The classic novel written by Mark Twain, "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn", has caused great controversy over whether or not it should be removed from public schools in the United States. The National Advancement Association for Colored People (NAACP) supported banning the book from all public schools by filing grievances with the state's Human Rights Commission. Nat Hentoff, a nationally renowned authority on First Amendment rights as well as being a Mark Twain scholar, opposed the NAACP in favor of teaching from the book to students across the nation. Huck Finn has been a topic of considerable dilemma over whether or not it is, in fact, a racist or an anti-racist novel.
             In a Tribune article dated November 27, 1999 titled "NAACP wants Huck Finn expelled" Mr. Hentoff quotes the NAACP stating, "tax dollars should not be used to perpetuate a stereotype that has psychologically damaging effects on the self-esteem of African-American children." The NAACP makes it clear where they stand on the issue and gives valid reasoning for filing grievances by referring to the books content of racial epithet and bigotry. After all, the novel does contain the word "nigger" over 200 times and it is easy to see why this may be offensive and damaging towards young African-American children.
             However, the NAACP may be overlooking a thirteen year olds ability to comprehend satire and irony. Mr. Hentoff records an eighth grader's opinion on the subject who said, "Do you think we're so dumb, that we don't know the difference between a racist book and an anti-racist book?" Judge Stephen Reinhardt also supported Mr. Hentoff's stand against the NAACP when he wrote, "Words can hurt, particularly racist epithets, but a necessary component of any education is learning to think critically about offensive ideas. Without that ability, one can do little to resp
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