slave2moonlight wrote:The fact here is that just about every film, book, painting, etc... has something in it that someone can or will find offensive.
That's true. And I agreed with that in another thread (one of the many) on this. But you know something really funny about this film versus Peter Pan or Snow White? Song of the South has been seen negatively in a very intense way by generations now of black people in America. Disney fans can't deny that or try to erase it just because they want the movie on legit DVD. It's highly disrespectful. And the film is offensive the whole way through. Snow White balances out her extreme naivety with adoration of others for her and her kindness getting her what she might deserve. Peter Pan doesn't begin or end with the Indian camp, so we only have to squirm through a couple of scenes.
slave2moonlight wrote:It doesn't matter if it's one person, a large group of people, the majority, nothing should be buried on the basis that it offends.
Actually, I don't see the movie as
being buried. Not at all. Other than the fact that we're talking about it- it's available online (or at least- it was) on that special site. It is (or at least it was) up in full on YouTube. How did you get to see it? I've seen it. The people who feel they need to see it can. By hook or by crook. It doesn't need to be mass-marketed.
slave2moonlight wrote:This is an issue about art and history and trying to whitewash the past. It's both sad and disappointing to hear that artists like Angelou and Cosby don't understand that.
What I'm saying though is - I don't see anyone trying to understand
them either. Maybe this goes both ways.
slave2moonlight wrote:Yes, everyone has the right to be offended, but not to be thought police or art police. As is the correct, normal address to people who find something offensive: if you don't like it, don't watch it.
Ignoring something doesn't make it just go away. Some people overreact to some things, true. But I have to say- this isn't one of them. I completely admire your position here and I'd agree with it were it another movie. With another, potentially less serious history. And there is still a kind of racism people get from modern entertainment that isn't broken by predominantly white films and TV. And these are the only black people a frighteningly-large portion of America will watch. Disney adds to that and so far, the only thing they've done to show they're concerned with the message they might be sending was to hold back Song of the South.
slave2moonlight wrote:We all get offended by things we see in the media at one time or another. If you're going to be like book burners and demand people bow down to your hurt feelings, you shouldn't be surprised if a lot of people don't give a crap.
I'm not surprised, that's why I spoke up in the first place. But I suspect black people aren't surprised either. And
that is a problem.
My feelings aren't hurt by this movie. If they were (even hurt), it would be by the horrifying behavior of the Disney fans here. After all this time talking about the movie- most of you just don't care what black people think about this movie. Or aren't willing to take a look at the characters in the movie from someone else's point of view. That is essential to do before you try to make this point. But instead, all of the discussion revolves around censorship and how evil it is. How unfair Disney is being to fans.
I would just say flat-out: censorship is wrong. And then that would be the end of it. But now I'm starting to think censorship is evening out. At least the people trying to keep this movie held back aren't just responding to something cold, without perspective and without looking into the heart of it. In essence, these characters are blatant reinforcements of classic, highly inaccurate stereotypes that are alive today because of movies like this. Because progressive black characters in most movies and shows that contain them are kept from the public because they may also contain adult dialogue and themes not okay for all children. That's even a given for any of these programs that are handled by mainstream distributers / studios.
I think if my feelings were genuinely hurt, I'd have just turned this thread off. Or not come back to these discussions. But I keep looking and still the only thing people are talking about is how unfair Disney is to them. Guess you can't please everyone. So for that, I'm glad this time Disney put the minority first.
slave2moonlight wrote:And I'm not condoning the creation of racially insensitive art of any form, just condemning the burying/editing/whitewashing of it.
I know. That's why you're cool.
Nobody means to do this either. But how would they ever know without considering someone else's feelings? When do the people on these threads ever think about what the film's detractors have to say? They don't, they just brush it off like it doesn't mean anything. That struck a chord with me.
And this is not an issue of this film hurting feelings perse. That could happen even if the people offended by it were taking some small detail out of context. But we all know the thing that offends people about this movie isn't a couple words or something somebody wears. It's everything. It's about the film's overt and total debasement of black people. And because the film adheres to the classic Disney happiness, a lot of people don't see anything wrong with any of it.
slave2moonlight wrote:I don't believe a film like this makes anyone a racist anymore than horror films make people killers.
That's very true. But I'm not saying this movie creates racism in people. It doesn't have to to have a negative effect. All it has to do is remind people of the stereotype many people still have of: "Disney said black people are nice so I know they are now, but they're also very dumb or not capable of being as educated as the whites."
I do think one day, that kind of thinking will be dead. But in the meantime, it's still around. And it grows from white-made messages that black people are different than white people. Ignorance on this issue will only die if we stop sending those messages. Even in the form of bad movies from many decades ago.
slave2moonlight wrote:As most of us have said, this work should be released in the proper context if people feel it necessary.
Well, I certainly don't find this work necessary to release at all.
slave2moonlight wrote:It's an invaluable window to one common viewpoint from our past that we are still trying to correct.
I see the release of this film for the purpose of trying to change things the same way I see waiting for change. To paraphrase Florence from The Jeffersons, waiting doesn't change anything.
slave2moonlight wrote:It should be out there for viewing and discussion. And despite its racially offensive aspects, it is still a lovely story about an interracial bond with excellent animation of the classic Brer Rabbit stories.
I find Disney's adaptation of the Brer Rabbit stories to be the single most offensive aspect
of the movie.
slave2moonlight wrote:Lazario wrote:Don't get self-righteous about this and don't take it personally.
Hmm, that demand doesn't sound the least bit hypocritical.
Understood. And ... you're right. To a point. I do get defensive. But think about the point I'm really making, S2M.
enigmawing wrote:Laz, for what it's worth, I'm rarely ever in the mood for an argument, especially at a time like this over what boils down to being a sensitive subject for many.
I hate arguing too.
So, let's put this behind us!
ohmahaaha wrote:I really wish Disney would finally release SOTS JUST so that we wouldn't have to wade through "oh my god are they finally going to release Song of the South" threads that seem to pop up every 6 months or so.
Hmm...
That is
so very nearly something I can get behind!
