I don't teach my kids to be racist

So there I was, with my wife and kids, in the living room one afternoon just hanging out. The television was on the Disney Channel as I'm sure many of you with small children and cable tv can relate. One show which gets its fair share of playback in our house is "The Suite Life on Deck". It is one of Disney's many sitcoms and is based on two, twin brothers and the hijinks which ensue on a cruise ship with school age kids. An episode began like so many others with the brothers, Zack and Cody, along with co-stars, getting involved in some mischief and having to work through it. This particular episode, titled "The Swede Life", as I've come to find out entails Zack and Cody's adventures in Sweden as they try to clear their family's ancestral name. Sounds like so many other television plots doesn't it? But something about it started to feel a bit off...

I suppose I could have began subconsciously pondering how the writers of the show arrived at the decision to make an episode based on Zack and Cody (Dylan and Cole Sprouse respectively) re-visiting their ancestors in Sweden. I mean, they are both white and have blonde hair right? So they fit the stereotype. And Disney felt no regret in applying that stereotype to the majority of the cast of "locals" for this episode.

I think it really got my attention when two of the co-stars, London Tipton and Bailey Pickett (Brenda Song and Debby Ryan respectively), tried to pass themselves off to some of the "locals" as being "one of them" by putting on blonde wigs, complete with braids no less, donning what looked to be a milk maids costume and speaking with what I'm certain everyone thought were very funny Swedish accents. (Sarcasm noted)

By now, I'm asking myself "Am I really seeing this?". So I sat and contemplated how no one at Disney caught this, seeing as how the company surely must be aware of their reputation for having produced other pieces with racist undertones that have been brought to light.

Regardless, the show continued. At the end, I was left wondering whether the folks at Disney had any idea about the message they were sending. More than that, however, is the question as to what kind of message my kids got out of the show. Honestly, I don't know yet. What I do know is that, next to family, media sources like television are the most influential in shaping the values of children who then carry those values with them as they grow into adults. And that started me thinking...

See, I don't teach my kids to be racists. Why would I? I want my children to be responsible members of society and to treat people fairly without regard to their race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation. I think there are plenty of people in society who feel the same as I do. But here's the issue. I have never sat any of my kids down and said to them, "You can't trust [fill in the blank]. They're lazy, good for nothing, and just want to be given everything." I don't have to. There are plenty of other sources of influence that will do that for me. If I fail to talk to my children about these sources, about how they can make racism or sexism seem like just "good, clean, fun" where "nobody gets hurt", then I am not part of the solution. William Blake (1757-1827) said "Active evil is better than passive good". I believe that in order to make progress toward a society in which people are treated fairly, with dignity and respect, we have to be active and good.

I'm pretty sure by now, at least one person is scratching their head saying to themselves "I don't get this guy. It's a tv show. People have been doing comedy bits like this for years. What's the big deal?" So check it out, here is a little test that I often rely upon to determine whether the behavior in question (in this case, people using stereotypes to make fun of a Swedes) is what I claim it to be. Take our example of the two cast members using stereotypes for laughs as seen in the picture above. Now replace the category of people whom they are stereotyping with another category. Let's say, instead of stereotyping Swedes, they were stereotyping Latinos. What do you think the reaction would be if people of non-Hispanic ancestry, dressed up in stereotypical Latino/Latina clothing and did a comedy sketch using overtly fake accents? In case you're having difficulty imagining such a thing, or if you happen to be in denial that people would ever do such a thing, allow me to share the following images with you:

 The photos above were taken from a party held off campus by students of Clemson University in South Carolina the day before Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday observance in 2007. After the party drew considerable unfavorable attention, some of the students issued an apology stating they didn't mean any harm. Last year (2010), at the University of California at San Diego, another group of students thought it would be a good idea to commemorate Black History month by having a party called a "Compton Cookout". There are no photos, but you can read the invitation below or at this link:

"February marks a very important month in American society. No, i'm not referring to Valentines day or Presidents day. I'm talking about Black History month. As a time to celebrate and in hopes of showing respect, the Regents community cordially invites you to its very first Compton Cookout.

For guys: I expect all males to be rockin Jersey's, stuntin' up in ya White T (XXXL smallest size acceptable), anything FUBU, Ecko, Rockawear, High/low top Jordans or Dunks, Chains, Jorts, stunner shades, 59 50 hats, Tats, etc.

For girls: For those of you who are unfamiliar with ghetto chicks-Ghetto chicks usually have gold teeth, start fights and drama, and wear cheap clothes - they consider Baby Phat to be high class and expensive couture. They also have short, nappy hair, and usually wear cheap weave, usually in bad colors, such as purple or bright red. They look and act similar to Shenaynay, and speak very loudly, while rolling their neck, and waving their finger in your face. Ghetto chicks have a very limited vocabulary, and attempt to make up for it, by forming new words, such as "constipulated", or simply cursing persistently, or using other types of vulgarities, and making noises, such as "hmmg!", or smacking their lips, and making other angry noises,grunts, and faces. The objective is for all you lovely ladies to look, act, and essentially take on these "respectable" qualities throughout the day.

Several of the regents condos will be teaming up to house this monstrosity, so travel house to house and experience the various elements of life in the ghetto.We will be serving 40's, Kegs of Natty, dat Purple Drank- which consists of sugar, water, and the color purple , chicken, coolade, and of course Watermelon.

So come one and come all, make ya self before we break ya self, keep strapped, get yo shine on, and join us for a day party to be remembered- or not."

Do you think maybe Disney might think twice before approving that for release onto the air? So what's the difference? Is it alright to make fun of one group of people but not another? Is racism against black or brown folks only wrong because they're the center of so much focus regarding racism? I hardly think so, but here's my larger point: Where do you suppose these kids got the bright idea that it was acceptable to do this sort of thing in the first place? No, I am not placing the blame on Disney, although in my opinion they do have to take ownership for their share of the problem. And if I don't teach my children otherwise, then so do I.