Cartoon Network Drops an Anvil On Plans to Show Bugs in Blackface. Sally Beatty at the WSJ via FreeRepublic. [thanks, End the War on Freedom]
The reversal shines a light on the early days of cartoons, when racially insensitive fare was common. Ethnic stereotypes were considered fair game, and animation, an art that depends on satire and edgy humor, fell in step with everyday prejudices. Icons such as Bugs Bunny also enlisted in the government's propaganda efforts during World War II; the cartoons that emerged were in sync with the nation's sensibilities at the time. ...
To address the disturbing cartoon content and to ensure that kids wouldn't be likely to see them, Cartoon Network planned to run the 12 out of chronological order and late at night. A disclaimer was to scroll across the bottom of the screen during the broadcast: "Cartoon Network does not endorse the use of racial slurs. These vintage cartoons are presented as representative of the time in which they were created and are presented for their historical value."
The comments mention how these important cultural artifacts should be out of copyright already, a pointer at the twelve dropped cartoons, and the lack of Speedy Gonzales on Cartoon Network. And that Region 2 for DVDs is Japan and Europe, but that's not related.
