This film is NOT racist! Shame on the NAACP for what they are doing!!

It is not true that the NAACP has "banned" the film although they had some objections when it was originally released in 1946. Here is a quote from the
FAQ on songofthesouth.net

Q. Has Song of the South really been banned?

A. No. This is one of the long-standing myths surrounding this movie. It has been said that the NAACP banned the movie, but that simply isn't true. The NAACP did show their disapproval of the portrayal of African-Americans in the film even when Song of the South was being produced, however there hasn't been any official "banning" going on anywhere. As far as we know, Disney has taken it upon themselves to withhold this movie from the public. Supposedly, the NAACP has no current position on the film.

NAACP must be ashamed of their Heritage.

"$200,000 is a lot of Money. We're gonna have to Earn It."

Blondie to Angel Eyes and Tuco

I find it fascinating that anyone can still be ignorant enough in this country to say that 'racism is no longer an issue'. I am white, and educated enough to certainly realize that racial issues are still very much alive and I would imagine will be for a long time to come, if not forever in America.
The reflexive, bizarre argument that black people should just 'laugh off' stereotypes the way white people do is ludicrous. To begin with, white people don't laugh off all that much, believe me. Secondly, it is a frequent and weak argument that racism is prevalent in the same way in the black community as it is in the white. If you have been the race legislated against, lynched, had your churches burned, etc...your sense of racism is skewed differently that that of the oppressive, law making race that holds you down. If anything, the African American community has earned with blood, their right not to have to 'laugh off' offensive stereotypes.
To further denigrate the issue by accusing black people of being the 'original racists' is laughable. I'm not ashamed of being white, but, I am fully accepting of the history of my race and what it has created in terms of injustice and hypocrisy. I don't have anything against Song Of The South really, art is art, created in its time, for its time, etc...I enjoy Gone With The Wind and many other films or pieces of art such as Huckleberry Finn that do not necessarily portray black people in as honest a way as I'm sure they could have, but, I also do not resent black people for not appreciating or enjoying it.
The NAACP does not have the power to legislate, all they can do is make noise for what they believe in, if Disney is holding back the DVD release of a film, that's their business. It is a curio, a somewhat uncomfortable artifact of a less enlightened time.
Thank God we have Barack Obama, a welcome relief from an ignorant, war profiteering cowboy joke, but, it hardly means that race is a dead issue in this country. The ignorance of the original poster and the not so subtle feelings of his (or her) own that emerge about race are proof of it.
Grow up and realize that while our current equality should never be in question, our past equality was non existent, that will for generations inform how differently we feel about things that are close to us. They same could be said of women, Jews or any other group that was once held under the thumb of a dominant majority.
It's so interesting how simplistic some people's arguments can be.

"What's the rumpus?"

Racism still exists. President Obama won despite being black, not because racism is over. It took an exceptional person in exceptional circumstances to break the color barrier. A similarly eloquent, charismatic and intelligent white person would have received even more of the popular vote.

The film is clearly not racist. The most favorably portrayed character is Uncle Remus, and the least favorable character is Johnny's mother.

The film doesn't stereotype either. A stereotype is an idea or suggestion that all members of a group is on way or another. The film does not suggest that all black men are like Uncle Remus, or even that all late 19th century black men were like Uncle Remus. Not all african americans in the South following the Civil War were plantation-hands linke Uncle Remus, but many were. The writers of "Song of the South" shouldn't have to apologize because George Washington Caver didn't stop by to suggest Grandmother try crop rotation to peanuts every few years.

The victory of President Obama doesn't mean that racism is over. However, his victory was a big step that might lead to films like this being released. A black man in the White House has done a lot to undo past stereotypes.

It's slightly stereotypical, but in terms of historical context it was very, very tame.

We have access to Birth of a Nation. If we want to go online and purchase a legal copy of D.W. Griffith's Birth of a Nation, we can. Birth of a Nation makes heroes of the KKK, and has many bitter, offensive things to say about African Americans in the South (not to mention that they were all played by white actors in black-face). We're talking about a film that set off a rebirth for the KKK. This hateful, offensive film is not only readily available on DVD to anyone willing to purchase, but it also remains a critically acclaimed film.

Song of the South plays on a few racial stereotypes here and there - which, mind you, has been happening for years and years. It continues to this very day, even in modern family films. You mean to tell me that Donkey in Shrek isn't a stereotype?

This raises another question. Are we merely confusing the fact that it's a black actor playing the role with stereotype? James Baskett was a black man. Maybe he played up the stereotype. But the fact remains he played a decent, honorable man. He didn't play a gangster rapper who got shot eighteen times to come back, shoot some dude and continue rapping. He was a decent elderly black man who liked to tell stories.

I could understand if it were a white actor in black-face, chomping down fried chicken, and stealing a white woman. But that's not the case, now is it?

It is a part of film history, and the public deserves a chance to own it. I mean, come on... it's the first time an Oscar was awarded to an African American actor (male). It was in a separate category that they made specifically for his performance, but that's still saying something.

They can get around the whole race issue, too, by placing a PSA at the beginning of the DVD. I just finished watching Pinocchio, and before the trailers even start, there's an anti-smoking PSA - likely because of the controversial images of Pinocchio and Lampwick smoking within the film.

Or they could just replace Uncle Remus with a walkie-talkie, if that will satisfy the irrationally faint-hearted.

If you are white, how can you decide or say what is or isn't offensive to Black people? If you are Black, you need help because this is one big fat insult.

The fact of the matter is that regardless if this movie is offensive or not I can care less. I don't care if it was the most offensive movie to blacks on earth it should not be taken away from us. Censorship is evil. There are plenty of black movies out there where they make fun of white people. If a white actor dresses like a black man it is stereotypical and racist. Then you have movies like white chicks where two black man dress up as white women in a stereotypical way and YOU PEOPLE call it comedy! Yes I said "You people" get over it! You don't like the way blacks are portrayed in this film, don't watch it! But stop whining about everything! The world doesn't owe you a thing! Stop pulling the race card everytime something doesn't go your way. Look at our president. He is a black man and is a very educated man who was well deserving of his title. You can't be a lazy ignorant person and then demand that society just give you money and a job without earning it regardless of what color you are! And you people are the ones who make everything about race. Blacks are more racist than whites! Its ok for black people to tell their kids not to hang out with "white folk". I know many blacks who follow this philosophy but they think it is ok. But if I told my kids to not hang out with black kids then I would be racist. Maybe race doesn't have anything to do with it! What if I just don't want my kid to grow up to be a rapper wannabe thugster? I suppose that makes me a racist too. Everyone needs to shut up. We have a black president now (who I voted for by the way, and your welcome). That right there should make any race issues invalid. Its not like black people have to be afraid in a white neighborhood. Most of us that are under the age of 80 were raised without racism! But a white man walks into a black neighborhood and they tear us up! Trust me I have had to deal with it on many occassions for work and the level of disrespect I recieved by people who are supposedly so concerned about race being a problem was astonishing to say the least. I was respectful and was still called a whitey and cracker.

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