If you believe American researchers, the universe of "Star Wars" is filled with racist, anti-Semitic and all sorts of "phobic" content. Jar Jar Binks a caricature of the black people of the Caribbean? Yoda the stereotypical Jew? And in "A New Hope" all the actors were white ... Coincidence?
Particularly unlucky in this respect was "The Phantom Menace" (1999), the fourth installment of "Star Wars" in terms of release date. Jar Jar Binks, one of the amphibian inhabitants of the galaxy, appeared to critics ... a racist caricature of black Caribbean people. How for God's sake can you compare the orange amphibian to an inhabitant of Jamaica? George Lucas thundered.
To other critics, the annoying creature resembled a homosexual or an African-American. - There is something about his behavior that suggests he is black stereotypical black Said Michael Eric Dyson, a professor of sociology with a PhD at Princeton. - Way of speaking, way of walking…
I wonder what the Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt would say to such comparisons to Jar Jar Binks (photo from the World Athletics Championships in 2009 in Berlin, author:Erik van Leeuwen - http://www.erki.nl/, lic. GFDL ).
The scientist's concern was aroused by the entire Ganggan race from which Jar Jar was descended. His leader was a clown fat man with a rumbling voice. - Looks like a caricature of a stereotypical African leader - he commented.
Yoda was a Jew
Another supporting character, Watto, turned out to be a real bomb. He had a crooked nose, liked money, traded in scrap and slaves. A real businessman who says: You're playing Jedi Knight? You've come to Toydarian! Tricks don't work for me. Only money .
The critics were in a hurry right away. Since the entire Toydarian nation is greedy, there is no doubt:Watto is a Jew, and stereotyped as in Nazi propaganda! Even the Jewish League Against Defamation distanced itself from these arguments . In an official statement, she stated that she did not see any anti-Semitic content in Watty's form.
Master Yoda introduces young Anakin to his Jewish interests? Wax figure at the Star Wars exhibition (photo:Miguel Mendez from Malahide, Ireland, license CC BY 2.0, wikimedia commons).
Jewish themes in "Star Wars" were found more than once, even seeing a kind of rabbi in Yoda . The topic has been published in scientific studies, and the latest summary of these investigations may be the article with the title, which cannot be accurately translated in the Polish translation:" May the Force Be with Jew . The Jedi-Hebraic Connection "by Andrew Blake.
Happy slaves?
Other insiders have noticed in "Star Wars" the camouflaged message of adherents of slavery! It has been found that some of the races or people shown in the saga are happy even though they live in captivity. In this context, even the example of Chewback, co-pilot of the Millennium Falcon, and his companion Han Solo are cited! From there it was only a step to 19th century America, where defenders of slavery argued: But they are satisfied .
Moreover, in the first realized part of "Star Wars", "New Hope" (1977), only one black actor which, however, did not appear in any frame or in the end credits! Already vigilant guardians of political correctness knew what to do with this fact. Meanwhile, it was not due to any prejudices of George Lucas, but from his artistic concept.
Initially, a black hero, the smuggler Han Solo, was to appear in the film. However, the creator of Star Wars changed his mind and began looking for a white actor for the role. During the break between the auditions, gave a fellow carpenter a chance, who was just replacing the door in the office. That carpenter was Harrison Ford.
Darth Farmer
The only African American mentioned above in A New Hope is James Earl Jones. He does not appear in the film himself, but only his characteristic voice (we also hear him as Mufasa in "The Lion King"). So the black - nomen omen - character, Darth Vader, spoke in the voice of a black actor.
James Earl Jones became the "voice" of Darth Vader not because of political correctness, but even in opposition to it (photo:Eva Rinaldi from Sydney Australia, license CC BY-SA 2.0, wikimedia commons).
The most astonished by this fact was the British David Prowse, who played the role of Vader. And it was on his part that Lucas was accused of being politically correct. As Chris Taylor wrote in the book "Star Wars. How did they conquer the world? ”:
Prowse claims that Lucas promised to play the dialogues with him later. However, his Devonshire accent, stronger than he realized, just didn't fit the role. The crew called him "Darth Farmer." As a replacement, Jones was brought in for a day for a predetermined salary of $ 7,500. dollars. Prowse later bitterly stated that Jones' election was due to Lucas realizing the lack of black actors in the cast.
However, it was just the opposite. Lucas didn't want the only black actor to give the villain's voice - he guessed the criticism of such a solution. It was the casting director who insisted on him for a very simple reason:James Earl Jones simply had the best baritone actors they knew.
Not long ago in nearby Vietnam
The genesis of the craze - otherwise it cannot be called - in terms of racist, anti-Semitic and all threads ending with the word "phobic", must be looked for in American history. On the one hand, it is full of beautiful ideas about free people who created the most powerful power on Earth, but on the other hand a history full of violence and exploitation of others from the very beginning.
The extermination of the Indians, the slavery of blacks, and then their discrimination until the 1960s ... Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus and Poland.
With such historical baggage, many scientists turn the other way and become oversensitive about political correctness. More ridiculous and absurd lines are crossed, as if this could somehow erase the sins of the past.
Meanwhile, if you look for references to real events in "Star Wars", it is not about Jews, blacks and homosexuals, but about ... the war in Vietnam. As Chris Taylor writes:
The villain of this fairy tale, Empire, was born from the inspiration of the American troops in Vietnam, Ewoks were born thanks to the Vietcong And the Emperor was based on President Nixon.
President Nixon or ... the true face of the Emperor? (source:public domain)
George Lucas himself spoke about it openly, pointing to various flavors contained in the films. For example, the Emperor's office has an oval shape.