Courtesy of classicalite.com

We know racism was and is an integral part of American history. Because, y’know, racism.

It doesn’t have to be, but currently it is. One way to perpetuate racism is to imbue it in all forms of media, and cartoons are no exception. Even beloved childhood cartoon for multiple generations Tom & Jerry was susceptible — to the point Amazon put a warning in the description of the cartoon.

The description reads as follows:

“Tom & Jerry” shorts

may depict some ethnic and racial prejudices

that were once commonplace in American society. Such depictions were wrong then and are wrong today.

People on Twitter could be quoted as saying, “Political correctness gone mad” and “So, Tom is basically a racist, sexist, chain-smoking cat. COME ON”.

And to these people I say: shut the fuck up.

Why does being politically correct bother you? Why does trying to be inoffensive and acknowledging the darker aspects of American and Western society piss you off to the point you complain about it being “politically correct” and having “gone mad”? Cartoons aren’t immune to racism and discrimination, but figuring from your comments, you wouldn’t know a damn thing about racism, would you? Stay pressed and stay privileged.

The only people who have the luxury of complaining about political correctness are those who benefit from political incorrectness and don’t experience racism. You know damn well who you are.

The cartoon has been criticized (rightly so) in the past, for racist depictions of black face, especially the stereotypical character “Mammy Two Shoes”.

Whoopi Goldberg masterfully explains that it is problematic, but necessary, to include the racial injustices in order to accurately portray the history of the time:

I’m really glad Amazon did this. They’re letting it be known they’re not one to fuck around with discrimination, backlash or no.

Four for you, Amazon. You go, Amazon.

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