factbat.com

In a completely ridiculous article debating the national origin and legal immigrant status of Dora the Explorer -- an animated make-believe character akin to Spongebob Squarepants -- Associated Press writer Sophia Tareen goes on ad nauseam about the fate of Dora and her perceived image, along with many other imaginary characters created by the entertainment industry.

Tareen’s article has a picture of Dora that has been doctored to make it appear as if the character has been roughed up a bit, with a black eye, bloody nose, and busted lip. She is shown behind a plaque that reads “Dora the Explorer, illegal border crossing, resisting arrest” and is obviously the depiction of a “mug-shot”. The drawing was originally created by a contestant in Florida, Debbie Groben, who entered it in a contest for the fake news site Freakingnews.com.

But the fun doesn’t stop there. It appears that liberals are once again pretending that they have all of the answers, and that their analysis of the population in this country is nothing short of empirical evidence. However, their rhetoric leaves much to be desired, and is apparently the result of an ulterior agenda that seeks to demonize the American population.

The article cites a finding by the alleged “experts” (nondescript) who claim in no uncertain terms “the pictures and rhetoric surrounding them online, in newspapers and public rallies, reveal some Americans’ attitudes about race, immigrants, and where some immigration reform debate may be headed.”

However, the picture is, as stated previously, the rendering of one individual who likely conceived it in a realm of creativity that sought to codify the current debacle that is, by and large, the result of sensationalist politicians and rancorous activists who are exploiting the perfectly legal actions taken by the Arizona government.

To digress for a moment; the fact is that the new legislation in Arizona is actually nothing more than the mirror image of federal law that is already in place, and has been for decades. The problem is that the federal government has not been enforcing the law. This is likely due to politicking that seeks to win votes rather than protect and safeguard the nation. It has become entirely obvious over the decades, that the majority of Washington has little, if any regard, for the private sector’s day to day cares and personal environment. Arizona has been begging the federal government to do something about the illegal immigration crisis for over a decade.

Furthermore, Janet Napolitano, the former governor of Arizona who has bombastically come out against SB1070, was herself in favor of even harsher measures when she begged the federal government to send the United States National Guard to the region in order to combat the growing influx of illegal immigrants and drug trafficking. And the problem has worsened under Obama.

Jan Brewer, the state’s acting governor, has every right to protect the citizens of her state, and to enforce the laws that the federal government is refusing to.

But back to the issue at hand.

Some panel of experts (highly questionable at best) appear to believe that a make-believe character is the brunt of American angst, or at least some explicit depiction of the nation’s overall perception of social issues.

The article also quotes University of Cincinnati sociology professor, Erin Masi de Casanova, as stating “Dora is kind of like a blank screen onto which people can project their thoughts and feelings about Latino’s” Funny thing is, I have seen the Dora character many times, and never once viewed it as anything more than a dark haired drawing of a little girl. As far as the character being Latino, this does not in any way matter, nor does it seem plausible in this multi-cultural, multi-racial nation of Americans, who generally speak a multitude of languages, and often are even required to depending on where one lives. Some neighborhoods, in cities such as Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco, one can typically find it necessary to speak Spanish, Portuguese, and even Japanese, in order to engage the local residents, or be able to read the signs.

Unfortunately, this kind of balkanizing and divisive atmosphere is very destructive to American society, as it would be, and has been many times in history, to any nation.

Casanova goes on to say “[people] feel they can say negative things because [Dora] is only a cartoon character”

And therein lies the crux of my argument. Dora is only a frigging cartoon…enough with the melodramatic psychoanalysis. And the depiction of her as an illegal alien is in no way an attack on the Latino population, or Mexican nationals. It is merely a reflection of the social atmosphere that this nation is being forced to abide, and which is being caused and exacerbated by the federal government in this nation. Furthermore, there are plenty of legal immigrants who support the efforts being implemented in Arizona, and as American citizens they have every right to be concerned about the legal implications, and level of national exploitation, currently being exposed.

There was recently a young woman who made fun of Autistic children in an episode of Family Guy, and it was quite obvious that the brunt of the joke was Sarah Palin and her autistic child Trig. However, the actress (term used extremely liberally to be sure) fully expected to be hailed for her part in contributing to the attacks on an individual in this nation, and claimed that as an autistic person herself, she has a right to denigrate the condition.

It is doubtful that Palin, or many other victims of Downs Syndrome, are laughing. Neither is it likely that they are somehow mollified by the fact that the person publicly demoralizing them, also has the condition.

Regardless of the fact that Palin is a public figure who runs the risk of being targeted by such insensitive depravity, she is a person just like anyone else, with feelings and fears, and has every right to expect not be excessively ridiculed by a major media program.

