7 Examples Of Blatant Racism In “Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer”

There is a very dark culture of oppression that seems to abound in the North! The beloved 1964 stop-motion is film is shockingly rife with racism! Humans, Elves, Reindeer, even flying lions promote apartheid up there! Santa in particular does not come across well in this movie...

1. Santa’s hates ginger Reindeer

Instantly rejecting Rudolph as useless once it’s discovered that his nose is luminescent.

Donner: “I'm sure it'II stop when he grows up, Santa.”

Santa: “WeII, Iet's hope so if he wants to make the sIeigh team someday.”

Like his nose has anything to do with his ability to tow??

2. The Reindeer community hates ginger Reindeer

Donner’s first instinct is to hide his son’s strange powers, fearing discrimination:

“Oh, Santa's right. He'II never make the sIeigh team. Wait a minute! I've got it! We'II hide RudoIph's nose.”

Those fears are realized and Rudolph is cast out.

Comet: “From now on, we won't Iet RudoIph join in any reindeer games.”

3. Hermey’s boss pigeon-holing his vocation by his race

Hermey endures workplace bullying due to his inability to make toys and his vocation aspirations. After some public humiliation, Hermey’s boss threatens him thusly: “Finish the job or you’re fired!” Read between the lines people! Hermey is not permitted to quit! In Santa’s domain, you work or you die. Perhaps it is Hermey’s unique blonde coif that so incurs the Boss Elf’s wrath? Regardless, Hermey is forced to freakin’ dig his way out in order to escape!

4. Santa’s sweatshop employs only the Elvish

Everyone knows this but did we know it was this bad? It’s like a labour camp where they don’t need fences. You may escape but how far will you get before succumbing to the elements?

5. Santa dismissing the Elf choir off-hand

Sure, the song isn’t that great but they no doubt spent many hours rehearsing. Santa leaves in a hurry with little constructive criticism other than “Hmm. WeII, it needs work. I have to go.”. (Santa not-so-secretly hates Elves.) You can try to blame his crankiness on low blood sugar or a crushing schedule but regardless, skinny Santa is a dick.

6. King Moonracer allows only “misfit” toys to live on his island. No reindeer, no humans, no Elves.

So he patrols the Earth "rescuing" weird toys. Rescuing or kidnapping? This guy’s a lunatic despot! His subjects can only be absurd prototype toys, rejected by humanity and relegated to the purgatory of the island where they must live in the woods like animals!

7. Reindeer and Elves are expendable.

There is no mention of a rescue party launched to find Rudolph and Hermey (other than Rudolph’s family and girlfriend). When the Reindeer are captured and tortured by the murderous Abominable Snowmonster, it’s up to Hermey and Yukon Cornelius to mount a daring rescue.

Question: Did no one notice that Donner and his family were missing?

Answer: No one cared.