Very Opinionated #1

My blog is hardly a day old before I feel the need to rant about something I found on the internet. That certainly didn't take long. I guess aside from sarcasm, I also won't be losing my adamant, passionate nature out here in the West.

It all pertains to this, and barely has anything to do with the article itself. (Although a) Moxie Crimefighter just screams what Mistah J and Harley would name their kid to spite Batsy and the entire GCPD, and b) I have friends who make a living at Disney. I assure you, this Cinderella imposter is asking for her ass to get handed to her by the Mouse Powers that Be.)

What's bothering me is some of the comments. How parents are suddenly up-in-arms regarding little girls wanting to look up to the princesses, especially considering that many parents today grew up with the likes of the new age, "girl power" princesses like Belle, Jasmine, and...well "princess-at-heart", Mulan.

I'll admit, some of it's bothers me too. I'm a huge, huge fan of Disney's Beauty and the Beast. I was 7 years old when the film first came out. It's the only movie to date that I saw 3 times in movie theaters alone, and I think there's only one Japanese tourist who has beaten my 76-time record in seeing the musical before it closed.

Yes, it's depressing that the only merchandise you can get for the movie solely involves Belle. (The movie is called Beauty AND the Beast, after all.) But what's worse is that they've turned her into something that she isn't. Belle was the first Disney girl to break the mold of "I'm waiting for my prince! -sigh!-" and just wanting more out of life. Not to mention she was a bookworm, which parents should be thrilled about. Now, she's just being portrayed as one of the girls, primping and prettying herself, and wearing that ballgown 24/7/365. Fans have even found her gardening in it lately. Really, Disney, honestly? This woman could've been the poster child for feminism in the early 90s, and you just threw that out the window to compete with the Bratz dolls? Even Barbie had more integrity.

I guess what it all boils down to is how you view the different sides. On one hand, I understand that Disney is a business and has to go where the market is, even if I disagree. (Believe you me, I can write a novel about the things that irk me about them, despite still loving the company.)

But on the other hand - and coming in for the landing - why can't parents tone down the reality a little bit? I said it the other day on my facebook: reality is overrated. Even some reality TV is scripted and complete bull sometimes. Why has the need for realism affected the current mentality of people so much that if something isn't realistic, it must be the enemy? And why would we let it affect our future generation?

Kids don't think of fairy tales and fiction in terms of historical accuracy, the price that comes with being royalty in real life, or whether things could really exist. All they see is something special and maybe a little magical. Something that puts a smile on their face. In my opinion, that's all they should be seeing. Taking away something as beautiful and precious as a child's imagination and creativity - even if it's dressing up to be as pretty as their favorite princess - is just plain cruel. "Thou shalt not steal," remember? It's a mortal sin!

It's a tough lesson that I've learned, that we've all learned. One day, they'll grow up, and they'll see what reality is. They won't ask you to read them that story because they'll have too much homework. They won't go on magical adventures in the backyard because they'll have bills and expenses to pay. If they retain an ounce of that imagination and inner child, they'll be one of the lucky few.

Parents, businesses, let children be children. It doesn't last very long. You blink once, and suddenly it's all gone. It's not fair to shove realism down their throats and rush them into the world when they aren't prepared to do so.

Faith out.