Splash Mountain - racist ?

[Blueslegend]

There’s a lot of noise on social media about pulling down certain statues, burning certain flags, changing behaviours etc etc. I don’t wish to be controversial and certainly don’t wish to offend anyone. If I am ignorant please just tell me.

But in my humble opinion you can’t wipe out history. What you can do is learn from it and attempt to avoid mistakes made. It’s surely a case of education. However when I hear people want to desrecate statues of Cristopher Columbus, Sir Francis Drake, even Churchill I think come on, have perspective, this is counterproductive. With C19 we are entering a ‘new normal’. That does not include eradicating what has gone before. However we do have an opportunity to go forward in a better way.

So I hear calls for Splash Mountain to be renamed. Films like Gone With The Wind have been pulled. This is not the new Anno Domini. We do however have an opportunity to reflect and move forward. We need to learn from what was to strive and achieve what can be.

 

[AKL Ranger]

There’s a lot of noise on social media about pulling down certain statues, burning certain flags, changing behaviours etc etc. I don’t wish to be controversial and certainly don’t wish to offend anyone. If I am ignorant please just tell me.

But in my humble opinion you can’t wipe out history. What you can do is learn from it and attempt to avoid mistakes made. It’s surely a case of education. However when I hear people want to desrecate statues of Cristopher Columbus, Sir Francis Drake, even Churchill I think come on, have perspective, this is counterproductive. With C19 we are entering a ‘new normal’. That does not include eradicating what has gone before. However we do have an opportunity to go forward in a better way.

So I hear calls for Splash Mountain to be renamed. Films like Gone With The Wind have been pulled. This is not the new Anno Domini. We do however have an opportunity to reflect and move forward. We need to learn from what was to strive and achieve what can be.

Hello all,
Time to put things in context, so I will share a bit of history and try to open some hearts and minds. The Disney film "Song of the South" was released in 1946, premiering in Atlanta, GA, the heart of the Dixie south. The racial stereotypes depicted n the film emboldened many White supremacists during the height of the Jim Crow Law era. The Jim Crow laws were enforced until 1965. In practice, Jim Crow laws mandated racial segregation in all public facilities in the states of the former Confederate States of America and in some others, beginning in the 1870s.
The song "Zippedy Doo Dah" sung by the character "Uncle Remus" is featured prominently in the Disney theme park attraction "Splash Mountain." Along with the slang jive speech patterns that mock slave and "post-emancipation 'Negroes'"
In the movie "Song of the South", the character "Uncle Remus" sings the fun, joyful tune "Zippedy Doo Dah", portraying a "Happy 'Plantation worker'. Call it what it is a Plantation slave/ emancipated slave who was unaware he was truly freed. The character Uncle Remus singing that song, maintaining that the black vernacular and other qualities are stereotypes. In addition, the plantation setting in the movie is portrayed as idyllic and glorified.

who say "modern-day African Americans should get over slavery, it ended with the Emancipation proclamation." (issued by United States President Abraham Lincoln on September 22, 1862)
No, slavery, in fact, did not end for many African and American slaves who did not receive the new until June 19, 1865.
Put this in context, imagine working at your place of employment, and not receiving a paycheck from Sept 22, 1862 - June 19, 1865.

Although Juneteenth generally celebrates the end of slavery in the United States, it was still legal and practiced in two Union border states (Delaware and Kentucky) until later that year when ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution abolished non-penal slavery nationwide in December 6, 1865.
The Thirteenth Amendment (Amendment XIII) to the United States Constitution abolished slavery and involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for a crime. In Congress, it was passed by the Senate on April 8, 1864, and by the House on January 31, 1865. The amendment was ratified by the required number of states on December 6, 1865.

What truly saddens me, is there are fellow Americans who choose to ignore the pain and spiritual emotional anguish of not only the abomination that was slavery but the years of Jim Crow-era laws. Jim Crow laws mandated racial segregation in all public facilities in the states of the former Confederate States of America and in some others, beginning in the 1870s and were enforced until 1965.

For many visitors to Disney theme parks who enjoy the attraction "Splash Moutain", thinking it is an innocent family-friendly flume ride with happy animal characters.

