Mexican comic book sold at Wal-Mart called 'racist' by some

[Heidi]

Mexican comic book sold at Wal-Mart called 'racist' by some
KHOU/Houston
12:53 PM CDT on Tuesday, July 8, 2008

HOUSTON -- A popular Mexican comic book being sold at Wal-Marts in the U.S. is causing outrage.

Shawnedria McGinty was not sure what to think when she found a copy of “Memin Pinguin” on the shelves of the children's book section at a Houston Wal-Mart. After flipping through the pages, however, one word came to mind – racist.

<snip>

She found one passage particularly offensive. In the frame, Memin Pinguin is being kicked by a light-skinned man and is called “a black troublemaker.”
<snip>

“To me it was an insult. Then I saw the cover of this one and thought, (was it) against (presidential contender Barack) Obama or what?”

<snip>

Calls to Wal-Mart’s corporate offices for comment as to why the retailer carries the comic were never returned.

More here

[Moloch]

1. Some people only feel important..

when they have something to complain about. The people bitching about this need to get lives.

[Trajan]

2. I disagree ...

Blatant race baiting is unacceptable ...

Sometimes people's complaints are valid and reasonable ....

What do the people who bitch about those people need ?

[Moloch]

3. Its a comic book about a monkey.

Not a black person.

This is a racist depiction of a black person using a monkey:

[Heidi]

6. The comic book is about a poor Mexican-Cuban child, not a monkey.

But from everything I've read about the comic book series, it portrays racism (and bullying) as wrong.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

11. It's about a child. See the image below.

[Gman]

4. Memin Pinguin has a long history in Mexico

I suggest reading the Wikipedia entry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mem%C3%ADn_Pingu%C3%ADn

Mexico does not consider the comic racist, in fact they ridiculed the idea that it is racist when Mexico was criticized in the US after a Mexico stamp was issued depicting Memin Pinguin.

[Heidi]

5. Yep, my understanding is that the Memin comics actually combat racism.

:hi:

[texasleo]

7. Shawnedria should focus on the music that calls white people "crackers"

every day.

[arcadian]

8. I'm still trying to get my hands on "The Guide for the Mexican Migrant" comic book

For my collection. You think there would be one copy or so on eBay, they distributed 1.5 million of them.

[Beacool]

9. Memin Pinguin is a beloved Mexican comic.

This notion that everybody should conform to our view of the world is ridiculous.

Mexicans love Memin, how about just minding our own business for a change and let everybody else conduct their lives as they please?

Yeah, that would be a novel course of action from us.

[slampoet]

10. Since when is fighting against a racist called "racism"