“Horton Hears A Who!”
 

Good film for anyone who hasn't been in a while. I took the boys to see this film over the weekend. "A persons a person no matter how small" Family friendly with another pro-life message from Hollywood (Bela, Juno). The boys and I talked about the film afterwards and had a good discussion on human rights and the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

A persons a person no matter how small, trumps the if I can't see it, or feel it, it doesn't exist.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1205873461.jpg

We took our 5yr old Daughter this weekend. She asked me what the movie was about. "Its about a true democratic process...where everyone has a voice no matter how small." To wit our little one said "Oh..."

She like the movie very much BTW - to the point where she retells me of the world that is on a little spec where there lives ponies that eat rainbows and poop butterflies (its from the movie!).

Too bad everyone's voice is not recognized.

I think I read a quote by Bejamin Franklin about the democratic process being like two wolves and a sheep voting on what's for lunch.

I really wish Hollywood would leave Dr. Suess alone. Yea sure it's a great kids film blah blah, but I don't think the good Dr. meant to have his work accompanied by bad hip-hop, modern day dialog and celebrity voices. You can thank his widow Audrey for that one. He was very reluctant to license his work to anyone.

The Grinch cartoon (sanctioned by Suess himself) is how I want to remember Dr. Suess.

So,

"A person's a person, no matter how small" is a PRO LIFE message? Er, no, wait. It's about THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS? You guys are amazing, man.

I doubt that, in 1954, Dr. Seuss was thinking about abortion or democracy when writing "Horton Hears a Who." Perhaps he was trying to teach children self esteem and how their ideas and dreams have value. Democracy? Right to life? Umm, no.

I guess as long as it gets a positive message of some sort out there, that's good though.

From wikipedia:

The book (most notably Horton the Elephant's recurring phrase "a person's a person, no matter how small") has found its way to the center of the recurring debate, in the United States, over abortion. Several pro-life groups have adopted the phrase in support of their views. Such appropriations are frowned upon by Dr. Seuss' widow, Audrey Geisel, who "doesn't like people to hijack Dr. Seuss characters or material to front their own points of view." According to Philip Nel, who wrote a biography about Geisel/Seuss, Seuss threatened to sue an anti-abortion group for using his words on their stationery.

as i recall there was also something about liberty as represented by a well armed sheep contesting the vote.


david

Oh Dear Lord….
Let’s set the record straight now. Dr. Seuss was always adamant that his work not be interpreted or used for any political agendas. Pro-life, Pro-choice, or anything else.

The truth is Dr Suess is rollin' in his grave, and his widow is thinking of suing.

You really don't know that at all. We do know he wrote a beautiful Christmas story that went right to the heart of Christianity, the heart.

Seeing as how all abortions were illegal in 1954, you also can not declare he was adamant that Horton was not about the sanctity of life. There were abortions in 1954 and there was nothing political about them. Abortion was and is a disrespect for life and Horton seems to uncannily capture the value in life.

Much could be learned if you would have an open mind.

And the crowd said 'Amen'.

And yet the 50's were about the democrates were they not? Equal rights and civil rights as well as various social programs were just beginning.

To set the record straight, I said that to my Daughter to get a rise out of my Wife. Like anything else you can read what you want into anything you choose provided it serves your developmental interests.

Oh the places you will go.

Its all Tea leaves as far as I'm concerned...

And for all you aluminum foil mad hatters...

:) Nice, lubey.

"Open mind" means one would consider all of the possibilities of meaning while giving bias to the literal meaning, i.e. Occam's razor approach. One method one would use is reading and understanding the words of Geisel and his wife. A cursory reading appears to suggest that both Geisel and his wife did not like the mis-interpretation of his works for political, religious or social needs.

"Closed mind" means applying one's personal beliefs to narrowly interpret the work of Seuss.

Doug, I'm not saying you are right or wrong, only that what you are doing is more aligned with the latter paragraph above.

FWIW, I have always taken Seuss literally, i.e. "small" meant little kids, not fetuses. Little kids typically got picked on when I was young and I thought Seuss was saying that just because one is small doesn't mean one can't do big things.

I will be taking my Daughter to see "Horton" and we will enjoy the movie for what it is.

Best,

Kurt

Well said, Kurt.

Its all about the money, in any event.




Then up stepped McBean with a very sly wink, and he said, "Things are not quite as bad as you think. You don't know who's who, that is perfectly true. But come with me, friends, do you know what I'll do? I'll make you again the best Sneetches on beaches, and all it will cost you is ten dollars eaches.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1205940245.jpg









Tim

SEE! Tell me there is not a social message in there! Just tell me!

You protest too soon. I am indeed correct. Google it if you like. In my opinion, it's not that the man lacked convictions. Instead, Seuss was smart enough to know that aligning his stories with a political statement would polarize and limit his audience.

I always thought the Christmas story was about a Savior being born. God incarnate himself. Who would later die to absolve us of our sins.

I guess I missed the part in the Bible where the Grinch shows up and steals the Frankincense.

sorry, didn't mean to inject politics, I was having fun.. I finally figured out rap, it's the good Dr. Suess set to a rap machine. I

I was under the impression that Ted actually wrote those stories, not his wife...??? But he is dead, so who's to say.

The heart is the theme, not the Grinch.