWbw/edit?usp=sharing

Under the "see also" section of The Turner Diaries wiki page, there is a link to a wiki page about "Ethnic Cleansing" a first-person shooter video game published by the National Alliance, which Pierce was the founder of. It was released on Martin Luther King Jr. Day (January 21st) in 2002.

Written under the pseudonym Andrew Macdonald, The Turner Diaries follows Pierce as a future historian from 2099, giving historical context to diary entries from Earl Turner from the period of September 16, 1991 to November 9th, 1993. Earl Turner is a member of a white nationalist movement known as The Organization. The Organization, after the federal government confiscated firearms from white civilians under the Cohen Act, waged a guerrilla war against The System. The System, depicted as being led by Jews, is a loose network of America’s most powerful institutions that works to restrict the rights and movement of The Organization.

Turner is skilled in technology, communications, and weaponry, leading to his initiation into The Order, a secret higher level within The Organization. When his hideout is raided by law enforcement, he is arrested and sent to a military base for interrogation by the FBI and an Israeli intelligence officer. For months, he is tortured for information about The Organization until other members of The Order rescue him.

Over the following period, The Organization seized control of nuclear weapons from an Air Force Base in SoCal. With nuclear control over California, the Organization ethnically cleanses the area of all non-whites (really playing into Pierce’s savior complex). The resulting economic and racial conflicts cause many whites to flee to SoCal, which becomes a white ethnostate. On a day known as the “Day of the Rope” (August 1, 1993), “race traitors” are hanged in the streets of LA. The Organization then uses its nuclear resources to destroy major U.S. cities, create a nuclear exchange with the Soviet Union, and transform the United States into a state under martial law and military dictatorship (yippee). Back to Earl Turner, his punishment for not resisting interrogation was to perform a kamikaze strike on the Pentagon (as one does). Pierce, as the historian from 2099, explains how Turner’s successful mission allowed The Organization to conquer the world and eliminate all non-white people.

William Luther Pierce, a physicist and former professor at Oregon State University, was both founder and leader of the National Alliance organization. He was formerly a member of the John Birch Society (a right-wing political advocacy group) before leaving to join the American Nazi Party (ANP). Pierce edited both the ANP-affiliated magazine National Socialist World and the National Youth Alliance’s (NYA) Attack!. The Turner Diaries was serialised in Attack! from 1975 to 1978. It was published in paperback in 1978, and an estimated 300,000 copies have been sold as of 2001.

Allegedly labelled “the bible of the racist right” by the FBI, this novel was a catalyst for white nationalism, white supremacy, neo-nazism, anti-semitism, and plain ol’ racism. Pierce wrote this novel depicting white people as the victims to paint The Organization as the heroes that are saving the white people from the non-white people and their allies. It’s simultaneously interesting and deeply concerning that these themes, for lack of a better word, are so prominent in the United States and the rest of the world today.

Word count: 503

Source: Wikipedia contributors, “The Turner Diaries,” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Turner_Diaries&oldid=1322542304 (accessed November 20, 2025).

"The Ted Kazinsky, the Unabomber! Like from the hit Instagram musical the Tuna-bomber?" -My friend William upon hearing what we were reading

Context via Wiki:

Theodore John Kaczynski, also known as the Unabomber, was a mathematical prodigy who turned into a recluse and terrorist. As a child, Kaczynski was very intelligent and seemed to be a leader among his peers. After skipping ahead a grade, he was bullied by the older children. In high school, Kaczynski developed an interest in mathematics and soon surpassed his classmates academically. At age 15, he graduated from high school and was accepted to Harvard. At age 16 (1958), he entered the university on a scholarship. Here, he took part in a psychological study that Kaczynski’s lawyers later attributed his hostility towards mind control. In 1962, Kaczynski enrolled at the University of Michigan, where he earned his master’s (1964) and doctoral (1967) degrees in mathematics.

In 1966, Kaczynski considered undergoing a gender transition and arranged to meet with a psychiatrist, but changed his mind last minute. At a turning point in his life, he felt humiliated and hated the psychiatrist, leading him to consider killing the psychiatrist. From 1967 til 1969, Kaczynski was an assistant professor at UC Berkeley until he resigned and moved to his parents’ home in Illinois. Two years later, Kaczynski moved to a remote cabin outside Lincoln, Montana. He lived a simple life: little money, no electricity or running water, using an old bike to get to town, volunteering at the local library, and owning minimal furniture. He seems to have taken a great liking to reading, especially classics in their original languages.

Starting in 1975, Kaczynski performed smaller acts of violence and sabotage against entities associated with the development of technology. Between 1978 and 1995, Kaczynski carried out a series of increasingly sophisticated bombings against universities, airlines, computer stores, an advertising executive, and the president of the CA Forestry Association. In personal journals discovered after his arrest in 1996, Kaczynski expressed frustration over non-lethal outcomes and satisfaction when devices caused fatalities. He wrote about revenge against technological society being his main motive. In 1995, Kaczynski mailed several letters to media outlets outlining his goals and demanding his essay Industrial Society and Its Future be printed verbatim.

"The Industrial Revolution and its consequences have been a disaster for the human race."

