Crazy Train! NRA blasted for putting KKK hoods on popular children’s toy
NRA Spokeswoman Dana Loesch has had a busy week.
When she isn’t claiming that Botham Jean wouldn’t have been killed in his apartment by Dallas police officer Amber Guyer if he had a gun, she’s lamenting the increase in diversity on a Nickelodeon kid show.
Seriously.
Last Friday during the NRATV show “Relentless,” which usually focuses on guns and violence, the subject matter somehow ended up on the subject of the children’s television show “Thomas & Friends” decision to add a number of female and international characters to the show.
“Thomas & Friends” had announced on Friday that it was adding the new characters in partnership with the United Nations, part of an effort to introduce its preschool audience to new cultures and issues.
In the show’s upcoming 22nd season, Thomas the Tank Engine, will leave his home on the fictional island of Sodor for the first time in series history. He will travel to China, India and Australia, where he will meet other trains.
This seems like it would be a good thing, but not to fans of NRATV. As Loesch read emails from people complaining about the changes to a show geared toward toddlers and preschool kids, Loesch ran a photo that superimposed Ku Klux Klan hoods on Thomas and his friends.
Because, adding girls and international characters makes Thomas…racist?
“Fair, I get it,” she deadpanned in response to the image. “Thomas the Tank Engine has been a blight on race relations for far too long. They’ve decided that the next stop is Virtue Town.”
All aboard for the #GlobalGoals! Join the @UN and @ThomasFriends on a journey towards a better world for children.#AllAboardForGlobalGoals pic.twitter.com/sxENxN2O2g
— UNICEF (@UNICEF) September 9, 2018
She took issue with the new characters, which includes Nia—a Black train from Kenya. Loesch, who might not get how cartoons work, seemed confused to how a children’s show comprised of trains introduce “ethnic diversity” when the characters are mostly trains?
“I’m really, really struggling to understand how in the world there isn’t any diversity in any of this,” she said, before showing the photoshopped picture of Thomas and his friends in KKK hoods in front of burning tracks.
“Thomas the Tank Engine” has been around for more than 70 years in children’s books. In response, Mattel, which owns the Thomas the Tank Engine brand, said promoting diversity and inclusion had “always been a priority.”
“We are not associated with images that promote hate and denounce any images of our brands that are being used to convey a message not in line with the values of the company,” it said in a statement.”
