I my recent blogs, I've examined and question portrayals in the Media. My questions included: what did Sebastian’s characters perceive Jamaicans to children that watch The Little Mermaid, What were children gaining when watching TV ads attacking their interest during their shows and why is there a lack of the happy ever after interracial couples on children and teen shows?

The answers to the question can be argued forever but altogether I learned that each producer had an intention and through their shows and ads I learned more about the society I live in.

This society is still stuck in the past. The past that includes racial stereotypes, strict profit incentives and same race couples. These producers and society fail to realize that we are in the 2014. We've come a long way and  society fails to acknowledge that . We fail to see that stereotypes were challenged when a white man killed an innocent young black boy. We fail to see that money isn’t and fail to see that the Federal Marriage Amendment was never passed and being the same race doesn't assure love.

Some inequities I say were the jokes that were poked insensitively at Sebastian the Crab and more views of other characters in the movie. The only two colored character in the book were animals and sea creatures. And they weren't perceived as smart and productive but rather foolish and servants.

Food companies advertise “low fat”  fun , attractive , catchy and bright colored snacks to children that still contain high levels of sugar and sodium but forget they are adding to the children’s want for unhealthy food. They are adding to America’s obesity problem and aren’t acting to better society.

The lack of interracial couples on TV shows, show the inequality compared to same race couples. They are rare to see and TV and when seen, they are portrayed odd. Producers will never write their shows to include an interracial couple falling in love the cliche way and I just want to know why.

Once again, all of these ideas were portrayed through media. Media may be a very sly medium where people can let out their opinions. Instead of talking publicly, passing pamphlets or making direct change to a problem, producers are letting their opinions and view seep into their work. The little Mermaid probably was produced by a racial joker who inserts stereotypes just for laughs. TV producers only have the incentive for money instead of concern for children that they are leading to be obese. And TV show producers either don’t support interracial couples are want to risk anything towards their show to include some.

Now that I have looked around me, I will continue to point out these small observations to others. They may disagree or agree with me but I will not let others pass in my life without knowing what the Media could be teaching children and us. At least they will be aware of the many opinions that people still hold today and fail to leave behind in the past.

You Will Only Date Within Your Race

You don’t normally choose the person you’ll fall in love with but ask ABC family and Disney channel and you’ll only be in relationship of your own race.

Let’s be honest , how many interracial relationship have you seen on Disney, Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon or ABC family? This has been my longer term observation. From 1997 – 2004,  I noticed…

·         Mickey Mouse dates Mickey Mouse; another Mouse

·         Cinderella and her Prince; both white.

·         Aladdin and Jasmine , both Arabian

·         Mulan & Shang – Asian Decent

·         Sabrina the Teenage Witch and Harvey

Same race couples on television continue currently…

·         Ally and Austin

·         Baily and Cody

·         Jeremy and Candice

·         Teddy Duncan and Spencer Walsh

·         Mellissa and Joey

Where are the interracial couples? The lack of interracial couples reflects Production companies’ bias. They are stuck on specific portrayals of relationships being within a race. Why doesn’t Mickey Mouse like Daffy Ducks family members? Why did Sabrina have a crush on the popular white jockey? Don’t you think kids are developing some kind of idea that “I should only like people who look like me”? Maybe that is what producers what, they want to keep the social norm of same race couples.

 Then when there are interracial couples, they are perceived differently. While the same race couples follow the cliché story plot, of a meeting at a similar place, a date, kiss, and steady relationship interracial couples meet because one likes the other and the other doesn’t even notice their existence. They awkwardly meet and try to overcome the awkward talks and interactions and both fall in love for each other’s flaws.  Is including interracial couples in shows step towards a real representation of real love stories/ relationships ? More people can say that they met their partners from a incidentally run in rather then they caught eye contact at the local Starbucks and continued to come every day to see each other. You’ll also notice "While white women in interracial relationships came across as either morally corrupt or socially inept or as victims of physical or sexual abuse, women of color who become involved with white men were often presented as erotic, exotic and possessing exceptional talents." (B****Magazine)

To think of it, the TV and Media market is about getting the most popularity and best rating. If the number one show is Scandal, featuring the most interesting couple of a black woman and white man, wouldn’t you think that someone other producers would be taking thought?