Personal analysis of content:

Industrial Society and Its Future is Kaczynski’s critique of the destabilization of society due to technological revolutions. He asserts that technology has led to life being unfulfilling and causing widespread psychological suffering. Kaczynski primarily states that leftists (mainly socialists, collectivists, “politically correct” types, feminists, gay and disability activists, animal rights activists, etc.) are a manifestation of issues within our world. He also criticized fascists and conservatives. He blames over-socialization and feelings of inferiority as primary drivers of leftism, and claims that political activism (along with scientific work, consumption of entertainment, and following sports teams) are “surrogate activities” to satisfy a “power process,” “feelings of inferiority,” and a desire to regain the autonomy that industrialization has stolen from humanity.

Not counting his violent “tendencies”, I agree with a fair portion of Kaczynski’s views. Although I do believe technology has some benefits, I do agree that technology has caused serious issues in society as well as to our environment. Today, it’s hard not to interact with technology. I often need an elevator because of mobility problems, and computers have become integral to education. At the same time, I want to return to a fully disconnected hobbit-like way of living in the middle of the forest. As for the majority of Kaczynski’s views (and as I discussed with Coe), Kaczynski attacks a bunch of different groups in order to make his points. If he cares so much about how society is being negatively affected, why is he attacking different groups that make up a significant portion of it?

Word count: 649

Source: Wikipedia contributors. “Ted Kaczynski.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 17 Nov. 2025. Web. 18 Nov. 2025.

Hey mom! Today I learned how to properly blow up a bridge, tell if a phone is tapped,and get high on nutmeg.

Published in 1971, The Anarchist Cookbook was written by 19-year-old William Powell following his draft to serve in the Vietnam War. This book contains instructions for growing and using drugs (the banana bread had no pot in the ingredients list?), sabotaging surveillance technology, wielding weapons and close combat, building weapons, explosives, and toxic substances, and constructing traps. Powell developed his writing from declassified military documents, electronic catalogs, insurrectionist pamphlets, survival guidebooks, etc. With knowledge that this book was written in protest to the United States’ involvement in the Vietnam War, I came to the following conclusion about Powell’s views:

According to the Foreword by Powell, this book was not written for the radical groups since they already knew everything in it. Instead, it is written for the silent majority that must educate themselves if they want to survive. Powell identifies the anarchistic theory as one that puts the full weight of the world on the shoulders of the people. They should be able to do what they want, or at least have the choice to do what they want, hence why Powell wrote his book to educate others on everything the could have the ability to do. He doesn’t condone certain actions, but he also doesn’t not condone them.

Powell seems not to support revolutions (fascists, communists, “fringe political factions,” etc.) and he does not encourage illegal activities (although he appears to condone murder and bombings?). Out of principle the people are entitled to the knowledge of how to make drugs, use weapons, etc. but he takes the point of view that one should first deploy tactful and manipulative sabotage and destruction. Revolution is not a violent thing, it is a revitalization of “real moral and political principles,” according to Powell. Revolution is not just about ideals and threats, it is about careful planning and action.

So, I can’t truly say I understand all of Powell’s views and actions, but I can admire the want of a man to provide the world with a sense of advocacy and action. A few years following the publishing of The Anarchist Cookbook, Powell converted to Anglicanism (in 1976) and attempted to have the book removed from circulation. But because the publisher, Lyle Stuart, owned the copyright to the book, his actions, and the actions of those who also wanted the book withdrawn, fell short. Stuart has agreed to publish the text as an attempt to defy efforts by the CIA and FBI to track who checked out books deemed subversive. In 1979, he earned a master’s degree and went on to a career in international teaching with a focus on learning disabilities. Furthermore, he and his wife founded Education Across Frontiers, a professional development organization. It is clear that Powell regretted his teenage publication, but it is also clear that he went on to make a positive impact on the world of education.

Word count: 480

Sources: https://www.britannica.com/biography/William-Powell-American-writer, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Anarchist_Cookbook, https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-william-powell-20170330-story.html

Why does this Manifesto read like the Declaration of Independence if it was written in the universe of Brave New World "by women, for women"?

Made popular after Solanas’ attempt to murder Andy Warhol, the S.C.U.M. (Society for Cutting Up Men) Manifesto, published in 1967, outlines how men have ruined society (in science, medicine, the economy, the arts, and family dynamics) and argues that it is up to women to rectify the situation. This anarcha-feminist work discusses the “biological nature” of maleness as a “deficiency disease” to explain why men should not be used in reproduction. Men are identified as incomplete females, incapable of love and cerebral thinking, “he’s a machine, a walking dildo.” Solanas goes on to explain how men embody every negative trait and idea within our society because they “spend his life attempting to complete himself.” Men claim all female characteristics and project onto women all male traits because they are insecure and desire to be women. A common theme within the Manifesto is how men can become women (in drag or medically, accepting their femininity) and attend S.C.U.M. meetings, but they will never be fully equal. The Manifesto goes on to explain the effects of fatherhood on the “daddy’s girl” and the replacement of the “money-work system.” Solanas identified how women need to “un-work” society, specifically male-dominated aspects. The Manifesto ends by Solanas describing the tactics and civil disobedience of the S.C.U.M. organization, such as removing the economy, destroying “harmful objects,” and couple-busting.

