Some of the things that caught my attention this week:
- "Sparkling Wiggles" – This is by far one of the most idiotic things I’ve seen in a long time. This poor kid. That her parents would take her toddler mispronunciations to make "unintentional" racial slurs and broadcast it all over the internet goes way beyond offensive. I truly hope this is not the future of white America.
- Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends from the Cartoon Network – I definitely have to check this out. As someone who works with children in foster care, the concept of this concerns me. How much has our society’s concept of foster care become so common place that there is a cartoon about it? I will check back with you on this one, after I view some episodes. There is also an "official blog" here.
From Wikipedia:
In this world, imaginary friends become real the instant a child imagines them. Unfortunately for the imaginary friends, the children outgrow them. When that happens, the friends are left to fend for themselves. Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends was founded by the elderly Madame Foster to provide a foster home (hence the title) for abandoned imaginary friends; their motto is
"Where good ideas are not forgotten." There are (according to "Setting A President") 1,340 imaginary friends at Foster’s Home. It has been suggested that the house itself may be imaginary, as well. In the end of "Emancipation Complication" Madame Foster states that there are 2,038 imaginary friends currently residing in the house, suggesting that the house may have grown larger during the time. This is probably why they were very busy and overcrowded in that same episode.
Harlow's Monkey 
I doubt that unfortunate video is a particularly effective indication of the behavior of white Americans.
I’m ashamed of them, but as a parent, an American and a human being.
I hope that horrendous video starts being banned from the sites where it is posted. What amazes me is that after following a few links, there is a DEBATE about whether or not it is racist. Now how is encouraging a white toddler to use the N word at all, muchless in derogatory sentences not racist? Because the kid doesn’t know? That makes it worse!
My kids watch Fosters. It’s actually pretty cute IMO, intelligent funny dialogue designed to occasionally go right past the kids to the parents. Sometimes the characters meet their creators after years of separation. I don’t think it does much negative stereotyping but I haven’t paid close enough attention (bad mommy doesn’t filter TV, except for occasional shows that are just. too. annoying and/or negative).
It’s actually helpful to read the Wiki entry because I have been kind of confused about the premise and setting.
You gotta f’ing kidding me. Gotta love the mom chiming in, “Say Get a job, Sparkling Wiggle”. Oh, not racist? Anyone who says those two asswipes masquerading as ‘parents’ aren’t parents must be living in a la-la land. Nice to know that I’m not that paranoid after all.
Video is just disgusting and very sad to think about the little girl being used by the parents. Seems like a crime to me.
My kids also watch Foster’s Home too, and I haven’t given the show as much attention as maybe I should, but my 11yo insists that it’s ok. I’ll be checking it out, thanks
So I checked out the Foster’s thing and eh?
As someone that was passed around between foster homes myself, I don’t see any connection.
Then again I have no bad memories of them other than knowing they were not permanent. The adventure wore off on the first night.
I just wanted to add here that my 11yo might have a different perspective (about Foster’s)than a 6yo.,for example, when she was that age, she couldn’t understand the difference between “adopted highways” and “adopted children” and we had a very painful experience because of that.
Yes, the video is disgusting.
Why on earth would you even make the statement: “I truly hope this is not the future of white America”? There are all different kinds of white folks out there. You have to be able to realize that most of us aren’t like that.
Margaret –
When white parents teach their children how to be racist, I worry about the future of white America.
And as a white person, you should be too.
That video was so disgusting, so appalling that it literally made me sick. The truly frightening thing to me is thinking about all of the other people who might be teaching their children similar racist views, but just aren’t broadcasting it all over for the world to see.
Jae Ran, you said “When white parents teach their children how to be racist, I worry about the future of white America.”
I absolutely agree.
The one time I had a person (a child) toss a racial slur at one of my sons (who are Korean) it wasn’t a white person.
This boy’s father seemed unconcerned until I brought up that I figured he learned it from his parents.
Yet I understand why Jae would say this and I agree. I’ve had old friends stand in my own livingroom and say things I could not believe, in front of my children.
As a white person I see subtle signs of covert racism here and there. Lurking just below the surface. And when it leaks out, it is usually through their children. Or in my unfortunate company.
My whole life I have fought it hard, and used to despair, thinking I was wasting my time. But no longer.
I have caught an episode of Foster’s Home. The imaginary friends were working hard to impress the potential adopters, showing them how cute and clever they were so they would be chosen. I cried and my kids just looked at me like I was nuts.