Child Obesity caused by TV ads, not the TV.

       Obesity is the main concern for the next generation and we all know it will be hard to entirely eliminate TV out of the modern child’s life. Therefore, you’d only allow your child to sit and watch 30 minutes of Nickelodeon. Nothing is wrong with that, right?  Sorry to say but more junk food companies are attacking children in their marketing. No longer is the activity of TV watching only decreasing health but the advertisements are advocating it.

       Nickelodeon, the channel that annually has their Day of Play, to encourage kids to turn off the TV and play outdoors all day, has about 4 junk food commercials out of 6 that typically show during a 3 min commercial break in between shows. Cartoon Network and Disney Channel repeat the same ads. With about 3 commercial breaks during 30 mins shows, that equal approximately, 12 junk food companies screaming at your children to buy their product.  An unhealthy lifestyle of unhealthy foods is being taught to our kids.

     These companies know exactly what they are doing, but fail to really say “we’re advocating obesity”.

While watching Nickelodeon for a half an hour you’ll see…

1.       The McDonald logo dance across the screen and a 7 years olds run to grab a happy meal and tear apart a chicken nugget. In the background you will see his father smiling. Why?  Because the Happy Meal has apple slices and Low fat milk. The too simple addition to the 640 calories meal, magically make the meal desirable to guardian and the child is happy as well.

2.       The Lucky Charms leprechaun is being chased to the end of a cliff by 4 kids. A bowl of lucky charms are dangling at his arms and the kids manage to grab it from him while he falls of the cliff. The Kids run with the bowl singing of the glorious shapes, colors and delight of the marshmallow for their breakfast. Then a operator at the end of the commercial repeats “part of a healthy breakfast”.

3.       The Trix rabbit is also being chased for his yogurt cups by a group of 8 year olds. The kids capture the bunny and the cup and repeat their famous line with a twist. “You silly rabbit, Trix are for kids and with a light up spoon!” If you thought that your kids finally gave up on the 14 grams artificially flavored yogurt, you thought wrong once again. They’ll be running back to try ever flavor of the yogurt to find a light up spoon and collect all four!

4.       A group of second graders converse in a lunch room. One girl pulls out her Lunchabales. Everyone is preoccupied eating their homemade lunch. The girl opens the Lunchables and a radiant light shines on her face as she is flabbergasted to see that her lunchables now has laffy taffys and Oreos. Everyone crowds over her shoulders to stop and stare at the glorious sweets.

     With their techniques and continuously rerunning commercials, junk food companies have young children under their spell. Don’t be surprised when you see you child pleading and filling your shopping cart with the unhealthiest of the unhealthiest.

Don’t even get me started on  the Krusty Krab Burgers and ice cream variations that appear in every episode of SpongeBob and all the characters devotedly enjoy.  

Sebastian from "The Little Mermaid"

Who doesn’t love Disney movies? Especially the old and classic ones that never grows old? The songs, the magic and happiness just make the youthful side of anyone come out. Taking a closer look at Sebastian in The little Mermaid, raises some questions. Sebastian is the red Jamaican crab in the 1989 Disney version of The Little Mermaid. He is the servant of King Triton and also under King Tritons demand to accompany and follw Ariel on land. The character, Sebastian was made only for the film, and was not from the original Hans Christian Andersen story. In the original story Sebastian was originally Clarence an English-butler crab. Howard Ashman, the songwriter proposed changing Clarence to a Jamaican Rastafarian crab. Doing so, the music was changed to fit the crabs’ nationality.

Specifically in Sebastian’s popular , Under the Sea song , Disney portrays something. Imagine a Red Jamaican crab persuading Ariel to stay under the sea because “the human world is bad” , “ a mistake”, she’d have to “slave on land” and altogether work. Don’t believe me? Take a look at the lyrics of the song…

 Up on the shore they work all day

Out in the sun they slave away

While we devotin'

Full time to floatin'

Under the sea!