Valerie Solanas was an artist, writer, radical feminist (a more accurate term would be misandrist), and an open lesbian. She is well known for her attempt to murder the artist Andy Warhol in 1968. She was charged with attempted murder, assault, and illegal possession of a firearm. She was subsequently diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and sentenced to three years of imprisonment. After her release, she was arrested again for aggravated assault after threatening two editors of Grove Press. She was subsequently institutionalized several times. In her childhood, Solanas alleged that her father regularly sexually abused her. Solanas was rebellious and often violent, resulting in her being sent to her violent, alcoholic grandfather in 1949. In 1953, Solanas gave birth to a son, fathered by a married sailor. In the mid-1960s, Solanas financially supported herself through begging and prostitution. Solanas’ traumatic life and radical beliefs clearly had a direct influence on her many publications, including the S.C.U.M. Manifesto.

Word count: 379

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=SCUM_Manifesto&oldid=1307187199

At the penguin house at the Central Park Zoo, two penguins named Roy and Silo were a little bit different from the others. But their desire for a family was the same. And with the help of a kindly zookeeper, Roy and Silo got the chance to welcome a baby penguin of their very own. -Amazon Listing for "And Tango Makes Three" by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell

Topic: The censorship of LGBTQ identities in American school districts 

Focus questions: How and why are LGBTQ identities in children’s literature being censored in American school districts? What are the effects of censorship in this context? 

Abstract: In recent years, the censorship of LGBTQ identities has been a controversial topic in American school districts. Children and young adult literature has begun exploring LGBTQ themes, such as same-sex parents and gender non-conformity, so naturally, these books have begun appearing in school libraries. In 2005, And Tango Makes Three, written by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell, was published. Because it featured a same-sex penguin couple raising a chick, And Tango Makes Three was labeled as inappropriate and was removed from school libraries in Florida. In 2015, a story about Stella, a girl with two dads, exploring the true meaning of family during a Mother’s Day celebration, Stella Brings the Family, was published. This story was banned in Tennessee and Florida school districts due to concerns over LGBTQ content and the portrayal of non-traditional families. In the following years, many other children’s and young adults’ stories with LGBTQ themes faced the same consequences. Local governments, school districts, and parent interest groups challenge these books, believing they are exposing them to harmful and inappropriate topics. These challenges often stem from religious, moral, and political views on same-sex relationships, gender identity, and non-dynamic family structures. Those who oppose the censorship site how the bans take voices away from those who do not conform to “orthodox” forms of expression, limit educational opportunities of children and young adults, and violate the promises of the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States. Censoring books that explore diverse experiences and identities, children and young adults’ access to books that reflect their identities or help them understand and empathize with the identities of their classmates, friends, and family members. Censorship leads to the erasure of LGBTQ experiences from public and educational discourse. This paper will seek out and analyze how and why LGBTQ identities in children’s literature are being censored in American school districts. This paper will also identify the effects of censorship in this context. Knowledge of the causes and impacts of censorship of LGBTQ identities in children’s literature is the first step in overturning book bans and the censorship of identities that make America diverse, supportive, and educational. 

Word count: 392 (Abstract only: 355)

On a walk through time, one must realize the floor is made of mirrors.

After a while, we all start to see history repeating itself. The genocide of the Jewish people, the Undeniable Truth, is something that the world claims it will never forget. On one hand, we have museums, memorials, and holidays that remember and honor those who died during WW2 and Hitler’s reign. On the other hand, people continue to use race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexuality, etc., to judge, control, and punish people. I’m not saying that everyone falls into one or both categories, but I am saying that the world hasn’t entirely learned its lesson.

One idea that particularly stuck with me from an exhibit is “Enemies of the State.” During the 1930s, the Nazis singled out groups for persecution. Communists, Social Democrats, trade unionists, liberals, pacifists, and Freemasons were arrested for their political views and activities. Clergy and Jehovah’s Witnesses were persecuted for refusing to swear allegiance to the state. Homosexuals, Roma (Gypsies), Czechs, Poles, Slavs, and people with mental and physical disabilities were targeted as sources of social, racial, or biological “degeneration.” While Jews were their main target, thousands more were oppressed as “enemies of the state.”

I can’t help but draw a connection from the past to how certain groups of people are treated today. All around the world, people are persecuted for religion, gender identity, sexuality, mental and physical disability, and racial or ethnic background. In countries such as Afghanistan, China, and Iran, religious groups that refuse to submit to government control over religious affairs, that oppose religiously grounded policies, and that express differing views on a religion are victims of violence and discrimination. In countries like Northern Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen, same-sex relationships are punishable by death by stoning. In countries like the United States, LGBTQ+ identities aren’t legally punishable by death, but anti-LGBTQ+ laws, social stigmas, and high rates of violence create unsafe conditions. Discrimination, exclusion, and persecution continue as key issues effecting people with mental and physical disabilities and people from minority racial and ethnic backgrounds. Looking back into history, Hitler used a variety of programs, such as the euthanasia program, to remove groups that didn’t align with his regimes views. Today, this is happening in parts of the world.

