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Mexican stamp with racist motif

by repost Thursday, Jun. 30, 2005 at 12:35 PM

MEXICO CITY, Mexico (AP) -- The Mexican government has issued a postage stamp depicting an exaggerated black cartoon character known as Memin Pinguin, just weeks after remarks by President Vicente Fox angered U.S. blacks. The series of five stamps released for general use Wednesday depicts a child character from a comic book started in the 1940s that is still published in Mexico. The boy, hapless but lovable, is drawn with exaggerated features, thick lips and wide-open eyes. His appearance, speech and mannerisms are the subject of kidding by white characters in the comic book. Activists said the stamp was offensive, though officials denied it. "One would hope the Mexican government would be a little more careful and avoid continually opening wounds," said Sergio Penalosa, an activist in Mexico's small black community on the southern Pacific coast. "But we've learned to expect anything from this government, just anything," Penalosa said. In May, Fox riled many by saying that Mexican migrants take jobs in the United States that "not even blacks" want. Fox expressed regret for any offense the remarks may have caused, but insisted his comments had been misinterpreted. Carlos Caballero, assistant marketing director for the Mexican Postal Service, said the stamps are not offensive, nor were they intended to be. "This is a traditional character that reflects part of Mexico's culture," Caballero said. "His mischievous nature is part of that character." However, Penalosa said many Mexicans still assume all blacks are foreigners, despite the fact that at one point early in the Spanish colonial era, Africans outnumbered Spanish in Mexico. "At this point in time, it was probably pretty insensitive" to issue the stamp, said Elisa Velazquez, an anthropologist who studies Mexico's black communities for the National Institute of Anthropology and History. "This character is a classic, but it's from another era," Velazquez said. "It's a stereotype and you don't want to encourage ignorance or prejudices." The 6.50-peso (60 cent) stamps -- depicting the character in five poses -- was issued with the domestic market in mind, but Caballero noted it could be used in international postage as well. A total of 750,000 of the stamps will be issued. Ben Vinson, a black professor of Latin American history at Penn State University, said he has been called "Memin Pinguin" by some people in Mexico. He also noted that the character's mother is drawn to look like an old version of the U.S. advertising character Aunt Jemima. The stamps are part of a series that pays tribute to Mexican comic books. Memin Pinguin, the second in the series, was apparently chosen for this year's release because it is the 50th anniversary of the company that publishes the comic. Publisher Manelick De la Parra told the government news agency Notimex that the character would be sort of a goodwill ambassador on Mexican letters and postcards. "It seems nice if Memin can travel all over the world, spreading good news," de la Parra said, calling him "so charming, so affectionate, so wonderful, generous and friendly."

MEXICO CITY, Mexico (AP) -- The Mexican government has issued a postage stamp depicting an exaggerated black cartoon character known as Memin Pinguin, just weeks after remarks by President Vicente Fox angered U.S. blacks.

The series of five stamps released for general use Wednesday depicts a child character from a comic book started in the 1940s that is still published in Mexico.

The boy, hapless but lovable, is drawn with exaggerated features, thick lips and wide-open eyes. His appearance, speech and mannerisms are the subject of kidding by white characters in the comic book.

Activists said the stamp was offensive, though officials denied it.

"One would hope the Mexican government would be a little more careful and avoid continually opening wounds," said Sergio Penalosa, an activist in Mexico's small black community on the southern Pacific coast.

"But we've learned to expect anything from this government, just anything," Penalosa said. In May, Fox riled many by saying that Mexican migrants take jobs in the United States that "not even blacks" want.

Fox expressed regret for any offense the remarks may have caused, but insisted his comments had been misinterpreted.

Carlos Caballero, assistant marketing director for the Mexican Postal Service, said the stamps are not offensive, nor were they intended to be.

"This is a traditional character that reflects part of Mexico's culture," Caballero said. "His mischievous nature is part of that character."

However, Penalosa said many Mexicans still assume all blacks are foreigners, despite the fact that at one point early in the Spanish colonial era, Africans outnumbered Spanish in Mexico.

"At this point in time, it was probably pretty insensitive" to issue the stamp, said Elisa Velazquez, an anthropologist who studies Mexico's black communities for the National Institute of Anthropology and History.

"This character is a classic, but it's from another era," Velazquez said. "It's a stereotype and you don't want to encourage ignorance or prejudices."

