.. and I'm glad they're bringing voodoo to the masses. Oh, I'm well aware that it won't even be a bit accurate, and I'm sure, even hoping, that they'll be dealing with American grown hoodoo and not the great Vodoun religion of Haiti and the Haitian diaspora. But I'm glad to see hoodoo coming to a cartoon near you, and I can't wait to see all the "Christians" up in a tizzy. And make no mistake - that place is permeated w/ voodoo and the spirits, even now, even in ruins. It's more common, at least in its lighter forms, than you can imagine.

Besides, aren't cartoons aimed at children always based on "stereotypes", on easy to understand larger than life figures? Why do a Disney kids thing about middle class people? All ethnic groups get such treatment. Or are all white people princesses? As long as voodoo is presented with respect, not as a joke or a satanic cult, it's good thing. I don't know any wicca people these days, but I would imagine they would welcome a postive treatment of their religion for children. Why should this be any different? I'll grant you, if they were showing black people in - well, I've never been to Cleveland, but in my new home LA as voodoos, it would be a bit over the top. But given that they chose New Orleans - there are so many reasons to have chosen New Orleans - it's not all that unlikely ( well, maybe the 200 year old thing, but it is a cartoon after all.) And again, aren't cartoons supposed to be magical and otherworldly? New Orleans was, once, and there's a chance it may be again, but only if people, especially the residents, still hold it as something special, still need it to be special, and voodoo was one of the elements seperating the city I still love the most from the far more prosaic United States.

I have to say that I compeletely agree with Sarah's rant.  While voodoo/hoodoo may be practised in New Orleans and is for some people an important part of their lives, I would argue that Disney's reasons for including the subject in their new cartoon has nothing to do with wanting to bring an oft-misunderstood religion into the light.  No, as Sarah said--it's an easy out because it has done over and over and over again. Andi don't imagine that their take on the religion will make it as pretty as all those white princesses' magical fairy stuff.  I too saw Bones and Angel go to New Orleans to figure out how those mysterious colored folks were killing people and I just about upchucked my dinner. Please.  It is not just New Orleans and voodoo/hoodoo that stands to suffer but Black people anywhere and everywhere when only one side of any culture is shown. And goodness knows, based on Disney's track record, I'm not holding out hope that this story will be any better than the rest of the patriarchal, misogynistic, racist filmworks they have put out over the years. Someone stick a pin in me, I'm done!

So what, exactly, is wrong with a positive depiction of Voodoo?

Besides which, this isn't about "most black people."  it's a princess story, fer chrissake- nand  what princess story wouldn't have magic in it?  What do you want, Presbyterians?

But, isn't Disney fairly consistent in their extremely broad-stroke cultural portrayals, and not least with their white "princesses"?

I mean, how are their countless witches and faeries any less stereotypically ignorant depictions of the Western medieval traditions they are supposed to represent? Every single one of their original host of white princesses - Snow White, Cinderella, Aurora, Ariel, and Belle - deal with witches, yet no one's saying that that unfairly represents white cultures.

It's not all that shocking that for their next batch of PC princesses they picked the most salient (and exotic) cultural traditions (djinn, dragons/ancestor spirits, spirit guides, etc.) to bastardize.

Personally, I was always more put off by the ridiculous romanticization of some of the worst objectification of women in Western history, through their "princess" brand.

(now who's on a rant - can you tell I am not a fan of Disney?)

I don't have anything against Disney and that movie does not sound any better/worst than their usual fare, what I have a problem with is the actual storyline. As Sarah mentioned it's just plain lazy writing.

I was on the phone with my aunt while watching the latest 'Blood Ties' episode, and I swear I told her "if I have to see one more show/movie where the black folks are into voodoo just because they're from New Orleans....." and now Disney, oh well..

to Jennifer from p: I only wear my tinfoil hat for fear of being abducted by aliens, are you telling it'd work against voodoo to...  :)

She's rather on the anorexic end of the spectrum I might say. Dear goddess please preserve little black girls who watch and ingest this image. I fear for them already. *sigh*

"Yes, I know I'm on a rant, and probably about something no one else cares about, but I don't like lazy writing that's based on stereotypes."

I know right? In every animated Disney movie I've ever seen, I've alway felt like there was potential to tell a great story without pandering to stereotypes. and yet marketability always seems to take precedence.

