Maybe we just need to toke up some and lose the anger.

takoma wrote:Seems kind of similar to the "Redskins" controversy about how to handle a tradition that some cling to with no adverse racial intent, and others view as a relic of an ugly old stereotype.

Clearly dressing up in black-face and a velveteen monkey suit is an "homage" to the strength and pride of the African people.

Those Dutch know how to live it up! Ain't no party like a hollandaise party!

Tarantino pushed the same buttons in Django Unchained.





Maybe Django (the D is silent) needs to pay a visit to the Netherlands in his next movie.

The outfits are a little evocative of our own monkey grinder outfits from the same era.

http://chuma.cas.usf.edu/~pinsky/texts/Six%20to%20Eight%20Black%20Men.pdf

David Sedaris did a hilarious riff on this.

Seems kind of similar to the "Redskins" controversy about how to handle a tradition that some cling to with no adverse racial intent, and others view as a relic of an ugly old stereotype.

It's a tradition based on racist portrayals Some Dutch are now claiming Black Pete was a chimney sweep, but clearly the clown clothes he wears disproves that bit of revisionism. The character is portrayed exactly as Victorian-era colonialists portrayed black people for laughs.

The Dutch grew up with this character and just can't understand how others see it as racist. Sound familiar, Dan Snyder?

Of course it's racist.

Reminds me of LoG:

Yes well "don't be racist" is not an American moral, it's a universal moral. It's totally racist - and I realize it's a tradition, but I don't think that excuses it.

I have never heard of this before, but that is strange!!

That is TERRIFYING!

Anonymous wrote:Just curious what people think here of black pete, the St Nick companion in the Netherlands.

It's interesting to me that a historically white country so shamelessly uses a black face character, but not sure if American morals necessary translate to other countries directly.

They dont.

Just curious what people think here of black pete, the St Nick companion in the Netherlands.

It's interesting to me that a historically white country so shamelessly uses a black face character, but not sure if American morals necessary translate to other countries directly.