Latest news with #ToKillaMockingbird
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Hundreds of ‘DEI' books are back at the Naval Academy. An alum and a bookshop fought their removal.
When the U.S. Naval Academy stripped 381 books tied to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) from its library, retired Commander William Marks saw more than censorship — he saw a threat to the Navy's future. But last week, after immense public outcry, most of those books returned to Nimitz Library shelves. 'Do you believe it?' asked Marks, a 1996 alum who spearheaded a campaign to maintain student access to the books. 'What great news. We're thrilled.' All the books the academy removed in early April had one thing in common: Officials flagged them for DEI themes. They include Maya Angelou's 'I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,' Harper Lee's 'To Kill a Mockingbird' and Elizabeth Reis' 'Bodies in Doubt: An American History of Intersex.' The purge followed directives from Trump-appointed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has called DEI initiatives 'divisive.' Determined to ensure that students could still read the works, Marks began crowdfunding to replace them on April 5. 'The motto of the Naval Academy is 'from knowledge, seapower,'' said Marks, who served as a Navy commander for 22 years. 'What we mean is without knowledge, education and intellectual growth, we will never become a strong Navy. So this contradiction really struck me, that instead of encouraging knowledge and encouraging discussion, the Pentagon was actually suppressing knowledge and limiting discussion.' About 4,400 students, members of the Brigade of Midshipmen, attend the Naval Academy while on active duty in the U.S. Navy. After graduation, they are required to serve in the Navy or Marine Corps for at least five years. Women represent more than a quarter of the student body, while men make up over 70 percent of midshipmen. Initially, Marks hoped to fundraise $3,810, which he figured would be enough to cover the cost of the books pulled from Nimitz Library. Since Marks lives in Arlington, Texas, he tapped Old Fox Books & Coffeehouse in Annapolis, Maryland, home to the academy, to be his local partner. Donations have far exceeded his goal, topping $70,000. Jinny Amundson, an owner of Old Fox Books, said by the time she got the call from Marks, she had already heard about the books removed and had started compiling a list of them to purchase for the store's inventory. 'For a bookseller, the idea of censoring any kind of books just gives us heart palpitations,' Amundson said. 'And it's our community. The [midshipmen] think of our shop as a place that they love and one of their sort of unofficial bookstores. We have the mids, the faculty, the administration that come in and think of our space as their own.' Amundson said she understood that the removal of books was an order, which has to be followed within the military. But she found the loophole: Her bookshop could store the titles targeted. It is conveniently located about a block away from the Naval Academy gates. The day before the institution's May 23 graduation, Amundson learned that most of the pulled books were back on the library's shelves. She went to see for herself, took pictures of the books and sent them to many of the authors, who had personally contacted her when the restrictions on the works took effect. Now, just 20 books are being sequestered pending a formal compliance review, according to the Department of Defense. A Navy spokesperson did not provide details to The 19th about those titles. Ultimately, a narrowing of the search terms used to flag books for review resulted in the return of hundreds of books to the Nimitz Library, as the Department of Defense first issued broad guidance about book removals to the military services. 'What struck me was the very arbitrary and even cruel nature of the books that got removed,' Marks said. 'These books were a cross-section of American culture. They were important to the discussion of American history.' In an updated May 9 memo, the Pentagon instructed the military services to use 20 search terms to pinpoint books in their academic libraries that might need to be set aside because of how they engage race or gender. Among those terms were affirmative action; critical race theory; gender-affirming care; transgender people; and diversity, equity and inclusion. People across the political spectrum expressed alarm about the book restrictions, which have been widely opposed, according to Marks. 'We really shouldn't be banning any books,' he said. That includes those with unpopular, or even offensive, ideas like Adolf Hitler's 'Mein Kampf,' which managed to evade the Naval Academy's book purge, he noted. He calls his effort to maintain the midshipmen's access to all books in the Nimitz Library Operation Caged Bird, after the 1969 Angelou memoir that was likely targeted because it describes racial segregation and child abuse. The name Operation Caged Bird also alludes to the feeling of being restrained by censorship. 