Last Updated on March 4, 2021
After six Dr. Seuss books were permanently canceled this week due to allegedly racist imagery, owners of the classic children’s books took to eBay to sell their vintage copies, with some bids going as high as $5,000. However, eBay is now joining the cancel culture mob, and is blocking all sales of the children’s books on their auction platform.
Six Dr. Seuss books were permanently removed from publication this week by the copyright holder, with near uniform approval from academia, the mainstream media, and the books’ publisher, Random House. Naturally, many Internet users took to eBay and other auction websites to both sell and obtain copies of the now proverbially burned books, with some auctions reaching as high as $5,000.
This morning, however, it became apparent that eBay would no longer allow the children’s books on its platform. One Twitter user, after learning an auction for Dr. Seuss books was canceled by the online auction website, wrote “Farenheit 450 degrees. Books almost burning.”
In the statement ostensibly provided by eBay, they write, “We had to remove your listing because it doesn’t follow our Offensive material policy. Listings that promote or glorify hatred, violence, or discrimination aren’t allowed.”
“Dr. Seuss Enterprises has stopped publication of this book due to its negative portrayal of some ethnicities,” eBay explained. “As a courtesy, we have ended your item and refunded your sellingfees, and as long as you do not relist the item, there will be no negative impacts to your account.”
https://twitter.com/adamscrabble/status/1367481360991064067
Another user noted that “Mein Kampf”, written by the anti-Semitic, genocidal leader of Nazi Germany, Adolf Hitler, is still available for purchase on eBay, even after the children’s books were banned.
“What exactly is eBay’s policy on ‘hate and discrimination’?” wrote the Twitter user. “Dr. Seuss is apparently out, but Mein Kampf still fetches a pretty penny!”
What exactly is @eBay’s policy on “hate and discrimination”? Dr Seuss is apparently out, but Mein Kampf still fetches a pretty penny! pic.twitter.com/Y6pN1cH9UI
— Thomas Chatterton Williams (@thomaschattwill) March 4, 2021
National File contacted eBay to determine if it is accurate that the auction website is now banning attempts to sell the now-canceled book. Additionally, National File located several copies of “Mein Kampf” available on the platform, with the price for historic copies of the mass murderer’s manifesto reaching several hundred dollars. National File also determined that the “Communist Manifesto”, the origin of the ideology that is responsible for the most human suffering and death in recorded history, is available on the website for as low as $5.
eBay did not immediately respond to National File’s request for comment, and did not immediately clarify what type of review process – if any – was used to determine that “Mein Kampf” and the “Communist Manifesto” are allowed on eBay while popular children’s books are not.
