American viewers with a fondness for animated shows are likely already familiar with Toonami, Adult Swim’s late night programming block featuring a wide selection of anime and American action animation. Even those who don’t watch regularly may be familiar with TOM, also known as the Toonami Operations Module; an animated robot, voiced by Steve Blum, who hosts the programming block and talks to the audience in between various shows.
Recently however, instead of describing upcoming shows, or what to watch out for in future, TOM had something a bit more pressing to say: “There’s been lot of talk about race lately, ‘I don’t see color,’ ‘racism isn’t real anymore,’ ‘all lives matter.’ These words are actually harmful and steer away from the bigger issue: racism still exists.” Over the full minute long clip, TOM goes on to discuss the importance of fighting discrimination, and taking a stand for justice.
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The segment comes after continued protests related to the Black Lives Matter movement, which seeks to highlight systemic violence faced by Black Americans across the country. Despite the inspiring surge in demands for justice, the movement has faced serious push-back from those who view the movement as violent and disingenuous. While the sheer size and stakes of the conflict can make anyone feel small and helpless, TOM’s message emphasized the importance of taking a personal stand for equality. The segment includes a clip from Samurai Jack where a character declares: “The decisions you make, and the actions that follow are a reflection of who you are.”
TOM also highlighted the importance of confronting one’s own bias, and realizing that this is a conversation that needs to be had by everyone. “If you’re thinking ‘Maybe… but not me,’ you’ve got some truth to uncover. If you’re thinking ‘This isn’t why I watch Toonami,’ think again. Think about how you can fight injustice. Think about how you can be part of an honest conversation about racism.” The message is interspersed with clips and audio from various animated shows; a hopeful reminder that the media we consume contains important messages that can be carried into the real world. A reminder that the messages that inspire us in fictional worlds, should also inspire us in reality. But the most important message of the evening is the one that closed out TOM’s monologue: “Black Lives Matter, and will always matter.”
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Source: YouTube