'I almost felt like I could feel the bars closing in on me in terms of what I can read and can't read,' Marks said. 'That didn't sit right.' Marks' GoFundMe campaign has raised enough money to supply 1,000 books in 2025 and fund a three-year initiative at Old Fox, ensuring midshipmen can access any contested title for free. 'If you're a midshipman and you're writing an essay paper and there's a book you can't find, maybe it's been removed or banned, you can call them, and they'll order it for you, and then you just pick it up free of charge,' Marks said. He's also coordinating with other service academies, anticipating similar battles. At the Navy's three other educational institutions, fewer than 20 books have been flagged as potentially incompatible with the military's mission, as have a few dozen at the Air Force Academy and other Air Force academic institutions. The Army has also been ordered to assess library books at its educational institutions, but a spokesperson from West Point told The 19th that no books have been pulled at this time, as its compliance review is still underway. The return of nearly 400 books to the Naval Academy library coincides with a pending lawsuit accusing Department of Defense-run schools of violating K-12 students' constitutional rights for limiting books and subject matter related to gender, race and sexuality. The American Civil Liberties Union filed E.K. v. Department of Defense Education Activity in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia on behalf of 12 students. A hearing will take place June 3. The ACLU seeks a preliminary injunction to give the youth access to materials it argues have been restricted to align with President Donald Trump's executive orders and political agenda. Amundson said she was pleasantly surprised that it took just weeks for the books to be returned to the Naval Academy. 'I believe that what happened and the response that was given in Annapolis — I think that made the administration be much more careful this time around as they're going for these other libraries, the other Department of Defense libraries around the world,' she said. Amundson said using the funds raised from the GoFundMe campaign, the bookstore was able to give away nearly 500 books in the days leading up to the Naval Academy graduation. For weeks, letters of support piled up and people stopped by the bookstore with gratitude, some even driving from hours away to show their support in person. In addition to Operation Caged Bird, Amundson said there were 'powerful arms at work.' There was pushback on the book removals from members of Congress, the Naval Academy's Board of Visitors and the superintendent — who wrote an open letter signed by hundreds of alumni. 'For right now, this was a huge win for us,' Amundson said. The post Hundreds of 'DEI' books are back at the Naval Academy. An alum and a bookshop fought their removal. appeared first on The 19th. News that represents you, in your inbox every weekday. Subscribe to our free, daily newsletter.
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Gastroenterologist suggests top probiotic, prebiotic and fibre-rich foods and drinks for happy gut health
Ten movies ripe for remakes, including "It Ends With Us," "Love, Rosie," and "To Kill a Mockingbird," need fresh adaptations with contemporary storytelling, updated casts, and innovative approaches to capture modern audiences' attention.
The Age
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Age
When he was 16 this musician met Elmer Bernstein. It changed everything
Enthralled by the work of film composers such as James Horner, Alan Silvestri and Danny Elfman ('my north star'), going to the movies became an obsession, although his motives were different to those of his friends. 'They would go, 'Wow, that chick was so hot' or, 'Did you see that scene where the guy exploded?' 'And I would go, 'Did you guys hear what Jerry Goldsmith did with the French horns? I think that was the bad guys' theme, but he turned it upside down. I'm going to see it again tomorrow to find out.' 'They thought I was a weirdo,' he laughs. In high school, McCreary met an elderly gentleman named Joe, who ran the Bellingham Yacht Club and told him legendary composer Elmer Bernstein, who wrote McCreary's favourite score of all time in To Kill a Mockingbird, moored his yacht there. Joe offered to give Bernstein a tape of the then 16-year-old's work. Bernstein then took McCreary under his wing as a protege until his death in 2004. 'The reason I wanted to work with her is because of who she is, not just her voice. The rebel that she was. Between that recording and her untimely death we became friends. We were texting all the time. She was so funny.' Bear McCreary on Sinead O'Connor 'I didn't know what a life in film music could be,' McCreary reflects. 