Hi Shelby! I hope you are finding Peace!
Hola, dear CJ! I am... and the greatest of love and peace to you!
Just a few of my feelings in regards to some of your statements about the movie. Cinderella-(An indenture servant) did not become a Princess either until the end of the movie, as is the case with several Disney movies.
Yes, but they eventually DID become princesses... which is the whole "rags to riches" premises, isn't it? But some folks "riches" turn out to be castles and royalty and servants, and spending one's day impliedly laying around eating bonbons and sugarplums... while "others'" turned out to be WORK. See what I mean? Okay, so she didn't end up being an indentured servant. She also didn't end up with a "Prince Charming" to rescue her FROM work! And hard, dirty work, too! Not that I have anything against work... not at all. Just "funny", isn't it, how the "dream" is assumed to be different?
Instead of Frogs, the White carriage drivers were Rats. (Being given a chance, I think I would rather be a frog than a rat-lol)
Being given a CHANCE... I think our little girls would love to have a CARRIAGE... and DRIVERS... too. Regardless of whethe they were initially frogs OR rats. See where I'm goin'?
In past Disney movies, the wicked witches are always White.
Or green. But "white", yes. Everyone was white, dear one... even the "good" horses...
In regards to the New Orleans setting, I wonder how the World would be without such Jazz greats as Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Billie Holliday, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, etc. If not for New Orleans, where would they be? New Orleans is full of tradition, both good and bad.
Yes, and all of that could have been a backdrop. It wasn't. The SWAMP was the backdrop, luv. Which is funny... 'cause there really ain't hardly no black folks IN the swamp. Cajun, yes. Creole, perhaps. But black folks? In the swamp? Where there's snakes?? Seriously??? I've been to New Orleans... and out on the swamp. Didn't see ANY black folks... anywhere. Saw quite a few in the 9th Ward before Katrina. Hardly none, now. See some down in the quarter in the clubs. Out on Bourbon Street on certain nights. But in the swamp? Uh-uh... not in enough numbers to give the impression that we're "comfortable" there. Snakes in the swamp, dear one. We don't "do" snakes (well, not before they're prepped and cooked).
Ever see any black folks on the TV shows that show folks, fishing on the bayou? How about catching catfish by hand? Gatoring? Hydro-boating? Checking on the enviroment/eco system? Snakes, my dear. Snakes.
Even Voodoo had/has its place in NO to this day, and cultures and lives have been molded through what New Orleans stood for.
Yes, it does. It is a religion for many. Wasn't portrayed that way in the movie, though. Nope, it was related to scamming, pimping, gambling, and out right conning. You know, the which is near and dear to EVERY black man... as we ALL know...
Unfortunately, the grandeur of NO has been replaced in large by criminal elements (Of all skin tones),
Yes. Including murderous cops... all of whom were of the paler complexion...
but the fact remains that NO always has been, and always will be a city known for greatness, and many, many African Americans have been blessed by having been associated with the city.
Ummmm... I can say that about Chicago, dear one. Even more so, actually. And just African Americans?
If I recall correctly, the movie was even based on the time period of the early Jazz era of the late teens/early 20's-(not in the New Orleans we see today).
It was based on a PARODY of that era...
The movie shows Tiana as a hard worker, and aspires to open her own business. As a human, she was portrayed as a very beautiful young lady. (Had I been a Straight White Male cartoon character, I would have dated her-lol).
Then why didn't SHE "get" a real prince?? Even WITH the restaurant?
In regards to the frog character, she did have mighty fine frog's legs-again lol, just trying to be funny,
Oh, I got it - I LOVE frog legs! YUM!!
Disney has always mixed humans with animals due to either a curse or creative license whether they be Black, White, Brown, or purple with pink polka dots. It wasn't just a Black thing.
Yes, no, I get that. Didn't have a problem with the humanization of the animals, dear one... not at all. Nor with the animals chosen to depict the characters, per se.
Some earlier Disney movies I agree have had a degree of racism, but this movie, I just don't see it.
I know. Again, though, it might have been the moccasins you were wearing. But I don't fault you for that. I'm just trying to help you "try on" mine. I guess they just don't/can't "fit"...
It doesn't mean though that I am discounting what you are saying though, as I appreciate we all have our own opinions...
Mine was subjective, of course. I can see how yours could be... unless, again, you change your moccasins...
Have a wonderful day!!!
And you, as well, truly! And, as always, peace to you, dear one!
YOUR servant and a slave of Christ,
SA, closing with the thought that many of us thought, "Okay, never could've imagined that WE could have a princess when we were little, but now it's our daughter's turn and, well, ANYTHING is possible through the movies, so SURELY our little girls will now be able to at least DREAM like other little girls... other white, asian, native american, arabian, russian, european, etc., little girls! Sure, it may never happen - not a lot of black princes out there - but, who knows?" Well, nope... apparently, not. Not even in the movies... where ANYTHING is SUPPOSED to be possible.
