Jump to content
Banner by ~ Ice Princess Silky

Why do people think My Little Pony has hidden messages about racism


Stone Cold Applejack

Recommended Posts

Some people just have a wild imagination..

 

For example this fellow: 

http://racism-in-a-kids-show.blogspot.com/

 

This paragraph after explaining mules...

 

To sum it all up, the mules, according to the racist ponies in this show, are:

1.      Stubborn

2.      Ugly

3.      Lame

4.      Worthy of insults

 

     "Oh, Wow! What a racist show it is! Even if the ethnicity of the sentient animal characters featured in this show is different than that of the real-life’s one – which has been proven wrong over and over again, it is still racist and prejudice against mules no matter how you look at it; considering how they are subjected to such hideous, derogatory lines by the ponies as I have mentioned above. So, should I let my little sisters watch a show like this one? I don’t think so."

 

The heck is this guy thinking? I mean.. come on. XD

even one of his own ideas fails on him mules and donkeys are stubborn if you tie a rope a round it's neck and try to drag it somewhere it does not want to go it will dig its hooves into the ground and not go
Link to comment
Share on other sites

(edited)

If anyone can find racism in such an innocent cartoon show, then he/she is a racist.

 

In fact, the reality is the opposite, look at all the unicorns and pegasi and ponies of all sorts of random colors living in peace. Do you think you can hang out with purple humans? Blue kids?

 

I know some people can't.

Edited by Solid Scorpion
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Everyone has a certain mindset when it comes to viewing My Little Pony. Unfortunately, trolls can get into this mix, which can cause unnecessary debates. One thing is for sure that no matter how bad people think MLP is because of certain aspects, it's all in their opinion. 

  • Brohoof 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

In "Hearth's Warming Eve" the racism angle was played straight, but that was for the feuding tribes that founded Equestria to later learn a lesson about friendship and band together after learning they work better using their own unique talents to help each other.

 

"Bridle Gossip" was less about racism and more about not judging things or people based upon first appearances, and that was misinterpreted for various reasons.

 

"Over A Barrel" as someone pointed out earlier, seemed like an attempt at a western-style episode that also probably could have been executed better.

 

I've seen a similar accusation leveled at Applejack for "The Cutie Pox" when Applebloom's multiple talents are going out of control, Zecora shows up and AJ asks; "Was your Zebra sense a-tinglin'?"

 

Or people mishearing the lyrics of "Raise this Barn" as something offensive.

 

My point is, while these can be misinterpreted the main point of the show is an emphasis on friendship, tolerance, and acceptance-so I find it highly unlikely that any of these were intentionally put in as an elaborate scheme to brainwash children to become ignorant and bigoted.

 

Now, if the writers for any of the aforementioned episodes turned out to be huge racists then these accusations might have some merit to them-but, as it stands this is all just interpretation and speculation.

  • Brohoof 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I view it as simply because people have a tendency to always try to explain something unexplained or even a flaw away as something grander that helps make the moment all the much better. While they're not without merit as we do have some cases were it is such a case (like how Twilight didn't get much attention to her status as princess, which the finale made a point about it), I do however find it as simply people wanting to believe that the show has deeper meanings for savvy fans to try and explore it and explain of how philosophical the show is when the intent may have been alot simpler in design in reality.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Zacora has that accent because she is a zebra which are native to africa. Anyway people are always going to scream racism when they incorperate other accents and cultures. In reality the people whobare screaming racism are thevones being truely racist because they are the ones that brpught race onto thw table threw an accent.

 

Zacora-zebra-natural enviorment the planes of africa-general race of people arw dark skinned and have a strong spiritual culture.

The buffalo-native to north america-hunted mostly by native americans who in both canada and america fought againts the unfamiliar peiple of englandband france.

 

Racism is bashing on someone because of their skin color and culture and people often mistake a light hearted joke in praise of these things as racism but theybare generally over sensitive or trying to start something.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The people that consider everything racist must the really racists

In other word , why will someone find zecora negatively portrayal only because her differences with other pony if he really respects the differences

the buffalos in the end finish living in peace with the ponies accepting the differences between , how can one find this racist?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Some people just have a wild imagination..

