Horton Hears a Racist

Barack Obama is my choice for president. I've already explained why in previous posts. But if Obama isn't elected, it would be hard to blame racism. Republicans aren't going to vote for him, not because he's black, but because, even worse, he's a Democrat. And for the most part, Obama has garnered more popular support among white voters than any other candidate. If Obama is elected, I believe that through his leadership skills and intelligence he will usher in a dynamic new era of government by inclusion rather than secrecy. Like John F. Kennedy, Obama will inspire a younger generation and invigorate the older generation to take greater part in their government, society, and community.

But there are many obstacles this New Era will have to face. A sagging economy. War abroad. Faltering education.

And, worst of all, the movie Horton Hears a Who.

This isn't a review of the movie, it's a review of how Hollywood sometimes contributes to the divisiveness within the country. Ironically, Horton Hears a Who has done more damage to our society than the recent slate of politically motivated movies about the war in Iraq (Rendition, Stop-Loss, Lambs for Lions, Redacted, In the Valley of Elah, etc.) has done good. For one thing, more people saw Horton than saw all the other movies combined.

How can a beloved Dr. Seuss story do so much harm? Well, the original book by Dr. Seuss is just fine, a timeless tale that has been delighting children since it was first published in 1954. The story of the brave elephant that is willing to endure the harshest condemnation from his friends and community in order to protect those in need is a wonderful lesson for children.

But then along comes the movie. To make the story long enough for a full-length movie, a sub-plot was added about the mayor of Whoville who has 96 cheerful daughters and one brooding son. This is where things take a nasty turn. Basically, the mayor ignores his 96 daughters in order to groom his uninterested son to become mayor. Why doesn't he groom one of his much more enthusiastic daughters? And, of course, it is the brooding son who, in the end, saves the entire world of Whoville. The daughters? They get to cheer from the sidelines. While it's true that in the book a "very small shirker named Jo-Jo" does add his tiny voice to the din and thus saves Whoville, but that promotes the idea that we all have our part to play in our community, not that sons are smarter than daughters.

"Hey, it's just a cartoon," you might say. But this particular cartoon will be seen by millions of children around the world. And they will come away with a clear impression that a single son is worth more than 96 daughters. That boys are inherently more valuable than girls, and more likely to be successful (in this case, in saving the world) than girls.

What's especially insidious here isn't just that the subplot was written and approved and filmed, but that since the movie has come out, there hasn't been a popular outcry about it. That we don't even ask why, in the years it took to make the movie, no one along the line said, "This isn't a good message to send to our kids." Is it because sexism is so ingrained in our society that we don't even flinch at it when it's shoved in our faces?

What's all this have to do with racism?

Well, if our society is willing to tolerate any form of social injustice and discrimination toward any single group, then they have created a breeding ground for injustice throughout society. If we allow sexism, ageism, homophobia, religious intolerance, than racism can only flourish as well. We expose our impressionable children to funny cartoons about wacky animals voiced by famous actors and what do we think is going to happen? Will a little girl step out of Horton feeling empowered and motivated, or just slightly less capable than the little boy walking beside her?

I don't think the filmmakers are evil or that they deliberately set out to send this awful message. Somehow it seems worse that they didn't notice.

Maybe after eight years of Barack Obama's presidency, our society will have evolved to a place where the filmmakers and the audiences won't tolerate even the most subtle forms of discrimination. At least with Barcak Obama, we have hope that such a world might be.

kareemabduljabbar.com/

For more blogs by Kareem visit www.latimes.com/kareem

Comments

[sassafra]

so kareem, are you suggesting that all movies out of hollywood should be statistically vetted to make certain that all races and genders and combinations thereof are proportionally represented?
sounds boring.
or a lot like gilliam's brazil.

[Chuckwheat]

Skip the high movie ticket price and make "2 1/2 Men" family viewing.
Nothing -ist about it, o no.

[cuthbertallgood]

Mr Abdul-Jabbar,
Just a great post. Filled with wisdom and proof of your own good vision. Thanks.

[strifeknot]

What's with the recent trend of people using the word vetted without knowing what the hell it means?

[sassafra]

what's with the recent trend of people commenting on an opinion without paying attention to what the hell the opinion meant in the first place?
i know *exactly* what i wanted to say.

Vetting
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Broadly, vetting is a process of examination and evaluation. Specifically, vetting often refers to performing a background check on someone before offering them employment. In addition, in intelligence gathering, assets are vetted to determine their usefulness.

[banats]

In reading Kareem's description of the plot of the movie, what came to my mind was the cultural sexism in some Asian countries, India and China in particular. I have been reading about the high number of aborted female fetuses in India and China. The ultrasounds have contributed to the increase as couples make their decision based on the results. This has created lopsided male to female ratios in these two countries. Families are having fewer children and couples of all income levels are ensuring that they have male offspring. The ramifications of a society with a large majority of one gender concerns me. I wonder how many couples in the US use ultrasounds to decide whether to abort a fetus based on sex. I think we should take seriously the sexism in our own society. We tolerate sexism to a degree that we would never tolerate racism. NEITHER should be tolerated. The message in this movie both boys and girls is damaging. I am saddened that so many people feel comfortable with such a message and that there has been relatively no discussion on this topic as far as I know. I thank Kareem for bringing it to my attention.

[mintgals]

Kareem thank you for bringing your insights on this to light. I wish there were more people out there like you who could see past the typical hidden agenda's of a sold out Hollywood. I have read your blog on the LA Times and thank you for sharing your intelligent observations on all sorts of interesting subjects. Everyday I learn something new....thanks!

[tcagle]

Societies with far more males to females tend to level this out with warfare. Oh goodie.

