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Dr. Seuss Got Melania Trump Into Trouble

Even when Melania Trump tries to do something good, she does it wrong.

The First Lady sent ten Dr. Suess books to Cambridgeport Elementary School for National Read a Book Day.

That sounds like a nice gesture, right? She sent fun books to a school for kids to read. Good job, Melania.

Nope. Terrible job, Melania.

The school’s librarian, Liz Phipps Soeiro, rejected the books and wrote a letter to Donald’s wife. The letter is longer than most Dr. Suess books, you can read it all here, but allow me to recap and pick out the important stuff.

Soeiro thanks Trump for selecting her school, but declines the books. She then talks about how Cambridgeport Elementary is a privileged school, all things considered, and that Melania should worry about schools less fortunate. She also calls out Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos for cutting budgets.

After pumping up her school and saying Melania should focus on those less fortunate, she drops this gem.

So, my school doesn’t have a NEED for these books. And then there’s the matter of the books themselves. You may not be aware of this, but Dr. Seuss is a bit of a cliché, a tired and worn ambassador for children’s literature

DAMN! You don’t need the books and even if you did, you’d reject them because they are Dr. Suess?

Not only are Dr. Suess books cliché, they’re also racist.

Another fact that many people are unaware of is that Dr. Seuss’s illustrations are steeped in racist propaganda, caricatures, and harmful stereotypes. Open one of his books (If I Ran a Zoo or And to Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street, for example), and you’ll see the racist mockery in his art.

She ends with this mic drop:

I am honored that you recognized my students and our school. I can think of no better gift for children than books; it was a wonderful gesture, if one that could have been better thought out. Books can be a powerful way to learn about and experience the world around us; they help build empathy and understanding. In return, I’m attaching a list of ten books (it’s the librarian in me) that I hope will offer you a window into the lives of the many children affected by the policies of your husband’s administration. You and your husband have a direct impact on these children’s lives. Please make time to learn about and value them. I hope you share these books with your family and with kids around the country. And I encourage you to reach out to your local librarian for more recommendations.

Allow me to sum up this story using the classic Dr. Seuss book One Fish, Two Fish:

One book, two book, good book, new book. This one might be a tad bit racist. This one is cliché and a little basic. Please don’t send us books Mrs. Trump. Please fix our cities that are little dumps.

You’ll get ’em next time, Melania.

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Steve Shaw
Steve Shaw
6 years ago

Tell me that they don’t actually pay you to write tripe like this.