Tom and Jerry, Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck; humorous, lighthearted caricatures growing children love. I remember lazy summer days sitting on my couch in my air conditioned house, ten years old and careless, eating frozen pizza, and watching the cat chase the mouse, laughing in youthful mirth. Those 60 year old cartoons are timeless classics, surely every child should enjoy them. And so lighthearted, who could be opposed?
There is a collection of eleven Loony Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons that were withheld from syndication in 1968. Eleven mirthful cartoons were censored. Why? It turns out that these cartoons are, supposedly, racist. Because of that they were taken off the air, only to resurface on Youtube 40 years later, than be removed... again. Clearly there is a problem with these cartoons. Why else would they be censored? What vile message were those cartoonists spreading to children?
The United Artists, even as far back as the Baby Boomers, wanted the cartoons children were watching to be politically correct. They still do. Eleven evil cartoon that can damage the lives of children sixty years after their creation.
As an American citizen, still in my youth, I ponder at the problem presented here. Its not that these cartoons are racist, its that they are not politically correct. Beyond depictions of ethnic stereotypes, there is little evil in them. They are even going to be re released sometime this year. If they can be shown now, what has the problem been for the last 40 years?
To me this means that the preoccupation with being politically correct can have ridiculous affects, such as banning children's cartoons, denying them access to a mirthful and fun experience. And it still happens today.
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