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Nickelodeon Shares A Powerful Message In Support Of Black Lives Matter And While Most Praise It, Some Parents Complain
Nickelodeon, the children’s TV network, honored George Floyd and stood in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter protestors by going off the air on Monday night. 8 minutes and 46 seconds—that’s the exact amount of time that a police officer kneeled on Floyd’s neck while he said he couldn’t breathe on May 25. That’s also the exact amount of time that Nickelodeon played breathing sounds while the words “I can’t breathe” appeared on a black screen.
The vast majority of people who voiced their opinions online praised Nickelodeon’s powerful statement. However, as with any sensitive subject, there were some holdouts. Some parents complained about the network’s video. They said that, in their opinion, the blackout clip was frightening and claimed that their kids are too young to be part of the conversation about race and police brutality.
Bored Panda reached out to 19-year-old Brazilian-American Gustavo Domingues, aka Upmind, one of the people who praised Nickelodeon and shared their opinion about parents who complained about the network’s actions. Scroll down for our interview with Gustavo, a sports and e-sports broadcaster who’s based in Boston, Massachusetts. We also reached out to former pro wrestler Patrick Scott Patterson who has been having discussions with his kids about topics like racism since they began socializing with others. Bored Panda also talked to teacher Catrice Thomas who has an 8-year-old daughter. Scroll down to the very end of our post for her in-depth comments.
RELATED:
Nickelodeon publicly supported Black Lives Matter and George Floyd
Image credits: Nickelodeon
After going off the air, Nickelodeon showed a video with their declaration of kids’ rights
Image credits: Nickelodeon
All of Viacom’s networks went off the air on Monday night
Image credits: DailyNickNews
Image credits: DailyNickNews
“Growing up, I was always infatuated with Nickelodeon and Viacom’s usage of silent broadcasts to raise awareness for various subjects. Such as World Wide Day of Play, and most recently, solidarity with Parkland students. When I saw this on social media, I wasn’t surprised that they took action, but the way they did it certainly shocked me to say the very least,” Gustavo told us. “It’s a far cry from what they have done before, but it serves the overall message and conversation they were trying to start with America’s youth.”
A lot of people supported Nickelodeon honoring Floyd
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Image credits: NoSoyCristian
Image credits: NoSoyCristian
In Upmind’s opinion, Nickelodeon can start a precedent for other networks, so that they too can express solidarity on important and newsworthy topics.
“Nickelodeon has proven in the past that they are African American allies, with shows like Kenan and Kel and their celebration of Black History Month, every year on both Nick and their younger platforms like Nick Jr.,” Gus said. “This ‘I can’t breathe’ campaign has solidified the support of POC, and I hope that other networks follow in their path. Maybe not in the shocking nature that they did with the heavy breathing, but meaningful pauses like they did with the Kids’ Rights campaign.”
Image credits: onlythebraveIou
Image credits: onlythebraveIou
“This exchange should be had at this pivotal part of a child’s development”
Gustavo firmly believes that no child is born racist. “At a younger age (0-4 years old), kids can’t exactly perceive hate or prejudice to other races. At age 5 however is a time where you can begin to have simple conversations with your children that can at least prepare them for situations that they see at school or on television,” he shared his opinion about when parents ought to start talking to their kids about sensitive issues.
“Non-white parents should warn their kids that hateful people exist and that they should set an example for others that hate based on the color of skin is wrong and everyone should be nice to each other, regardless of race,” he said. “As the son of an Afro-Latino, my father wasn’t able to teach me these lessons early on in my life, but slowly at an older age (9 or 10), he told me stories of racism against him here in the United States, and how I should never follow that example.”
Upmind added that he considers himself to still be very young in the grand scheme of things, so he says he can’t confidently answer how the conversation about racism and police brutality between parents and children should go. “But I believe that this exchange should be had at this pivotal part of a child’s development,” he added.
“I don’t feel it’s something you shelter them from”
“I was happy to hear that Nick was among the many media outlets doing it. We live in a world today where too many try to tune out the news and this is too important to do that with. It was making people think and talk about racial injustice in America,” former wrestler Patrick said. “Given the younger audience, I honestly hope it forced the conversation to happen between kids and parents in places where it wasn’t already happening. This is a sad reality in America and, in my opinion, you can’t shelter people from it. The only way you can hope it improves is to talk about it and that includes children.”
Patrick also revealed what the situation in his family was like: “In our home, we were having these discussions with our kids from their first years talking and socializing with others. I won’t tell parents what the ‘best ways’ to get through to their particular children are, but I don’t feel it’s something you shelter them from. The sooner they learn to treat everyone as peers and equals, the less chance there is of them being influenced to treat people differently by other people.”
Some people thought that Nickelodeon was wrong to do this
Image credits: lAnonymousNewsl
Nickelodeon is part of Viacom and all of its other channels like Comedy Central and MTV also went off the air on June 1, 2020, at 6 p.m. ET to demonstrate their support for justice, equality, and human rights.
After the video ended, Nickelodeon then played a video where they listed their declaration of kids’ rights.
“You have the right to be seen, heard, and respected as a citizen of the world. You have the right to a world that is peaceful. You have the right to be treated with equality, regardless of the color of your skin. You have the right to be protected from harm, injustice, and hatred. You have the right to an education that prepares you to run the world. You have the right to your opinions and feelings, even if others don’t agree with them,” Nickelodeon stated.