 

For example this fellow:

http://racism-in-a-kids-show.blogspot.com/

 

This paragraph after explaining mules...

 

To sum it all up, the mules, according to the racist ponies in this show, are:

1. Stubborn

2. Ugly

3. Lame

4. Worthy of insults

 

"Oh, Wow! What a racist show it is! Even if the ethnicity of the sentient animal characters featured in this show is different than that of the real-life’s one – which has been proven wrong over and over again, it is still racist and prejudice against mules no matter how you look at it; considering how they are subjected to such hideous, derogatory lines by the ponies as I have mentioned above. So, should I let my little sisters watch a show like this one? I don’t think so."

 

The heck is this guy thinking? I mean.. come on. XD

Hey! That's the one I read. That's weird.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well if buffaloes are native americans and if zebras are africans and if the ponies are europeans then my little pony could be called my little european or my little european american. Equestria resembles america more then africa so it's fair to call the ponies european american.

 

I also fond this random blog post about the episode Over a Barrel that I agree with. http://sanguinity.dreamwidth.org/49268.html

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think I wasn't clear before , so yes , let me say again

 

Is sad to know that people keep calling such a innocent show racist just to show how weird they are .But I am sure that most of them must be only trolls or haters that want to find a reason to hate such a enjoyable show, in fact, opinions that portrayal a children show as a racism propaganda are mostly stupid and ridiculous , I can't even believe that the people who make this kind of opinion can believe their own reasons .

 

Saying things like " the buffalos was portrayed stupid and violent "or " in the show, they portrayed a African so hahahaha, how racist the show are" don't have many differences to say " look , a man is watching a girl show , let's laugh at him" . Their reasons are just too weak that I really don't want to waste My time replying them.

 

And yes , is true that there are even people that are actually so boring that write a huge post to show how " racist " a children show is with many reasons that seems to be right. but if you read it carefully , you will find that their reasons are still being weak, with great sort of imagination, but still weak

 

And again, how can someone find zecora negatively potrayal if he isn't a racist himself? For me , and I think for most of us, zecora is a cool zebra, with actually a cool development ,she is cute different from a pony , but still cute. and has a very cute strange house inside a cool forest

and a funny accent when speaking. Honestly , she is my fourth favorite pony (aha! So you thought that she is ridiculous . Now who is the racist?)

 

The same happen with the buffalos, yes I know that their chief was portrayed to be something boring and impulsive. But what about the ponies, honestly , my best pony , pinkie in this chapter didn't stop ruining everything, withouth her , maybe the buffalos will never get so angry , rainbow dash and apple jack wasn't very polite at first, and in fact , every pony have their defect . Why nobody thought that the show was anti-pony? The reason is too obvious to mention. I really don't think the buffalos was negatively portrayed , the ponies-who could move to other places- stole their sacred land without asking them. But the buffalo still didn't want to hurt any pony until pinkie's song annoyed them (and well , to be honest I loved the song , in fact I love all pinkie's songs) the small buffalo resulted very friendly and all the buffalos in the end were friendly too. so you still think that the buffalos were ugly and stupidly primitive ? We'll honestly the buffalos weren't lovely but that how a buffalo looks like, and I must say that they weren't ugly at all, they just looked .....cool? And if someone thinks they were primitive compared with ponies just because they were running all the time, I just don't know what his problem is.People run in a marathon or a race too, and I run around my neighborhood twice a day , and I will run if It is needed. So you think that I am primitive only because I run when I need to run. silly? And well , they stamp because it is their tradition. If someone think that stamping is primitive , so " hahaha the show Is racist" I must tell him that in the world there is a lot of more civilizations like the Aztecs , the celts and even the Romans that have some tradition that maybe seems primitive, but always have a good reason.

So you still think that the buffalos are primitive because they paint their faces,?you guy are just silly?American natives paint their faces because their religions believes and I really don't see anything primitive about it, it has not differences with haging a cross in your nail.

( so aha, now who is the racist)

 

And yes , the ponies were more industrious and peaceful . because they reference to the cowboys, and the true is that no matter how uncomfortable you feel, the cowboy or the American pioneers were more industrious than the natives , still can't find nothing racist about it. They were more peaceful because ...well , are you waiting to see the ponies kill the buffalos gun in hand? Is true that it will look better if the buffalos weren't so warlike, but well.. the show isn't perfect, guy.

