10 Little Indians

Does my country need me? Yes, solid judgment calls for a return to insensitivity. Actually, ignoring insensitivity builds character, but erecting an imaginary windmill for ideological purposes is bad judgment and weak character. I for one have no intention of conceding my beliefs. In Cincinnati, the title of Agatha Christie’s play, Ten Little Indians has been forcibly changed under protest by the NAACP to its alternative title, And Then There Were None. Why? The NAACP was offended because the original title of 1939 play, Ten Little Niggers is insensitive to African-Americans. In reality the title was quickly changed to Ten Little Indians and has been known as such for 70 years. Relevant is the fact that the meaning of the title referred to Indians from the Asian subcontinent, whose country was administered by the British Empire. Relevant is the fact that since its debut, the play has been a popular success around the world. Two motion pictures have even been made based upon it. Relevant is the fact that no racism or racial slurs were ever intended because the title refers to a nursery rhyme, silly as all nursery rhymes are. The NAACP can be quoted referring to the play’s "origin and the hurt that it originally caused," but there is, was, nor ever will be any hurt intended or caused by the wonderful Agatha Christie mystery play based on her novel of the same name. What hurt has resulted is the hurt to rationality, common sense and judgment. Protestors who take umbrage are always politically motivated by an agenda. If the title of this play were 10 Little Lesbians or 10 Little Liberals, you can bet it would float along on the sea of political correctness without a ripple.