Dutch Racism
![Post Post](./styles/prosilver/imageset/icon_post_target.gif)
So I really like Dutch people and culture and all that, but every year leading up to Dec 5 they have a pretty racist Christmas tradition. Basically Sinterklaas, ie St Nick, has a helper named Zwarte Piet who is a white guy who puts on blackface complete with red lips, a curly afro, and gold earrings. If you suggest this is not entirely appropriate, however, the Dutch will immediately attack you in turn, saying it's a children's festival and if you see something wrong with it you're the racist "because everyone loves Zwarte Piet!", and he's only black because he went down the chimney/ clowns wear gold hoop earrings and red lipstick and he's a clown, and if you don't like it just don't participate (impossible, this guy is everywhere in this country for a few weeks from grocery stores to Christmas lights) or "go back where you came from."
Anyway, a few days ago some UN commissioner said Zwarte Piet is probably racist, so one million Dutch people joined a Facebook group to support Zwarte Piet in a country of 17 million (it's closer to 2 million now...). link here
I guess what pisses me off is ok if Dutch people want to do this it is their country and all, but if you're condoning it don't go around pretending this tradition is not something it is (Zwarte Piet did show up in the 1800s as Sinterklaas's slave when it was fashionable to do such things, but now the official line is they're just good friends or something). If I decide to make a trickster helper for Santa with beady eyes and a hook nose named Hebrew Harry, and if you think that's inappropriate you're not going to buy it when I tell you he's not a racist charicature because children don't see it and the fact that you do makes you the racist. And pretty much everyone in Dutch society will tell you this.
I know people don't like it when you mess with their warm and fuzzy childhood traditions, but tradition is a pretty crappy reason to uphold many things.
Anyway, a few days ago some UN commissioner said Zwarte Piet is probably racist, so one million Dutch people joined a Facebook group to support Zwarte Piet in a country of 17 million (it's closer to 2 million now...). link here
I guess what pisses me off is ok if Dutch people want to do this it is their country and all, but if you're condoning it don't go around pretending this tradition is not something it is (Zwarte Piet did show up in the 1800s as Sinterklaas's slave when it was fashionable to do such things, but now the official line is they're just good friends or something). If I decide to make a trickster helper for Santa with beady eyes and a hook nose named Hebrew Harry, and if you think that's inappropriate you're not going to buy it when I tell you he's not a racist charicature because children don't see it and the fact that you do makes you the racist. And pretty much everyone in Dutch society will tell you this.
I know people don't like it when you mess with their warm and fuzzy childhood traditions, but tradition is a pretty crappy reason to uphold many things.