Is Tom and Jerry Racist?

That's got your attention, hasn't it.

Amazon Prime have put a health warning on the second series of Tom and Jerry stating that:

"Tom and Jerry shorts may depict some ethnic and racial prejudices that were once commonplace in American society. Such depictions were wrong then and are wrong today."

Are they right? Should we judge a 70 year old cartoon by current standards, or should we enjoy it as a very funny cartoon and an intriguing piece of social history?

Started watching Tom and Jerry again when my grandson came along. He is six now so been watching for a couple of years.

Don't know about racist, but they are definitely violent.

They are also very funny and most kids can differentiate between reality and showbiz.

Not quite sure where they're getting racist from, the lady who keeps throwing Tom out is black but apart from being terrified of mice she's quite a strong character.

It's not racist. Certainly not a problem. As a kid I thought the black woman owned the house & was in charge! She's black- so what! Perhaps her boss was black too!

And if they hadn't depicted Mammy as a black women Lillian Randolph would have been out of a job.

People that see racism when they watch Tom and Jerry should get a life.

Started watching Tom and Jerry again when my grandson came along. He is six now so been watching for a couple of years.

 

Don't know about racist, but they are definitely violent.

 

They are also very funny and most kids can differentiate between reality and showbiz.

 

Not quite sure where they're getting racist from, the lady who keeps throwing Tom out is black but apart from being terrified of mice she's quite a strong character.

It's violent yes, but way less gross than a lot of cartoons aimed at kids at the moment.

And if they hadn't depicted Mammy as a black women Lillian Randolph would have been out of a job.

 

People that see racism when they watch Tom and Jerry should get a life.

Correct, I was watching Roadrunner with the grandson yesterday and we were both in hysterics, how many more ways can that coyote find to kill himself?

When he was about 4 we were watching 'Jake and the Never land Pirates', at the beginning Jake turns to camera and asks 'Will you help us?' I say 'yes' the grandson looks at me in disgust and says " it's only on the telly grandad".

If children can see the difference between reality and make belief why can't adults cop on?

I'm half English half Irish, in cartoons the English tend to be portrayed as slightly gay fops or villains - or both, like Captain Hook - the Irish as thick cops or drunks with ridiculous accents.

Who gives a crap, it's a cartoon, as in, not real.

Can any one remember the Black and White Minstrel Show, and the Golly on the jam jar.

I thought the golly was removed because it was a racist symbol. Also the Black and White Minstrel Show was also classed as being racist. My mum use to love the music from that show.

I don't think so.

Song of the South however....

 

"Tom and Jerry shorts may depict some ethnic and racial prejudices that were once commonplace in American society. Such depictions were wrong then and are wrong today."

 

I'd argue that they weren't wrong then, otherwise they wouldn't have been acceptable on mainstream media. Morals change.

I found this one the other day, it's a short US propaganda Disney cartoon against the Nazis featuring Donald Duck. The artwork is just great, but one thing that stood out is that whilst the cartoon criticises the Nazi master race ideology, it contains a very racially stereotyped portrayal of the Japanese.

Take a look - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzaYiMciIMY

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I thought the golly was removed because it was a racist symbol. ..........

No. The golly was removed in retaliation to Idi Amin taking the queen's portrait off the Ugandan stamps.