But most people supported Nick and said that those criticizing the network were wrong to do so
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Image credits: Upmind_
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Image credits: David_Onda
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Image credits: jihyegardens
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#Nickelodeon thanks. This actually gave my kids comfort pic.twitter.com/F6C1bZiJTt
— Tia Curry (@WhoWhatMe) June 1, 2020
Image credits: WhoWhatMe
Nickelodeon sent the message in the most mature way possible for a kids network, solitude very heartfelt…#BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/QNbDNwPaEo
— Chris Green (@ChrisGreenJ) June 2, 2020
Image credits: ChrisGreenJ
Catrice started out by saying that she’s sharing her own experience and that her point of view might not represent all black parents. “I teach in and my daughter attends a majority white but diverse school system, and I can assure you that there are different challenges for black girls and black boys,” she said, pointing out that the way she approaches parenting her daughter is different than what she’d do if she had a son.
“We don’t have live TV, so the first time I heard about it was on Twitter. Like many of the comments, I do remember growing up with Nickelodeon and them putting forth the effort to demonstrate positive citizenship and help unify,” Catrice said.
“So it was no surprise to me to hear that they did something… but the actual action they took was amazing! That was a stance. That is how you start a conversation. You can’t ignore it. And if you were inconvenienced during those minutes, imagine you never being able to move on after that. Imagine not being able to see your family after that. Were you uncomfortable? Were you in pain? Why did you say? Were you able to go back to business as normal?”
“There is a right and a wrong and there are a lot of people who have to admit that they are wrong”
In Catrice’s opinion, Nickelodeon is on the right side of history. “There are situations where people’s beliefs can take them down one path or another, but the dismantling of systematic racism is not one of those situations. There is a right and a wrong and there are a lot of people who have to admit that they are wrong,” she said.
“But that is a painful process and the system was built so that white people should not have to feel pain in regards to race. You may feel pain from other things. You may be poor; you may face discrimination due to your gender or sexual orientation; because of your religion or the neighborhood that you grew up in. But you won’t face pain due to your race as a member of the United States. You are the normal—the standard and it’s everyone else’s job to conform to you.”
“She, like so many black people, will pick up the burden of perfectionism”
Catrice said that her 8-year-old daughter knows that her life will be filled with different expectations and experiences as she grows up. “I have always made sure that she sees herself beyond the mirror. We watch TV shows that have black main characters. We read books about girls that look like her. We talk about our hair and skin tone.”
She continued: I remember, one time she went to her soccer game and I had her hair in an afro. She was the only black on her team and one of her teammates came up and told her her hair was wild (in a negative way). I jumped in to educate. ‘Of course, her hair isn’t wild. It’s beautiful! And I l love how I can do so many different styles with it. It’s magical. And she looks gorgeous!’ He smiled and then started to agree. Parents jumped in to agree too. I’d like to think the teammate may think about that next time he sees someone with hair like that and that the parents would as well.”
Catrice told Bored Panda that she talks to her daughter about how she might not be able to do some of the same things that her classmates may be able to. “Unfortunately, she, like so many black people, will pick up the burden of perfectionism where in order to be seen and valued—especially in majority-white spaces—you have to be perfect; no room for error. And, trust me, that’s a heavy burden carry until you learn to drop it.”
“When you play, talk about race”
“She asks questions about why people say and do certain things against black people. She still struggles with the idea that some people don’t value you just because you’re black. When your child starts to recognize beauty, talk about race. Don’t do that color-blind stuff. Would you only use one crayon from the box to draw a beautiful landscape? No, so please see the beauty in my skin, too. When you draw beautiful pictures, pull out the brown and dark tan crayons for some of those stick figures!” she shared some advice about how parents can talk to kids about race.
“When you play, talk about race. Play with dolls and action figures of different shades. Make sure you buy the Princess Tiana and Black Panther costumes to go along with the others. Have playdates and read books,” she added. However, the topic of police brutality is far more difficult to approach.
“We want all kids to know that police should be their friends. They are there to help them, but we know that’s not the case for all. I tell my daughter that there are good ones and bad ones, but we never know which ones are going to show up,” Catrice explained. “Since we have this belief that police are inherently good, it just means that when they hurt someone, that person was doing something bad. That’s why we get the ‘well, what did he/she do?’ response.”
The mom tells her daughter that this injustice is rooted in racial injustice. “Like many black parents, I have to tell her how to behave around police officers because they may not know how to behave around her. I think parents need to study. Stop putting your life experiences on me because they’re not the same. We can all agree that the rich live differently from the poor. Men live differently from women. So why is it so hard to believe that Black people have a different life experience?” Catrice shared her thoughts.
What do you think ?
Unfortunate beauty👁 4 years ago
I am 11 years old, most of you will will think 'why in the world is she reading this article' but the truth is my Mom and Dad prepared me for this years ago! I have family who are close to my age and way younger who are of color and I had hoped (when my parents had told me about it all) that they would not have to see this go down again. Racism and hatred may not have been taught to young kids but that doesn't mean they shouldn't! I video called to one of the relatives who's a year younger than me and she seemed to be happy as always and I just hope to she never has to protest. She may but I just wish that it would just all go away. The hatred, the need of war! As my Mom said "The de-evolution of America". When will the hatred in this country dissolve! Everyone stay safe, stay peaceful, and stay loved.
Laugh Fan 4 years ago
Good for you! You obviously have great parents and you are smart and clued-up about the world.
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Flisey 4 years ago
TV is not a babysitter if you are that worried about what your children are watching keep an eye on what they are watching. There was nothing stopping these parents from turning the tv off.
deanna woods 4 years ago
These parents would rather get on social media and start complaining than turn the tv off. I recall Nickelodeon showing its support for the victims of 9/11 and no one got upset about that.
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Liam Walsh 4 years ago (edited)
If they are very young you can change the channel and/or distract them for 8 minutes and 46 seconds. Sadly, learning what the world is like is a part of growing up - sad and bad bits included. It's how we learn to cope with the crappier parts of life as adults - you don't become a fully functioning adult suddenly just because you turn 18 (or whatever the age is when you become an official adult in your country). I remember learning about bombs and terrorists as an 8 year old - what you are too young to understand mostly goes over your head. Judge what your child can cope with but you have to be realistic and accept that you can't protect them from real-life forever.