The 6.50-peso (60 cent) stamps -- depicting the character in five poses -- was issued with the domestic market in mind, but Caballero noted it could be used in international postage as well.

A total of 750,000 of the stamps will be issued.

Ben Vinson, a black professor of Latin American history at Penn State University, said he has been called "Memin Pinguin" by some people in Mexico. He also noted that the character's mother is drawn to look like an old version of the U.S. advertising character Aunt Jemima.

The stamps are part of a series that pays tribute to Mexican comic books. Memin Pinguin, the second in the series, was apparently chosen for this year's release because it is the 50th anniversary of the company that publishes the comic.

Publisher Manelick De la Parra told the government news agency Notimex that the character would be sort of a goodwill ambassador on Mexican letters and postcards. "It seems nice if Memin can travel all over the world, spreading good news," de la Parra said, calling him "so charming, so affectionate, so wonderful, generous and friendly."
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the artice

by Chop Chop Thursday, Jun. 30, 2005 at 12:48 PM

The article clearly states that activists in Mexico are protesting the stamps. Good for them. They can do that in Mexico and we'll fight the racist SOS here.
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heh

by canat Thursday, Jun. 30, 2005 at 1:02 PM

.....um, nowhere does "it clearly state that "activists" are protesting the stamp" ?
i think they just know bout it, but are resigned to the state sponsered racism..
sooo are you equating the SOS with the government of mexico?
perhaps that is the "protest against RASICM" you were blathering about then..
bravo! bravo! ( me: claping my hands in a very sarcastic manner)
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heh +

by canat Thursday, Jun. 30, 2005 at 1:05 PM

sos = government of mexico
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heh +

by canat Thursday, Jun. 30, 2005 at 1:17 PM

sos = government of mexico
protest against SOS = Protest against mexican government
??
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heh +

by canat Thursday, Jun. 30, 2005 at 1:18 PM

sos = government of mexico
protest against SOS = Protest against mexican government
??
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what?

by Chop Chop Thursday, Jun. 30, 2005 at 1:26 PM

Racism comes in many forms. It can be a racist stamp in Mexico or immigrant bashing by SOS. I oppose racism but I'm not going to go down to Mexico City and organize a demonstration when I can oppose SOS in my town.

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wait

by canat Thursday, Jun. 30, 2005 at 1:41 PM

...um, "immigrant bashing by sos.."
nobodies "bashing" immigrants or immigration,
they/we are concerned and actively protesting
get ready....
I L L E G A L
immigrant/aliens. dont call them immigrants if they
don't come here in a lawful manner.
people who have applied for status to be in this country
LEGALLY are always welcome by Americans.
over 1 mil a year get in legally and are welcomed with open arms( no pun intended)
the thing is that it is a CRIME against EVERY CITIZEN of the US to have tresspassers, murderers, molesters, terrorists, rapists and such storming the border into the US.

when I go to your house, I don't bust down the backdoor or smash out your windows to get entry.
I would very politely, knock on the front door
say "how do you do chop-chop? might i come in?"
"and have some fun with your wife or eat up your fridge?"

you can very politely tell me to come in or
bugger off, its your house.
I will leave or come back another day if I want.
if you catch me breaking and entering, threatening you family or such, you will call the authorities or pull out your constitutionally protected right to defend yourself.
bad news for me..
anyway, think about it....
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i disagree

by Chop Chop Thursday, Jun. 30, 2005 at 1:56 PM

First, on the SOS board it is not uncommon to see the terms
"illegal" and "Mexican" used interchangeably. There is also talk of "inferior cultures", "vermin", "disease carrying Mexicans", etc. That is racism.

Second, Entry Without Inspection or "illegal immigration" is a misdemeanor like Drunk in Public, Reckless Driving or Shoplifitng. Why not Save Our State from Shoplifting or Reckless Driving?
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Mexico is RUN By White People

by Zacateco Thursday, Jun. 30, 2005 at 2:03 PM

It amazes and amuses me to watch the SOS fools try to paint the Mexican people as racist.

This example is pathetic.

Anyone who knows Anything about Mexico knows it is run by a crillollo white elite, and that the descendants of the conquerors have always remained in control of its neo-colonial government.

They are profoundly racist and biased - against Indians, blacks, "mestizos" (so-called) and every form of campesino and "naco".

SOSers are "right" when they call for revolution in Mexico.

