DADvocate

In Butler County, Ohio, just north of Cincinnati, Lakota East High School cancelled a production of Agatha Christie's "Ten Little Indians" because of complaints by Gary Hines, president of the local NAACP branch. Hines "reasoning" is that the book was originally titled "Ten Little Niggers." The book was never published in the United States under that title. It is also commonly published as And Then There Were None.

The internationally acclaimed play - Agatha Christie's "Ten Little Indians" - was to be performed by students at Lakota East High School this weekend.

But Gary Hines, president of the local NAACP branch, recently complained to Lakota officials that the play, based on Christie's 1939 mystery novel, was inappropriate for a school production.

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The title of the international bestseller was widely changed after 1939, and school theater productions in America have performed the murder mystery play as either "Ten Little Indians" or "And Then There Were None" for decades since.

Hines claims that a lack of racial diversity among Lakota's students and teachers allowed the play to be chosen despite the history surrounding its original title.

"It's a lack of diversity knowledge on their part. Diversity is not a way of life in Lakota," Hines said.

Seems like "diversity is Hines problem. Not everyone thinks just like him.

As an avid mystery fan, I've read many Agatha Christie novels and short stories myself. The original title of "Ten Little Indians" is news to me. I wonder how far Hines and others like him dig to find an insult.

It also appears that Hines motives might involve monetary gain also.

But Hines, who operates GPH Consultants - a diversity training company - in West Chester Township, said that despite his strong protest, it was Lakota officials' idea to cancel the play in response to his complaints.

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In 2002, Hines accused Lakota schools of widespread, systemic racism and recommended that more than 2,000 Lakota employees be required to enroll in diversity and cultural sensitivity training similar to what was offered by his company. He promised to compile a report months later detailing his accusations against the schools but never produced a document.

Hines, however, has continued to allege racism in the school district.

Most recently in a Nov. 20 e-mail to Powell and other Lakota school board members, he wrote: "Given the history of the district, anything short of involving the NAACP in planning, developing, and executing a systemic approach to diversity is not acceptable and certainly not good enough for the district's students, faculty, and staff."

Powell countered that "Gary Hines has a certain vested interest in district's diversity since he has approached us many times in the past about providing that service."

How convenient that someone owning a brainwashing and indoctrination diversity training company would accuse a school of lacking diversity.

During the nearly twenty years I've lived in the Cincinnati region, I don't remember any race problems in Lakota. Sure it's primarily a white middle class area. But, if you don't like that, find a bunch of non-whites and move there.

The students were not too happy.

Lakota East senior Luke Null, who has rehearsed since September to perform as one of the lead characters, said "pressure from the local NAACP canceled the play."

"I read the play as part of a class in the ninth grade. There are no racial undertones in it at all, and we weren't putting on the play under it's original name from 1939. We were putting on the play under another name," Null said. He and other theater students are now scrambling to find another play to perform some time early in 2008.

"Some of our First Amendment rights were censored. The race card is a pretty strong card," he said.

This incident does seem to qualify for one of those Instapundit "They told me if George Bush was elected......, and they were right." awards. In all the Christie books I've read, I do not recollect any racist content, only proper British storytelling.

A suggestion for the NAACP would be to quit being a deformed hand. A sure fired way to improve their image and the image on those they claim to "represent" is to help others. Can you imagine the reaction of a group of blacks built a park in a poor white area, or just cleaned up a park. After all, in raw numbers there are many more poor whites than blacks.

If you have a legitimate gripe, make it. But this is not one. Mr. Hines' actions do not advance the cause of "colored people." Just the opposite, he creates resentment and hostility with his imbecilic meddling. The national or state NAACP should order Mr. Hines to cease and desist and remove him from office if he fails to do so.