When I read about the jazz singing alligator named Louis, I was both tickled and disgusted. I would not be surprised if the Evil Black Voodoo Doctor Villain Man has a pet crow named Jim. I don't know whether to be excited about this 'progression' or to punch Mickey Mouse in the chest and yell, 'well what took you so damn long?'

...

or close enough that I can bring it up, where is the outrage over Angelina Jolie playing Mariane Pearl?  In case you missed it, in the latest “let's make a movie about him before people forget who he was so we can still make a buck” movie Jolie plays the wife of Daniel Pearl.  Now while Mariane Pearl may not be technically black, Jolie sure had to “Soul Man” up to play the role. Check this out.  http://celebrities.biteus.org/wp-content/uploads/2006/10/angelina_jolie_new_movie.jpg

Didn’t we stop doing this 50 years ago?

Nothing comes from nothing- descartes

I'm black and from New Orleans and I thank you for your rant Sarah. But you have to understand...... if Disney made the decision to feature a black princess, of course it had to be set in New Orleans. What else would all of those parents tell their kids ..... "Mommy, why is the princess black?" "She's from New Orleans dear, all of the people there are......"

I agree Disney is all sorts of evil when it comes to perpetuating the evil isms. And I doubt anything in this movie will be culturally sensitive.

That said- anyone think the reason this film is taking place in New Orleans is because of the psychological effects on kids after Hurricane Katrina? It is a kids film. The overwhelming majority of kids who live there are really struggling to live as kids. So maybe setting this film in New Orleans is Disney's idea of giving back the fantasy and encouraging the freedom to imagine. Because really what is more separated from reality than a Disney film?

And if that's the case, New Orleans because of Hurricane Katrina, well O_o What is it about the road to hell paved with good intentions? What am I thinking- good intentions or cashing in on a national disaster.

hmpf...I have mixed feelings I guess. When I heard disney was going to have their first African American princess I thought "hot damn now it's our time to shine" how did Disney go all these years without ONE movie with a black lead (I will not go there with the Lion King). Unfortunately the more info I found on the movie the more disgusted I became. I'm soooo sick of every black cartoon character being from a southern state. I'm a yankee born and bred and damed proud. I HATE the stereotypical dialect they (media) always use when voicing black characters, it's always sounds so country azz backwards....so what you are telling me is that there are no black people in the northern or western states and no southern blacks know how to speak proper english...

 (I know I am on a rant so bare with me).......having a black princess from New Orleans and involving voodoo/hoodoo is just lazy writing (sarah is right)...every black person is NOT from the south and every person from New Orleans is NOT sometype of vooddoo priest/priestess.....I'm just going to hope they picked New Orleans because alot of people in this country have turned their back on it, and the people there need our attention and support.....oh by the way if I hear one "honey chile" I am going to hurl....rant over :o)

..because I haven't liked an animation they've done since " The Jungle Book", not that I've seen much of it.  I don't care for animation in general. but I have to say - of course they picked New Orleans because of the situation after the hurricane. And having done that, everything else just - followed. I know, of course, and hope they know, that America is full of righteous Yankees of all colors - it's just that y'all don't fit very well into the cartoon format. Hey, take it as a compliment. I myself can speak in the most impeccable California neutral accent when I care to, and I care to quite often. But it's not the only legitimate accent, especially for a children's anime. You could, I suppose, make a cartoon about some girl's attempt to get into law school - but no one would want to see it. Cartoons are supposed to be magic and wacky and fun. They all full of princesses and witches. Why should this one be any different? Again, I've not seen, or even heard of, the crime programs Sarah mentions, and I agree that they are at least lazy, and most likely offensive.  I almost don't feel like it's Disney I'm defending here - I really don't care for them, or for any corporation. But I will go to the wall to defend voodoo, and New Orleans, especially now that the city that will always be my spiritual home is in deadly peril, peril of hurricanes, and further entrenched poverty, but more that either of those, peril of becoming like America. I'm glad it wasn't, I hope it isn't, I still go there as often as I can, back and forth quite frequently, and I don't want to see the magic leave the city. I don't want New Orleans to be like other places. And I'll stick up for anything that celebrates its difference.

But hey, people in the city don't say "honey chile" so I'm w/ you on that. You'll hear "baby" though, and "darlin'", though that's mainly from country folk visiting...

What I'm most mad about is the fact that she could be a little bit prettier.. I mean since it's the first black princess, and y is her hair so nappy..ugh whateva, i'm jus mad

~I got that remedy~