Peter Pan, Dumbo and Disney : Racist?

     Following the news of the day,  censorship seems to be the "cool" thing to do in social media, book publishing and movies.    To a librarian's  soul this is distressing.   Frankly, it. should upset everyone in libraries, education, publishing and film industries.   Who is next to be labeled as “ban” worthy?  It almost seems like there is a self-deprecating game going on between corporate monopolies on who is the most sorry for racism.    Look no further than America’s favorite  family movie industry.  Disney has decided to throw in a few beloved titles  and label them as racist,  harmful and not appropriate fo children.   According to Disney, Peter Pan,  The Aristocrats and Dumbo are just as offensive as Dr. Suess.  Apparently banning Dr.Suess is not enough.  It's time to go through all of Chidlren's Literature and toss out everything.    

    First, let's remind everyone, especially the higher ups in Disney,  these stories do not belong to Disney alone.  Every story from Beauty and The Beast to Snow White or  The Aristocrats to Song of the South have been adaptations from folk tales from other countries.   Looking at the catalog of animated films form Disney there is very little creative stories.   This is not to say this is bad and Disney should be ashamed of "copying" from another's work.   Many of these stories have timely themes and plots that have stood the test of time and are worthy to be retold.   In addition to that, these stories come from all over the world, France, Italy,  England,  and Africa, just to name a few of the countries.   All these stories demonstrate that stories and legends are what bring us together as a human race.     Not to be dramatic but where else would a child learn that in every country, in every continent children dream of exotic places, wish for magical things to happen and delight in relating to characters in the story.  

    Let's take a quick look at  Peter Pan is about a young boy who has lost his shadow and is determined to get it back.  How does one lose his shadows?  Not really sure but it must have to do with the fact that He flies, he'll never grow up and his closest friends are the Lost Boys.   The story was originally written by J.M Barrie in the 1920's.   Readers were very familiar with the novel and  play before Disney put Peter Pan on the silver screen.  The original animation stayed pretty close to Barrie's work and up until now was considered a story that is a "must' for every child to view.  How could a child grow up without knowing of NeverNever Land and Peter Pan?   It would be a sad childhood or at the very least incomplete.   Children need these stories and adults need stop finding racism at every turn.  If we try hard enough,  there will always be stereotypes to complain about that is offensive in our eyes and mind.  

    In all honesty,  it is hard to imagine a childhood without any of the fantastic stories that Disney retold.   If there is any message to pass along to peers who love these stories it is this:  see the stories through the innocence of a child.  Children don't see racism unless they are told to see the racism.  Disney can say they are doing a service for families by labeling these stories as having racist slants. They are not.  Instead they are weakening the meaning of racism and in the process becoming more divisive.   Which in the end can become the slope in which all literature slides down and ends up in the "bonfire" of censorship.  At that point, it could be too late to put out the fire.