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Angry over diversity in children's show, NRA TV depicts 'Thomas & Friends' in KKK hoods
Using a jarring image to blast increased diversity on a children's TV show, a National Rifle Association online show depicted characters from "Thomas & Friends" in white, Ku Klux Klan-style hoods on burning train tracks.
Host of NRA TV's "Relentless," Dana Loesch went after the classic children's character Thomas The Tank Engine after its maker, Mattel, joined forces with the United Nations in efforts to increase gender diversity and representation on the program and include new characters from around the globe.
Loesch, a conservative spokeswomen for the gun rights group, specifically called out one new character – Nia, a steam engine from Kenya.
"That's where it gets really strange to me," Loesch says on Friday's episode. "Am I to understand this entire time that Thomas and his trains were white? Because they all have gray faces. How do you bring ethnic diversity? I mean they had to paint what I guess they thought was some sort of African pattern on the side of Nia's engine."
The program cut to an image with three trains wearing white hoods and tracks on fire. "Fair, I get it," Loesch sarcastically says. "Thomas the Tank Engine has been a blight on race relations for far too long. Clearly this is overdue."
The NRA did not immediately respond to USA TODAY's request for comment.
Mattel announced Friday that "Thomas & Friends," a Nick Jr. show, would add characters to its newest season from around the world and partner with the UN to promote its Sustainable Development Goals.
http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/angry-over-diversity-in-childrens-show-nra-tv-depicts-thomas-and-friends-in-kkk-hoods/ar-BBNg8zg
Host of NRA TV's "Relentless," Dana Loesch went after the classic children's character Thomas The Tank Engine after its maker, Mattel, joined forces with the United Nations in efforts to increase gender diversity and representation on the program and include new characters from around the globe.
Loesch, a conservative spokeswomen for the gun rights group, specifically called out one new character – Nia, a steam engine from Kenya.
"That's where it gets really strange to me," Loesch says on Friday's episode. "Am I to understand this entire time that Thomas and his trains were white? Because they all have gray faces. How do you bring ethnic diversity? I mean they had to paint what I guess they thought was some sort of African pattern on the side of Nia's engine."
The program cut to an image with three trains wearing white hoods and tracks on fire. "Fair, I get it," Loesch sarcastically says. "Thomas the Tank Engine has been a blight on race relations for far too long. Clearly this is overdue."
The NRA did not immediately respond to USA TODAY's request for comment.
Mattel announced Friday that "Thomas & Friends," a Nick Jr. show, would add characters to its newest season from around the world and partner with the UN to promote its Sustainable Development Goals.
http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/angry-over-diversity-in-childrens-show-nra-tv-depicts-thomas-and-friends-in-kkk-hoods/ar-BBNg8zg
9 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read
seriously, when we visited them, he told us the "d-word" was not allowed in their house.