Want to know how bad this can sting for some African Americans who are descendants of slaves?
Imagine a thrilling flume ride attraction themed with Nazi and concentration camp imagery. Even non-Jewish people would be horrified, now see Splash mountain in a new light.
For the people who ask " Why did people wait so long to complain about Splash Moutain? Like many positive changes, it takes time, and even if we stumble we pick ourselves up and keep climbing.
Greenwood-Tulsa Oklahoma (1921), Selma, Alabama (1965)
March on Washington (1963) 1989 Tiananmen Square protests
(2020) Black Lives Matter Plaza Northwest, DC

 

[Blueslegend]

Hello all,
Time to put things in context, so I will share a bit of history and try to open some hearts and minds. The Disney film "Song of the South" was released in 1946, premiering in Atlanta, GA, the heart of the Dixie south. The racial stereotypes depicted n the film emboldened many White supremacists during the height of the Jim Crow Law era. The Jim Crow laws were enforced until 1965. In practice, Jim Crow laws mandated racial segregation in all public facilities in the states of the former Confederate States of America and in some others, beginning in the 1870s.
The song "Zippedy Doo Dah" sung by the character "Uncle Remus" is featured prominently in the Disney theme park attraction "Splash Mountain." Along with the slang jive speech patterns that mock slave and "post-emancipation 'Negroes'"
In the movie "Song of the South", the character "Uncle Remus" sings the fun, joyful tune "Zippedy Doo Dah", portraying a "Happy 'Plantation worker'. Call it what it is a Plantation slave/ emancipated slave who was unaware he was truly freed. The character Uncle Remus singing that song, maintaining that the black vernacular and other qualities are stereotypes. In addition, the plantation setting in the movie is portrayed as idyllic and glorified.

who say "modern-day African Americans should get over slavery, it ended with the Emancipation proclamation." (issued by United States President Abraham Lincoln on September 22, 1862)
No, slavery, in fact, did not end for many African and American slaves who did not receive the new until June 19, 1865.
Put this in context, imagine working at your place of employment, and not receiving a paycheck from Sept 22, 1862 - June 19, 1865.

Although Juneteenth generally celebrates the end of slavery in the United States, it was still legal and practiced in two Union border states (Delaware and Kentucky) until later that year when ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution abolished non-penal slavery nationwide in December 6, 1865.
The Thirteenth Amendment (Amendment XIII) to the United States Constitution abolished slavery and involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for a crime. In Congress, it was passed by the Senate on April 8, 1864, and by the House on January 31, 1865. The amendment was ratified by the required number of states on December 6, 1865.

What truly saddens me, is there are fellow Americans who choose to ignore the pain and spiritual emotional anguish of not only the abomination that was slavery but the years of Jim Crow-era laws. Jim Crow laws mandated racial segregation in all public facilities in the states of the former Confederate States of America and in some others, beginning in the 1870s and were enforced until 1965.

For many visitors to Disney theme parks who enjoy the attraction "Splash Moutain", thinking it is an innocent family-friendly flume ride with happy animal characters.

Want to know how bad this can sting for some African Americans who are descendants of slaves?
Imagine a thrilling flume ride attraction themed with Nazi and concentration camp imagery. Even non-Jewish people would be horrified, now see Splash mountain in a new light.
For the people who ask " Why did people wait so long to complain about Splash Moutain? Like many positive changes, it takes time, and even if we stumble we pick ourselves up and keep climbing.
Greenwood-Tulsa Oklahoma (1921), Selma, Alabama (1965)
March on Washington (1963) 1989 Tiananmen Square protests
(2020) Black Lives Matter Plaza Northwest, DC

Thank you your informative response. The last thing I want to do is forensically break down the Constitution or encroach upon American politics. Coming from the UK I know nothing about it.

However wasn’t the Jewish situation (or Final Solution as it was known) genocide ? In my opinion your attempt at comparison is abhorrent.

Where not white Christians enslaved by Romans and burnt alive at the stake? Do I want to pull down Rome? What of the Spanish Inquisition? Genghis Khan ? And what about the Pharaohs (didn’t they enslave the Israelites ?).

I think you are are misguided. We have all (race, colour, creed) had prejudice. Thats history. All I am saying is let’s move on. But you can’t eradicate history. It is, what it is. You need to get over it. I have.

 

[Lynne M]

Folks, this has nothing to do with Disney resorts. It doesn’t belong on this board. The thread is closed.

Also, be reminded that discussion of politics and/or religion is not permitted anywhere on the DISboards.