Lavelle Porter’s article, “Should Walt Whitman be #Cancelled?” introduces numerous perspectives on the legacy of Walt Whitman from scholars and artists who, in some cases, have rejected his work on the basis of racist and derogatory language. Porter asks the question, “What do we do with uncle Walt, now?” in reference to the many critics who have, and continue to wrestle with the nations undying admiration of Whitman, a man who referred to blacks as “baboons” and “questions their inclusion in the American body politic”(Porter). Porter adds many dimensions that make this article thought provoking in the sense that there are multiple lenses to read Whitman through. Like any artist whom is studied long after his death, his work is a cultural artifact with which we can peer into the past. Porter’s article shows the effectiveness of talking-back to voices in history that have played a role in oppression, and the importance of engaging in an honest conversation about America and the men who made it what it is today.
In establishing the controversial nature of Whitman’s words, Porter suggests that being a part of the post-Civil War era, the poet “seems to have been seduced,” (Porter) like other white intellectuals, into racism, which bled through to his poems and prose throughout his life. Porter goes on to note, in a disappointed tone, that Whitman’s racism was not only towards black people, but Native Americans, Hispanica and Asians as well. Moreover, Porter does not only give readers a reason to reconsider Whitman as an inconsiderate racist, he also brings to bear the fact that Whitman himself was a marginalized, chroniclly-closeted, undereducated working-class man in a cuthroat culture of radical non-inclusion. In considering these factors, it could be argued that Whitman was perhaps a victim himself, and thus should be interpreted as such.
Instead of placing a label on Whitman as a Racist or a Victim, Porter moves the discussion into an interesting space of the American sense of self, and how it may be disrupted for many who do not identify with the majority of white men that represent American history. He makes sure to note in his closing arguments that talking back to the poet is actually fulfilling his wish in “Crossing Brooklyn Ferry,” where time and space “avails not.” And that these conversations of right and wrongdoings can be productive if they lead us to an “honest reckoning with the past, and an honest reckoning with our culpability in the atrocities of the present,”(Porter). At the core of this article is Porter’s response to Whitman as a human being, and as a literary and political figure of democracy and authentic American-ness. Without casting blame or shame on the opinions of the scholars and artists he quotes, Porter leads his investigation into Whitman with curiosity, acceptance, and understanding of what shaped him and his language.
In crafting an informational and relevant article, Porter is engaging with the type of work we all, as consumers of art, literature, and media of all types must do. We must look at everything with a healthy dose of skepticism, for fear of following something or someone that is not in alignment with our values. If we do not question our mentors, historical figures, those who have been given credit for shaping our world, then we risk slowing progress, which is exactly what Whitman did not want for America. Whitman’s America, as he told it in Leaves of Grass and so many of his works, was a puzzle with very many moving pieces. What porter asks us to do in this article, though, is to really look into Whitman’s work, and into things we hold to a higher standard. Porter tells us to really read into the lines that perplexes us because when we ask more questions, we learn more about ourselves and the world around us. Less answers. Less labels. More questions. Why did he say this? Why would he have said it in this way? We have to be detectives, as readers. By shifting the focus from “Cancelling” Whitman, an act Porter refers to as mostly a Twitter phenomena, readers of this article are urged to be suspicious of Whitman and his writing, for suspicion will lead to more dedicated learning practices which will help in our understanding of American culture.
Porter, Lavelle. “Should Walt Whitman Be #Cancelled?” JSTOR Daily, 17 Apr. 2019, daily.jstor.org/should-walt-whitman-be-cancelled/.
I like your idea of We having “to be detectives, as readers,” to really get to the heart of how we feel and why. While responding to such figures is common enough, I like how you note that Whitman was so insistent on inviting these things–inviting not only agreement, but disagreement, anger, and skepticism. Whitman is a champion for free expression and and engagement, and working through problems rather than just “cancelling” them. Thanks for this nice overview!