As I explored the museum, this idea stayed in the back of my mind. Reading the stories of the survivors and the stories written by an author who never saw their story published paints the picture of how many people, from diverse backgrounds and identities, died because a group of people decided they are superior to others. The entire museum is dedicated to the genocide of a people solely because of their religious and ethnic background. If the Holocaust received a museum to honor and remember those events, will DC soon see large, popular museums for LGBTQ+ people, disabled people, or diverse religions? At what point of enough deaths is a something considered a genocide?

Word count: 482

Sources: https://www.uscirf.gov/countries, https://www.uscirf.gov/countries/afghanistan, https://www.uscirf.gov/countries/china, https://www.uscirf.gov/countries/iran, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_punishment_for_homosexuality#:~:text=The%20International%20Lesbian%2C%20Gay%2C%20Bisexual,had%20taken%20place%20since%202000., https://www.humanity-inclusion.org.uk/en/action/disability-the-global-picture

Not so fun fact: There is a difference between a Dictator and Tyrant. Hitler was both.

In the words of D. Cameron Watt, Mein Kampf is “an introduction to the mind and methods of Adolf Hitler,” in which the mind is host to a repetitive, lengthy, and dull mishmash of ideas from a “second-rate mind”. So what happened in Hitler’s life that led him down his dark path?

Adolf Hitler was born on April 20th, 1889, in the town of Braunau am Inn in the Austro-Hungarian Empire (today Austria). According to Mr. Watt, it is possible that one of Hitler’s unknown grandfathers was Jewish – a contrast to Hitler’s anti-Jewish sentiments. According to the Holocaust Encyclopedia, there is no evidence to support this claim. The only well-known information about Hitler’s religious background is his baptism in the Roman Catholic Church.

Hitler’s father, Alois Hiedler ne Schickelgruber, was a well-to-do and popular Customs official with a known temper. His mother, Klara Polzl, concerned herself with the well-being of Hitler, even over Hitler’s sister. In his years of schooling, Hitler was intelligent, outgoing, and a daydreamer, but he was lazy. He often used the “excuse of a chest illness to persuade his mother to allow him to leave school.” In his early years of education, Hitler was exposed to German nationalist ideas by Dr Potsch, his history teacher at Linz, and Georg Ritter von Schonerer, an Austrian-Hungarian politician. At thirteen (1903), Hitler’s father died from a lung hemorrhage, “a stroke of apoplexy” as Hitler wrote. Some sources say that Hitler “burst out into uncontrollable weeping” at the sight of his dead father, while other sources say that Hitler did not seem to care. At seventeen (1906), Hitler inherited his share of his father’s estate and moved to Vienna, where he applied to the Academy of Art. As is well-known, Hitler failed the entrance exam and was rejected from the Academy. That December, his mother died of breast cancer. His mother’s doctor, Dr. Bloch, was Jewish, prompting myths that Hitler’s anti-semitic views were partly caused by his mother’s death. In fact, Dr. Bloch later fared better than other Jews and was able to emigrate to America with his family during a time when that was impossible for other Jews. According to the Holocaust Encyclopedia, Hitler specially exempted Dr. Bloch and his family from many of the regime’s antisemitic policies.

After his mother’s death, Hitler moved to Vienna with the inheritance left by his parents. By the end of 1909, he fell into poverty and homelessness. He began to paint and sell watercolor scenes of Vienna. During this time, Hitler was influenced by the city’s mayor, Karl Lueger, an anti-semitic politician and co-founder of the Austrian Christian Social Party. It is likely that Hitler did not adopt his antisemitic ideology until after he had left Vienna. In May of 1913, he moved to Munich to avoid his military service obligation in Austria-Hungary. He joined the Bavarian army (a part of the German army) in August 1914, where he rose through the ranks until he was wounded by a mustard gas attack in October 1918. During his military service in WW1, he observed hunger among German civilians, which shaped the decisions he made about food supply during WW2. During Hitler’s time in Munich, he was exposed to antisemitic views as Jews were blamed for the actions of the communist Bavarian Soviet Republic. In 1919, he joined the German Workers’ Party, later known as the National Socialist German Workers’ Party and a precursor to the Nazi Party. He gave his first official speech to the party on October 16th, 1919, at a beer hall. In 1921, Hitler established himself as the leader of the Nazi Party.

On November 9th, 1923, Hitler and other conspirators led an attempted coup to overthrow the German government known as the Beer Hall Putsch. The coup failed, and Hitler was arrested three days later. He was given a prison sentence of five years, although he only served eleven months. During his imprisonment, he wrote Mein Kampf.

Mein Kampf was composed in two volumes. The first was titled Eine Abrechnung (A Reckoning), published on July 19th, 1925. The second volume was titled Die National-sozialistische Bewegung (The Nazi Movement), published on December 11th, 1926. As sales of his book rose, so did party membership. In 1934, the Prussian Ministry of Education included it among school primers on racial science, and the German Railway Executive declared that copies would be given to officials for “meritorious service”. In 1936, the Reichs Ministry of the Interior recommended that registrars present a copy to every bridal couple. In the same year, a Braille edition appeared for the blind. In the following years, translations of the text were published around the world, including in English in 1939.