'And then I met Elmer, who was the sweetest, most thoughtful man I'd ever met. He had a great relationship with his wife and kids, people respected him immensely, and yet he took no shit. 'Getting to know him gave me something to point to. It wasn't even about the music, it was personal. You could have a life. That's where I want to be when I'm pushing 80.' McCreary's big break was scoring the 2004 TV reboot of the Battlestar Galactica franchise. But just as significant was working with Irish singer Sinead O'Connor, who sang the main title for season seven of Outlander, her final ever recording. 'The reason I wanted to work with her is because of who she is, not just her voice,' McCreary says. 'The rebel that she was. Between that recording and her untimely death we became friends. We were texting all the time. She was so funny.' Another life-changing moment came with Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019), for which McCreary recorded a hard rock cover of Blue Öyster Cult's Godzilla featuring System of a Down vocalist Serj Tankian and legendary heavy metal drummer Gene Hoglan. 'It was one of the best days of my life,' he beams. 'And I got in the car and I was driving home and I was totally buzzed. But by the time I got into my driveway I was really sad.' Over the space of that short car ride, it dawned on McCreary that this was likely a one-off experience. Then he was struck by a revelation. 'What if I just started writing some music for the people I want to work with, and it's not for a film?' he says. The result was McCreary's 2024 album The Singularity, a two-LP set that merges the grandeur of his scoring work with the bombast of hard rock and heavy metal. It features guests such as Tankian, Hoglan, Kim Thayil from Soundgarden, Slipknot's Corey Taylor and guitar heroes Joe Satriani and Slash from Guns N' Roses. McCreary will perform songs from The Singularity and his scoring career in Australia in July on his Themes & Variations tour. 'It's a celebration of everything I've written in my life. And it's a chance to hear all these pieces from The Singularity, from The Walking Dead, from Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, Godzilla. I'm re-envisioning it all in a format that fits the stage we're on.' Loading For someone experiencing his first taste of touring, adjusting to life on the road has taken some work. Luckily, McCreary has some experienced pals to call on. 'I got fantastic touring laundry advice from [Guns N' Roses bassist] Duff McKagan,' he says. 'I find myself texting a picture of my laundry to Slash and Duff and I'm like, I think I've got this figured out!' Given the contrast between his orchestral film scores and the guitar-fuelled tracks from The Singularity, one wonders what kind of audience he's been attracting on the tour. He reflects on a recent show in Europe.
Sydney Morning Herald
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
When he was 16 this musician met Elmer Bernstein. It changed everything
Enthralled by the work of film composers such as James Horner, Alan Silvestri and Danny Elfman ('my north star'), going to the movies became an obsession, although his motives were different to those of his friends. 'They would go, 'Wow, that chick was so hot' or, 'Did you see that scene where the guy exploded?' 'And I would go, 'Did you guys hear what Jerry Goldsmith did with the French horns? I think that was the bad guys' theme, but he turned it upside down. I'm going to see it again tomorrow to find out.' 'They thought I was a weirdo,' he laughs. In high school, McCreary met an elderly gentleman named Joe, who ran the Bellingham Yacht Club and told him legendary composer Elmer Bernstein, who wrote McCreary's favourite score of all time in To Kill a Mockingbird, moored his yacht there. Joe offered to give Bernstein a tape of the then 16-year-old's work. Bernstein then took McCreary under his wing as a protege until his death in 2004. 'The reason I wanted to work with her is because of who she is, not just her voice. The rebel that she was. Between that recording and her untimely death we became friends. We were texting all the time. She was so funny.' Bear McCreary on Sinead O'Connor 'I didn't know what a life in film music could be,' McCreary reflects. 'And then I met Elmer, who was the sweetest, most thoughtful man I'd ever met. He had a great relationship with his wife and kids, people respected him immensely, and yet he took no shit. 'Getting to know him gave me something to point to. It wasn't even about the music, it was personal. You could have a life. That's where I want to be when I'm pushing 80.' McCreary's big break was scoring the 2004 TV reboot of the Battlestar Galactica franchise. But just as significant was working with Irish singer Sinead O'Connor, who sang the main title for season seven of Outlander, her final ever recording. 