The director of the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History faced pointed questions from House Republicans on Tuesday over exhibits and materials they characterized as woke, including a display linking Mickey Mouse to racism and a museum toolkit discussing "objectivity" as a feature of White supremacy.Several Republican members questioned Director Anthea Hartig about sexually explicit imagery in exhibits, including "bondage," in the words of Chairman Tim Burchett, R-Tenn.Texas Rep.
Brandon Gill’s exchanges focused on one of America’s most iconic childhood characters."Is Mickey Mouse racist," Gill asked Hartig about halfway through his allotted five minutes.WATCH: SMITHSONIAN HISTORY MUSEUM DIRECTOR STUMBLES OVER BASIC QUESTIONS ON SEX: ‘I’M NOT SURE’Philadelphia, PA, USA - November 27, 2014: Disney's Mickey and Mini Mouse participate in the Thanksgiving Day Parade in Philadelphia."Mickey Mouse is not racist," Hartig replied.Gill responded by pointing to a Smithsonian Institution exhibit that described Steamboat Willie as representing "vestiges of long-standing traditions of blackface minstrelsy’.""Would you describe that as racist?" Gill pressed.OBAMA PRESIDENTIAL CENTER FOLLOWS WIDELY MOCKED 'STOLEN LAND' ACKNOWLEDGMENT WITH NATIVE AMERICAN DANCE SHOWNational American History Museum Director Anthea Hartig (left) was confronted by Rep.
Brandon Gill (right), R-Texas, over the Smithsonian's alleged extreme political ideology in its displays (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images; Al Drago/Getty Images)Hartig began explaining the "historical trajectory" of Mickey Mouse before brief crosstalk.She then finished: "[he’s] rooted in minstrelsy."When Gill asked whether the purported racist overtones were "problematic," Hartig responded that it was not her role to make that determination.Gill also cited the MASS Action Toolkit, a mid-2010s anthology for museums that references the 2014 Ferguson, Missouri, police shooting and subsequent Bla...