Word count: 784

Sources: https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/adolf-hitler-early-years-1889-1921#:~:text=Adolf%20Hitler%20was%20born%20on,a%20mid%2Dlevel%20customs%20official., https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/adolf-hitler?parent=en%2F76309, https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/beer-hall-putsch-munich-putsch, https://www.biography.com/history-culture/who-was-hitlers-mother, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alois_Hitler

POV: Sad man sad he got rejected by art school decides to make other people sad by commiting mass genocide.

Chapter 11, Nation and Race, of Hitler’s book focuses on his racial theory and his attempted reasoning behind why Jews should be prosecuted. Hitler asserts that human behavior between races should mirror the behavior of animals of different species. Animals of different species don’t mate, so clearly humans of different races shouldn’t mate. If they manage to “cross-breed,” a bastard, sterile animal is created. Similarly, cross-breading between humans of different races produces a “medium between the standards”: inferior to the superior parent and superior to the inferior parent. In any outcome, cross-breeding causes a decline of the superior race (the Aryans, according to Hitler) and “physical and mental regression.” Hitler is a firm supporter of racial purity, asserting that it is instinctive within nature according to “the survival of the fittest.” Hitler asserts that Jews are attempting to conquer nature when they mate with other races. An interesting detail from this chapter is how the term “Aryan” has no solid definition, according to the footnotes within the book (correct me if I’m wrong).

Hitler continues to assert that Pacifism is a German idea, saying that German rule is the only way to peace and less chaos in the world. He also asserts that science, art, inventions, and techniques are the creative products of “a few people” (he definitely means the Germans). Hitler claims that the first requisite for a union of individuals is sacrifice. He claims that this is highly developed in Aryans but not in Jewish people. Because of this, Hitler believes that Jewish people are selfish and don’t care for the good of the majority. He used this idea to label Jews as “parasites” that integrate into and feed on other cultures while tainting the purity of the present race. Racism on steroids!!!

Hitler then goes on to claim that Jews infiltrate the economy of areas to influence political decisions and instill “the destructive force” of democracy. He accuses Jews of creating and controlling Marxism to control the labor unions and their movements to “sink into the brains and souls of decent people like a nightmare.” He also asserts that Jewish people are only building up a Jewish state in Palestine to inhabit it with “a central organization of their international world.” Hitler claims that allowing Jewish people to gain political power will lead to tyranny, mass slaughter, satanic tortures, and calamity.

Here is where I got bored with Hitler’s shenanigans and stopped taking detailed notes. The following summary will be shorter and more concise. :]

Chapter 12, The First Period in the Development of the National Socialist German Workers’ Party, focuses on the early stages of the Nazi Party and its development. Hitler sees himself within this development as a sort of savior. He wrote, “For centuries their goal is often the inner ardent wish of hundreds of thousands, till one man stands up as the proclaimer of such a general will and as the flag-bearer of an old longing he helps it to victory in the form of a new.” Bro has an ego. Hitler describes the struggles and conflict that came with the development of the party (omg it’s like the book’s title!!!) as well as his efforts to centralize power, combat political enemies, and recruit members to his party. He explains his use of a variety of different propaganda methods (speeches, rallies, publications, etc.) to spread his ideals and attract people to the movement. He recounts many of his ideals mentioned in the previous chapter and explains how they were spread for recruitment purposes.

While reading these two chapters, I took notes on when certain things were mentioned. This is not a complete list since I forgot to tally many of the mentions, but here are some:

“The Protocols of the Wise Men of Zion” – pg 423 (Hitler believes the Protocols are genuine)

Freemasonry – pg 433

Jewish control over the economy – pg 433 (connects to modern stereotypes about Jews)

Zionism – pg 447

Many, many, many mentions of Marxism, the “national bourgeoisie,” and pacifists

Hitler clearly has his ideals, and he has a plan to push them. From history, we have seen what he’s done to those who don’t fit into his ideal Aryan, dynamic family, perfect picture. In my opinion, much of his reasoning isn’t factual or logical. Yet, it managed to convince so many people because of how he spread his ideals through propaganda and force.

Word count: 737 (I have no idea how this happened. Someone help. My brain hurts.)

Not a text I was excited to have in my search history.

Though published under the guise of a “Jewish plot for world domination,” The Protocols of the Elders of Zion is an antisemitic, fabricated text published in Znamia (The Banner), a Russian newspaper, in 1903. Znamia was owned by Pavel Krusheven, a known antisemite who used his ownership of multiple newspapers to promote hatred of Jews. In April 1903, an article in one of his newspapers helped incite a pogrom (a Russian word meaning “to wreak havoc, to demolish violently”) in Kishinev. In 1905, the Protocols were published as an appendix to a book about the coming of the Antichrist by the antisemitic Russian mystic Sergi Nilus. It portrays Jews as “agents of satanic forces seeking to destroy the world.”

Around 1917 and the start of the Bolsheviks, the text became more widespread, spreading the idea that communism and the revolution were caused by the Jews. The Bolshevik Party seized power in Russia in a coup, and they later became known as the Communist Party. Because of the spreading fear of Communist revolutions throughout Europe, the antisemitic messages of the Protocols were reinforced. Of course, the Jewish people were not the cause of the revolution, but they were still used as a scapegoat. This false accusation is often referred to as “Judeo-Bolshevism.” The influence of the Protocols also caused Germans to blame the Jews for their hardships during the Great Depression and the Nazis’ rise to power.

