‘Tis
the season of Christmas specials. Tonight, Rudolph the Red-nosed
Reindeer and the Island of Misfit Toys will air on ABC Family. It was
never a favorite of mine as a kid, so I can’t offer much of a synopsis, but I
know Rudy and friends stumble upon and island where broken, imperfect toys have
been banished. Wikipedia reads, the island
is a “sanctuary where defective and unwanted toys are sent. Among its inhabitants
. . . Bird Fish is a toy bird who swims instead of flies. A misfit cowboy who rides an
ostrich. Trainer,
a train with square
wheels on its caboose.
A toy boat that sinks rather than floats; a squirt gun
that shoots grape jelly;
an airplane that cannot fly.” The entry adds, “Viewers
were so taken by these forlorn characters, many complained Santa was not seen
fulfilling his promise to include them in his annual delivery. In reaction, a
new scene for subsequent rebroadcasts was produced[citation
needed] with Santa, with Rudolph in the lead, making his
first stop at the island to pick up the toys.”
Despite the apparently added happy
ending, the overriding message seems clear to kids: toys that are different should
be banished. I wonder how far of a leap it is to suggest that The Island of Misfit
Toys sends a bad message to kids about diversity, in general, and
specifically disability. Psychologists
are telling us all the time that kids are influenced by what they see on
television. I don’t want to encourage our era of political correctness run amuck,
but at the same time I always wonder why it seems people with disabilities don’t
get the same consideration other groups do in these situations.
Should The Island of Misfit Toys still
air? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section, on Facebook, or on Twitter.
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