JE#1B

Prior to the creation of Speedy Gonzalez, the ideas of Anglo-supremacy and assimilation of the Native Americans were already being cultivated through the radio and televised Lone Ranger and his 'faithful' sidekick, Tonto. I saw a blatant political ideology that followed throughout the episode of the Lone Ranger, which was the 'White Man's Burden.' Firstly, it was the WHITE man, who had to send food and medical supplies to the 'Indian' Reservations, because they were 'too feeble and weak' to actually take care of themselves; ignoring the fact the Native Americans had already been living in North America for generations and it was the WHITE man, who took their lands away. Second, it was the Lone Ranger, a masked WHITE man, who had to rescue Tonto and the entire Indian Reservation from being conned by the WHITE deserters. A hidden ideological message I picked up after the deserters were revealed in the episode was the fact that the Anglo villains were the ones to blame for all the 'Indians' and possibly the world's misfortune, but that can be open to interpretation. Themes and messages depicted and drawn from Tonto range from his lack of assimilation, as seen through his broken English and thick 'Red man' accent, and lack of intelligence, as seen through his archaic form of communicating through smoke. These two 'lack of' traits are just the tip of the iceberg that helped formed the subjective racism imposed onto minorities that you can see be transferred onto present day minorities. The final theme I noticed throughout the entire episode of the Lone Ranger was the subjugation of skin color that would ingrain itself in 'American' culture to this very day.