'The reason I wanted to work with her is because of who she is, not just her voice,' McCreary says. 'The rebel that she was. Between that recording and her untimely death we became friends. We were texting all the time. She was so funny.' Another life-changing moment came with Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019), for which McCreary recorded a hard rock cover of Blue Öyster Cult's Godzilla featuring System of a Down vocalist Serj Tankian and legendary heavy metal drummer Gene Hoglan. 'It was one of the best days of my life,' he beams. 'And I got in the car and I was driving home and I was totally buzzed. But by the time I got into my driveway I was really sad.' Over the space of that short car ride, it dawned on McCreary that this was likely a one-off experience. Then he was struck by a revelation. 'What if I just started writing some music for the people I want to work with, and it's not for a film?' he says. The result was McCreary's 2024 album The Singularity, a two-LP set that merges the grandeur of his scoring work with the bombast of hard rock and heavy metal. It features guests such as Tankian, Hoglan, Kim Thayil from Soundgarden, Slipknot's Corey Taylor and guitar heroes Joe Satriani and Slash from Guns N' Roses. McCreary will perform songs from The Singularity and his scoring career in Australia in July on his Themes & Variations tour. 'It's a celebration of everything I've written in my life. And it's a chance to hear all these pieces from The Singularity, from The Walking Dead, from Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, Godzilla. I'm re-envisioning it all in a format that fits the stage we're on.' Loading For someone experiencing his first taste of touring, adjusting to life on the road has taken some work. Luckily, McCreary has some experienced pals to call on. 'I got fantastic touring laundry advice from [Guns N' Roses bassist] Duff McKagan,' he says. 'I find myself texting a picture of my laundry to Slash and Duff and I'm like, I think I've got this figured out!' Given the contrast between his orchestral film scores and the guitar-fuelled tracks from The Singularity, one wonders what kind of audience he's been attracting on the tour. He reflects on a recent show in Europe.
Time Business News
6 days ago
- Lifestyle
- Time Business News
Discover Timeless Style with Oliver Peoples Sunglasses at Turakhia Opticians
When luxury meets craftsmanship, the result is unmistakable – Oliver Peoples sunglasses. Now available at Turakhia Opticians, these iconic frames blend Californian sophistication with timeless design, offering you more than just eye protection – they offer a statement. Founded in the heart of West Hollywood in 1987, Oliver Peoples quickly earned a reputation for its minimalist aesthetic and unparalleled attention to detail. Unlike loud designer brands, Oliver Peoples frames speak to those who prefer quiet elegance over flashy logos. Each pair is handcrafted with precision, using the finest materials, and inspired by vintage American styles with a modern twist. Premium Italian Acetate : Strong, durable, and comfortable. : Strong, durable, and comfortable. Polarized & Anti-Reflective Lenses : Enhanced clarity and eye protection. : Enhanced clarity and eye protection. Distinctive Silhouettes : From classic aviators to bold, round frames. : From classic aviators to bold, round frames. Minimal Branding: Luxury that speaks without shouting. At Turakhia Opticians, we believe your eyewear should reflect your personality and lifestyle. That's why we've curated a handpicked collection of Oliver Peoples sunglasses in Mumbai for the discerning customer who values authenticity and refined design. Our experienced team will guide you through frame selection, lens customization, and fittings to ensure your sunglasses aren't just stylish, but also perfectly suited to your face shape and optical needs. Over 50 years of optical excellence Certified and trained optometrists The latest, authentic Oliver Peoples collections Personalized styling and fittings Convenient in-store and virtual appointments 1. Oliver Peoples Gregory Peck Inspired by the actor's role in To Kill a Mockingbird , this round frame is a timeless bestseller. 2. Oliver Peoples Finley Esq. Sun Classic yet contemporary, this style is perfect for urban professionals. 3. Oliver Peoples Cary Grant Channel vintage Hollywood glamour with this bold, retro-inspired design. Whether you're heading to brunch in Bandra, strolling down Marine Drive, or jet-setting to Europe, Oliver Peoples sunglasses from Turakhia Opticians are your perfect travel companions. Come explore the latest Oliver Peoples sunglasses in Mumbai at Turakhia Opticians. Experience luxury eyewear like never before. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