What they don't understand is that it is a liberation from Europe that we must finally undertake - there and here.

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Hey Zacateco

by Roberto Gotti Friday, Jul. 01, 2005 at 8:46 AM

"Anyone who knows Anything about Mexico knows it is run by a crillollo white elite, and that the descendants of the conquerors have always remained in control of its neo-colonial government."

So you're saying President Fox isn't a "true" mexican and that he's white? I wonder what he thinks of that. He might call you a pocho for leaving Mexico and coming to America to leech off of American success like all the rest. So must a mexican be dark skinned to be a "true mexican"? Thanks funny, cause even dark skinned mexicans want to have light skinned babies.

"What they don't understand is that it is a liberation from Europe that we must finally undertake - there and here."

Liberation? Dude, get off the crack. You obviously haven't been to other parts of the world where true oppression takes place. And just how will you undertake this "liberation"? Will you spray me with me with your SuperSoaker 6000. Besides, I bet you have European blood in you. Are you going to cut yourself in half and send part of yourself back to Spain? If so, I'll help.
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White Racism in Mexico

by Zacateco Friday, Jul. 01, 2005 at 9:30 AM

Well, I don't know who you think carried out the genocide of some 20 million Mexican Indians during the "conquest,," and I don't know who you think holds economic and political powwr in Mexico - but it;'s the white crillollo elite, and has been for 500 years.

Like all Euro-colonizers they are vicious racists, and hold a position comparable to that of the whites in South Africa - they are a minority that rules, although they are much smoother than the Boers and co - they created the myth of mestizaje - mixture - to create the illusion that we are all one - which is to say that there is no white ruling elite.

Today, to be Mexican is a nationality, to be sure, and not a "race."

This is so with all native nations.

Race per se does not determine one's loyalty to the native culture. Here in the US figures like Quanah Parker prove that point.

Colonization is a profound evil.

Like the whole system it's based on, colonization is coming to an end. It has reached the end of its ability to rule - the very basis of uts economy - oil - is running out. The whole thing is poised for collapse, for better and for worse.

Your way of life is over.

Get used to it.



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Roberto Gotti

by All that response Friday, Jul. 01, 2005 at 10:15 AM

all that response and you didn't answer a single quesiton.
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Zapateco

by Roberto Gotti Friday, Jul. 01, 2005 at 4:34 PM

Well, I don't know who you think carried out the genocide of some 20 million Mexican Indians during the "conquest,," and I don't know who you think holds economic and political powwr in Mexico - but it;'s the white crillollo elite, and has been for 500 years.

20 Million sounds bit high. There was only 3 million Native Mexicans around the Aztec capital. Also, most of the Natives died of small pox. Which although sad, it is not the same as having a bullet put through their head. The Jews suffered far worse in WWII.

"Like all Euro-colonizers they are vicious racists, and hold a position comparable to that of the whites in South Africa - they are a minority that rules"

The minority rules? The Aztecs were minority of about 3% that rules the other nations. The Aztecs were so harsh and hated that the other Natives intially worked with the Spaniards to remove the Aztecs. Did you know that?

"although they are much smoother than the Boers and co - they created the myth of mestizaje - mixture - to create the illusion that we are all one - which is to say that there is no white ruling elite. "

I won't comment on the white ruling elite part. But the doesn't change the fact that Mexicans are of mixed blood (both Spanish and Native).

"Like the whole system it's based on, colonization is coming to an end. It has reached the end of its ability to rule - the very basis of uts economy - oil - is running out. The whole thing is poised for collapse, for better and for worse. "

I hope Mexico doesn't collapse, cause then more mexicans will come to the United States to leech off American strength and stability. Do you realize that was drives America is it's technological advances. Once econonies were driven by agriculture. Now economies must have high tech industries to keep the people employed (phone companies, computer design, etc). All things brought into this would thanks to European and American inventors.

