I was on YouTube today, looking up cartoons that I used to love. Tom and Jerry is one of my favorite toons, racist as it could be, yet I love them to this day.
Merry Melodies are very racist too and I didn't realize how much, until today.
Because they have a lot of singing and dancing, I'd turn the volume down and let the cartoons dance to some modern music and then marvel at how oddly they stay on beat.
As I browsed, I came across a cartoon with an odd name, so I clicked it. I couldn't believe the straight and continuous racism. It saddened me to tears when I realized that it was very similar to the mess that was going on (and publicized) when Obama first got into office.
I noticed how they portrayed ALL black men and boys. How they portrayed ALL FAT black women and how they portrayed the sexy singing women. They even cheapened their "better" portrayal by making their skirts see through.
I'm glad their doing better, but I'm sad that this kind of thinking is not yet in the past.
I'm posting the cartoon because I'm interested in your thoughts. I would love some of you who silently read, to give me your thoughts on this, especially from different cultures.
WARNING: This cartoon contains extreme racial stereotyping. Shown here for historical and educational purposes and to promote discussion.
6 comments:
This was how they portrayed us.. I got so frustrated that I had to cut it short.. I agree with you that I am glad that things has gotten better..
It is just sad that this was how they saw black back then.. I would have been tired to if the white man had me working like a fool.. All the black people I ever met has been some hard working folks...
This is a serious glimpse of how our ancestors were treated and portrayed. Wow! The lazy references in the cartoon is very weird to me. Because my understanding is that we have to work harder than the next person to prove ourselves. So if they are tired, why do you think? I will try not to match stereotype with stereotype, but there are some people that have no idea of what it takes to struggle hard for anything. smh
The whole point was to show "how close we resemble monkeys" which is blatantly wrong and twisted considering THEIR skeletal make up is closer to a primates than ours.
I was taken aback by the entire production, but that foot shine did something to me. "Your foot is so black it looks like you're wearing a shoe". Yea. This is horrible...but this is indeed how we were seen and still seen by some. I agree with Joy at the lazy references.
I will be reposting this. This is a NEED to see blog.
All that "mammy" and juke jiving mess really pissed me off. But I've always had one main thought about stuff like this and things in that era.
If we were so lazy and so good for nothing, why did "they" eat our ancestors' cooking or want our ancestors taking care of their children?
There's one thing I know for certain. God knew what he was doing when he created me in the 70's. Any earlier and...yeah.
I couldn't get all the way through it, either. Unfortunately, as long as there are people teaching their children how to hate. It ain't goin' away. It's more subliminal nowadays, as opposed to overt. But, it's there... Well-done!!!
@God'ess I've always said the same thing! I was late 60's and that was early enough!
@ThugRockStar You're so right. I had the unfortunate opportunity to show my son an example firsthand, just last week. It's easier to talk to my sons about sex then to explain to them that they're hated and often for no good reason.
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