The concern expressed, that Sunflower might cause non-black children to have a negative image of black people, was I think a more legitimate concern at the time the movie came out (1940) than now (the 2010s). One's image of black people is set mostly by the black people one knows.
For instance, in high school my most faithful defender against any harsh words or false rumors was my own sister, and a girl named Carmell was not far behind. There was nothing Sunflower about Carmell. And then there was Bucky, who I barely knew but who was always cheerful and friendly, and Minnie, with whom I had several dates, and Lisa, with whom I would have liked to but never did. Nothing Sunflower about any of them. So my image of black people is quite positive, because that's what I knew growing up. My image of black people was set by the actual living black people I knew or even just sort-of knew.
But suppose my high school had been segregated. Suppose that I had never met an actual black person. All I would have known about "those people" would have been media depictions. And let's face it, most media depictions of black people in 1940 weren't that positive. In a situation like that, Sunflower could have influenced me. I might have become an adult who believed all sorts of dumb things.
So we have the situation of a character who might have negatively affected children when she was still in the movie, but has no power to now. So naturally NOW is when she is excised, for the sake of the children.
I disagree with you, but I'm pretty sure you're not Hitler.
- Jon Stewart
reply
share
kenny5637
14 years ago
My high school had about 4 black kids in it. The majority of black culture to which white kids in my school were exposed, came from the media. No my school doesn't speak for all schools, but neither does yours.
reply
share