In the following years, the Protocols were translated into dozens of languages and published around the world (German in 1919, English in the 1920s, French, Japanese in 1920, Italian, Swedish, and Norwegian in 1921, Polish in 1923, and Arabic in 1925). In 1921, The Times, a British newspaper, proved the text was false and plagiarized from an unrelated book, The Dialogue in Hell Between Machiavelli and Montesquieu. In 1924, Frankfurter Zeitung, a German newspaper, did the same. In 1933, excerpts from the text were assigned to German teachers, as factual works, to read to German students in Nazi Germany, likely to indoctrinate children with ideas common in Nazi Germany – hatred and fear of Jewish communities.

The Protocols of the Elders of Zion inspired many other works that promoted antisemitic conspiracy theories in the following years. Henry Ford, founder of the Ford Motor Company, published and serialized The International Jew: The World’s Foremost Problem in his newspaper, The Dearborn Independent. Nazi Party leaders, including Adolf Hitler, took inspiration from Ford’s book. The conspiracy theories in the book reinforced Hitler’s ideas about Jewish people, and he referred to the Protocols in some of his early political speeches in the 1920s. In his autobiography Mein Kampf (1925), Hitler wrote about the Protocols, claiming they “reveal the nature and activity of Jewish people and expose…their ultimate final aims.” After he became chancellor of Germany in 1933, Hitler did not directly refer to the Protocols in public speeches, but he did echo their ideas.

Today, the ideas of The Protocols of the Elders of Zion are still present. Newer editions of the Protocols blame Jews for war, acts of terrorism, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Around the world, the Protocols are used to justify violence against Jewish people and the State of Israel and to promote false claims about the character and actions of Jewish people. It is quite scary to think that a publication proven to be false is still considered to be a truth about Jewish people. It’s even worse that it has led to the deaths of a vast number of innocent Jewish people.

Word count: 588

Sources: https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/pogroms, https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/protocols-of-the-elders-of-zion, https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Protocols_of_the_Elders_of_Zion#cite_note-2, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Protocols_of_the_Elders_of_Zion#cite_note-Segel-1995-4

Shall I add a tally to the "yay for satire" count?

You know it’s going to be a good read when the preface includes the comment “must not take a copy of this translation to Russia…immediately shot” and ends with the statement “Gentiles – Beware!” Threats of harm to the reader are always a good start to any book. This book initially made absolutely no sense to me. I took the message of the book quite literally, believing it to have truly been a dramatic and violent plot to kill a massive number of people. In my (carefully worded) research of this work, I learned this is a satirical work, like A Modest Proposal, a piece meant to paint a certain group as dangerous. In this case, to paint Jewish people as manipulative and scheming to overthrow the government. 

My best guess is that this is meant to be read as a plan from the Jewish point of view to eliminate the Christians (Gentiles) via violence, political schemes, and economic opposition. The “author(s)” seeming to be either bragging about their plan or attempting to recruit people to their cause, perhaps both.  The “author” attempts to justify their actions by posing rhetorical questions that appear to have a semblance of logic and meaning, but that actually are worded in a way that the reader feels compelled to agree. The “author” appears to be drawing pity from the reader, to feel sorry for the situation the “author” has been put into, which causes them to need this dramatic and violent plan. During the writing of this text, the satirical view of it, it seems that the elders believe that they have accomplished a majority of their goal, that soon all of Europe would be under their Zionist influence. As a sort of ‘call to arms’, the “authors” are appealing to the working class, a contrast to the “privileged Gentiles.” [Note: I put authors in quotes to denote the difference between the Nazi writers of the book and the symbolic Jewish authors of the protocols.]

Themes of politics and economy, moral versus immoral actions, and right versus necessary are frequently employed throughout the “protocols,” often prompting the reader to question whether their plan is immoral or wrong simply because it is based on violence. I won’t pretend to understand exactly what the Elders’ plan is meant to be, but I can at least understand the symbolism that can be drawn from the writings. The symbolism that people can and will do extreme things just because they can reason it to be moral, right, and just. 

These protocols reveal the power of deliberately fabricating texts that promote antisemitic propaganda, to point blame and create sides in a conflict. Like confirmation bias, antisemites who hold these ideas will search out works that support their beliefs. Finding these protocols, their beliefs grow stronger, adding fuel to the flame that still burns today.

Word count: 475

It is concerning that this novel is considered a French national treasure.

