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Tuesday, April 29, 2008 | 7:04am
Racist Warner Bros. 1940′s Cartoons Available on YouTube
Fueled by hate or history?
Morning Nation! Question: Is there such thing as a racist piece of art? How about racist clothing A cartoon? Among the endless abyss of movie shorts, home videos and soldier boy dances on YouTube lies 11 Warner Brothers cartoons that were deemed “racially offensive” by the the WB and have not been shown in an authorized release since 1968. In a recent article for the The New York Times, Daniel E. Slotnik takes a look at how the videos got there and for how long they’ll stay.
Although some of the cartoons, known as the “Censored 11,” were removed on April 16 many still remain. Representatives for YouTube and Warner would not confirm whether the companies had tried to remove the cartoons. The most infamous of the lot is “Coal Black and de Sebben Dwarfs,” a parody of “Snow White.”
Richard McIntire, the director of communications for the N.A.A.C.P. says “the cartoons are despicable. We encourage the films’ owners to maintain them as they are – that is, locked away in their vaults.”
WMAV01, an unidentified YouTube client who posted some of the content explained that “these cartoons were never officially ‘banned’ by any law” and added that the cartoons had “historical value.”
I won’t spoil the entire article for you. It’s definately worth checking out. The New York Times rarely disappoints. The question is should we be mad about these cartoons that were created some 70 years ago? Should we even be outraged that they’re being exhumed on YouTube today or does WMAV01′s claim that they bare historical significance hold weight?
Personally I’m inclined to think that this country was founded on the backs of slaves and racism. If we dig up ancient time capsules of all sorts I’m sure we’ll find all kinds of sights and sounds we consider appalling today. Watching these incredible stereotypes makes me furious but after my anger is replaced by laughter as I realized how silly the PUBLIC depiction of us a race was (and probably is by some.)
FILED IN Need to Know
I think these cartoons are very valuable for historical purposes. I think locking them away is the worst thing we can do. They don’t need to be shown on television but they should be available for those who want to see them. People of all colors need to understand the racism of our country and how it exited on so many levels. I think only when people truly understand how deep racism goes can we start to eleminate it. But as long as people want to sweep stuff under rugs mainstream america can say “WHat racism? I don’t see any racism.”
I agree with this guy here, I’m black and true these cartoons offend me, however, I agree that locking these away is like just trying to hide all the horrific dirt of the past. We need to move on because frankly I’m sick of all this racist talk. Its 2009, all this is history, just history now.
I wish everybody would just GET OVER IT!!! I thought the cartoons were funny, Oh well are ancesters were racist, it’s a part of the past, and it would STAY the past if everyone would leave it there and quit bringing us down to their level.
Is it wrong that I thought this was funny
shit is ridiculous, gamble world
What better way to keep racism in existence by poisoning the youth with it
It would seem that today was the day for many of us to write on this particular topic, and most of us seem to be in agreement in some fashion.
Again all this goes back to unless we can come together as a people, which is not going to happen anytime soon, these cartoons & will keep coming up. As for the comments made by Mr. Links, racism never went anywhere; it just lies in hibernation.
Its funny i saw this. I was downloading looney tunes cartoons not too long ago and found many of the ones i used to watch on weekdays, saturday morns and sundays b4 church! What i saw when i watched them ALL was a few that were racist to say the least. I ahd to show my family. and inform them of the cartoons too. I ddnt know that they existed. But i guess that was me being blind to the fact that racism IS everywhere!
Man these are some funny cartoons. I have to get them on DVD. Thanks for the info.
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saw a house with an old “lamp boy” statue painted as a stereotypical black male from the 40′s, Made me cringe…
Everyone, and I mean everyone, is a ‘racist’. ‘Racism’ is what has created and sustained every culture on Earth since the very beginning. But why is it that RACISM only becomes offensive when Whites are put on the defensive? All right, I’m a Honky. That’s your problem, not mine. Now stop whining and do something productive for a change.