Hans 4 years ago
Actually, no one asks to terrify children. It would indeed be wrong to show shocking videos to small children. However, children can well comprehend that this world is not without problems!
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Unfortunate beauty👁 4 years ago
I am the Mom of "Unfortunate Beauty" and I want to say that giving 8 minutes of voice to people who are largely unheard is what equality starts with and if you don't understand that, then think about how uncomfortable you would be to stand there watching a man die for 8 minutes.
Laugh Fan 4 years ago
You must be very proud of them - making a lot more sense than many adults do! Doing a good job mom!
Load More Replies... cassiushumanmother 4 years ago
"let a kid be a kid" is the best "parenting hack" i ever read. It allows you to don't ever educate your child because you know "kids will be kids and boys will be boys..." . It's so simple yet effective on everything. "My kid is unaware of everything because i don't want to ruin his childhood. My kid is obnoxious in restaurant but let a kid be a kid. My kid throw trash on the ground because i don't want to tell him about pollution, about turtles the in the ocean dying of trash, he really likes nemo so no way i would teach him." I had a class in preschool (in France) and the kids were debating racism because one of them told "he must not learn to read french since he"s a foreigner" about one of the kids. It went fabulous, epic! Even the youngest children have a clue on racism, "madame, madame!It is bad to talk like that, right?Am i Right?!" WELL...
Karmadillo 4 years ago
It's good to expose kids to the real world and show them that major changes need to happen in society. You can't just hide all of this from your kids. Yes it'll scare them, but it'll help them when growing up, like Liam Walsh said - "It's how we learn to cope with the creepier parts of life as adults". Also, by exposing them to this situation, they might get inspired to take action for peace and unity.
Katchen 4 years ago (edited)
Tamir Rice should have been allowed to be a kid, too.
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Hello it Smee 4 years ago (edited)
Think about this: these lazy parents couldn't turn the TV off for 10 minutes when they don't agree with the message. God forbid the TV babysitting is helping their kids to see the world as it is. I think it is great what Nick did.
Pittsburgh rare 4 years ago
If you get enraged because your kids get (a very little) grasp of what racism means, I don't want you or your kids anywhere near my daughter.
Iris 4 years ago
Children learn even more if they ask, this is a good thing 👍👍 This way they will grow up knowing what's out there to fix... as long as the parents are not racist.
Carrie de Luka 4 years ago
Completely agree. Though I'd like to offer up hope that the children with racist parents won't necessarily go on to share their views. My parents were racist. The shame I feel at that. Even as a child it felt wrong. Some of the things my father would say! Oh, it would have me cringing. I learned how wrong they were though and I'm no genius. It is so important to be a good example for the children we come across in life. Parents don't always know best and we can be more than our upbringing.
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Marlowe Fitzpatrik 4 years ago
Is it truly too hard to sit your kid down and say "listen, kid. Your TV is showing this because a few days ago, a man walked into a shop and he paid with a bill that seemed to be fake. Nobody knows (yet) if it was truly fake, but the shop called the police because that's their shop-policy. The police came and arrested the man and one of the policemen decided to sit on him in a way that let the man not breathe. The time you saw on the TV right now was exactly the time he wasn't able to breathe, that's why they are showing it. The man died because of that, and now everyone is very angry at the police because the man was black and the policeman was white and sadly in this world, if you are not white it means people will treat you differently than white people. It shouldn't be allowed, and it should doubly-not be allowed by the POLICE to treat someone differently because of their skin. That's why right now, everyone is protesting because it's WRONG." Kids can understand that, no problem.
Christina Uhlir 4 years ago
Exactly right, you can explain anything to even young children if you explain it in the age appropriate "language" ....but nobody will be able to explain why is there injustice and violence among people because adults are ignoring the CAUSE of such wrongs.
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Lisa Hutchinson Harris 4 years ago
I am such a mix of like 10 nations. I have not done the 23 and what ever dna test.. but I Bet I have a different "color" in my gene pool.. WE ALL DO. Love this
Tabitha L 4 years ago
I'm shocked by the number of people who do the DNA kits. You are basically giving up your genetic code to strangers. Who knows how it could be used against you.
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Cori 4 years ago
How the f*ck is standing up for basic human rights 'being political'!? It's our job as parents to raise good humans, to break this cycle for good. We can't do that if we shield them from the real world. I have a six year old son and I didn't hesitate for a second in talking to him about this. If we do our jobs as parents, maybe his generation will be the one to finally leave this ugliness in the past.
Bill Taylor 4 years ago
Sure, just let your kids grow up in a vacuum, unfortunately that's not the answer. Discussions like these are good to have with your children.
Geoffrey Holland 4 years ago
if these parents are so worried because their kids are so young and they don't understand what they're seeing why aren't they sitting there watching television with them? If all you're doing is turning on the TV to use as a babysitter then you're the problem.
Rissie 4 years ago
They showed a message that needs every outlet it can. As a parent you sit down next to your kid and explain the world in terms you deem fit. If you cannot go 8 minutes and 46 seconds without a certain TV channel, you were probably not doing a very good job in getting your kid ahead in this world anyway. Our kids can do better if we make them aware. And it starts by looking at yourself. Violence is an unwanted side effect of all that's happening right now, Nick showing this and giving you an opportunity to educate your kid is quite the opposite.
Daria B 4 years ago
You're not going to protect your children effectively by hiding danger from them. They need to be aware, so they know how to protect themselves. What Nickelodeon did was giving you a chance to talk to your kids and teach them. They don't understand? It's your job as a parent to explain. It's not easy, but how are they going to develop a sense of ethics if they're kept in oblivion? Censorship is for the adults, it was never about the children.
