Jesse Jackson, civil- rights activist at large and Scott McClellan speaking for the White House are upset about a Mexican stamp carrying the image of a Negro cartoon character. The image has caricatured Negro features. Both say the stamp is racist and insensitive.
What's the fuss ? The cartoon character of Memin Penguin first appeared in the 1940's. The fact of a 6 decade enjoyment by the Mexican people gives legitamacy to the character's ability to entertain. All cartoons are based on caricatures. How else would the audience be engaged ? Also this is a stamp which is featuring a Mexican cultural character. Jackson and the White House are too far south to be taken seriously.
People like Jackson have been trying to revise history since the 1960's Civil Rights movement. They were succesful in removing the TV series "Amos and Andy" and the Disney classic " Song of The South" from public access for a time. For most of his life, he has been looking for racial discrimination issues- real or imagined. He has made a business of shaking down people. Interestingly, his personal corporation is named " Personalities Inc. ". Seems he wants to be known as a caricature also. Caricatures draw attention- he has succeeded.
Mexican president Vicente Fox's made some remarks in an unrelated forum about Mexicans going to America" to do jobs not even blacks want ". This is true. Whites and blacks alike who are on welfare are given too much. Real jobs like the Mexicans do pay less.
All caricatures are not equal. Between the entertaining and playful Memin or the predacious and joyless Jesse, the character of Memin provides more of a positive influence.
No comments:
Post a Comment