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Disney Princess Movie a "Slap in the face" to African American Men... (34745 hits)


Ok... So I guess this is what we get when Disney finally makes a movie with a black princess. A young black girl who falls in love with a prince that is is apparently from India (not African American or even African).

I was happy when I first heard about the movie, as I have a young daughter, aged 9, and I thought she would be more excited about seeing it than me. To my surprise, she was not really intrigued or interested in the concept at all. Probably because she is 9 years old in an era where we have a black president, and her mother is an immigrant (who knows not the struggle of African Americans in this country) and her father is a successful business man that does not seem to struggle with being black in America.

Well despite her lack of interest (good job Disney in promoting this to young black females and black families, yea right!), we went to check out the movie a couple of days ago. It started out good. Nice black family. Cool. A young black female with aspirations of running her own business. A hard worker, all good... Then in comes the news about a prince coming to town. The ship pulls up and well the guy looks black (or brown), but as soon as he opened his mouth, my stomach dropped... Wow! I took my daughter to see a black princess, thinking, see you can be a princess too, and it turns out she'll be crowned a princess by marrying someone not like her own father. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against interracial dating. I mean, I'm of mixed heritage, so is my daughter. But in this country, we are considered black, and that's that.

Couldn't she have married a black Prince? Seems Disney went out of their way to NOT have a black prince if you ask me. If my daughter falls in love with someone from another country or ethnicity, so be it, but I can't lie and say that I don't feel like I got slapped in the face taking my daughter to see this. It's like, ok black girls, you can be a princess, but the only way you can do it is by not marrying another black person. Man! Don't we have enough freaking problems with black men and black women marrying?

Maybe I'm overreacting?
Posted By: Will Moss
Saturday, January 2nd 2010 at 7:55AM
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I haven't seen the movie yet, It just so happens that they selcted my hometown of New Orleans for the movie's setting. They had the accent's down reallly well!!!

I still say the same as everyone else on my block, the prince should have been Black. We feel the fact the voodoo villian is Black gives folks the impression that Black men are no good and will never amount to nothing. Oh, well...Y’all heard what the woman playing Tiana, Anika Rose said... love is love.

Saturday, January 2nd 2010 at 4:50PM
Siebra Muhammad
Love is love but the significance of this movie, they should have known better. I'm not buying any of the merchandise anymore. I slipped up and got the game for my daughter before i actually saw the movie. You know what's funny is I am so used to bad guys being black men in movies that it didnt even suprise me, but the stick the black princess with essentially a no good womanizer, broke ass prince... In practice I don't have a problem with it at all, but I have a problem with Disney slapping us in the face like that. Also if were not for 'white people' in this movie, she would not have gotten her dream come true. Interesting.
Saturday, January 2nd 2010 at 8:06PM
Will Moss
Please don't shoot this messenger, but... I'll relay what my son (in LA and in 'the biz' as they refer to the entertainment industry there) told me a few years back.
He says that the entire industry is all about profit. (Who knew?)
So it's possible Disney simply guessed as to what might sell better across a broad spectrum.
Once could conclude they were pandering to blacks (and apparently missed) or, just as reasonably, assume they could have felt it was time to risk a black princess, even if it failed commercially. In which case appreciation would be in order.
Also noted recently that blacks have stayed away from "Blindside" with Sandra Bullock in droves. Could that be because many simply resent it when a Christian white acts charitably? Maybe it's time to question where continuing resentment of whites comes from... and whether anything is accomplished by harboring such resentment in the long run (or even short run , for that matter).
Sunday, January 3rd 2010 at 7:03PM
Guest Visitor
Yea, guest visitor, I don't speak out of resentment towards white people... As far as I am concerned, a black person could have wrote that script and I would have felt like I was slapped in the face. I just felt like Disney did that intentionally not having anything to do with profit. I mean america can accept a black male being a prince, the country accepted a black president... come on.
Sunday, January 3rd 2010 at 9:35PM
Will Moss
[I mean america can accept a black male being a prince, the country accepted a black president... come on.]

Brother Moss I empathize with you, but I really don't see what the problem is now that I've had time to evaluate things for myself, I think the sisters can take many lessons from this movie with one of them being that we don't have to wait for a Black prince anymore, but we can find love for ourselves with other ethnic groups like many of the brothers have found.

Monday, January 4th 2010 at 2:42AM
Jen Fad
That's the lesson for our girls? Wow... It's a wrap. The princess in the movie was not waiting around for a black prince. That was not the problem, but for you to think that is the lesson that should be learned then I guess a black man sticking up for black love is a lost cause, assuming you're a black woman.
Monday, January 4th 2010 at 2:51AM
Will Moss
Brothers, I wouldn't be surprised if the following happens in 2010.

