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Complaining about the chimney sweep scene is, IMO, silly and overreaching. But as it turns out, my thesis was on children's literature from the UK and it's relationship with the published journals of Victorian explorers. Finally all that research can be put to use in a comment on an internet message board.
PL Travers and Roald Dahl both used imagery and language in their children's books that are no longer acceptable. Oompa Loompas were originally African pygmies, for example, depicted with bones in the nose, the whole nine yards.
My feeling then, as now, is that the original texts should be preserved for academic purposes, but that reprints marketed to children should be edited to remove the racist language and imagery. (This has already been done with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory). These books are aimed at younger children, who should not be expected to understand the history of racism. Books like To Kill a Mockingbird, or Huckleberry Finn are geared toward older kids and teens, who are capable of understanding this complicated subject.
Both titles were originally published as adult novels, for adult readers. Of course, older children found them and enjoyed them - but they were not the target audience.
By today's standards, almost certainly the writers of Mary Poppins and the rhetoric used would be racist by today's standards. Culture has changed, and I think it's kind weird to pointing out instances of racism in film from that era.
The left has drank so much of their own koolaid they actually believe it now. It was Reprehensible for the New York Times to print such an article.
It's as if they pretty much hate everything and anything that's outside their own bubble, including now, it seems Mary Poppins.
Hey, now, Waldo - you really think ONE controversial article by ONE individual accurately represents the views of the entire left??
You would have spent your time more productively checking your grammar and punctuation. I spot four errors in the post I quoted above. Oops, make that five...no, six: "has drank", "koolaid" (three in that one), "Reprehensible", and "the New York Times" (quotations mine, not yours).
Hey, now, Waldo - you really think ONE controversial article by ONE individual accurately represents the views of the entire left??
You would have spent your time more productively checking your grammar and punctuation. I spot four errors in the post I quoted above. Oops, make that five...no, six: "has drank", "koolaid" (three in that one), "Reprehensible", and "the New York Times" (quotations mine, not yours).
I take note that you don't disagree with the NYT. Instead you create an ad hominem. Your question becomes self evident. Thanks.
Hey, now, Waldo - you really think ONE controversial article by ONE individual accurately represents the views of the entire left??
You would have spent your time more productively checking your grammar and punctuation. I spot four errors in the post I quoted above. Oops, make that five...no, six: "has drank", "koolaid" (three in that one), "Reprehensible", and "the New York Times" (quotations mine, not yours).
If it was an article by a conservative you would be one of the ones painting all conservatives with the same brush.
If any person in 2019 calls, Mary Poppins movie Racist, then they must also be calling, Coal Miners from West Virginia a bunch of Racist, because all those people left work each day with the same soot on their bodies.
Bob, you must have missed the recent thread with an article written by a guy who was offended by photos of coal miners in an AZ restaurant, stating they were in black face. He asked the manager to remove it and was told he'd have to speak to the other owners. He wasn't happy that nobody had gotten back to him by the time he left.
His argument was that because of his history, when the white manager looked at the photo, he only saw coal miners.
By today's standards, almost certainly the writers of Mary Poppins and the rhetoric used would be racist by today's standards. Culture has changed, and I think it's kind weird to pointing out instances of racism in film from that era.
You seem to be confusing the P.L. Travers "Mary Poppins" book series with the two films based on the books.
The first "Mary Poppins" film appeared in 1965 and was based on the first book in the series. The second film was recently released, and while it contains characters and episodes from the series, it is not based on any specific book in the series as far as plot and time-setting are concerned. "Inspired by.." would be a more accurate description than "based on..."
"Mary Poppins", the first book in the series, was published in 1934. The original version of this book does contain the cited chapter in which the Banks children visit Africa, a chapter which was rewritten many years later to eliminate the racial stereotyping of the original. The first "Mary Poppins" film appeared thirty years later and did not include this episode at all.
Last edited by CraigCreek; 02-04-2019 at 07:01 PM..
If it was an article by a conservative you would be one of the ones painting all conservatives with the same brush.
You must not have followed my posts very closely, as I have often referred to respected Republican public servants who represented my state very well for many years. John Sherman Cooper, Andy Hopkins, and Thruston Morton were true public servants - and they were conservatives, in the old meaning of that term: they believed in conserving what was good and in handling the public's interests - and monies - cautiously, respectfully and conscientiously.
I wish we had more in government like those fine gentleman today.
Now, can we get back to "Mary Poppins"?
Last edited by CraigCreek; 02-04-2019 at 06:59 PM..
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Seeing Mary Poppins as a young child I know I picked up on the subtle comments and stereotypes that are being dissected here. Shall we revisit the last 100 years of cultural norms and condemn everything that won't pass todays filters? Much that was portrayed is completely wrong, hell National Geographic was one of the greatest publications for promulgating stereotypes and its highly respected. Your complaining about British slang its pretty well know that they looked down their nose at anyone including their own countrymen who would be of a lower social order than they were.
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