Disney’s attempts to become more progressive are quite well-known at this point. Their projects such as The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder have made this clear. However, one moment from the hit animated series went a little too far for some.
Specifically, “#BoycottDisney” began trending on Twitter after a clip from The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder surfaced online. The clip features a group of characters from the show performing a song for their school. However, the song happens to be about slavery and racism, and suggests that Abraham Lincoln didn’t “free the slaves” as a result.
The song includes references to slavery, racism, and black Americans’ demands for reparations as you can see in the excerpt below:
“This country was built on slavery, which means slaves built this country. Tilled this land from sea to sea to sea. First it was rice, tobacco, sugarcane.
“Then [Eli] Whitney did his thing and cotton became king. And we were its soldiers, 4 million strong, fighting for America’s freedoms even though we remained America’s slaves.
“Slaves built this country, the descendants of slaves continue to build it. Slaves built this country. And we the descendants of slaves in America have earned reparations for their suffering, and continue to earn reparations every moment we spend submerged in a systemic prejudice, racism and white supremacy.”
The song then continues with the following:
“That America was founded with and still has not atoned for. Slaves built this country. Not only field hands, but carpenters, masons, blacksmiths, musicians. Inventors built cities from Jamestown to New Orleans to Banneker’s Washington.
“Forty acres and a mule,” they chant. “We’ll take the forty acres, keep the mule.”
“We made your families rich. From southern plantation heirs to northern bankers to New England ship owners. The founding fathers, former presidents, current senators, the illumnati, the New World Order. Slaves built this country.”
Eventually they make their way to referencing Abraham Lincoln with these lyrics:
“Then they say Lincoln freed the slaves,” they continue, “But slaves were men and women, and only we can free ourselves. Emancipation is not freedom.”
The song was shared to Twitter where users began to express their disapproval for the Disney Plus series and its heavy usage of what appears to be critical race theory:
Imagine paying money to Disney to teach your kids to hate themselves and hate their country pic.twitter.com/cZBBCwVd7l
— Jack Posobiec 🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) February 5, 2023
Here are some of the responses:
Just canceled Disney Plus and filed a complaint with them on the phone. Please everyone call and file a complaint and cancel if you haven’t already!!
— Angelia Rubendall (@AngeliaRubendal) February 6, 2023
When I ended our subscription to Disney + the customer service rep ask why. I said Disney no longer shares my values. She said, “I understand.”
— Keith O’Neal (@tkeithoneal) February 6, 2023
Gave up on Disney a long time ago
— Martin Leach (@MartyL53) February 6, 2023
Other users, however, were quite supportive of the show’s message:
Yall probably think that if CRT isn’t taught in school, it magically erases the negative racial experiences of black people. Whether it is taught in school or not, black kids will still face what they face. It needs to be taught so that they know what to expect in the real world
— Dirichi Umunna (@Richiy3) February 5, 2023
Studying history will sometimes make you uncomfortable.
Studying history will sometimes make you feel deeply upset.
Studying history will sometimes make you feel extremely angry.
If studying history always makes you feel proud and happy, you probably aren’t studying history.
— Cesar Perez (@Cesarmania1987) February 5, 2023
Every word spoken in this video is true. What are you afraid of?
— dani flynn (@ladaniella) February 5, 2023
Wow sad that’s how you look at it. Why are conservatives so afraid of acknowledging the truth and allowing upcoming generations to learn about it so that they can not let it continue or worse go back to those time? Oh… right… I get it.
— 🖤Carly Lehwald (@CarlyELehwald) February 5, 2023
The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder is a revival of the original animated series The Proud Family. The series is known for continuing the adventures of Penny Proud, and her friends and family, while exploring LGBTQ themes and other politics that were previously coded in the original show.