Childhood Destruction Part 2

I am continuing to destruct your childhood. I'm just kidding. I will be showing more of the discrimination and racism throughout this second part. As we move forward into different films, the discrimination becomes more hidden and we begin to take it because we either don't see it or we neglect it. Which is worse?

Russo discusses how children will intake this about cultures, but I will have to disagree because I noticed as I was growing up. I didn't think they affected how I looked at different cultures; however, not everyone observe in information the same way. So lets take a look.

Image from http://www.animationsource.org

Let's start this madness one more time. Back to The Lady and the Tramp, we have this character called Pedro, who is a Chihuahua, which is portrayed as stupid and submissive with Mexican stereotypes. As I look into his character, I do see the Mexican accent and the way he is speaking very stereotypical. I do not understand if he is stupid or submissive, but then again isn't every Disney character portrayed as such?

Image from Disney Wiki

We have a character in Fantasia called Sunflower. Sunflower is represented as mythical creature; however, she was half human and half donkey, not half human and half horse. How interesting that she was half donkey? The fact that she was sloppy and a servant. She was not portrayed beautiful as the fair skinned girls who were dancing pretty in the film.

In the article, "10 Disney Characters Who Stirred Up Controversy" by Amy Cook talks about Sunflower in more depth than Russo. Cook explains how Sunflower had the behavior of African American culture from that certain time period. Cook also indicates Sunflower being portrayed as, "horrifyingly offensive African-American “pickaninny” caricature." I agree with Cook, it is offensive and unacceptable to have a character looking and acting like such. Disney did this to please the white audience. 

As I watched Sunflower's character in a small clip. I wondered why they had such a sloppy character. I observed how she wanted to be like the other creatures which were fair, beautiful, and half human and half horse. I felt as if Sunflower was mocking of the African American culture and I found it very offensive. She was taken out of the film, but she still is in the older versions. I do not remember seeing her in my copy of Fantasia, but now I will surely double check when I get home. African American discrimination continues throughout Disney films, you just have to search and pay attention.

Image from Disney Wiki.

African American discrimination in the film Dumbo, which has stood out to me the most because of the black crows. One of the black crows' name was Jim Crow, extremely shocked when I read that. Who would have known Disney would have used a name which had a segregation law between blacks and whites? Oh did I mention the crow was black too? Such an oxymoron!

Russo states how the Black culture was portrayed: smoking cigars, speaking jive, and spending time doing nothing, but observing civilized world. These crows spoke African American English also known as Ebonics. This subject was discussed in my Africana studies class were I learned how the racism in this film affected people. 

The issue in my class about these crows were elderly African American people. This made an impact because they went through the controversy, discrimination, and racism when this film came out. Disney has done a lot of cultures wrong, not just the African American culture.

Image from http://lakotakids.blogspot.com/2013/08/PeterPan.html

Peter Pan has discrimination of Native Americans, which also let to controversy. Peter Pan portrays Native Americans (Indians) all mute except the chief; therefore, they were also portrayed as thoughtless and communicating like animals. The song, “What Makes a Red Man Red” consists of grunts and mumbles; nevertheless, the display of their bright red colored skin which takes a patriarchal and oppressive stand.

As I watched the song, "What Makes a Red Man Red," I noticed a lot of stereotyping. Yes, I do agree with Russo with the grunts and mumbles, which I could barely understand what they were trying to say in the song and the random dialogues. The other Native Americans do talk, so I am disagreeing with Russo in this point also.

To add, Peter Pan, Wendy, and the others were dressed as "Native Americans," which I am not sure if they were making fun of them or not. Feather and pain on the face, not so creative trying to make them look "Native Americans."

I also want to address the Native Americans sound mad, cruel, and mean. Their face were frowning and the chief's voice was extremely evil. They also go bananas in the song; therefore is this portraying Native Americans as silly and stupid? 

Image from Tumblr.

So what do you do? These messages and issues are really tricky yet obvious to hear or see. As growing up, I began to notice some things and took into consideration. Do we take neglect these messages or do something about them? Disney was later discussed in multiple classrooms of mine and it had caught my attention how it isn't “Happily Ever After Again,” but a betrayal.


Did Disney do these actions because it was the era of racism and discrimination? Or was he being ignorant? Or was he doing it to please the white audience? What is your opinion on this?