Social media calls for Paw Patrol to be cancelled amid Black Lives Matter movement
Social media is calling for children's cartoon Paw Patrol to be cancelled amid the Black Lives Matter movement, with some people going so far as to say the lead pup, Chase, should be "euthanised".
The show is about a group of dogs including Marshall, a firefighting Dalmatian, Rubble, a bulldog construction worker, and Chase, a German shepherd police dog, all of whom help solve crimes and issues around Adventure Bay.
Calls for the show to be cancelled came after the show shared a message on Twitter about the Black Lives Matter movement.
Their post read, "In solidarity of #amplifymelanatedvoices we will be muting our content until June 7th to give access for Black voices to be heard so we can continue to listen and further our learning. #amplifyblackvoices."
Among the comments, one user wrote, "Euthanize the police dog." While most comments are said in jest, there are some serious undertones.
Another added, "You’ve already brainwashed a bunch of kids into thinking law enforcement is a noble and just profession. Better to scrap production forever if you want to make lasting change."
"Perhaps naming your main character police dog 'chase' is a bit tone deaf to the suffering of people who have actually been on the receiving end of dogs used as weapons by the police," someone else wrote.
Euthanize the police dog
— Marmalade Mark (@Marmalade_Mark) June 2, 2020
you’ve already brainwashed a bunch of kids into thinking law enforcement is a noble and just profession. better to scrap production forever if you want to make lasting change
— bugchasing incel 🕊 (@bathwaterbad) June 2, 2020
Perhaps naming your main character police dog “chase” is a bit tone deaf to the suffering of people who have actually been on the receiving end of dogs used as weapons by the police. My 3 year old calls his stuffed Chase “Jace”.
— Laura C. Bernardo (@LauraCarmella) June 3, 2020
While racist police officers are getting called out in real life, their fictional counterparts are as well with many wanting to banish the idea of the 'good cop'.
Monk executive producer Tom Scharpling took to Twitter recently to criticise his own show, "If you — as I have — worked on a TV show or movie in which police are portrayed as lovable goofballs, you have contributed to the larger acceptance that cops are implicitly the good guys."
If you - as I have - worked on a TV show or movie in which police are portrayed as lovable goofballs you have contributed to the larger acceptance that cops are the implicitly the good guys. Most shows dont portray the brutal shit - much less the racism - that goes on daily. 1/3
— scharpling (@scharpling) June 1, 2020
LEGO has stopped marketing its 'LEGO City Police Station' and 'Police Highway Arrest' sets while shoes like Cops and Live PD have been pulled from the air with Cops getting cancelled altogether.
One person wrote on Twitter, "Genuinely, in all seriousness. Every show that makes police seem like a positive force in society is bad & should be cancelled starting with ones for children. This should not be a controversial opinion or I've gained a lot of followers who have no idea what they've gotten into."
However, many people have defended the show with one user writing, "Please don't listen to them! Chase is a GOOD dog and only shows the kids the RIGHT way to be towards others. Paw Patrol is my boys' favorite cartoon."
They added, "It's a wonderful cartoon!!"
Another wrote, "Thank you. Please don’t listen to the other comments; you guys are amazing and bring some happiness into such a crazy world."
Someone else said, "To the people who think canceling @pawpatrol is called for, have you lost your mind? It’s a children’s show! It teaches them to always lend a hand no matter who needs it. Stop making everything political and just be parents."
Please don't listen to them! Chase is a GOOD dog and only shows the kids the RIGHT way to be towards others. Paw Patrol is my boys' favorite cartoon. My one son loves Marshall & Chase the most. My other son loves Zuma. It's a wonderful cartoon!!
— KymberTV (@KymberTv) June 10, 2020
Thank you. Please don’t listen to the other comments; you guys are amazing and bring some happiness into such a crazy world.
— • Danielle • (@comicgal40) June 2, 2020
To the people who think canceling @pawpatrol is called for, have you lost your mind? It’s a children’s show! It teaches them to always lend a hand no matter who needs it. Stop making everything political and just be parents. Treat others the way you want to be treated. Matt 7:12
— Phillip Wescott (@Wescott5) June 11, 2020
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