Right, right, “Those who don't learn from history are destined to repeat it,” agreed.
Lessons, though, come in different forms and different degrees.
A coloring book, or graphic novel, for kids, might take the history lesson of terroristic attacks on the United States and the war on terrorism to an extreme degree. Might. You decide.
Titled “We Shall Never Forget 9/11 ‘The Kids’ Book of Freedom,’ ” the book engages kids to color in a depiction of the flaming, smoking, about-to-collapse World Trade Center towers. It also includes an image of a Navy SEAL firing on Osama bin Laden, complete with a bullet in mid-flight. (See that page here)
So, what color is tragedy? What shade of cowardice hides behind a woman when facing his certain death?
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The book looks to be intended for kids about 6, 7, 8 years old … too much for that age or too ageless a lesson to delay?
The book also contains narrative. In a press release, publisher Wayne Bell of Really Big Coloring Books Inc. said it “was created with honesty, integrity, reverence, respect and does not shy away from the truth.”
One page, illustrating the immediate aftermath of the attacks, depicts what looks like a TV news anchor reporting that bin Laden was, indeed, the mastermind.
That page includes the line, “These attacks will change the way America deals with and views the Islamic and Muslim people around the world.” Shouldn’t that be “extremist Islamic terrorists” and not the religion and its adherents as a whole?
Of course, Bell didn’t say anything about objectivity.
What do you think? Would you allow your child to fill in the pages? If so, what age do you think is appropriate? Leave comments below.
Bruce Felps owns and operates East Dallas Times, an online community news outlet serving the White Rock Lake area. He wept Sept. 11, 2001, and likely will do so again Sept. 11, 2011.
The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of NBC, NBC 5, NBCDFW.com or its employees.
