I saw this on the news...

[Bec]

That is just ridiculous! I think it is fair for all children of all races to have a cartoon/character on tv that looks and talks like them. There are many white characters but then there is Ni Hao Kai-Lan who is oriental, Little Bill who is African American, and then there is Dora and Diego who are Latino! I watched 2 of the most precious little children daily for the 1st 2 & 3 years of their lives...they are 1/2 Mexican and look more Mexican than white. The little boy one day told me that Diego looks like him! I was so happy that he had a character to identify with! I also think it is good for children not of that race to learn about other races. My daughter watched Dora everyday and would speak some Spanish words at 2 years old! I also watched another little boy who is autistic, did not speak many words at the time to begin with, but yet he could speak some Japanese from watching Kai-Lan all the time....I think that is great!


I guess I just don't see the problem with it

IMO, it is just plain sickening that this country has come to picking on cartoon characters based on their race

 

[OccamsTazer]

Yeah, remember the Teletubby fiasco?
I didn't think the media could get any dumber, but it turns out I was mistaken.

 

[Ferrret]

Quote:
Kai-Lan is basically a Chinese Dora. She teaches a few Chinese words like Dora teaches a few Spanish words.

I wasn't a fan of Dora because by the time it aired I was older than the demographic and watching the show made it feel like I was being talked down to. I also don't have much interest in the Spanish language. I took 4 years of German classes because I liked the language, but there are no shows featuring German speaking characters with the intent to teach the language and basic life skills. Sadly enough a lot of German speaking characters I've seen in shows are also bigots and drunks typically with blond hair and blue eyes. Everything about the country, it's history and culture, has been thrown aside for 2 decades that the majority of German people deeply regret.

I won't be surprised when attacks come down on Kai-Lan for being Chinese, because there is a very large anti-China sentiment in the US.
The Dora issue shouldn't exists as is, but a way to clear is up would be to give her a country of origin, have more information about the places she travels to, and if she does leave her country, give her a passport. It can all be turned into education about geography, cultures, and how to travel properly.

The US should remove it's racial bias, but it won't. The US should name a National Language, but it won't. The US should treat people as people, not as a color, a religious belief, or social status, but that won't happen either. There are too many people on opposite sides of the fence that the tug of war won't be won by either side. Pleasing one half will just make the other half even angrier.
All the countries in the world have a racial, religious and social discrimination, but you have to change your view point to see it.

 

[Whispering Winds]

Quote:
Me too. . .but what about Speedy Gonzales? He was/is Hispanic, but guess he was based out of Mexico? Geez, don't we have better things to worry about . . .