Dora the Explorer's moving across the internet at light speed with Arizona's Immigration law-now exploring what appears to be issues of police brutality with her new 'immigrant' status.
Dora the Explorer is appearing in a doctored mug shot, complete with black eye, bleeding lip, and holding a sign listing her crimes. Now Dora, the cartoon character and tv friend that kids admire, can be used to scare the bejeezus out of children everywhere. Supposedly Dora's guilty of Illegal border crossing and resisting arrest. Now our kids can be scared of adult realities instead, like police brutality.
Dora's 'crimes' are listed on the mug shot sign, along with her booking number. Now we can also add to the stupidity factor throughout our country, teaching kids and adults alike that alleged crimes are printed in a mug shot. Dora is apparently also now also the devil (at least in the eyes of the 'law') with her 666 booking number.
Arizona's controversial new immigration law, and the 12 million illegal immigrants in the United States, has stirred up national attention and outcry. In efforts to drive home their 'point', which is still more than a bit hazy with current symbolism, campaigners against Arizona's immigration law are using a doctored image of Dora the Explorer as a mascot to symbolize their cause. Apparently the images are supposedto question the character's immigration status and country of origin. Several websites, including The Huffington Post, have even posted faux articles narrating Dora the Explorer's capture and arrest. Apparently Dora won't be exploring much further. Another Dora photo, circulating en masse on Facebook, features the cartoon character catapulting over the fence at the US and Mexico borders.
The image isn't new, only its recent circulation. The doctored Dora the Explorer pic was created sometime last year by Debbie Groban, whom designed it for a contest on a fake news website. Those campaigning against the new Arizona immigration law have been spreading Dora's 'arrest' and mug shot photo across the web.
Nickelodeon network is avoiding fuel to the fire, with the kids' station declining to comment on Dora the Explorer's 'background' investigation. Yes, now the public is involved with trying to find 'clues' to help determine Dora's birthplace or citizenship--an example of just how bored our nation truly is--by questioning which real people serve as voice for the cartoon character (two actresses have served as Dora's tv voice, one Peruvian and the other Cuban,) and dissecting the fictional location of her show.
The Latina cartoon character, Dora, has been a popular and important part of Nickelodeon's television programming for nearly 10 years. On Dora's show, she teaches young children the alphabet, how to count, colors, and beginner Spanish phrases. Adults seem intent on ruining that innocent rep.
It's not the first time a children's character has been dragged into political limelight-though it has been awhile. A decade ago, Tinky Winky the Teletubby, the purple children's TV character with a triangle antenna — was called out (of the closet) by Christian leaders. The charge for Tinky Winky: 'being gay'. And what about good ol' Bert and Ernie? Those two Sesame Street roommates get the frequent references for same-sex marriage. Both shows' producers say the characters aren't gay--but then who knows, Dora's an immigrant after all.