Daria B 4 years ago (edited)
Btw, I'm speaking this from the point of view of someone who was literally born into a real and atrocious war. My hometown was a safe zone, though. Just a bit of background knowledge because I know I, and everything I say, will be judged by my supposed "privileged status". (Nevermind the meaning of the name "Slavic" and what it takes for a whole ethnic group to gain its name ♡)
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April Simnel 4 years ago
White parents who think it's bad for a children's network to have this teaching moment (because most of Nick's viewers are not tiny. Nick Jr. is for very young children) need to step in to someone else's shoes for a minute. Parents with black and mixed kids have to teach them about racism early, because there are teachers who look to put 5 and 6 year old black kids in mental hospitals for the usual acting-out behavior of youngsters. Black children are seen as older than their white same-aged counterparts and treated as adults from the time they're 11 and 12 years old. When we go out into the world at 4, people can and will be racist to us right off the bat, so we aren't spared this pain. I'm 50 now, and I first got called a "n****r" at 4 at kindergarten in the Midwest. I was stopped by a cop at 7—a little girl with cafe au lait skin, Euro features, and wavy hair. But I'm not 100% white! White people don't get this, and they need to, because they're the only ones who can stop this.
deanna woods 4 years ago
I understand where you are coming from April, because I am 100% black and have had to deal with prejudice on many occasions in my life. I have been followed around stores and have yelled at just because I was a black child in a particular neighborhood.
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Blackheart 4 years ago
Like it or not, parents get to decide what is right for their children. Rightly so. For some, this may have been appropriate, sparking a conversation. For others, not. The sound of breathing could have been kind of scary for very young viewers. When I see something I do not deem appropriate being viewed by my children, I turn it off or change the channel.
Becca Gizmo the Squirrel 4 years ago
Good for nick. It gets kids asking questions. Parents can use this an opportunity to explain to their kids what is happening in this world. In an age appropriate manner. I would explain things differently to a 3 year old and 10 year old. Take the time to teach your kids, parents! We are living in a very important time!
deanna woods 4 years ago
My sister and I grew up watching Nickelodeon and I think what they did was right. Now more than ever is the time for parents to sit down with their children and have a meaningful discussion. The people who got upset and said that it was wrong to air this on Nickelodeon clearly still don't understand the seriousness of what happened.
Lana Jig-maker 4 years ago
Nickelodeon, that's what's up. Kids should know that not every adult has their best interest in mind. Nickelodeon didn't show anything graphic, but still stood for something.
Katchen 4 years ago
Tamir Rice was 12 years old when he was murdered by police. At what age should children learn of the realities of the world we’ve made?
Truth Monster 4 years ago
At what age should we teach children not to take guns to a park?
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Brent Hollett 4 years ago
If kids run to you and say "I don't understand", and you can't explain it to them in a way that doesn't scare them, maybe there's a problem with the situation. If kids run to you and say "I don't understand", and you can't explain it to them, maybe you are the problem with the situation.
Paul K. Johnson 4 years ago
"How dare you decide what is best for my child!" Weird, every one of their programs is them deciding "what is best for your child". If television has more power over your child's values than you do then you're a s**t parent.
Nadine 4 years ago
Kids see and hear what happens around them. Respect for the channel to address it this way. In any case I have always found that Some of the cartoons Nickelodeon shows has way more violent messages and teaches kids the wrong things. As a parent you should be guiding your child.
Jerry Mathers 4 years ago
I love how the naysayers want to make this a "political issue". It isn't. This a human issue. Every human should have the right to being treated based on their actions. To think otherwise is simply making excuses for your own bigotry.
fainasKeturatis 4 years ago (edited)
I think it's not appropriate the way they did this - it's a big company and a moment of silence isn't a thing every kid will understand by their selves, they could explain the whole thing to kids which would have been more useful and respectful than a simple moment of silence
Sabse 4 years ago
I can't understand the excitement. As a German, I learned about Anne Frank in primary school, for example. That doesn't disturb the children. The subject just needs to be well prepared. It's important to bring such topics to children. Later, of course, the very tragic and brutal topics. That's the way it is here. I think that in the USA racism should be a fundamental topic in school - also in primary school, because it is US History.
Herb Coleman 4 years ago
Why do these parents think that their children don't know that "something" is going on? If they talk to other kids they will hear bits and pieces. The news breaks into all kinds of programming and there are mentions of protests, looting, BLM, George Floyd's name on all sorts of media. They are eventually going to hear about it. Far better that you talk about it with them now.
Kai Wendorf 4 years ago (edited)
I am fourteen. I live in a predominantly African-American area and I'm a small white boy. I've been exposed to kids who don't have parents too kids who have who don't have a home. My aunt's kids are 12 and 10. They still don't know what their male privates were called. Yes, we judged them for this, but we accepted it. My point? Parents have the freedom for their kids to learn what they want. They should get to pick what their kids know, but I would hope they would pick to expose them to the evilness of the hearts of people rather than protect them from it. Choose wisely, parents.
DC 4 years ago
I agree with a lot of you here ... children being considered "too young", in this case and in others, are almost always children of some Karen who knows her honest answers will cause her to lose respect of her own children. To avoid this, they go pretty far - telling lies to their own children (if anything about parenting is wrong beyond even the possibillity of doubt - this is) just to dodge admitting they're not perfect. Ignorance does not grow out of nothing. It grows out of ignorance, out of lies told to children who aren't seen as person but as a, kind of, accessory to their parent, who got them to show off, and have given in years ago ... into not even trying to be any kind of good person, but just be a lazy person who doesn't care about ethics - and doesn't want their child to remind them of their own and chosen systematic stupidity!