On the contrary, the depicting of Dora in any relevant sociological delineation is entirely justifiable, and even expected. Furthermore, the myriad possibilities are probably endless in the great scheme of things, and there is certainly no justifiable reason to expect that these creative personalities of the character are in any way a majority mindset.

The AP article generalizes the content by stating that the depictions, whether through irony or protest, are being used by both those who support and oppose the Arizona law. This clearly shows that this is not a broad based issue that has somehow found an imaginary character to veil some racial bias, as alluded to by Casanova.

Contrarily, it is one more indication that the current defacing of the cartoon is simply a passing fad that reflects a current issue, not some growing trend. Furthermore, there does not appear to have been any other immigrant issues exuded upon the character in the past, and therefore does not support the position of the cited experts in the article.

The article goes on to paint the Dora character as a complex figure with a diverse following, and states that “On one hand she is a likeable symbol who many can relate to, and at the same time, perceived as an outsider who doesn’t belong anywhere.”

Anyone who truly see’s this cartoon character in such a light, desperately needs to get out more, or maybe just needs to look a little further outside of their own personal space. The relationship that too many American’s are cultivating with imaginary characters is becoming an alarming reality, and fosters an extremely ignorant mentality that is based predominantly on the opinions and visions of a microscopic portion of the society. The likelihood that people in this nation will become further and further detached from reality in an ever increasing magnitude of destructive behavior and apathetic complacency, is exponentially influenced by the “humanizing” of imaginary characters.

Given enough time and media manipulation, this nation could eventually elect the Geico lizard for president, or at least be convinced that it was an endangered species that must be protected from anthropogenic Global Warming.

The article further devolves into myopic sophistry as it relegates the issue to some sort of demonization of toddler buddies, stating “this is not the first time a children’s character has been dragged into a serious debate.”

Tareen cites the controversy over the Teletubby, Tinky Winky, who is a creepy -- well, at least to most adults -- purple colored, dumpling of a character, with a triangle antenna on top of its head.

However, this was a debate over the actual character itself, and the fact that it appeared at times to portray a homosexual image, or one that could be construed to overly suggest a masculine/feminine identity crisis. Regardless of what any media outlet intends to argue, either for freedom of speech, or free market equality, the fact is that they are proposing to educate people’s children, while at the same time seeking to maximize profits. And there is a fine line that many times is crossed by the entertainment industry that the United States Constitution does not allow, either in letter or intent, under the first amendment.

The right to freedom of speech is only that which would otherwise not be available to all people equally. To seek exposure of obscene, objectionable or perversely manipulative entertainment as the destructive medium it is, is expressly American in every way.

To be perfectly clear, what must be understood is that simply limiting things such as profanity or sexual depravity, in media is not somehow an abridgement of the right to freedom of speech, since one can hear such language, or see such behaviors, almost anywhere, especially if they choose to seek it out.

The article also say’s that the Sesame Street characters Bert and Ernie are often used in statements involving same-sex marriage.

Let me be the first to say “LMFAO”, because that is one of the most hilarious things I can think of at the moment.

“Eh Bert…eh Bert?”

“Yes, what is it now Ernie”

“Um, Bert, I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind sleeping on your stomach tonight”

In a statement from the producers of Sesame Street, they have announced that neither of the characters are gay. But then who could prove it. If somebody wanted to imagine them as gay, then it would not change either of the characters, only people’s perception of them.

But, that is basically the issue here. Isn’t it? Not the views of the general public, but simply the perceived viewpoint of those characters the media is hoping to sell to this public.

However, claiming that it is the public which is responsible for the maligning or idolizing of such characters, is simply preposterous. Far too many shows have created characters which producers intend to use as sociological tools of a mechanized message. And many times the message can be easily seen as not much more than marketing ploys or outright propaganda.

The technology that allowed farm animals and bugs to talk has created a realm of illusion that few children appear to be able to disseminate. There is far too much power being allowed to propagate throughout the media and entertainment industry these days, and it is high time that people begin to question just how much fantasy is too much, and just how many unaccountable, immortal characters can the public’s children and adults allow to spread puppeted speech with absolute impunity.

This analogy of course begins to conjure images of the Wizard of Oz, where a timid and disloyal scamp of a man manipulated an entire world from behind the scenes of an imaginary character that everyone perceived to be real…or were just to afraid to question.

It must be understood that this nation’s people have every right, and furthermore, every reason, to ridicule and question the cult of personality that is created by the entertainment industry’s millions of imaginary characters. Even if a perceived innocent, but popular character, is simply employed as an example of government incompetence or social ignorance from time to time. The indemnifying and progressively exfoliating results are the same…a more intelligent and free society that feels comfortable to exude its creative abilities to further tolerance of, and demand for, social and economic accountability.