"Your way of life is over. "

Kind of a stupid statement considering you don't know my way of life. But you never striked me as being all that bright in the first place.
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M.

by Amin Forji George Friday, Jul. 01, 2005 at 6:41 PM
amingeorges@yahoo.co.uk +358414867079 Helsinki,Finland

The Mexican government of Fox has consistently proven to be a world disappointment.A friend of mine used to say one of the hardest things on earth is to live as a black person-you need a heart that is stronger than a stone.Cos everything about you is against you,from nature to mankind."You are a mocked carricature",a "defunct figure",a disfragmented "Memin Pinguin",a 5th class citizen,an asylum seeker ,...
Well,the Mexican is depicting no better image than this.it glorifies this "beautiful world of blacks' misery and ugly looks".
For one reason,i do not reproach Fox for saying the truth that blacks are doing the very worst jobs in USA8 a country they call theirs too or should be theiers rather).Where i reproach him is his rascist assumption that that is where blacks should belong.I imagine where he will manage to keep blacks if Mexico had some as citizens,i guess he will surely govern them frombehind the toilets or sell them as slaves to some foreign land.
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Amin George Forji

by Amin Forji George Friday, Jul. 01, 2005 at 6:47 PM
amingeorges@yahoo.co.uk +358414867079 Helsinki,Finland

The Mexican government of Fox has consistently proven to be a world disappointment.A friend of mine used to say one of the hardest things on earth is to live as a black person-you need a heart that is stronger than a stone.Cos everything about you is against you,from nature to mankind."You are a mocked carricature",a "defunct figure",a disfragmented "Memin Pinguin",a 5th class citizen,an asylum seeker ,...
If there is one country and government that a BLACK person should fear today,i think Sudan(Dafur) and Mexico of Fox will be the best classics.
Well,the Mexican is depicting no better image than this.it glorifies this "beautiful world of blacks' misery and ugly looks".
For one reason,i do not reproach Fox for saying the truth that blacks are doing the very worst jobs in USA8 a country they call theirs too or should be theiers rather).Where i reproach him is his rascist assumption that that is where blacks should belong.I imagine where he will manage to keep blacks if Mexico had some as citizens,i guess he will surely govern them frombehind the toilets or sell them as slaves to some foreign land.
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M.

by Sergio Marquez Saturday, Jul. 02, 2005 at 1:37 AM
mg_liquidsnake@hotmail.com

Lo que yo pienso al respecto es, que el gobierno y la gente de E.U deberia de preocuparse por cosas mas importantes que una estampilla que conmemora un comic mexicano, porque no se preocupan mejor por dejar de hacer tantas guerras y demas cosas que en verdad valen la pena en vez de estar jorobando.

Ni cuando se descubrieron todas las cosas que haacen sus tropas con los prisioneros de querra de irak se hizo tanta controversia.

Ademas para que no hablen a lo bestia como siempre les informo memin es un comic que enseña tolerancia entre clases sociales y razas, ademas que fomenta los valores familiares, cosa que al parecer no conocen las personitas de E.U que en cambio si y e verdad nos deben una disculpa publica porque almenos memin es humano, pero que dicen de su "spedee gonzalez y el lento rodrigues " nos ibujan como ratones, chaparros y con un estereotipo tan ridiculo y ofensivo tanto de las personas como del propio pais que en veradad ofende. y quien refute este hecho solo ampliara su racismo ya que todo lo anterior no es mas que la verdad.
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Fukc

by Fukcer Saturday, Jul. 02, 2005 at 11:11 AM

Uds. pinches gringos son los racistas!! ven el racismo hasta donde no existe!!! como diria mi jefa: hasta la pinche mierda que no se tragan les hace daño.
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OK, THEN....

by canat Saturday, Jul. 02, 2005 at 11:36 AM

...chop chop,
shall you now lead everyone in
a rousing chorus of (reckless(sic))

" we didn't shoplift the merchandise!!!!
the merchandise shoplifted us !!!! "

" we didn't drive wrecklessly !!!!
the wrecklessness drove us !!!!! "
hehheh..



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Shoplifters...

by Chop Chop Saturday, Jul. 02, 2005 at 12:27 PM

Shoplifters of the World... Unite and Take Over!!
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Left speechless

by Araceli González Saturday, Jul. 02, 2005 at 3:15 PM

It's amazing to notice that even when the world goes through very difficult and significant problems such as wars, famine or AIDS the "Saviours of the Universe ('cause they think they are so) focus on a local and commemorative stamp.

Instead of reproaching the character, I suggest American people to read just a little bit about him, as well as to try to understand the main purpose and moral of the comic.

USA is not the centre of the World!! thus it's time to know about other cultures, to read about other countries. Unfortunately, this stupid situation is just showing the ignorance of American authorities regarding many things related to Mexico.