Tabitha L 4 years ago
Good for Nickelodeon. Maybe if they (and other networks) had been playing messages like this in the 80s, 90s, 00s; we wouldn't be mourning the death of another unarmed man at the hands of police. Show the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, show the Convention on the Rights of the Child, show the SDGs (and before that, the MDGs). Learning your rights and the rights of others should be in every child's education. We must remember that education should not only give knowledge; but build community, respect, and responsibility.
Christina Uhlir 4 years ago
Teach the rights and the responsibilities !!!!
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Laira Cruz 4 years ago
TO ALL THOSE IDIOTS COMPLAINING: You're complaining that this meaningful message (thank you, Nick) is scaring your children while young black (I really don't like that term) are TERRIFIED of being killed for the color of their skin. If your kids are scared, they should be. They should be scared for their friends with colored skin. I sincerely believe that it's better to be scared and informed than to be feeling secure and oblivious to what's happening in your own world. And this horrible brutality isn't happening to blacks. People of Chinese descent are being looked down upon for being the so-called 'source' of Covid-19. Innocent Mexican children are being held back from a life that they deserve, and are being sent back to poverty. People from the Middle East being discriminated because of actions of terrorists before them. You can't pretend that your kids won't find out about these horrors. It's better to tell them rather than hide it from them. ALL LIVES MATTER.
Emily Softley 4 years ago
Nick has always been about equality, and this is wonderful to see. As a child, almost all the programming with black families in that I watched was on their channel. The only exception was the fresh Prince. I'm on Nickelodeon's side. They're standing for what is right.
Christina Uhlir 4 years ago (edited)
People anywhere in the world will NEVER be able to give those rights to children and to each other....for the reason which was explicated decades ago, hundreds years ago, even thousands years ago....no human being anywhere on this planet ever listened. - "As long as man continues to be the ruthless destroyer of lower living beings, he will NEVER know HEALTH or PEACE. For as long as men massacre animals they WILL KILL EACH OTHER. Indeed, he who sows the seed of murder and pain cannot reap joy and love." - Pythagoras (570-480BC/BCE) Greek mathematician & philosopher ___"If you have men who will exclude ANY of God's creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have men who will deal likewise with their fellow men." - St. Francis of Assisi (1182 - 1226) ---- "Do not fancy that you will lower yourselves by sympathy with the lower creatures; you CANNOT sympathize RIGHTLY with the higher, unless you do with those." - John Ruskin (1819 - 1900) English essayist, critic, reformer.
Lisa Larson 4 years ago
This is disgusting. Never should have been put on a kids network (or an adult one for that matter).
mermaidgirl960 4 years ago
It's scaring them? They are already scared! I'm white and I don't even want to leave my house because I cannot watch things like this. I try not to look at the news but it's hard. I can't stand it. We finally almost made it past racism and now we come back? This is the WORST time to do so! I learned about all of the amendments in the Constitution in school and I am so glad because it was at the PERFECT time. I'm lucky I figured out sooner than later. Some people don't know their rights and are scared to speak out. They just succumb to authority. We have the right to say NO.
Joanne Hudson 4 years ago
If your kids are scared by this, a conversation with them is long overdue. Is the youngest black child affected by this younger than your kids? Think about that.
Odette Greyling 4 years ago
If you are not teaching your kid not be a racist, when are you planning to do it?
Caroline Driver 4 years ago
There will always be those who bleat 'what about the children!!!' but then are afraid to talk to their children about difficult things. Maybe this will make an impact on these children, kids remember some details for the rest of their lives, I know I do. And they will learn the reaction from their parents. So, well done, you're bringing up some more little people who will look the other way, try and avoid something that's difficult or makes them feel guilty.
Florence Hastings 4 years ago
It’s a start. Finally someone on on tv is saying things have to change. Now if only the news channels would follow suit.
DC 4 years ago
They did right! Children are not yet spoiled into racism - and racism is something politics should be way beyond by now. Keeping children safe from stuff that scares them is essentially raising another generation of ignorant selfish cocksuckers - we already have a set of boomers. Another one is not required for anything!
backatya 4 years ago
This is dumb. Networks, stores etc. shouldn't venture in taking sides on anything. Just like you don't get into religion or politics because it never ends well. Not only that but the media is blasting the airwaves on it already we don't need 8:46 of silence. Did anyone do that for the cop that got murdered in Las Vegas shot in the head for doing his job during a riot? He didn't have anything to do with what happened to Floyd. He doesn't even belong to that police dept and got murdered. The intent to kill a cop was there. What happened to Floyd was malicious which ended in death and not intent to kill
Just JoLynn 4 years ago
I would be ok with them doing that. There isn't a kid in the US that doesn't know about school shootings, if Nickelodeon played the sounds of terror after such a tragedy it would open the eyes of the adults that fight against protecting our kids from this sad reality.
Load More Replies... Unfortunate beauty👁 4 years ago
I am 11 years old, most of you will will think 'why in the world is she reading this article' but the truth is my Mom and Dad prepared me for this years ago! I have family who are close to my age and way younger who are of color and I had hoped (when my parents had told me about it all) that they would not have to see this go down again. Racism and hatred may not have been taught to young kids but that doesn't mean they shouldn't! I video called to one of the relatives who's a year younger than me and she seemed to be happy as always and I just hope to she never has to protest. She may but I just wish that it would just all go away. The hatred, the need of war! As my Mom said "The de-evolution of America". When will the hatred in this country dissolve! Everyone stay safe, stay peaceful, and stay loved.
Laugh Fan 4 years ago
Good for you! You obviously have great parents and you are smart and clued-up about the world.