1. KFC comes out with a Tiger meal...White meat only.

2. Tiger makes a BET video: "Have a baby by me be a millionaire."
Monday, January 4th 2010 at 11:55AM
Siebra Muhammad
[1. KFC comes out with a Tiger meal...White meat only.]

Sister Siebra now that's some funny stuff~

[That was not the problem, but for you to think that is the lesson that should be learned then I guess a black man sticking up for black love is a lost cause, assuming you're a black woman.]

Brother Moss of course I'm a Black woman who has learned to think outside of the Black only box and if I were not what difference would my comment make? Besides brothas have long turned their backs on us over and over again. Black men shouldn't feel 'slapped in the face' by a Black princess being with a non Black prince.

The lesson is love comes in all colors and sisters should learn from the movie--- stop waiting and limiting our chances for love by waiting for men who don't want to be with us and when they are with us --- don't know how to treat us. I'm sure you wouldn't want that for your little princess, assuming you love your daughter
Monday, January 4th 2010 at 7:07PM
Jen Fad
Hey Moss, appreciate the blog man, I have not seen the movie but thank you for presenting a different perspective .
Anika Noni Rose the black voice behind the princess is on my friendship list at another website and she is a Florida A&M Alumnus.

Wednesday, January 6th 2010 at 2:04PM
WILLIAM W. HEMMANS III
@Jen Fad: Thanks for your comments. I think you may have missed the point of my issue here with the movie. I do not have a problem with people dating outside of their race, never have, never will. The problem I have this movie is that I was excited when I heard there was a black princess movie by disney, but disappointed with there was not black prince. The movie was not about the princess waiting for anyone, so I don't think that is the issue or hopefully not the point that all little black girls got when they watched it. My problem is with Disney and the screen writers. I'm sure they knew what they were doing when they cast the prince as non-black.

Maybe i can clarify the picture... Do you remember the movies back in the 40s and 50s where the only black actors and actresses where like maids and servants? Back then they intentionally cast blacks as servants probably because they thought that blacks were not good enough to be lead actors, OR maybe they thought blacks did not fit in as leading roles. Either case I don't like it.... I'm saying that is what happened here when they did not pick a black prince... Do you see my point more clearly now?
Wednesday, January 6th 2010 at 2:17PM
Will Moss
Mozell, you asked, "Are we all alike? Are all black people adversed to Blindside?"

And I can answer that. No, we're not all alike, although I assessed that was more a rhetorical question than anything.

As for "The Blind Side," I LOVED the movie and saw it twice, once with my daughter and once with my husband.
Thursday, January 7th 2010 at 7:19PM
Dee Gray
Brother Moss,
I guess your view of the movie is relevant, but I didn't see it the way you did. Disney is trying.
Thursday, January 7th 2010 at 7:41PM
Jen Fad
That's the beauty of our individuality... I applaud them for trying, but I also felt as a black father I wanted to voice my opinion... I wonder what my daughter would think.. I'll invite her to view this blog...
Thursday, January 7th 2010 at 7:45PM
Will Moss
Wow! First off, let me say that I respect everyone's opinion. However, I am a nineteen-year old female who loves to watch almost any type of movie in which there are black actors and actresses being portrayed in a positive light (which is rare, today. I do watch movies from the '70's and '80's.) I have not seen The Princess and the Frog. I cannot recall a movie (made in '90's up to today) in which a successful black man has been in a relationship with a black woman who was his complexion or darker. Black men, in movies seem to be attracted to women of lighter complexions and every ethnicity except African/African-American/Black. If she is of African descent, then she is mixed, and her mixed heritage is obvious. When I look in magazines targeted for Black women, the women are always mixed, or made up and photoshopped to look much less Black than they really may be. Doesn't make me feel very good about myself ( I am not light-skinned or dark-skinned; in the middle). In closing, Black women have been "slapped in the face" for the past 19 years. Not saying that William Roger Moss III's viewpoint is Hollywood's or some Black women's way of "getting back at the Black man/half-black woman relationship", but I am happy to see that someone of another nationality views a Black woman as attractive, being that it is not easily seen that Black women are viewed as attractive by Black men. I don't know, maybe I'm too young to understand....
Thursday, January 7th 2010 at 9:48PM
Marisa Tyler
I'll second that notion Brother Mozell--- Maybe we can entice Brother Moss and the platform connect to bring us a mini Black movie to this site. ((Lol))

Hey I'm accustomed to watching lost of West African Movies where you see all Black cast. It somethig to see. I've learned a great deal about Nigerian and Ghanian culture by watching the movies. Perhaps I'll post one.
Tuesday, January 12th 2010 at 4:14AM
Jen Fad
I agree with Mozell in that this horse was beat years ago upon announcement and few were ready to do battle. So we just have TO DO better going forward.