Just let me remind the intolerant Americans that thanks God Mexico has never experienced racist groups such as "Kukux Clan", and maybe that's only one the many reasons for which lots of foreign people have chosen it to live in.

Please!!! Mind, money and technology have several and different uses, both are more than resources to make war!! Don't misuse them!

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PhD

by meminpinguin Saturday, Jul. 02, 2005 at 4:05 PM

Shame on all the people who keeps complaining about this things. My grandpa use to say; "don't shit in front of your door", that is what the USA have been doing, in Mexico we don't have issues with black people, I have to agree that we do have racism within our own ethnic groups, but not against black people. It so ridiculously uncomfortable to describe politically correct an “African-American”, ‘cause we can say “negrito” (little black) and none will be offended, where as in the USA, you would be in troubles (label of racist). That is why, you guys, the USA think that everyone is racist just because you were, you are, and you will be racist for the rest of your lifes, until the decadence of your empire will make you eat all the shit that you put in front of your door. Have a good day…
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Ok......

by Fed Up Saturday, Jul. 02, 2005 at 4:13 PM

Ok.........
memin_pinguin_stamps.jpg, image/jpeg, 417x201

Sure, that's a nice cartoon. Kinda of reminds me of the frito bandito...
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WAKE UP, MEXICO IT IS RACIST!

by Omar Arámbula Saturday, Jul. 02, 2005 at 4:30 PM
nwa_4eva@hotmail.com

Wake up México it is a really racist country against black people, i am mexican i live in Mexico, and i have noticed that mexican people, Brown, White or Mixed ARE really racist, is not only about Memin Pinguin, is about Cri Cri's song "negrito sandía" it is obviously racist, he relates black people with watermelons just a cliché that comes from the south of the U.S. wake up don't be indiferent, we have television caracters like "Tomás" a black kid who says jokes about black and white things focused clearly in race issues, mexican people always says: "no, we don't have problems with black people, we get along with them" in spanish if you understand :"noo no soy racista me CAEN MUY BIEN LOS NEGRITOS" isn't that racist? i don't know how to express it in english but here in Mexico it is a complex thing the race thing. We need to put on black people's shoes to understand, we don't have a very large black population in Mexico, but if we had it, we would not have Negritos sandías or Memines pinguines, The problem of my country is that we are not serious about nothing, always joking, even with the 9/11 problem, that's f--ked up man!!, Mexico needs some serious changes. Terms in Mexico as "mejorar la raza" (improve the race) by marrying white people it is still common, in Mexico, beside the money you have, you have to be white to worth something, sad, really sady, WAKE UP and see reality.

Finally, i believe Memin Pinguin it is a stereotype, just as stereotypical as SPEEDY GONZALEZ, buy hey, black people did not create Speedy Gonzalez, don't justify this with the mexican mouse, so is this some kind of revenge?? Shame

Remember: Tomás, find who he is, it is a character played by Hector Suarez, clearly racist, it is some kind of Memin played in real life actors.

Watch mexican television, blacks are still represented as seacoast living people, with cuban accent and dressed like cuban dancers.

I Hope you answer this, i need opinions, and remember, i am Mexican and live in Mexico, but it seems i am the only one who wants to see things with a diffetent point of view.
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Ask a Black Mexican

by johnk Saturday, Jul. 02, 2005 at 10:18 PM

>in Mexico we don't have issues with black people, I have to agree that we do have racism within our own ethnic groups, but not against black people.

Is this true? Are you a black Mexican?

People used to say the same thing about Brazil, but, it was a load of lies that powerful people told themselves to make themselves think that it was not an issue.

Judging from Omar's post, they learn some of their racism from America.
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demand respect

by lagniappe Wednesday, Jul. 06, 2005 at 8:17 PM

I am an African-American (non-Latino), and to me the issue is one of basic respect. It seems like this is going to be an issue for us in each and every country where there has not been a civil rights/awareness movement. And we have got to nip this in the bud before other countries feel free to ridicule and belittle our struggles.

Dehumanization is the first step toward genocide, Rwanda, nazi germany.

We need to support our Afromexican brothers and sisters.