If it takes a whole song to exaggerate a better life under the sea, Disney may be trying to highlight something bigger. Children see that this crab is funny, laid-back, musical and party-loving and will subject this to Jamaicans. But then they also will see that this crab is lazy, reluctant to work, unproductive, and subject that to Jamaicans as well. Sebastian loves being under water because he won’t have to work or get a job unlike live on land.

Disney may have added this character as inspiration from the highlight of the time the movie was being produced. The Rastafarian movement was becoming more publically known around the 1970s; especially gaining attention and new followers from the great, Bob Marley. Rastafarians have a loosely structured and liberal belief that would reflect Sebastian’s languor. The most controversial practice of Rastafarians is the use of cannabis, the religious use of marijuana, is the holy herb, Iley or callie, and is given by God. It is used in rituals called reasonings, when Rastas sit around and smoke the marijuana and discuss. Marijuana is believed to free the mind and soul. Other practices are the growth of dreadlocks and an ital diet. Hair is grown a dread to represent the roots of Africa, a lion’s mane and a lion strength and connection to Africa. Rastafarians are down to earth people that see Africa as the mother land and heaven on earth.

But despise their intention with Sebastian as a character or where they may of gotten their influence from nevertheless, there were only 2 “colored” character in the movie in including Sebastian. Kids learn no diversity but also the wrong impression of a certain races.  

Ownership promt

According to Merriam Webster Dictionary, the word own, pronounced ˈōn\, a verb, means to have (something) as property, to legally possess (something) or to admit that something is true. One would like to go deeper than the dictionary’s definition though. To own means to have full control over something, tangible or tangible; taking upon the responsibility for it.

In life you have the opportunity to own stock in a company. You may put 5000 dollars into a company; meaning you’re buying $ 5000 worth of that company so that you may hopefully get to participate in their long term success. Out of free will, you put down the money to invest and are given a receipt of purchase. In your hand is the evidence that you now own a $5000 worth of that company. You have full control with your money. You may add more, remove the stock, sell it, and divide it into different shares. The company has no complete control to force you to keep your money in the company or to use it in a different way unless you have a special restrictive plan hindering the percentage in the company you own.  The same thing goes when you buy a car. Its tangible, the car shop has given you your files, a receipt and the keys. Unless you are in a contract or have a restriction with the car shop, the stock and share is yours to own. Receipts literally say ‘You gave us the full amount of money to buy this object. We give up this item for exchange. Now, you own the item, we own your money.’ To own, there has to be an exchange and tangible evidence to prove the exchange. To own, the giver must give up the total percentage of the item (tangible or not). The receiver must give up, in exchange, something of equal amount; simultaneously giving up full control and complete authority.

In exchange both sides are benefited. The item or worth lost, is fully restored back with the equally worth exchange that has taken place. What happens next? Each side now has the responsibility for their item. The company is not obligated to control your stocks worth, for selling it, or for not making it grow as fast as you like. Having full ownership of a stock with evidence to show you purchase means you are responsible for actions going forward. If stock prices are falling, sell the stock. If stock prices are rising you may buy more. The company may advice and influence your stock decision but it your actions that would go forward to make actual change. Your stock, your money, your responsibility; unless, the first owner didn't give up their full ownership of the object.

Same thing goes for owning a car. Once all necessary papers are handed over, whose responsibility is it to fuel the car, repair damages, pay insurance? They are all the owners’ full responsibilities unless the owner signed a lease, signed a special plan for included car insurance or a plan that the company will supply free oil changes. In that case the car isn't yours fully; you do not own the whole car. You rely on the company of insurance, or oil changes and they no longer are your full responsibility. If you take up a full plate of food, it’s yours. But if u takes up half the plate and another person takes up the half, who plate is it truly? Full ownership consists of taking full responsibility of an object, all responsibility.

Two concepts define ownership; a complete exchange and full responsibility of an object. One gives so that you may receive and vice versa. Once that is done, responsibly is granted unto the receiver. Everything that you do, happens or exerted with the object is up to your discretion. Therefore, only bite off what you can chew.