Joan Gosier
One Mom who got the changes SHE wanted made in the movie concept waaay back in 2007-:)
Monday, February 8th 2010 at 2:05PM
Joan E. Gosier HBCUkidz.com
Do we expect anything more from Disney? Do we?
Wednesday, February 24th 2010 at 12:36AM
Daniel Moss
Even if it's all about profit, as one of the commenter above's son asserts (I happen to agree), isn't it a shame, that the love between a black man and black woman on screen is not as profitable (nor palatable) to the american public, as is the lov between any other race but our own? Or is that what they would ask us to believe through repetition and rhetoric?
Wednesday, February 24th 2010 at 12:41AM
Daniel Moss
@ RONALD COURT: EXCELLENT QUESTION!

@ ALL:
I believe it STARTS when we embrace, support, gossip about and spread through the GRAPEVINE positive projects that PROMOTE POSITIVE IMAGES so that they become PROFITABLE for ADVENTUROUS EXPORERS, RISK TAKERs/ENTREPRENEURS/ THOUGHT LEADERS to place their productive energy to DREAM AND CREATE. WE SEEM TO WAIT for mainstream to pacify and direct US before we are "officially notified, introduced or invited" to accept OUR projects...Anyone recall "BLACK IN AMERICA BY CNN" as ONE of many, many, many examples?

In 2010, we MUST be more PROACTIVE AND STRATEGIC in how we are allocating our resources. We can't keep crying when someone ELSE is profiting off of OUR BAD HABITS OF PLAYING VICTIM...IMHO.

How many of US have heard about, joined or have EVEN supported the purchase of this black couple's movie release?

http://clutchmagonline.com/blogindex/black...

http://blackandmarriedwithkids.com/

WE CAN DO THIS!

Sistery love,

Joan

Author of "Cotton Pickin' Paycheck-A 21st Century Journal of Escape from Slavery (1805-1988)" and Author of "The Invisible BLACK Family" chapter from "Victorious Living for Women" and published in MORE BLACK SUCCESS by Zhana

www.CottonPickinPaycheck.com
http://www.e-junkie.com/Zhana21/product/82...
www.BlackParentConnect.com

P.S.
PROFIT IS KEY MOTIVE FOR MOST BUSINESSES. NEWSFLASH FOR PERHAPS SOME...DISNEY (as is most media) IS A BUSINESS. :)
Wednesday, February 24th 2010 at 7:35AM
Joan E. Gosier HBCUkidz.com
Profit is in fact a fundamental rule for all businesses. The nature of business unfortunately requires that almost ALL companies are forced to behave unethically. If you sell shoes and your neighbor sells the same shoes for less, are you going to tell yor customers they can get the shoes cheaper next door? Your ethical consideration in that instance would likely put you out of business. Business unfortunately corrupts, without exception (at least for those who remain in business). Stances must be taken however; Frankly, we are running ads for Disney jobs right now. Should we sit idly by and say nothing while they disrespect members of the world community (read: "blacks"), or rather take this opportunity to educate them towards being more culturally sensitive in their pursuit of these huge profits?

Thursday, February 25th 2010 at 2:08AM
Daniel Moss
@Daniel C. Moss

QUOTE"...Should we sit idly by and say nothing while they disrespect members of the world community (read: "blacks"), or rather take this opportunity to educate them towards being more culturally sensitive in their pursuit of these huge profits? "

BE TRUE! DO U!

I as an N=1 approached them back in 2007 and stated in writing what I DID NOT LIKE about the movie we are discussing. Within a few days or weeks, I read a press release stating they were going BACK to the drawing board to make changes.

I saw the movie with my family and we were pleased with MOST of those changes.

I believe in FREE SPEECH, THOUGHT and ACTION. When one does not agree SPEAK OUT AND BE HEARD.

But I do NOT BELIEVE in just complaining.

THAT IS ALL MY POSTS ON THIS TOPIC ARE MEANT TO COMMUNICATE.

DONT'T CRITICIZE...ORGANIZE!

Sisterly love,

Joan
www.CottonPickinPaycheck.com


Thursday, February 25th 2010 at 7:41AM
Joan E. Gosier HBCUkidz.com
❤🐘💙[The actress (Noni -sp?) in real life married a Spanish or Indian looking man....🤷🏾🤦🏽]
Thursday, January 19th 2023 at 8:09AM
Mau-Un El-Bey
Wow! I know this article is 13 years old, but the concepts are even more relevant now than back in 2010! Will Moss is 100% correct. And Black folks are missing the point just as terribly now as in 2010. Disney was disrespectful to us and it's obvious! Furthermore, its a reason why we must find those "old school" Black folks in our community who are wise enough to know when propaganda under the guise of entertainment is being wielded against us!
Saturday, December 16th 2023 at 11:14AM
Samuel Burnham
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