In 1785, from his cell in the Bastille prison during the French Revolution, Marquis de Sade wrote the manuscript for what is perhaps the most disgusting story ever in about 37 days. On tiny pieces of paper glued together into an about 12-meter-long scroll, de Sade evaded confiscation by hiding his notes in the walls of his cell. As tensions in Paris grew, de Sade incited a riot among people gathered outside the Bastille that led to his transfer to another prison. In the transfer, de Sade’s manuscript was left behind. de Sade mourned the loss of his manuscript (oh no, so sad), but little did he know that a French citizen found and rescued the scroll two days before the gathering mob attacked the Bastille. The scroll made its way to a wealthy French family then to a German collector in Berlin, 1904. The collector published the first edition of 180 copies. By 1929, the manuscript was returned to the de Sade family. In 1982, the manuscript was stolen by a bookseller who sold it to a Swiss collector. French and Swiss courts fought over the manuscript for many years until they were put on display near Geneva in 2004. As of July 2021, the manuscript has been in the possession of the French Government where is now lives in the Arsenal branch of the Bibliothèque Nationale de France in Paris.

At the beginning of the later publications of de Sade’s novel, there is a chronology of all the absolutely amazing things de Sade did in his lifetime. This list includes, but is not limited to: goes to jail multiple times, has affairs, participates in orgies, runs from the authorities, and narrowly escapes a beheading. Marquis de Sade lived a life of sick indulgence and crime, and this is reflected in his writing. de Sade had a history of an abusive childhood that developed into a rebellious and violent adulthood. He constantly had affairs with other women, often prostitutes, and committed many cruel acts upon these women. Like the “masters” in his novel, de Sade had a tendency for disgusting and violent sexual acts.

As I mentioned in my previous post, the four wealthy libertine Frenchmen, the “masters” represent the nobility (Duc de Blangis), the clergy (Bishop of X), the legal system (the President de Curval), and high finance (Durcet). During the revolutionary period of France when de Sade wrote this novel, enlightenment ideals became widespread – challenging the right of kings and the traditional hierarchical structure of society. I get the sense that the characterization and presentation of the four “masters” could be taken as commentary on the hedonistic actions of the upper French class. Combining his sick fantasies with political (some say satirical) commentary on the wealthy and powerful of France resulted in a novel banned in many countries today for its pornographic nature.

Word count: 477

Sources: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/who-was-marquis-de-sade-180953980/?all and https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/61764#:~:text=The%20scroll%20has%20been%20assigned,Nationale%20de%20France%20in%20Paris.

If I eat enough sour candy, maybe I’ll forget everything I just read.

Desensitization is a beautiful thing. I thought my love of fictional horror, especially the psychological themes, would prepare me for this book. I was completely and entirely wrong. On a concerningly positive note, the reputation of this book is so dramatically horrifying that I feel I could have understood the entire plot without actually needing to read it. Unfortunately, I couldn’t avoid reading the book. I decided to just read the introductions, the beginning sections of parts 1 and 2, then skim over the notes – just enough to understand de Sade’s sick fantasies.

Over this past summer, I mentioned the title casually to my parents when discussing my classes this semester. The looks of horror I got from my parents perfectly encapsulated the power of de Sade’s writing. From peers who heard from others about this Forbidden Texts class and our readings, I got wishes of good luck and understanding nods. Many of these people have not read the book or know anything about the plot or context, yet they understand the pure horror and disgust that is associated with it.

From a literary analysis point of view, this is quite an interesting book. The audience can read into the historical context of the book, de Sade’s mental state and imprisonment, and the archetypal characterization of the four wealthy libertines. The historical context of the book and de Sade himself are reflected in the format and some events within the story, while the archetypes are boldly present in the four libertines. Delving deeper into the context of this book is for my next post, which is also where I’ll discuss the presence of archetypes within 120 days of Sodom and how these archetypes connect to libertine history. For now, the important point is that the four wealthy libertine Frenchmen represent the nobility (Duc de Blangis), the clergy (Bishop of X), the legal system (the President de Curval), and high finance (Durcet). It’s clear that de Sade intended this novel to serve as social satire of the French libertines, but it’s strange that he chose to do so in such a pornographic way. To be fair, he does have a history of sex scandals, prison and asylum attendances, and various other pornographic and sadistic works.

It is safe to say de Sade created a very effective (and traumatizing) piece of social satrire – worthy of the “Forbidden Text” label. This book is being banished to the back of my bottom desk drawer.

Word count: 412

Suppertime children! We're having roasted brother with rosemary butter!

I first read this piece in my junior year of high school in AP Language and Composition. It took me a concerningly long time (aka about 80% of the way through) to pick up on the satirical nature of Swift’s writing. I’m saddened to say I just thought he was a very controversial writer. Now that I know this is a satirical piece, it’s much easier to interpret the historical and political nature of Swift’s “proposal.” During England’s rule over Ireland in the 1700s, the Irish were poor, starving, and facing religious suppression and overpopulation in the country. Initially, Swift was a member of the ruling class and had alliances with both England and Ireland. In the 1720s, he became more involved with the Irish causes, writing appeals and proposals to the Irish Parliament. A Modest Proposal was written in 1729 as one of these attempts.

In the essay, Swift juxtaposes cold statistics and logical reasoning against the absurd proposal of, to put it frankly, eating babies. He uses a melancholy and pleading tone to describe the suffering of “beggars” and “poor innocent babes,” but the satirical nature of this essay bleeds into that tone, tainting it into absurdity. Turning to numbers and calculations, Swift determines the number of children that must somehow be cared for despite the financial position of the country. His solution? Sell babies and children as commodities to the wealthy. They will make “a most delicious nourishing and wholesome Food, whether Stewed, Roasted, Baked, or Boyled” and their carcass and skin will make lovely clothes for the ladies and fine gentlemen. Swift then goes on to discuss the “advantages” of such a proposal. If not for being satirical and disturbing, Swift makes wonderful points from a financial and familial perspective. In the last paragraph, Swift clarifies that he has no children, so he will receive no benefit from his proposal. I think that’s the absolute cherry on top.

