Peanuts Thanksgiving Episode Accused of Racism

 

Charlie Brown's Black Friend is Clearly Treated Differently in Scene from Peanuts Special

  Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the 4th Thursday of November in the US. So, this past Thursday (28th) the important date was celebrated, where everyone gathers and gives thanks for the year they've had. And to make the celebrations even more thematic, various TV specials are aired. Such was the case with the special episode of the animated series Peanuts, which aired on Wednesday night (27th) on the ABC channel. What could have been a nostalgic and heartwarming moment ended up infuriating some viewers, who spotted a rather racist scene in the special. As a result, many took to social media to express their outrage. In the story, Patty Peppermint decides to invite some friends to spend Thanksgiving at Charlie Brown and Sally's house. However, the poor boy already had a commitment to go to his grandmother's house, which led him to make quite an unusual decision. With the help of his friend Linus, Snoopy, and Woodstock, he then decides to have a "dinner" before heading to his grandmother's place. The scene that sparked outrage is when Charlie Brown's friends sit around the table. Among the guests is Franklin, the only Black character in the group. All those present seem to be very happy and the sequence continues smoothly. However, Franklin is the only one sitting on the opposite side of the table, separated from all the white characters.   [caption id="attachment_52035" align="aligncenter" width="651"] Despite being innocent animation, the racism from the producers is clear.[/caption]   Therefore, if we analyze the scene carefully, it's possible to identify a clear illustration of racism. How to explain one side of the table having four people seated and the other only one? Why did only Franklin sit in a (broken) lounge chair, while the others sat in regular chairs? Whether there was intentional racist action or not, nothing absolves the scene from having such a connotation.  

The Controversy Has Been Going On for a Long Time