Write a letter to the consulate and Mexican gov't letting them know how you feel... and that you will use the power of your dollars to make your feelings known.
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Don't Try to Excuse Racism

by Christ In Me Thursday, Jul. 07, 2005 at 9:21 PM

Are you saying that the u.s. is responsible for what the mexicans are perpetrating? Two wrongs do not add up to a right my friend. What you have admitted to is a sad fact. Mexicans are openly racists, referring to people with dark skin, or some african heritage as "negrito". You have admitted to a type of self hatred within the mexican culture and that is very sad. We are both people of color... neither one of us are white. I believe that you are trying to infer that the u.s. has somehow had some influence over mexico and therefore its resultant treatment of people of darker complexion. I doubt this very seriously, I believe that the influence has come from your own culture in an effort to find someone to feel "better" than. Mexicans have never liked so called "gringos" and I don't believe that they are trying to let them influence Mexican culture and attitudes. This sickness has no fault or root in the u.s. and you can not blame the u.s. for it! It is shameful that anyone who is an minortiy themselves would try to place themselves above another in such an obviously bigotted fashion. Mexico needs to repent of its ugly ways... America did! God Bless You and have Mercy on you.
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It's about sovereignity, Americans

by Contestatario Monday, Jul. 11, 2005 at 4:36 AM
qwertyuiio@yahoo.com.mx

SOVEREIGNITY

What you, Americans, have to understand is that this is not a “racial issue”, this is not about “how racist” Mexico is, this is about sovereignty. Let us analyze this situation for a moment;

1) the Mexican Postal Service (not President Fox) issues some stamps showing a caricature of a black boy, Memín Pinguín;
2) some American priest gets to see these stamps and feels outraged about it;
3) this same American priest demands that the stamps be withdrawn from market and also demands an apology from the Mexican President himself to the black community in America, which he “represents”, because the stamps “are” racist and offend black people; 4) the Mexican government claims that the caricature is a very by-many-people beloved character from a Mexican comic book from 1940 and is not, and was never intended to offend black people, but to (Oh irony!) diminish racism and encourage family values (according to the creator of this comic book, who is a woman, Memín was created based on the charming Cuban kids whom she fell in love with when she made a trip to the island. The character is a mischievous boy who has a very peculiar way to see life and among his friends he always gets to be the most beloved one)
5) the priest gets reinforcements and even the spokesman from the White House says that the stamps are “offensive… The Mexican government needs to take this into account. Images such as these have no place in today's world”

And I think to myself…… what a wonderful woooorrld…..

How do you expect that the Mexican government will react when an American priest demands an apology from the Mexican President for these stamps (no apologies demanded from the Mexican Postal Service?) and even the White House claims that “The Mexican government needs to take this into account. Images such as these have no place in today's world”?

Can you not see? This isn’t about “how racist” Mexico is. This is about Americans messing with other country’s affairs and sovereignty.

An American priest demanding apologies from the President of another nation because he found some stamps of his (the President’s) country’s Postal Service offensive?

The White House trying making judgments and trying to impose its moral to a sovereign nation?

This is just insolent. Americans are not the police of the world, they can not go trying to impose their moral and “values” to the rest of the world.


THE MEXICAN PRESIDENT’S STATEMENTS

There are even some people who assure that in Mexico there’s such a deal of racism by recalling the Mexican President’s statements about the Mexicans in the United States taking jobs that “not even the blacks want”.

Mmmhhh… I wonder… if the Mexican people should be judged by the President’s statements…. Should the American people be judged by President Bush’s statements and actions?

I think not. I think that wouldn’t do them any good.

Do I think the Mexican President is a racist? I don’t know. Maybe only the people who really know him can get to know that. What I do think is that he is a very bad politician and he frequently screws it up.

Did he really mean it that way when he said that Mexicans take jobs that “not even blacks want”? I have my doubts.
I think that he meant that even the minority which has suffered the most in the United States, even those who were discriminated so badly (and who are, unfortunately, still being discriminated), even the ones who were traded as slaves in the past and were, not long ago, still segregated, have had the chances to improve their life conditions and can now get better jobs, but, on the other hand, the Mexicans still get those terrible jobs that black people were forced (due to the lack of better opportunities) to take, but nowadays take not any longer. At least that’s what I think he meant. Because even though he’s a very bad politician and even if he were a very racist person (which you and I totally ignore) you would need to be a brainless snail in order to say that on a public speech and mean it as a racial slur. Give the man a little credit, probably he just screwed it up trying to say something else.
I can say this because I’ve witnessed what he’s said and done since even before he got elected for the presidency.
How many Americans can say that?

