Members of Congress spar over radicalism at US History Museum: 'Is Mickey Mouse racist?'
2. Brandon Gill asks museum director 'Is Mickey Mouse racist?'
Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, focused much of his questioning on the museum's "MASS Action Toolkit," which he said references "objectivity" as "a defining characteristic of white supremacy culture." Hartig disputed that the museum created the toolkit, telling Gill it had been used as a reference beginning around 2019 or 2020.
"Is Mickey Mouse racist?" Gill asked. "Mickey Mouse is not racist," Hartig replied. Gill then cited a museum exhibit characterizing Mickey Mouse as representing "vestiges of longstanding traditions of blackface minstrelsy," pressing her to explain the discrepancy.
When Hartig began discussing the "historical trajectory" and "origins" of the cartoon character, Gill asked whether her testimony was that "Mickey Mouse is rooted in racism." She said the character is "rooted in minstrelsy" instead, prompting Gill to ask, "You don't think that blackface minstrelsy is racist?"
"It had certain and obvious racial undertones that have been well documented," she said. Gill asked if Hartig thought it was "problematic that Mickey Mouse also has those racial overtones," to which she replied: "It's not for me to determine what's problematic" but rather "what’s accurate."
Gill also asked Hartig whether it was "important to be polite," which she affirmed. He then noted that the same MASS Action Toolkit characterizes "politeness" as "a defining characteristic of white supremacy culture," and asked whether that made her a "white supremacist." Hartig said no, and told Gill she couldn't recall which part of the toolkit he was referencing.
Ryan Foley is a reporter for The Christian Post. He can be reached at: ryan.foley@christianpost.com
