I wanted to review ‘American Dirt.’ Then I didn’t. Here’s why. [offensive to liberal politically correct sensitivities: read article comments]

The Boston Globe ^ | January 30, 2020 | Clea Simon

[daniel1212]

When I was first asked to review Jeanine Cummins’s “American Dirt” for the Globe, I was thrilled. With advance blurbs comparing it to “The Grapes of Wrath,” I knew it was going to be a big book, and I wanted to be part of that conversation....

But once that initial excitement had worn off, I read with growing distaste..

Soledad had been forced into sexual slavery. As her “life deteriorated into a series of lurid traumas,” we learn that her beauty and virtue were her downfall. Degradation followed degradation, at the hands of her captor...

As I read, it became clear. For Cummins’s purpose, this 15-year-old and her sister existed to be raped — an example of the violence women flee. That might serve a teaching function, but it also sends the message that our being can be defined by a criminal act perpetrated against us. You don’t have to read Chanel Miller’s “Know My Name” to understand how demeaning that is. As someone who has been assaulted — and who has gone on to enjoy life — it filled me with disgust...

Right about then, someone forwarded me a profane but impassioned essay by Latinx author Myriam Gurba calling out Cummins’s presumption and racism as “trauma porn that wears a social justice fig leaf.”...

I’m of European descent, and I confess that some of the subtleties pointed out in Gurba’s essay concerning Cummins’s personal qualifications to write a story like “Dirt” had eluded me...with its stereotypes and lopsided perspective...

Could Soledad’s persecution raise a discussion about sexual trauma? Yes, as a topic. And the conclusions such a conversation would support? That rape is widespread among vulnerable populations — but also that it defines whomever it touches. That second half wouldn’t be a message I’d want promulgated,

[daniel1212]

Some surprising (this is the Boston Globe) perceptive comments to the article on the page (if you can read them: paywall after 3 free reads a month)

[livius]

Not very perceptive at all. The book really has nothing to do with the fact that the girl is Latin American, her immigration status, or anything else, but is simply a depiction of a very common problem among powerless young women...whether victims of international human slavery, runaway kids (probably fleeing sexual exploitation by a family member) or psychologically vulnerable people.

Interpreting it as an attack on Latin American culture is ridiculous, because this is certainly not a part of Latin American culture.

And btw, why wasn’t the NYT and the rest of the gang out there supporting Trump on his newAnti-Human Slavery initiative. But I guess since Epstein and Dem friends had been enjoying and profiting on the human slavery, the Times could not possibly acknowledge this.

[daniel1212]

One commenter (user_3345680) points out the paradox that the author

didn’t want to write about “American Dirt” because it would draw attention to “American Dirt,” so she wrote an essay about not writing about “American Dirt.”..

Another discerns that the author refused to review a book because the portrayals in the book do not agree with her political world view.

Others point out it “identifies the true dictatorial intolerance and fascist nature of today’s left/lib/prog/politically correct/identity politics/ dogma,” the “New Puritanism where parishioners fear being put into the stocks for breaking some hard and fast rule of social decorum..”

[FreedomPoster]

There’s a growing backlash against woke, PC culture, and those comments are an example of that.

[daniel1212]

Not very perceptive at all..Interpreting it as an attack on Latin American culture is ridiculous, because this is certainly not a part of Latin American culture.

The "perceptive" part was in regards to conservative comments like in my post above (such as by two called "really!" and "Bhekaron").

[livius]

Ok, sorry...I misunderstood your comment.

[Grimmy]

Not very perceptive at all.

*****

And what it’s aimed at, and hoping to accomplish, is open unfettered immigration, which would serve no purpose other than to bring the exact horrorshow, that the illegals claim to be running from, right here to our own neighborhoods.

When a leftist is yanking on your heartstrings, it’s only ever to get you to comply with your own destruction because Feelz!

[Larry Lucido]

What the hell is a latinx? Is that a breed of cat, like a minx?

[upchuck]

(if you can read them: paywall after 3 free reads a month)

I suspect you can read unlimited articles if you delete the Globe's cookies.

[CaptainPhilFan]

Unable to read due to no subscription. I won’t give them my email either.

[KarlInOhio]

What the hell is a latinx? Is that a breed of cat, like a minx?

It's an attempt, through cultural imperialism, to force a Germanic neuter gender onto the two-gendered Spanish with either latino or latina. In the words of the left's favorite little junior harridan: How dare you!

(think that will tie the left into knots justifying themselves?)

[Geronimo]

What the hell is a latinx?

It’s the gender neutral term for Latino/Latina...kind of like us calling this reviewer a twax so that we don’t offend the cisgendermale twats of her ilk...

[yesthatjallen]

Cancel Culture. There's too much truth in the novel many people don't want revealed to the American public.

Publisher cancels 'American Dirt' book tour over security concerns

[Rightwing Conspiratr1]

This is SJWs eating each other. The ideology is so illogical it’s impossible for anyone to be woke enough.

[tbw2]

The author’s sin in the eyes of liberals is being a privileged white woman writing about illegal immigrant girls of color.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Latin - X ! Ya dig ? ‘Sho ‘nuff.