opposition to Dutch "Black Pete" tradition

[sakuraberries]

AMSTERDAM (AP) - Foreigners visiting the Netherlands in winter are often surprised to see that the Dutch version of St. Nicholas' helpers have their faces painted black, wear Afro wigs and have thick red lips - in short, a racist caricature of a black person

Comments

[jettakd]

He has jet black skin and giant red lips like old minstrel shows HOW IS HE NON-RACIALLY SPECIFIC.

[katrinar]

"Kids don't see Pete as black, it's the adults that give it a racial meaning."

are you fucking KIDDING ME? that's ALL the adults should be seeing and removing this fucking minstrel show from their "celebrations." once kids see black face, they will either think that it's not that big a deal or just not understand why one is unacceptable but the other is by their society.

fucking awful.

[jettakd]

The normalization of this activity during childhood is why racial ignorance continues into adulthood! This is straight up bullshit :|

[suwiel]

I like how this gets brought up again every. single. year.

[katrinar]

i can't believe they aren't doing anything about it.

[suwiel]

Yeah, it's pretty ridiculous.

[sakuraberries]

A good friend of mine, who is Dutch, posted pictures on Facebook of herself in black face. I was too appalled to comment. =/

[lisaee]

Must be this time of the year again.

I remember seeing people dressed up as Zwarte Piet whilst passing through Amsterdam's airport when I was about 10, and it never gets any less jarring and horrible. And adults bestowing it with racial meaning my arse - it's clearly minstrel-esque blackface, and even kids can see that.

[kitanabychoice]

I really don't give a fuck about your cultural heritage when it's actively perpetuating a negative racial stereotype. It's not as if the entire cultural history of the Dutch will collapse if they nix this ONE thing.

It's also hard for me to believe that racism doesn't exist among the Dutch at all ever ever when they were active participants in slave trading.

[lone_concertina]

Seriously. America's "cultural heritage" is manifest destiny, unbridled greed, and slavery. Doesn't mean we need to continue down that path for the sake of heritage instead of growing into a mature and tolerant nation.

[anjak_j]

It's also hard for me to believe that racism doesn't exist among the Dutch at all ever ever when they were active participants in slave trading.

I have one word for you...

Apartheid.