Mexico issues new stamps depicting exaggerated black cartoon charecter

[xray s]

Just what the hell is going on in Mexico???

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/8410111/

Stamps bring new racial controversy
Associated Press
Posted Wednesday, June 29, 2005

MEXICO CITY — The Mexican government has issued postage stamps 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 Wednesday depicts a hapless boy 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, which started in the 1940s and is still published in Mexico.

Activists criticized the stamps as offensive, though officials denied it....

[Gman]

1. OMG

but I'm not surprised at all.

[xray s]

3. Weird racist stuff coming out of the Fox government.

Must be studying up on Roves playbook.

[Igel]

2. Here are a couple of links:

http://www.lambiek.net/burgos_sv.htm
http://bd.amiens.com/auteurs/valencia_burgos_sixto_334.html
Talks about the author: comic first out in B&W in 1963-1977.

Sort of a tough call: it looks like they're issuing a series of stamps concerning the art of caricature in Mexico; but not all such things are inoffensive, a few decades later.

It's rather like the doll and household items museum I was once dragged into: everywhere there were offensive little signs lest we forget that dolls from the 19th century, and advertisements from the early 20th century, could have racially offensive portrayals; the signs' offensiveness lay in their ubiquitousness. Somehow either people expected the museum to apologize for acknowledging the things existed or to pretend that they never did; or the museum's directors assumed people would have those expections. The museum at least did the right thing, IMHO, by not engaging on a large excursus on race in America, 1800-2000.

This could profitably be turned to a discussion, domestically (i.e., in Mexico) of the role of slavery in Mexico and the treatment the slaves, then ex-slaves, received since then.

[bliss_eternal]

4. The truly scary thing is that this is coming out now

after some awful racial conflicts here in Southern California, between African American and Latino youths--particularly at one local high school.

While I didn't see this sort of racial tension between Mexican Americans and African Americans when I was in highschool, a friend of mine told me it was quite prevalent at hers (she's younger than me).

My concern is that this is just going to make matters more intense.

I don't really understand some of the tensions that exist between these two communities. As a woman of color, my thought is always 'aren't we ALL in this together'?

[Catherine Vincent]

5. I agree. The drawing of that character is offensive.

It looks more like some animal, not human. And that's way more than an exaggeration.

[Ironcandle]

6. I think people are missing the point

about these stamps. The stamps were made to commemorate a popular cartoon in Mexico's past. We all know how society worked in those days, and still works in some areas. I have seen all kinds of cartoons that could be offensive to a wide range of different races, but the blacks are the only ones complaining. This is dangerous for several reasons.

First, it is an attempt to erase the past. Bad things used to happen, offensive things were commonplace. Now, we are seeing things differently, but how are we going to be able to tell how far we have come if the past is modified?

Second, pick your battles. There is STILL slavery being practiced in the open in Africa. I think that is quite a bit more offensive than some old stamps from Mexico. You don't hear much of anything from Rev. Al or Jessie on that subject. It is easier to point a finger at someone with a different color than yours and scream racism.

Third, Blacks may be crying wolf. The media may grow tired of hearing the same protests, especially if the subject is trivial. Real Civil Rights violations may be put on page three if the rhetoric gets too silly. That is dangerous because we can not lose sight of what Dr. King was trying to teach us.

That's off the top of my head, but I think the self-appointed black leadership needs to pay attention to what really matters.

[best left blank]

7. There's a difference...

...between attempting to erase the past and protesting against the celebration of a racist image.

[dr.zoidberg]

8. Mexico is sending their finest ambassador to smooth things over.

[newyorican]

9. OMIGOSH! We...would...never...

do...anything...like...that...

[theboz]

10. About Memin Pinguin

Memin Pinguin, who the stamps depict, is a comic character from Mexico. There is no more racist intent behind it than there is in drawing Popeye or Bluto as exaggerated characters. Olive Oyl isn't considered a slight against anorexic women, and Richie Rich isn't considered to be an insult against white people.

Yes, here in the U.S. such images are racist. However, in Mexico, Memin Pinguin is considered just a cute cartoon who is an innocent little kid. No harm is intended, and just because the U.S. has a screwed up extremely racist culture doesn't mean that the same predjudices exist in Mexico or any other country. It's unfortunate that our culture is so bigoted that we have to see everything in racial terms like that. I completely sympathize with those who are offended by the image, but I would hope that you would be slow to make your own judgement against the Mexican people without knowing what Memin Pinguin is all about.