>

School district: "It wasn't because of some parent's complaint, we cancelled because we didn't have a contract."
Author's agent: "No contract?  You've already paid us $500 for travel!"
It's really insulting when people can't even be bothered to come up with a good lie.
Fowler said the events were canceled after “a parent at one of the elementary schools voiced concern regarding social media posts made by Mr. Barnes.” He did not clarify what the posts included or what made them controversial.
“I wasn’t told anything about a parental complaint. My socials are all about my books, events, children, and of course I talk about Black history facts and things happening in the world, but everything is factual,” Barnes said.
A CNN review of the author’s social media posts found they predominantly feature photos of his family, writing, and music he enjoys, as well as comments about news events and political issues including police brutality, the January 6 insurrection and the presidential election. >

I’m guessing J6 could have really pissed them off, but in reality, it sounds like his existing as Black and uncowed would be enough. >

Guy: mans blackly
Alabama: “and I took that personally.” >

70% of Birmingham is black. This isn't an Alabama thing. It's a racists thing. >

Hi, Birminghamite here. Grew up in Hoover (The city this happened in) and moved to central Birmingham because of how much of a shit hole Hoover is. Hoover is not Birmingham, Hoover is 70% white, 17% Black (up from 7% black 20 years ago). Hoover is a suburb for people who refuse to live in Birmingham. Hoover is filled with a special kind of racists, homephobes, and xenophobes that can only be found in Southern Suburbs, and it's despicable. Trump's presidency managed to empower all of these quietly racist pieces of trash in my cities backyard into speaking their hate out into the world. It has become unbearable in the past 6 years from where you would be immediately ostracized for sharing your racist asinine thoughts, to now it being the norm in these places where all of the formerly quiet racists have grouped together and been given an undeserved voice.
I've been keeping up with this story since it happened, as I have friends whose children were immediately affected by it and were looking forward to Derrick Barnes visits. This is very on brand for Hoover, and it further serves as a disappointment on a national stage. Do not mistake Hoover for Birmingham. >

Also grew up in Birmingham.
Would also add that Hoover might have the fewest racial problems of the 7A schools districts around Birmingham, and that's not a compliment. >

I went to Hoover schools for most of my life, but I was in Irondale for a year. The stark contrast between the two blows my mind. I wasn't troubled by being in the minority all of the sudden, I was raised Muslim and was used to being one of the only white people in the mosque, but what struck me the most was all relative to wealth inequality. I did note most of the troubled students where white, where in Hoover it was the opposite. I think that pervasive notions of racial disparity affect children in ways we don't give credit to.  Celebrating these differences and appreciating the similarities, as this author is trying to do, strike me as very important for the healthy development as kids. At the end of the day though, it's still peanuts compared to poverty. >

The school district says that some parents were upset about some social media posts the author made, but they won't elaborate as to what those posts were? That's bull shit. >

I used to listen to npr but I just can’t anymore because they insist on normalizing crap like this by not questioning and taking it at face value as not to appear partisan. You will never hear about the growing facism issue we’re dealing with from their platform. >

I hear your concern, but that's why we have left wing media outlets who don't try to be non-partisan at all. 
You saying, "I don't like this media outlet because they aren't an unapologetic echo chamber and they try to be a tiny bit non-partisan", is a very very bad thing to want.
You want a world where only one view is acceptable, and even saying there is another view (not even supporting it, but just saying it exists) is a damnable offense.
NPR is too far right because they take the news at face value and let their viewers think it through on their own?
That's a wild view my friend. >

These are scary times. The vast majority of news orgs should operate in the middle. Don't push opinion pieces, and stick to fact based reporting. That means "so and so happened today", and cut it right there. Not "so and so happened today, so that means this and that" . Blah, blah, blah. Once news orgs inject personal opinions into their work, they lose their objectivity. It should be up to the viewer to interpret the effects of the stories. Otherwise it just leads to hive mind. Bring back the Fairness Doctrine! >

When I say in the middle, I mean non sensationalized, factual reporting. In the middle of the hyperbole of both sides. And yes, both sides sensationalize their views for the almighty dollar. Not every outfit, but more often than not. I'm a classical liberal, and I can see the faults with the left. Not being able to acknowledge it is part of the problem. >

Do you know what "classical liberal" means? In modern politics that puts you firmly on the right. So of course your take on the "middle" makes sense. >

These districts really need to say what the parent claimed the offensive post was or STFU. 
I don’t know why school districts hide behind racist parents like that. 
Or alternatively, the school district can admit “well a parent complained generically about a black guy’s social media…and without any investigation or clarification, we decided that was good enough for us, so we cancelled his event”
And CNN ought to hold this superintendent’s feet to fire a lot harder as well:

Dee Fowler, the district superintendent, cited contract issues and a parent’s “concern” regarding Barnes’ social media posts, he told CNN. >


I don’t know why school districts hide behind racist parents like that.