 

And it is very different if you find it racist just because what happened the end of the episode 21 , it wasn't a really good developed ending, I love the whole episode except the ending . But it still has nothing to do with racism , so , what are you waiting to see, the buffalo superior to the ponies? it will comfort you watching the natives being superior to the yankees? Aha, now who is the racist?

 

The whole show is and will always be a innocent Children show although sometimes the characters have defects and gets angry , sad or crazy, the show itself is and will always be a INNOCENT children show for reasons that are obvious . I really don't understand why people want to interpret the show racist " we need to care, we need to love" care, love , tolerance, is this racist? Of course not! It is just the opposite.

 

I know that we really don't need to care about trolls in internet, there will always be these kind of people , I respect their opinion just like how I respect them. But when I have to disagree , I will disagree. And when I can share my opinion, I will share. It is just my personal opinion, so no offense if someone still think the show is racist, if you think I am wrong In some point , you can question me leaving me a comment

 

(Finally, sorry for my bad English)

Edited by Aileron
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[...]

Zecora shows up and AJ asks; "Was your Zebra sense a-tinglin'?"

I swear I don't mean this in a bad way, but...

 

 

Racism is bashing on someone because of their skin color and culture and people often mistake a light hearted joke in praise of these things as racism but theybare generally over sensitive or trying to start something.

 

Bingo!

  • Brohoof 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

They also say its homophobic because apparently Rainbow Dash shows lesbian features and acts like a tom boy. Given she is a tom boy, she isn't lesbian.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They also say its homophobic because apparently Rainbow Dash shows lesbian features and acts like a tom boy. Given she is a tom boy, she isn't lesbian.

Uh you seem of topic a bit

Thats bullshit.The only thing is that these fuckers never watched the show and like all haters they think ponies have tea parties and make their manes and such girly stuff.

Well here's the thing on the page he said Twilight was his favorite pony which only means one thing. He's one of us.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

People are really looking way too deep into this show... None of the examples mentioned are good evidence that the show is racist, the only thing that comes close is when Zecora is introduced, and the ponies assume the worst of her and avoid her... Yet they learn their lesson and realize that they were totally wrong about her.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Uh you seem of topic a bit

Well here's the thing on the page he said Twilight was his favorite pony which only means one thing. He's one of us.

Sorry, both of those topics just really piss me off. :/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

First of all, it's a fallacy to believe that anyone who is a part of the majority can make any kind of reasonable assumptions as to what is questionable to the group or groups that may be targeted. I hate it when people do that. The next  fault is the attempt to give authority to the stance by the claiming of minority friend, as if they could presume to be a representative of what that persons view may be. 

  I'm not a brony, but I've been watching some of the marathon currently on to see what the hubbub was about, and the first thing that struck me was just how incredibly and unnecessarily Eurocentric the show is. Especially since it's made in Canada and aimed at US audiences, two supposed bastions of diversity.  Much of the problem may not be intentioned out and out racism, and a lot of it is subtextual, but it is there. The ponies to me are without a doubt representational of white folks, and with the cultural associated norms as a baseline, while the various non-pony equines, and bison, being the varied other peoples. The shows creators, for some strange reason, decided to place the pony pov in a past allegorical time when the west was superficially innocent but actually highly homogenous, highly ignorant about and exclusionary to people of color. It makes for some interesting first encounters within the context of the show, but the rapping backwoods Zebra, wild stampeding Bison, passive Donkeys and ugly Mules are never really thusly included, and are treated as alien stereotyped 'others', to be tolerated after simply being  plot devices that were the source of scorn, derision, suspicion or trouble making, that became one off  lessons, only to then be tossed aside like used tokens. The historical whitewashing of the Natives American story is also particularly troubling. The effect of these treatments in shows and toys like this on impressionable minority youth has been practically lab tested and proven, and MLP is much broader in scope of these negative aspects than almost any show I've ever seen.  Much of this carelessness and insensitivity could have been avoided if there were any people of color with proper representation on Hasbro's or Studio B' s board, or on the MLP creative team.      

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Join the herd!

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...