In a morbid way, Swift is an absolute genius. To merge satire with cold facts like this requires true talent. When I was recently rereading this text, I read certain sentences out to a few of my friends. They had never heard of A Modest Proposal before, so they responded with horror and confusion. If the politician’s Swift was appealing to felt the same way, I wonder what impact Swift had on them.

Word count: 394

To be or not to be: that is not the question because this is not Hamlet. -Em

I greatly enjoyed reading the gospels themselves, but I more so enjoyed reading and further researching the context and background of the gospels, especially The Gospel of Mary of Magdala. Coming into these texts with absolutely no background biblical knowledge, I expected to be confused by references, symbolism, and religious connotations. To a degree, I was still confused by some of the deeper meanings, but that has more to do with my analysis of the text than it has to do with the biblical context of these gospels.

Starting with my favorite of the two, The Gospel of Mary of Magdala was an amazing read that I felt required very little biblical knowledge to understand. The introduction preceding the gospel itself was a tasty little appetizer before the four-course meal, and the information about its discovery and publication was the cherry on top of the dessert to round everything off. Overall, The Gospel of Mary of Magdala was quite simple to understand: a female disciple’s attempt to give her account of Jesus’ teachings, only to be dismissed by the other disciples for confusing them and receiving secret knowledge from Jesus. This gospel could be interpreted as a “modern-feminist” type of story. According to the introduction, this gospel is known for its interpretation of “Mary of Magdala was a prostitute” in a way that highlights her as a disciple, and god’s favorite woman, rather than a prostitute (or both, I don’t judge). The disciples get offended by Jesus’ apparent preference for a woman over them? No wonder this Gospel isn’t considered canon or part of the New Testament Gospels. Works like this increase our knowledge of the diversity found within Christianity, but so many have been lost (about 85% from the first two centuries) that it’s understandable, yet disappointing, that a piece that focuses on female leadership is discarded and considered non-canonical. As it’s often said, “History is written by the winners,” so it’s not illogical to question if there was a purposeful erasure of feminist biblical literature. Speaking of history and the origins of The Gospel of Mary of Magdala, the information covering its discovery and publication is absolutely fascinating. From Cairo to Berlin to our screens, this text has quite the journey to where it is today. Reading about the process the text went through, of transportation and translation to eventually become this final product, was my overall favorite part of this text (even though it’s not technically part of the gospel). Sometimes the background and context of a work of literature are more interesting than the literature itself.

Differing from my easy-peasy experience of The Gospel of Mary of Magdala, I struggled to follow The Gospel of Judas. I understand the role of Judas, the one who will receive “the mysteries of the kingdom” and eventually betray Jesus, but even my understanding of this has many holes. I also picked up something about the other disciples being misguided. That part confused me most. If this is meant to be a Gnostic text, is the text saying the disciples were worshiping a lower, lesser god rather than “the true god”? If this is not meant to be a Gnostic text, I’m not sure what the disciples would be misguided towards, if anything, even. Sin? Moving into the third scene, the discussions between Jesus and Judas became a bit easier to understand on their own, but I had trouble understanding how the discussion connected to the disciples being misguided or Judas’ betrayal of Jesus. In the third scene, Jesus explains about ” the other generations,” Adamas, the angels, the underworld, and the creation of humanity. That all makes a degree of sense since it’s more about the mythology of the universe from a biblical perspective. But, again, I don’t quite see how it all connects. In our class discussion, we discussed Gnosticism and how some of the beings mentioned in the third scene are also mentioned in Gnosticism, so maybe it’s making a reference to how the Disciples are misguided. I did a bit of research on the ending of the gospel, since I couldn’t understand why Judas would choose to betray Jesus. Apparently, Judas didn’t betray Jesus; rather, he helped Jesus escape from the material world. This confirms that this text is Gnostic, also confirming that the disciples were, in fact, misguided. An absolute rollercoaster. If I take anything away from the literature itself, Judas was a disciple whom Jesus chose to receive secret knowledge, and in return, helped Jesus escape the material world. Despite my confusion and theories, I did enjoy reading, analyzing, further researching, and discussing this gospel. Also Jesus laughing at everyone.

I can see why these texts are considered forbidden. They introduce views and interpretations that are controversial and Gnostic in nature. The Gospel of Mary of Magdala “presents a radical interpretation of Jesus’ teaching as a path to inner spiritual knowledge; it rejects his suffering and death as the path to eternal life.” The Gospel of Judas is (surprise, surprise) a Gnosic text, so it naturally presents ideas that are non-canonical and even non-Christian to a degree. On a final note, it’s interesting how “Jesus’ favorite woman” and the disciple destined to receive “the mysteries of the kingdom” are both the ones suffering or causing suffering in these gospels. Curious, curious indeed.

Word Count: 888