The irony behind the cartoon above is that this story is not a fiction. It truly happened in one of Montreal’s schools yesterday.
Here is a translation of an article by Mr. Mathieu Bock-Côté who was himself the target the political correctness’ absurd mob:
https://www.journaldemontreal.com/2020/02/27/a-la-poubelle-felix-leclerc
“The news took those who hadn’t completely lost their minds by surprise: at a Mile End school in Montreal, Félix Leclerc’s song “The 100,000 Ways to Kill a Man” [Les 100 000 façons de tuer un homme] was taught to students.
I write “taught” because it is no longer being taught. Following a complaint from a parent who said he/she was offended by the representation that was made of people on social assistance, the teacher and the administration of the school decided to remove the song from the program.
Better! To erase even the trace, the students had to tear the page on which it was written from their Duo-Tang to put it for recycling! In the trash, Félix! In the garbage!
Some will only see this story as an exasperating news item. False! It is indicative of the immense stupidity of our time.
The Song
Everything is there.
First, the hypersensitivity of a parent, who wants to censor a text that triggered him/her.
Then the cowardice of the establishment, which lies down before the quarrelsome parent out of fear of seeing the controversy swell and explode. The dissatisfaction of a person pushes the authorities to bend the knee. What to do in front of such invertebrates? We also understand that teachers are suspicious of the excessive presence of parents in their classrooms.
Finally, the lack of culture is combining with the anachronistic spirit. To treat a classic song from Québec, which evokes the moral universe of the old world and the old French-Canadian peasantry, as a vulgar political manifesto, is to offend culture and literature.
In the name of the spirit of compromise, I heard good people proposing that this song by Félix Leclerc be replaced by another.
But which one?
Around the island? I can already hear a neo-feminist being offended that Félix speaks with suspicion of the miniskirt!
The angry lark? This time, I can see someone being offended about Félix Leclerc’s sympathy for the indignation which led certain young people to join the FLQ.
The night of November 15? Especially not! He sings about independence!
Wait for me ti-guy? No! It excites populism and anti-parliamentary politics by saying bad things about politicians!
There are all the ingredients that make our time so indigestible. Political correctness pushes our society to neurosis.
Censorship
Besides, this event was not isolated. When writing these lines, a story comes to my mind that took place in a school in Sorel in 2013. Back then, a teacher who had put in the program “The Hymn to Love” by Edith Piaf had to amputate the last lines, because there was an evocation of God bringing together those who love each other!
Scandal, we talk about God in a song, two or three militant atheists will be upset! On that account, we will no longer be able to teach or admire anything.
Félix Leclerc is a classic of Québec culture. You must enter his work and not put it in the garbage. The fact that such obvious facts should be recalled tells us well which chasm we have fallen into.”
