Should we ban the use of Black Characters in Cartoons and Animation films?

I went to animation school, too, so I understand the conundrum here. But no, I don't think we should ban black characters. To do so would only perpetuate the same bigotry that causes all of the problems you've pointed out.

First, let me say that I don't think the use of jazz in the Jungle Book was meant to associate blacks with apes. I think they wanted the apes to be "cool" and there was nobody cooler than Louis Prima, who voiced the King. Phil Harris (Baloo) was white, yet he was also a prominent jazz singer. Nor do I think the use of Eddie Murphy as Donkey in Shrek was to associate blacks with asses - I think they just wanted someone who could be funny giving attitude.

The bigger problem is that people make those connections whether they are intended or not. That's why I believe we should ignore them. There are people everywhere who see "demons around every corner," that is, they will see something negative where nothing like that was intended - those people are not to be taken seriously, or even answered, as far as I'm concerned. A simple, "That was not the intention, next question," would suffice. The fact that they are loud doesn't mean we should listen to them.

To eliminate black characters from animation would mean the elimination of blacks from film - you shouldn't do one without the other. And no one would argue that blacks should not be in films. To argue that blacks should not be artistically played or interpreted in animation is the same thing. We need to continue to put positive black role models into society, role models that rise above petty criticisms and bigotries.

And we need to do it NOW. Don't wait till a better time. There won't be one. The way forward is to just keep putting one foot in front of the other. Eventually everyone with a brain will realize that it isn't the color of one's skin that makes one special or important, and those who persist in their age old, irrational hatreds will be ignored, and hopefully, even shunned. Best advice: Keep calm and carry on.

I'm an animator too, I don't really have time to dive into the details of my opinions (perhaps later) But I do think that many of these animations were not meant to be racist at all, people just want to find problems with everything, and are quick to call out racism. Just like the apes in the jungle book, I never once thought that it was racist when I was a child. But when we become adults and look at the differences in color and grow up with our stereotypes, it's certainly easy to say "that's racist!" But I think people are reading WAY into much into it and finding things that aren't there. Just like sex in Disney. Who looks into the pollen when Simba falls and says "OMG it says SEX!" How bored was that person? (which there's an argument, it was suppose to be SFX for Sound Effects, a little cameo or what have you) And then I even heard there was some BS happening over the Princess and the Frog because of her race! Who cares? Do what you feel, break the barriers and go all out. Study the histories of animation, which I'm sure you have, and be the one to break away and do what you want.

Some people seem to be "born outraged" at something or another, hence the popularity of shows like "Jerry Springer", since to some people it "feels good to be righteously angry". SOME black characters are definitely racist, and others aren't. If someone thinks the very appearance of a black person is "automatically racist", then, applying the same logic, shows that portray white people as being almost saccharine (like most 50s-60s sitcoms) are racist, too, since most white people AREN'T that way...

I think this is an example over over-sensitivity.

Yes - there were in the past obviously racist cartoons of blacks (and other races too), but that has all but gone away now. Its bad business to be obviously politically incorrect now that society in general is much more tolerant so people just don't risk it anymore.

banning the use of any black animated character would just be silly - heck you might even argue that in itself would be racist. It would after all be treating people (even if its fictional people) differently soely based on skin color. How is that supposed to make us more tolerant of eachother?

The way we disspell prejudice and hate is to get to know eachother better - not to close our eyes and pretend the other people don't exist.

I remember an example from World of Warcraft where there was a cat in the game called "Black Coon". Shortly after ignorant people went apeshit on the forums screaming raaaaaaciiiiism!!! of course that was just silly because there was no racist context what so EVER and the proper racial name of that breed of cat IS "black coon" (which got its name for reasons completely seperate from any thoughts of racism). This was an example of people who went out of their way to be offended and to see insult where obviously no insult was intended - and I have no respect for that kind of behaviour whatsoever. Whats next - are brown people going to sue nature for making poop brown and thereby being racist?

Just to make it clear - I don't have a an ounce of racial prejudice in my body (my best friends cover a whole range of "races") , but when people go overboard and immagine insults towards them where there are none intended thats their problem and not the rest of society.

-Stigma

I think the history of black characters in animation has been marred by racism, no doubt. That said, there is absolutely no reason to take them out of animation at this point out of fear of people percieving it as racist. No offense, but I think your associations between characters and racism (Donkey in Shrek implying black people are asses, for instance) is a little stretched. They chose Edie Murphey to do the part because he is funny and has a distinct voice. They also had him play a dragon, does that imply black people are dragons? Remember, also, that the whole point of cartooning is often to charicature, to overexaggerate features. Sure, it has had a sketchy past, one that we shouldn't be particularly proud of. But I would like to think that at least mainstream media has moved past that point in our history. If people insist on looking for racism around every corner and beneath every rock, that's their problem.

Hey Dude get over the color thing, this is 2010 and we are all supposed to be equals. Just because things were the way they were before, hopefully mankind has moved forward and gotten past black, white and being racist.

yeah sure then we'll ban white people and every other race in the world. then cats then dogs then all that will be on tv is the fuzzy channel. seriously, people need to get over themselves and not take everything so literal. it's stupid to ban black characters from the media

These are dark times, when diversity, ethnic humor, and racist humor seem to lack lines of separation. At some point we're bound to see a renaissance where our differences and similarities are equally celebrated. Hopefully in our lifetimes?

I think the examples you name are far outnumbered by the positive and neutral examples of black people in cartoons.

But you did make me think of "Boondocks" without black people and it made me smile wryly. That would be like LA after Judgment Day.

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Also, this is "Mr.Popo" from Dragonball. I did not make him up.

http://media.giantbomb.com/uploads/0/6539/361450-m...

He's the manservant to a tall, non-black character (He is green, though).

No, absolutely not. Just make them more real to life. Like have them carrying around food stamps, malt liquor, and a chicken leg.