Load More Replies... Flisey 4 years ago
TV is not a babysitter if you are that worried about what your children are watching keep an eye on what they are watching. There was nothing stopping these parents from turning the tv off.
deanna woods 4 years ago
These parents would rather get on social media and start complaining than turn the tv off. I recall Nickelodeon showing its support for the victims of 9/11 and no one got upset about that.
Load More Replies... Liam Walsh 4 years ago (edited)
If they are very young you can change the channel and/or distract them for 8 minutes and 46 seconds. Sadly, learning what the world is like is a part of growing up - sad and bad bits included. It's how we learn to cope with the crappier parts of life as adults - you don't become a fully functioning adult suddenly just because you turn 18 (or whatever the age is when you become an official adult in your country). I remember learning about bombs and terrorists as an 8 year old - what you are too young to understand mostly goes over your head. Judge what your child can cope with but you have to be realistic and accept that you can't protect them from real-life forever.
Hans 4 years ago
Actually, no one asks to terrify children. It would indeed be wrong to show shocking videos to small children. However, children can well comprehend that this world is not without problems!
Load More Replies... Unfortunate beauty👁 4 years ago
I am the Mom of "Unfortunate Beauty" and I want to say that giving 8 minutes of voice to people who are largely unheard is what equality starts with and if you don't understand that, then think about how uncomfortable you would be to stand there watching a man die for 8 minutes.
Laugh Fan 4 years ago
You must be very proud of them - making a lot more sense than many adults do! Doing a good job mom!
Load More Replies... cassiushumanmother 4 years ago
"let a kid be a kid" is the best "parenting hack" i ever read. It allows you to don't ever educate your child because you know "kids will be kids and boys will be boys..." . It's so simple yet effective on everything. "My kid is unaware of everything because i don't want to ruin his childhood. My kid is obnoxious in restaurant but let a kid be a kid. My kid throw trash on the ground because i don't want to tell him about pollution, about turtles the in the ocean dying of trash, he really likes nemo so no way i would teach him." I had a class in preschool (in France) and the kids were debating racism because one of them told "he must not learn to read french since he"s a foreigner" about one of the kids. It went fabulous, epic! Even the youngest children have a clue on racism, "madame, madame!It is bad to talk like that, right?Am i Right?!" WELL...
Karmadillo 4 years ago
It's good to expose kids to the real world and show them that major changes need to happen in society. You can't just hide all of this from your kids. Yes it'll scare them, but it'll help them when growing up, like Liam Walsh said - "It's how we learn to cope with the creepier parts of life as adults". Also, by exposing them to this situation, they might get inspired to take action for peace and unity.
Katchen 4 years ago (edited)
Tamir Rice should have been allowed to be a kid, too.
Load More Replies... Hello it Smee 4 years ago (edited)
Think about this: these lazy parents couldn't turn the TV off for 10 minutes when they don't agree with the message. God forbid the TV babysitting is helping their kids to see the world as it is. I think it is great what Nick did.
Pittsburgh rare 4 years ago
If you get enraged because your kids get (a very little) grasp of what racism means, I don't want you or your kids anywhere near my daughter.
Iris 4 years ago
Children learn even more if they ask, this is a good thing 👍👍 This way they will grow up knowing what's out there to fix... as long as the parents are not racist.
Carrie de Luka 4 years ago
Completely agree. Though I'd like to offer up hope that the children with racist parents won't necessarily go on to share their views. My parents were racist. The shame I feel at that. Even as a child it felt wrong. Some of the things my father would say! Oh, it would have me cringing. I learned how wrong they were though and I'm no genius. It is so important to be a good example for the children we come across in life. Parents don't always know best and we can be more than our upbringing.
Load More Replies... Marlowe Fitzpatrik 4 years ago
Is it truly too hard to sit your kid down and say "listen, kid. Your TV is showing this because a few days ago, a man walked into a shop and he paid with a bill that seemed to be fake. Nobody knows (yet) if it was truly fake, but the shop called the police because that's their shop-policy. The police came and arrested the man and one of the policemen decided to sit on him in a way that let the man not breathe. The time you saw on the TV right now was exactly the time he wasn't able to breathe, that's why they are showing it. The man died because of that, and now everyone is very angry at the police because the man was black and the policeman was white and sadly in this world, if you are not white it means people will treat you differently than white people. It shouldn't be allowed, and it should doubly-not be allowed by the POLICE to treat someone differently because of their skin. That's why right now, everyone is protesting because it's WRONG." Kids can understand that, no problem.
Christina Uhlir 4 years ago
Exactly right, you can explain anything to even young children if you explain it in the age appropriate "language" ....but nobody will be able to explain why is there injustice and violence among people because adults are ignoring the CAUSE of such wrongs.
Load More Replies... Lisa Hutchinson Harris 4 years ago
I am such a mix of like 10 nations. I have not done the 23 and what ever dna test.. but I Bet I have a different "color" in my gene pool.. WE ALL DO. Love this
Tabitha L 4 years ago
I'm shocked by the number of people who do the DNA kits. You are basically giving up your genetic code to strangers. Who knows how it could be used against you.
Load More Replies... Cori 4 years ago
How the f*ck is standing up for basic human rights 'being political'!? It's our job as parents to raise good humans, to break this cycle for good. We can't do that if we shield them from the real world. I have a six year old son and I didn't hesitate for a second in talking to him about this. If we do our jobs as parents, maybe his generation will be the one to finally leave this ugliness in the past.
Bill Taylor 4 years ago
Sure, just let your kids grow up in a vacuum, unfortunately that's not the answer. Discussions like these are good to have with your children.
Geoffrey Holland 4 years ago
if these parents are so worried because their kids are so young and they don't understand what they're seeing why aren't they sitting there watching television with them? If all you're doing is turning on the TV to use as a babysitter then you're the problem.