RACISM IN MEXICO

There is racism in Mexico, of course. There are people in Mexico. But, surprisingly
(or maybe not so), most of the racism is against native Mexicans.

Racism against black people is not so common in Mexico because there are just very few black people there. In fact, most of the “black” people in Mexico are not exactly what in America would be considered “African American” (African Mexican in the case of Mexico) but a mixture of Native Mexicans and Africans who, in most cases, acquired the local culture and adjusted themselves to their new home. There are some tribes, which never mixed with Native Mexicans and which live in the Sierras, that stayed “Africans” though.

I won’t deny that there’s racism in Mexico, that’s for sure, there’s racism almost everywhere (an unfortunate world-wide disease), however, I find it very hypocrit from some Americans to make such a big fuss about some stamps in Mexico, to say that in Mexico “there’s such a big deal of racism” (well, in Mexico the seats in the bus and the restrooms were not separated by “colored” and “white”), and to use this as a scapegoat for the real sh#t in the United States (and by some other very well known ones as a cheap political trick) when they have the major problem in their homeland.

ABOUT MEMÍN

I’m not keen to the comic book so I wouldn’t know if the whole Memín thing is something racist, I’ve heard from many people who have read it that is nothing like that, though.

According to some people (most people, actually), the comic book is about encouraging family values and showing the adventures of this fellow, Memín.

What is a fact, is that in Mexico this comic book got once to be very popular among children and grown ups and used to sell thousands of numbers so, it is true that Memín (whether people like it or not) was and still is an important part of Mexico’s literary history.

TO BLACK PEOPLE (NOT ONLY AFRICAN AMERICANS)

Whether you should be outraged by these stamps or you should just discard them as something irrelevant is up to you. I’m not black so, my opinion about how “offensive” or how “irrelevant” these stamps are, would be just selfish. I think only black people can make a fair judgement (nevertheless, an individual one) about whether these stamps offends them or not.

I know that some people are more sensitive than others, and that some people are taught to be sensitive because of their historical background. For example, I’m white and Mexican. I’ve lived all my life in Mexico and since I’m white I’ve always been called “güero”, which means “white one” (at first it actually meant “blonde one”) and I’ve never felt offended in any sense by the people who call me that way. However, there are some white Americans who would feel annoyed if they were called that way even if they knew what the word means. Of course, that is understandable; cultures are different from one another, the problem is that some people tend to think that because they grew up in a certain culture they have the “divine right” to judge any other culture as they please, as if their own were “the one”, and they may even try to impose their ideas and moral to the other ones.

Perception of things changes from place to place and from culture to culture.

TO AMERICANS

You, as well as any other people, have the right to express your ideas and feelings freely. You, guys, can say whatever you want about the Mexican President, about these stamps, about racism, about modern days, about moral, about values, etc.
That is one thing. Another very different thing is playing the police of the world, trying to impose your moral to a sovereign nation, having a American priest demanding apologies from the President of another country for some political cheap trick and even getting the support from the White House for such a stupid thing.

Understand this: THE AMERICAN MORAL STAYS IN THE UNITED STATES as well as the Mexican moral stays in Mexico.

This is a Mexican affair and the decision taken about it will be made by Mexican authorities.

No matter if your white or black, or how “offended” you feel, even if you feel your blood is boiling, all you can do is express your ideas; other than that, if you’re American understand this: THIS IS NONE OF YOUR BUSSINESS.

THE AMERICAN DEMANDS FOR APOLOGIES ARE TOTALLY IRRELEVANT TO MEXICAN GOVERNMENT.

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT

Is it so important for an American priest whether Mexico is a “racist” country or not?
Why isn’t it more important whether his own country is a racist one?
Could you tell by the country’s stamps?
Mmmmhhh or maybe it’s just the comic book?
Are there in the United States no stereotypes?
Why the double moral?
I’m starting to remember some other “outrageous” images…. but this time, from the United States:

The Red Skins logo
Speedy Gonzalez
The Chihuahua dog of Taco Bell
Speedy Gonzalez’ cousins (Boy! Were those guys lazy)
Pepe le Pew
The Fighting Irish guy on a green suit (I don’t know if he has a special name)
And let’s not talk about Hollywood movies….

Forget it, guys, when it comes about stereotypes, compared to Mexicans, Americans are in the Major Leagues.
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