To suggest that Dora is a somewhat unwitting devil’s advocate who would otherwise object to being presented as an illegal alien, is simply not realistic. Neither can one ignore the legitimacy of using the character to put a nationally recognizable face on the largely misrepresented issue of illegal immigration.

The one problem is that a battered and apologetic mug shot of Barbie’s boyfriend Ken is just as legitimate a moniker for illegal immigrants. However, he would not be as popular in the role, since there aren’t as many white illegal aliens in the country as there are Mexican nationals.

No natural born, nor legally immigrated, private citizen in the United States is responsible for this obviously disproportionate crisis, and should never be held accountable for such. Especially by Mexico’s President Felipe Calderon, who is himself in complete favor of policies which prove his own country to be guilty of far more deplorable acts against illegal immigration, and which are -- in contrast to American immigration laws -- expressly racist and exclusionary in nature.

That citizens in this nation are logically engaging the illegal alien invasion from Mexico, and cannot in any way be expected to pretend that it is not being perpetrated by Mexicans. Regardless of who may feel denigrated or singled out as a result of this, the facts are undeniable, and the people who should be held accountable for any angst caused the Hispanic population in America, are fist and foremost, the nation of Mexico and the people who commit the illegal acts which are adulterating and exacerbating the immigration issue.

For what reason would any self respecting individual ignore the truth of the matter, or pretend that it is not a Mexican invasion, simply to comply with some illegitimate and ridiculous demand for political correctness?

The article goes on to state “Many immigrant families, particularly Latino’s, see Dora as a symbol of freedom, someone to relate to. She’s a young girl with brown skin who lives in a borderless world and can travel anywhere she wants without consequence.”

Well, this is not only an inept view of freedom, it is not practical nor sustainable. For Latino people to believe that they are not free simply because they are required to abide by the law, and respect national borders is an extremely disturbing mindset that could certainly explain a lot about just why so many of them do not respect this nation, nor its laws. Regardless of the fact that it is these laws and borders which are the first lines of freedom, and those things which guarantee them a sovereign existence.

Truly, the levels of ignorance and misplaced animosities being cultivated in this nation on all fronts, is a most deplorable attack on the primary mechanisms of freedom, to include the ability to maintain it. And it is likely that this nation’s leaders and legislators are manipulating many of this nation’s alleged minorities with illegitimate hatreds and self-defeating demands that seek to enslave the entire population.

It is becoming abundantly clear that the United States Government is comprised of a majority of disloyal carpetbaggers and preposterous ideologues who will do and say anything to get elected. And are attempting to incite riots and discord in the populous in order to divert the people’s attention from the ineptitude and corruption running amok in Washington.

Will the indefatigably logical and sober minds of cultured white people be called upon to save a society from itself yet again?

Also cited in the AP article is some idiotic jackass, Angharad Valdivia, who teaches media studies at the University of Illinois and has allegedly explored the issue. This person claims that “In the U.S. the way we understand race is about putting people in categories and we’re uncomfortable with people we can’t put in categories.”

Just who the hell does this person think they are talking to? And just what twisted level of logic is the Disassociated Depressed (aka Associated Press) using when it presents such a nascent and pedantic analogy in print as if it is some irrefutable statistic. For Valdivia to express such an obvious one sided and personal viewpoint on the issue is irresponsible and audacious at best, and surreptitiously sinister in nature. Her statement is a clear attempt to further denigrate this nation and incite racially biased hatreds where there aren’t any, and she is likely the next person who needs to be deported.

The truth is that in America people have had to abide the constant racial unity of various peoples who constantly beat their chest and rant about how they are not given enough special treatment, how they are not allowed enough of their heritage to be imposed on the rest of the citizenry, how they do not want to assimilate into this society and speak the language, how they are so fond of their home country, how they must be lauded simply for their race and be given entire months to praise it. Black history month, Hispanic Heritage month, Asian American month, you name it. If there is a race in this nation, be certain they are going to demand that they be singled out for it.

Of course, with the exception of white people. As for why, that is a subject for another article.

So you all want to be singled out and praised for the fact that you are brown, black, red and yellow, but you never want to be accountable for the many specific behaviors such preposterous edicts create within your collectivist communities in this nation.

Wake up and smell the reality folks. This is a free nation where you are free to live as you choose and seek happiness and prosperity as long as it does not infringe upon another’s right to do so. But you are also free to be singled out and ridiculed if you so demand it by either your actions or your refusal to comply with the laws and inalienable responsibilities set out by this nation’s founding documents.

To all of the racists out there…GROW UP!