Enough with the “Tarzan is racist” bullshit!

It’s just reversed racism. Political correctness itself is a sort of reversed racism. Only when no distinction is made between people based solely on skin pigmentation can we have true equality. Edgar Rice Burroughs wrote in the early to mid 20th century. Some of his notions and phraseology are somewhat unpalatable by today’s’ standards, yes, although anyone who argues that his work is overtly racist has never read any of that work. And once his most famous character, Tarzan of the Apes, is updated to remove any of those troublesome tropes of bygone days, as was the case with the exquisite new film THE LEGEND OF TARZAN, what is left then to object to? Nothing at all, except the color of the hero’s skin. This is racism, pure and simple.

Likewise some have complained that the film takes its inspiration from actual history, but deviates from that history by giving the inhabitants of the Congo a happy ending, when in our real world there wasn’t one. Does this cheapen the tragedy that befell these people at the hands of Belgian colonialists? Consider this: As well read as I pride myself on being, and with my lifelong fascination with Africa, I was familiar with the crimes committed by the Belgians, but only in a tangential, unspecific manner. And I had never heard of George Washington Williams before, not until this movie. He was a great man. You can read the full text of his accusation against King Leopold of Belgium, as recited in the film by Samuel L. Jackson, at the source link below. Thus we can thank this “racist” movie for educating me on both a terrible injustice and on a truly remarkable man. If the movie was meant to be racist, the writer and director sure got it backward.

By The Evil Cheezman

WAYNE MILLER is the owner and creative director of EVIL CHEEZ PRODUCTIONS (www.evilcheezproductions.blogspot.com, www.facebook.com/evilcheezproductions), specializing in theatrical performances and haunted attractions. He has written, produced and directed (and occasionally acted in) over a dozen plays, most of them in the Horror and Crime genres. His first novel, THE CONFESSIONS OF SAINT CHRISTOPHER: WEREWOLF, is available for purchase at https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/734763 MORTUI VELOCES SUNT!

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.