Rissie 4 years ago
They showed a message that needs every outlet it can. As a parent you sit down next to your kid and explain the world in terms you deem fit. If you cannot go 8 minutes and 46 seconds without a certain TV channel, you were probably not doing a very good job in getting your kid ahead in this world anyway. Our kids can do better if we make them aware. And it starts by looking at yourself. Violence is an unwanted side effect of all that's happening right now, Nick showing this and giving you an opportunity to educate your kid is quite the opposite.
Daria B 4 years ago
You're not going to protect your children effectively by hiding danger from them. They need to be aware, so they know how to protect themselves. What Nickelodeon did was giving you a chance to talk to your kids and teach them. They don't understand? It's your job as a parent to explain. It's not easy, but how are they going to develop a sense of ethics if they're kept in oblivion? Censorship is for the adults, it was never about the children.
Daria B 4 years ago (edited)
Btw, I'm speaking this from the point of view of someone who was literally born into a real and atrocious war. My hometown was a safe zone, though. Just a bit of background knowledge because I know I, and everything I say, will be judged by my supposed "privileged status". (Nevermind the meaning of the name "Slavic" and what it takes for a whole ethnic group to gain its name ♡)
Load More Replies... April Simnel 4 years ago
White parents who think it's bad for a children's network to have this teaching moment (because most of Nick's viewers are not tiny. Nick Jr. is for very young children) need to step in to someone else's shoes for a minute. Parents with black and mixed kids have to teach them about racism early, because there are teachers who look to put 5 and 6 year old black kids in mental hospitals for the usual acting-out behavior of youngsters. Black children are seen as older than their white same-aged counterparts and treated as adults from the time they're 11 and 12 years old. When we go out into the world at 4, people can and will be racist to us right off the bat, so we aren't spared this pain. I'm 50 now, and I first got called a "n****r" at 4 at kindergarten in the Midwest. I was stopped by a cop at 7—a little girl with cafe au lait skin, Euro features, and wavy hair. But I'm not 100% white! White people don't get this, and they need to, because they're the only ones who can stop this.
deanna woods 4 years ago
I understand where you are coming from April, because I am 100% black and have had to deal with prejudice on many occasions in my life. I have been followed around stores and have yelled at just because I was a black child in a particular neighborhood.
Load More Replies... Blackheart 4 years ago
Like it or not, parents get to decide what is right for their children. Rightly so. For some, this may have been appropriate, sparking a conversation. For others, not. The sound of breathing could have been kind of scary for very young viewers. When I see something I do not deem appropriate being viewed by my children, I turn it off or change the channel.
Becca Gizmo the Squirrel 4 years ago
Good for nick. It gets kids asking questions. Parents can use this an opportunity to explain to their kids what is happening in this world. In an age appropriate manner. I would explain things differently to a 3 year old and 10 year old. Take the time to teach your kids, parents! We are living in a very important time!
deanna woods 4 years ago
My sister and I grew up watching Nickelodeon and I think what they did was right. Now more than ever is the time for parents to sit down with their children and have a meaningful discussion. The people who got upset and said that it was wrong to air this on Nickelodeon clearly still don't understand the seriousness of what happened.
Lana Jig-maker 4 years ago
Nickelodeon, that's what's up. Kids should know that not every adult has their best interest in mind. Nickelodeon didn't show anything graphic, but still stood for something.
Katchen 4 years ago
Tamir Rice was 12 years old when he was murdered by police. At what age should children learn of the realities of the world we’ve made?
Truth Monster 4 years ago
At what age should we teach children not to take guns to a park?
Load More Replies... Brent Hollett 4 years ago
If kids run to you and say "I don't understand", and you can't explain it to them in a way that doesn't scare them, maybe there's a problem with the situation. If kids run to you and say "I don't understand", and you can't explain it to them, maybe you are the problem with the situation.
Paul K. Johnson 4 years ago
"How dare you decide what is best for my child!" Weird, every one of their programs is them deciding "what is best for your child". If television has more power over your child's values than you do then you're a s**t parent.
Nadine 4 years ago
Kids see and hear what happens around them. Respect for the channel to address it this way. In any case I have always found that Some of the cartoons Nickelodeon shows has way more violent messages and teaches kids the wrong things. As a parent you should be guiding your child.
Jerry Mathers 4 years ago
I love how the naysayers want to make this a "political issue". It isn't. This a human issue. Every human should have the right to being treated based on their actions. To think otherwise is simply making excuses for your own bigotry.
fainasKeturatis 4 years ago (edited)
I think it's not appropriate the way they did this - it's a big company and a moment of silence isn't a thing every kid will understand by their selves, they could explain the whole thing to kids which would have been more useful and respectful than a simple moment of silence
Sabse 4 years ago
I can't understand the excitement. As a German, I learned about Anne Frank in primary school, for example. That doesn't disturb the children. The subject just needs to be well prepared. It's important to bring such topics to children. Later, of course, the very tragic and brutal topics. That's the way it is here. I think that in the USA racism should be a fundamental topic in school - also in primary school, because it is US History.
Herb Coleman 4 years ago
Why do these parents think that their children don't know that "something" is going on? If they talk to other kids they will hear bits and pieces. The news breaks into all kinds of programming and there are mentions of protests, looting, BLM, George Floyd's name on all sorts of media. They are eventually going to hear about it. Far better that you talk about it with them now.
Kai Wendorf 4 years ago (edited)
I am fourteen. I live in a predominantly African-American area and I'm a small white boy. I've been exposed to kids who don't have parents too kids who have who don't have a home. My aunt's kids are 12 and 10. They still don't know what their male privates were called. Yes, we judged them for this, but we accepted it. My point? Parents have the freedom for their kids to learn what they want. They should get to pick what their kids know, but I would hope they would pick to expose them to the evilness of the hearts of people rather than protect them from it. Choose wisely, parents.
