[bookshare-discuss] Re: The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven
- From: Ann Parsons <akp@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: bookshare-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 22 Apr 2004 07:45:08 -0400
Hi all,
I haven't read the stories, and I hesitate to say anything, but The
Lone Ranger's sidekick was called Tonto, not Torro. Tonto used to
call the Lone Ranger Que No Sabe, He who knows nothing. Tonto was
just an extension of the Lone Ranger, and the whole thing was filled
with flat characters. He, The Lone Ranger, is a symbol for good
america, the good guys who triumph over evil, and Tonto is his
servant, hence in a lower position. It's a characature of the
relationship between the American government and Native
Americans. Tonto is a "Fort Indian", an Uncle Tom, if you will. The
other Indians in the show are portrayed as being wild and savage.
Tonto speaks in pidgeon English, an assumption on the part of the
script writers that Native Americans are incapable of speaking English
well. This radio show is in the same league with Little Black Sambo,
Aunt Jamima, and Step-n-fetchit. The show was a cultural mistake and
is now in deep disfavor with Native Americans everywhere.
If you were born outside the US, it's difficult to explain all this
stuff. It has to do with race and stereotypes and so on and on.
I'd need to read the stories to be more specific, however, ACBRadio
Treasure Trove probably has The Lone Ranger Radio programs on it. You
may want to listen to a couple of those.
--
Ann K. Parsons
email: akp@xxxxxxxxx
WEB SITE: http://home.eznet.net/~akp
"All that is gold does not glitter.
Not all those who wander are lost." JRRT
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