Page 32 - ARUBA TODAY

A32 FEATURE
Thursday 7 November 2019
George Orwell New Mexico exhibit bares 'doublespeak' legacy

By RUSSELL CONTRERAS communist Eastern Europe.
Associated Press Other images show his cel-
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) ebrating his abundance at
— War is Peace. Freedom the sake of others, since,
is Slavery. Ignorance is "all animals are equal, but
Strength. some animals are more
Those were the slogans of equal than others."
the Party in George Or- Journalists, academics
well's 1949 novel "1984" that and political observers of
allowed the superstate of every succeeding genera-
Oceania to keep its popu- tion since Orwell's untimely
lation under control. The death have argued that
Thought Police thwarted Orwell remains relevant
dissent. The Ministry of Truth in their time. And, yes, the
promoted lies. The Ministry same could be said of to-
of Love tortured lovers. day. Orwell's concepts of
Those dystopian warnings doublespeak (deliberately
about the fake becoming euphemistic, ambiguous, or
the gospel have shaped obscure language), new-
the minds of generations speak (doublespeak for
since they appeared in political propaganda) and
print more than a half-cen- thoughtcrimes (thoughts
tury ago. And now a new deemed illegal by a mob
exhibit on Orwell at the or a government) contin-
University of New Mexico's ued to be cited in response
Zimmerman Library in Al- to current events.
buquerque, New Mexico President Donald Trump's
seeks to remind people practice of blurting false-
about the author's premo- hoods — like saying, "The
nitions amid a new — yet In this undated file photo, writer George Orwell poses at an unknown location. A George Orwell Kurds are much safer right
very familiar — era. exhibit in New Mexico is tackling the themes of the novelist’s work from “1984” to “Animal Farm.” now" after Turkey invaded
"George Orwell: His Endur- Associated Press Kurdish strongholds — have
ing Legacy" which runs to and employee of the Uni- books, essays, and report- art also is seductive, offer- been called Orwellian.
April, features posters and versity of New Mexico Uni- age. Such unique books ing commentaries about The same has been noted
material related to "1984" versity Libraries donated are on display in the exhibit. the eras the editions were for some Democrats. Cali-
and his 1945 allegorical no- his collection of rare Orwell Yet, the most captivating produced rather than the fornia Gov. Gavin Newsom
vella, "Animal Farm." It also books. For years, Russ Da- aspect of the small but work inside. In one edition claimed in August that the
contains rare Orwell books vidson, a University of New powerful exhibit is the art of "1984," for example, the "vast majority" of San Fran-
in different languages to Mexico professor and cura- and objects connected to cover features characters cisco's homeless people
highlight his reach and tor emeritus, amassed rare themes and Orwell's life. for the Sen. Joseph McCar- came from Texas. (A 2019
evolution as a writer. Orwell books from around Artifacts and posters from thy Era 1950s with the words report found 70 percent
The British-born Orwell, who the world. the Spanish Civil War are "forbidden love...fear...be- had previously lived in the
died in 1950, was known for Those rare works includ- shown to illustrate how the trayal." It's almost as if novel city). Even in New Mexico,
"Animal Farm" and "1984," ed first editions of "Animal conflict played a role in Or- was merely a pulp fiction the most Hispanic state in
both of which tackled to- Farm" and "1984" in Ice- well's intellectually forma- soap opera found at Route the U.S. that sits along the
talitarianism. Orwell's "1984" landic, Ukrainian, Swahili, tion. Orwell fought against 66 gas stations, except it's U.S.-Mexico border, Or-
has become a best-seller French, Urdu, German, a right-wing military coup in not. Then, there are the wellian concepts in prac-
in the U.S. again during the Hungarian and Spanish. Spain but fled after he was portrayals of Napoleon, the tice have emerged.
Trump administration. He also obtained first, early shot in the throat and offi- authoritarian pig in Animal In 2016, for example, a left-
The exhibit was sparked af- and other scarce editions cials sought his arrest. Farm. Red posters show Na- leaning immigrant rights
ter a longtime advocate of many of Orwell's other The campy book cover poleon in military gear of group denounced then-
Republican Gov. Susana
Martinez and her attempts
to revamp a state law that
allowed immigrants in the
country illegally to obtain
driver's licenses. The group
called a potential compro-
mise to create a "two-tier"
system to issue two types
of licenses — one compli-
ant with the federal REAL ID
Act — nothing but a "scar-
let letter."
After New Mexico Demo-
crats said it would sup-
port the compromise and
the bill passed, the group
changed course and pub-
In this Oct. 23, 2019, photo, a vintage copy of George Orwell’s In this Oct. 23, 2019, photo, a piece of art promoting George licly and proudly claimed
1949 novel “1984” next to a hat about Orwell is shown at an Orwell’s novel “Animal Farm” is shown at an exhibit in Martinez lost.
exhibit in Albuquerque, N.M. Albuquerque, N.M.
Associated Press Associated Press But she won.q