The voice of Austria

Censorship mania: Winnetou must remain Winnetou

Winnetou and Old Shatterhand based on an idea by Karl May - always popular to read or watch, until the Woke censors sent them into the desert. The Austrians are against this culture of rejection.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Impress/United Archives/picturedesk.com)

Winnetou's greatest enemy is not the unscrupulous bandit Frederick Santer, it is a new censorship policy that is banning more and more of us. 

In the past, carol singers were just carol singers. They knocked on the door and blessed the house. Then it became political: can a white child paint himself black to be Melchior?

Blackfacing" among the popular carol singers.

(Bild: Sepp Pail)

Dumbo" used to be just a flying elephant with oversized ears - utopian enough, but then it was suddenly said: "The crows in the movie, aren't they caricaturing African Americans?

People used to like Winnetou, or they didn't like him. Nobody thought about it: doesn't the Apache chief stand for cultural appropriation?

Austrians against censorship
The answers today to all questions: ban, boycott, label with warnings! The so-called woke movement of a minority stands for a new form of censorship. One of the most prominent victims of the woke culture: Winnetou. In 2022, the Ravensburger publishing house stopped selling new children's books published to accompany the current movie. The reason: books and films would convey stereotypes and stir up prejudice.

The Austrians don't get on with any of this. According to a survey conducted by the opinion research institute Unique Research on behalf of the "Krone" newspaper, 56 percent fully agree with the statement "No more woke censorship and gender stereotyping!", while only seven percent disagree.

The population does not want to be dictated to as to what they think is good and what they think is bad. Examples go to infinity:

Gigi D'Agostino song deleted
Right-wing extremists chant hate slogans on Sylt to the song "L'amour toujours" by Gigi D'Agostino. Reaction: Some radio stations and party organizers removed the song from their list without further ado.

Gigi D'Agostino: banned from many radio stations.

(Bild: Semtainment)

The Medical University of Graz wanted to take away the teaching practice of Styrian country doctor Norbert Kroißenbrunner because, among other things, he takes offense at gender-neutral language.

At the same time, there is no end to political correctness. Drag queens reading fairy tales to children: no problem. Children dressing up as Indians: problem. Austrians are fed up with all of this.

"Krone" commentary by Michael Pommer: Cancel it!

We live in a society in which men dress up as women and read fairy tales in red glittery tulle dresses to children who should no longer dress up as Indians for carnival.

In the past, men who beat up women were sent to prison. Today, they are awarded a gold medal at the Olympics.

In Germany, anyone can change their gender every year. Some of our neighbors probably change their gender more often than others change the batteries in their remote controls.

If the city of Vienna sends me an email, it doesn't say: Dear Mr. Pommer. It says: Dear ladies, dear gentlemen, dear intersex people!

Disney characters who accompanied us singing and dancing through childhood are suddenly: racists, sexists, animal abusers, slave owners.

What is the name of this mental illness, you may ask. It has many names: Wokeness, language censorship, excessive political correctness. Anyone who doesn't abide by it is canceled. Another term. It means criticizing, stigmatizing and boycotting people or organizations who don't find it normal.

I'm one of them. I don't find men in women's saunas normal. I don't think it's normal for a trans woman, in reality a father of two, to be a runner in the Paralympics. It's not normal that Winnetou should be banned.

I'm happy to be canceled for that.