Racism Seeps it's Way in to Transformers.....

I was recently looking over an article called Jar Jar again? 2 Transformers Raise Race Issues posted by MSNBC. The article discussed the recently released movie Transformers 2 and two minor characters that were causing major uproars. A lot of critics had a problem with two robots in the movie named Skids and Mudflap. In the movie, these two bots were given what might be referred to as a stereotypical "black" demeanor. The characters were constantly fighting, arguing and speaking with broken English. At one point during the movie, one of the bots admitted that he couldn't read. Critics have made cross references of these two characters to the character Jar Jar Binks from Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace which I am unable to critique as a fair comparison being that I have never seen Star Wars. When certain critics evaluated the attitudes of the characters, the stated how Hollywood has a tendency to get laughs at the expense of the African-American community. One critic mentioned how if the movie was filmed with real black actors as opposed to animated characters, one would have to admit that it was racist. However because they are disguised in robots, that makes it OK.

When the Director Michael Bay was confronted about the issue, he insisted that the bots were implemented for good clean fun. Bay went on to say that the characters added "personality" but wasn't sure if he would refer to it as "stereotypes." Regardless of the fact that when I heard Michael Bay's remarks, I instantly regarded them as implausible, I was further reminded of a class discussion I was involved in not too long ago. The professor said how regardless of the intentions of the producers (be it profit motivated or even a conspiracy) the product they produce have very real, lasting effects. For example, a lot of media portray black people as violent, uneducated people. Because this is so often the portrayal of normal behavior of black people, normalization has caused a lot of people within the black community to adopt these specific behaviors.

As a black man, I was personally offended by the two robot characters in the movie. I felt that they were unnecessary and took away from a movie that I would have otherwise enjoyed. I find it hard to believe that the behaviors of the robots throughout the entire film followed by a remark about not being able to read could be an accident (especially as a major film producer). I am not going to make any accusations about what I believe Michael Bay's intentions were, but I do think it is important to realize that actions such as these have very real and very negative effects on people. For this to be implemented in a film for young people whose minds and perceptions are still being molded and developed is unacceptable. Please feel free to share your thoughts.