DC 4 years ago
I agree with a lot of you here ... children being considered "too young", in this case and in others, are almost always children of some Karen who knows her honest answers will cause her to lose respect of her own children. To avoid this, they go pretty far - telling lies to their own children (if anything about parenting is wrong beyond even the possibillity of doubt - this is) just to dodge admitting they're not perfect. Ignorance does not grow out of nothing. It grows out of ignorance, out of lies told to children who aren't seen as person but as a, kind of, accessory to their parent, who got them to show off, and have given in years ago ... into not even trying to be any kind of good person, but just be a lazy person who doesn't care about ethics - and doesn't want their child to remind them of their own and chosen systematic stupidity!
Tabitha L 4 years ago
Good for Nickelodeon. Maybe if they (and other networks) had been playing messages like this in the 80s, 90s, 00s; we wouldn't be mourning the death of another unarmed man at the hands of police. Show the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, show the Convention on the Rights of the Child, show the SDGs (and before that, the MDGs). Learning your rights and the rights of others should be in every child's education. We must remember that education should not only give knowledge; but build community, respect, and responsibility.
Christina Uhlir 4 years ago
Teach the rights and the responsibilities !!!!
Load More Replies... Laira Cruz 4 years ago
TO ALL THOSE IDIOTS COMPLAINING: You're complaining that this meaningful message (thank you, Nick) is scaring your children while young black (I really don't like that term) are TERRIFIED of being killed for the color of their skin. If your kids are scared, they should be. They should be scared for their friends with colored skin. I sincerely believe that it's better to be scared and informed than to be feeling secure and oblivious to what's happening in your own world. And this horrible brutality isn't happening to blacks. People of Chinese descent are being looked down upon for being the so-called 'source' of Covid-19. Innocent Mexican children are being held back from a life that they deserve, and are being sent back to poverty. People from the Middle East being discriminated because of actions of terrorists before them. You can't pretend that your kids won't find out about these horrors. It's better to tell them rather than hide it from them. ALL LIVES MATTER.
Emily Softley 4 years ago
Nick has always been about equality, and this is wonderful to see. As a child, almost all the programming with black families in that I watched was on their channel. The only exception was the fresh Prince. I'm on Nickelodeon's side. They're standing for what is right.
Christina Uhlir 4 years ago (edited)
People anywhere in the world will NEVER be able to give those rights to children and to each other....for the reason which was explicated decades ago, hundreds years ago, even thousands years ago....no human being anywhere on this planet ever listened. - "As long as man continues to be the ruthless destroyer of lower living beings, he will NEVER know HEALTH or PEACE. For as long as men massacre animals they WILL KILL EACH OTHER. Indeed, he who sows the seed of murder and pain cannot reap joy and love." - Pythagoras (570-480BC/BCE) Greek mathematician & philosopher ___"If you have men who will exclude ANY of God's creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have men who will deal likewise with their fellow men." - St. Francis of Assisi (1182 - 1226) ---- "Do not fancy that you will lower yourselves by sympathy with the lower creatures; you CANNOT sympathize RIGHTLY with the higher, unless you do with those." - John Ruskin (1819 - 1900) English essayist, critic, reformer.
Lisa Larson 4 years ago
This is disgusting. Never should have been put on a kids network (or an adult one for that matter).
mermaidgirl960 4 years ago
It's scaring them? They are already scared! I'm white and I don't even want to leave my house because I cannot watch things like this. I try not to look at the news but it's hard. I can't stand it. We finally almost made it past racism and now we come back? This is the WORST time to do so! I learned about all of the amendments in the Constitution in school and I am so glad because it was at the PERFECT time. I'm lucky I figured out sooner than later. Some people don't know their rights and are scared to speak out. They just succumb to authority. We have the right to say NO.
Joanne Hudson 4 years ago
If your kids are scared by this, a conversation with them is long overdue. Is the youngest black child affected by this younger than your kids? Think about that.
Odette Greyling 4 years ago
If you are not teaching your kid not be a racist, when are you planning to do it?
Caroline Driver 4 years ago
There will always be those who bleat 'what about the children!!!' but then are afraid to talk to their children about difficult things. Maybe this will make an impact on these children, kids remember some details for the rest of their lives, I know I do. And they will learn the reaction from their parents. So, well done, you're bringing up some more little people who will look the other way, try and avoid something that's difficult or makes them feel guilty.
Florence Hastings 4 years ago
It’s a start. Finally someone on on tv is saying things have to change. Now if only the news channels would follow suit.
DC 4 years ago
They did right! Children are not yet spoiled into racism - and racism is something politics should be way beyond by now. Keeping children safe from stuff that scares them is essentially raising another generation of ignorant selfish cocksuckers - we already have a set of boomers. Another one is not required for anything!
backatya 4 years ago
This is dumb. Networks, stores etc. shouldn't venture in taking sides on anything. Just like you don't get into religion or politics because it never ends well. Not only that but the media is blasting the airwaves on it already we don't need 8:46 of silence. Did anyone do that for the cop that got murdered in Las Vegas shot in the head for doing his job during a riot? He didn't have anything to do with what happened to Floyd. He doesn't even belong to that police dept and got murdered. The intent to kill a cop was there. What happened to Floyd was malicious which ended in death and not intent to kill
Just JoLynn 4 years ago
I would be ok with them doing that. There isn't a kid in the US that doesn't know about school shootings, if Nickelodeon played the sounds of terror after such a tragedy it would open the eyes of the adults that fight against protecting our kids from this sad reality.
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