I do, and its because they are racists too. >

Remember that footage/picture of that 6 year old black girl who went to the first integrated school in Alabama? All those younger people freaking the fuck out so much that the girl had to have armed security escort her inside?
Those people are now the age of the ones in charge.
Anyone who says racism is behind us is lying to themselves. >

Are you referring to Ruby Bridges?
That was Louisiana, not Alabama. 
Alabama did have those issues, but let's make sure we're matching up those photos with the correct events. The one from Alabama that typically gets mentioned is the college students attending University of Alabama, where George Wallace stood in front of the doors. >

George Wallace, who was governor all the way until 1987. That George Wallace, right? >

The same George Wallace who ran his wife, knew she had cancer and didn't tell her, and sacrificed her for his ambitions— then later shuffled his kids off to relatives. 
Then he made a comeback and ran a circus (which Richard Scrushy took notes from) pretending to be super duper sorry for all the racism and got voted in again with the help of a black vote that his apologists love to point out as if it makes all of his previous shit any better. 
That George Wallace. >


Declaring the Preservation of Intellectual Freedom and Non-Discrimination in Alabama’s Public Schools

This is some 1984 level shit. >

It doesn't even make a good acronym. I fear that's a dying art. >

DPIFNDAPS. It rolls. Off the tongue. >

I mean...it does tho. Good ol' duhpifindaps >

Sounds like a name bluey and bingo would name themselves while playing a game.    
Meryfindor, Sir Gallahop, Dronigan, Hecuba, Diddums...
Dapiffindaps fits right in. >

One single parent complained and they cancelled it. What a fucking joke >

"Cancel culture run amok!" Or does this not count for some reason…? >

The hypocrisy is the point. >

When I was in school, the school didn't give two shits about what the parents thought or wanted.  Nowadays everything somehow hinges on the opinion on one racist conservative parent.
That's assuming this alleged parent even exists. >


That's assuming this alleged parent even exists.

DING DING DING - we have a winner! >

Cancelled because a parent expressed 'concerns' about unspecified social posts.  Thats a low bar right there >

More like, oh shit we got caught being racist, we better make up an excuse. >

Ah, conservatives...scream themselves blue in the face about cAnCeL CuLtUrE, literally cancel someone slated to visit three different schools due to a single parent complaint over some social media posts. Stay classy you racist fucks. >

I mean, one of the first real high profile cases of "cancel culture" I remember witnessing was the Dixie Chicks.  Spoke out against Bush's war in Iraq, and suddenly they were persona non grata. >

The history of cancel culture is overwhelmingly due to conservatives.
They tried canceling The Beatles and most other bands/performers including Elvis, Billie Holiday, and just about anyone who was involved with the founding of rock and roll. 
The comics code where writers had to make it to where heroes never killed was due to conservative backlash to early comics.  
They went after early video games to the point that the ratings system was invented and many bans took place, and many rules were placed onto designers. 
You can't show a female nipple anywhere in society or conservatives freak out. 
It goes on and on. >

Don't forget the satanic panic! D&D is bad!
Now most of those fuckers LOVE Stranger Things. What a world. >

And there’s still cognitive dissonance there. My mom loves Stranger Things. But shortly after it came out, I started getting into Critical Role and my mom had a cow, despite me already being an adult. >

Dude there's hordes of people afraid of Ouija boards. It's a board game made by Hasbro for fucks sake >

I once took one to a famous, old suicide spot on a bridge, lit candles and tried to summon a spirit.
Absolutely fucking nothing. I want my money back! >

Haha yes.
I've always wanted to make one of those ghost hunting shows except just show up to a "haunted" place and have nothing happen for a half hour a week. >

Those shows are the biggest cock block. SUSPENSE FOR AN ENTIRE EPISODE, then a mouse farts. >

And then they freak the fuck out like, WHAT WAS THAT!?!?!,
And I'm over here saying, probably your producer... >

Hoover High School has always been this way. I remember when we’d play them and their players would call ours the N word and other awful things. Don’t be fooled. They were looking for a reason to cancel this. >

Why would they schedule him and agree to pay him $9000+ for showing up if they didn't want him to begin with? >

Racists aren't logical.
They don't have a grand vision other than hate and cruelty... >

The South’s March to fascism is getting really old. >

God forbid you try pointing it out to them. They take gaslighting to a disgusting new height when you  do. >

Why is it always a single fucking parent that causes shit like this to happen? >

“However, Fowler, the school district superintendent, told CNN the issue is not about the content of Barnes’ books, which Fowler said are found in libraries and classrooms across the district, but posts he had made on social media.”
But I bet they love the social media posts of Trump, MTG, Boebert, and January 6 types. >

The racists are gaining ground again. >

Time to push them back where they belong. >

Six feet under?