[MfromS]

Welcome to the real world. I hope you can handle it.....

[patrickschwemmer]

This is a very thoughtful and worthwhile meditation on the wider implications and hidden tendencies of this film. Politics are everywhere, and the devil is in the details.

[MfromS]

It's a movie!!!!! Get over it.

[Arleen1]

Did you, like my husband, fall sleep during this movie?

[LiamR]

I haven't seen Horton and since my child is now a teenager and not interested in going anywhere with Dad, let alone to the movies. So I'm out of the loop on current cartoon movies, but recalling the ones I did see - from Lion King to Little Mermaid and Pocahontas - I'm not surprised that there would be a sexist message, whether intended or unintended. It seems that the creators, engrossed in the their technical feats of animation, consistently fall back on the ancient values of Popeye to move the plots forward.

Regarding Obama, I agree with Kareem that an Obama presidency would offer "a dynamic new era of government by inclusion rather than secrecy." It would also bring us an era of proactive rather than reactive diplomacy, citizen-serving rather than lobbyist-serving responsivenss, and authenticity rather than political posturing. I am thrilled at the prospect of an Obama administration, but even if that doesn't happen (shudder) the success of the Obama campaign to date makes me proud to be an American. And I haven't felt that way for a very long time.

[InformedMisery]

In case you didn't notice, the top scientist in Who-ville was a woman. Just so ya know. K.

[strifeknot]

That unfortunately does not invalidate the larger point Kareem is making.

[wndrwrthg]

Hey Lew, find another chimera to slay.

[unclesmedley]

good call

[strifeknot]

Are you in a beer commercial?

[StephanieLA]

I think we should respect other people's opinion.
It's not about hating the person that writes it, but agreeing or disagreeing.
Kareem is a very wise man, and if he had this point of view from this movie, is because he saw something that made him think this way.

But let's not miss the mark here: we know about subliminal messages, and also this is a MEN's world.
They make more money than women; just take a look on the salary of actors and actresses... and we never had a woman as president...
I think it is indeed a good take from Kareem and I respect his opinion - maybe you have a different one... but then again you are a man...

[unclesmedley]

and you are sexist

[InformedMisery]

First of all, what you're describing is sexism and not racism. Secondly, if you actually paid attention to the movie you'd notice that there were women in the mayoral hall of fame. And third, if you're so upset about sexism then why don't you critcize the many sexist comments made about Hillary Clinton in the media, including some questionable comments by the candidate you support.

[MfromS]

You mean the racist right?

[Owlygirl]

This was already discussed at NPR a couple of weeks ago. Still, I'm glad for it to be discussed further. Good looking out, Kareem.

[rwe]

You also mentioned it was worse that people won't vote for Barack because of his party affiliation than becasue of his race...So basically that if I don't vote for barack because I specifically disagree with the liberal/prograssive /Democrat ideology then I am worse tahn a racist? And how many enlightened liberals are not going to votge for anyone with the republican /conservative label?And if this is racist/sexist, how much worse is Rev Wright?

[browndog2]

Thanks for saving me some typing.

[Vurz]

Actually, what was said was:

"Republicans aren't going to vote for him, not because he's black, but because, even worse, he's a Democrat."

Which is a huge difference from: "You also mentioned it was worse that people won't vote for Barack because of his party affiliation than becasue of his race"

The top one is written as is from the viewpoint of Republican voters, and just states that they will base their voting on party affiliation rather than race. Very true, and well said.

What you stated was an accusation that Mr. Abdul-Jabbar thinks being Republican is worse that being a racist. This was not said or implied in this blog entry at all.

[rayanthony]

Republicans will not vote for Obama because he is a Socialist. Because he is clueless on foreign policy and because he believes raising taxes solves everything. All very good reasons.

[writerjohnny]

Please source your assertions that Mr. Obama is a socialist, clueless on foreign policy and raising taxes solves everything. Republicans, the party that gave us the last 8 years of corporate socialism, a clueless foreign policy and spending beyond anything the world has ever seen, can be sourced daily by reading the daily paper in ANY city.

[rayanthony]

Obama's ideas on health care are Socialist. He wants to continually create larger social programs with no clue as to how to pay for them. He has said we should sit down and talk with terrorist leaders like that pile of s#*t in Iran. Also, that we should pull out of Iraq, but would consider bombing Pakistan....one of our allies.

[Bluesman48]

You say socialist as if it were a bad thing.

[MfromS]

Because it is.......

[LeftRight]

Yeah, because the low tax rates* of bushco(tm) have done such a GOOD job of helping us!!!

*lower tax rates only apply to uber-rich!

[flacon]

Kareem, you need to use your great passion and average mind in a better way. Work with children perhaps. Teach someone to read. Anything but the drivel you're trying to pass here.

[leopoldmozart]

I've read two of Kareem's books (Giant Steps and Black Profiles in Courage) and found them to be insightful, informative, well written, and memorable. Kareem's IQ is published as 130 (i.e. gifted). What's your IQ, flacon? How many books have you gotten published with your presumably above-average mind?

[MfromS]

I don't care what his IQ is. His points are ridiculous.....

[flacon]

Actually I too have been blessed with ability. Having raised three sons to successful adulthood I have learned to use it to sniff out boatloads of BS. And whether it comes from adolescent teenagers or over-the-hill wannabes, it still smells.

[Christopher1]

Get real Obama is a racist and we all know it. Why ae you such a liar

[Rumplestiltskin]

I think making powerful animals like elephants cute and lovable is specist.
heh

[SpadeWork]

Happy Belated Birthday Kareem!

[Bluesman48]

Happy birthday Kareem, and
LET'S GO LAKERS!