By Rafael Solece
Recently I have taken a lot of flack from people about my anger with this whole Disney Black Princess foolishness. And at first it was all good. I knew when I first composed the blog that it might rub some people all wrong. After all Disney is very American and Mom's apple Pie. SO I knew it would be like verbally attaching the President or spitting on the Flag, Naturally people would get upset. But I didn't expect to be assaulted so viciously because of my personal feelings. After all it is my opinion that Disney has misrepresented this whole first black Princess. But yesterday a comment that I received on my blog really took me aback. I was quite upset about it, simply because the person really tried to make it seem that I was inferior and misinformed.
The Comment: Did you even see the movie/ she's not a princess in the beginning AND she's not the daughter of the mayor of New Orleans. Stay off soapboxes because you don't seem to know what you're talking about.
Let me say this first of all this is going to be a very interesting post. That whole comment really pissed me off. Because home girl, home boy, old man, who the fuck ever really doesn't know who I am. Bitch I am Rafael Solece and this is my blog and I can stand on any soap box I wish. So allow me to pull my soap box out now, stand on top of it, and commence to reading you your rights Mr. Anonymous.
Look people maybe my rant early last month was a tad bit over zealous, and might I add I was a little angry. So I had not done all of my research I just came home and wrote an angry mans blog. But honestly, research or not my rant was not without merit. Disney's is still in my opinion not doing their complete best by us.
Now to Anonymous; let me say first of all that no to answer your question: NO, I haven't seen the movie! It has not yet been released and won't be till tomorrow November 25th, Funny thing is Disney hasn't even been promoting the damn Film as much as they promote all their other animated movies. However I have read a leaked copy of the script, the press release, the story line on the web and I have watched several of the promos for it as well as listened to the critiques of the movie. So I am quite aware of the story.
Disney's The Princess and the Frog is set in the backdrop of the early 1920's during the Jazz age. This is I am sure so that Disney could use the era as a muse for their musical arrangement. (Smart on their part but still a mess.) Tiana Disney's would be Princess and Heroine of the film is a maid/waitress/mammy who lives and works in New Orleans French Quarter. (No she does not start off as a princess, but honestly that is a load of bull. Most of Disney's other Princess's all started out as Princess's, but I digress) Tiana is supposedly a hard working girl trying to stake her claim in the world and she is working the night that she meets, said prince turned into a frog. She is dressed up in the ball gown of the woman that she works for; looking very much like a princess and the frog mistakes her for a princess and asks her for a kiss. So Tiana obliges him. When she does, she turns into a frog too. Because she IS NOT a princess and the curse is passed on to her. She spends the better part of the movie as a frog; trying to find a way to be turned back into a human being, not to mention helping the said Prince solve his own problem and saving his ass. When he should be sweeping her off her feet. That ain't a Fairytale Disney that is life as we know it. (There are so many racial nuances to this movie that make it wrong on so many levels. Yet you people are so hurt that I am even speaking about Disney in such a bad light that you refuse to see it. Wake up, and get off me for speaking my mind)
So there is the story of the Princess and the Frog.
Now as for Mr. Anonymous: as to your prognosis you are so right to say that TIana isn't the daughter of the Mayor of New Orleans. When I made that statement, I wasn't trying to state facts I was angry and being sarcastic. I am really going to need you to learn to recognize the symptoms of sarcasm Mr. Anonymous. These are skills you will need to have to better asses when people are demeaning you or certain situations. (I am demeaning you now. See this is called sarcasm. loll)
But honestly senior Anonymous I have every right to stand on said soap box today or any other day. Disney is pulling stunts with this whole princess thing. It is true Princess Tiana does not start out in the movie as a Princess ( which is kind of ass backwards considering in the true storey fairytale The Frog Prince the actual person who breaks his spell is a true Princess) So at what point does Tiana become a Princess, and actually break the spell? The setting of said Fairytale is during the 1920's, here in America, where we haven't been a part of a Monarchy since we broke away from the British in the 1800's. The setting for this movie is not long ago in some far off kingdom. What Monarchy existed during the 1920's and what black man was king during that time period? Is she also in an interracial relationship? From what I understand most countries no longer had kings and/or queens at that time; well maybe they did but as figure heads only!
What really disturbs me about this whole Disney black Princess situation is that nobody is even paying attention to Disney's blatant disregard for African America roots and/or heritage. They act as if we didn't exist until the 1920's. When clearly we had Kingdoms and African Folk Lore/Fairytalee that themselves Parallel Grimes Tales. Honestly problem with Disney has nothing to do with what they are trying to achieve. My issue is with the amount of effort and or thought that they put into their First Black Princess. It seems to me half hearted, and it really does tap dance on my last nerve that they are basically getting away with it because we as black people are so starved for something positive that resembles us just a little bit in Mainstream American Media.
I say if you're going to do it, do it right or not at all. Thank you, and Good evening This Morning.
Check That Boo!
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