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Friday, December 21, 2007
Black Santa: An Open Letter
Posted by The Dean of Cincinnati
Recently, a concerned reader submitted the following letter, which may be sent to any mall with a white Santa for kids to meet and take pictures with. We provide it not only for your consideration, but in the event that you, too, would like to urge area retailers to re-think their approach to presenting Santa.
Hello, once again the holiday season including Christmas and all of its’ magical, imaginary glow is upon us. First, I want to wish you, your family and staff a wonderful holiday season and a very Merry Christmas.
I am an American citizen of non-white complexion with an interest in the development of children and communities of all ethnicities, especially during this wonderful, American, celebratory season. And in being so, I am still stunned by the inability to find a Santa Claus of non-white complexion in the very heart of our large shopping communities, malls and super centers. I know initially we gravitate to the thought of racism, etc., but this is not a statement of hate or negativism, but one of refreshing reality in the recognition of inclusiveness of and respect for as many ethnic groups as possible in the magical, imaginary concept of Christmas and Santa Claus.
Irrespective of the short-term ideal of a non-white Santa Claus not taking consumers or America by storm, I urge you as a leader in the business of delivering cutting edge change to not only the retail, consumer market, but the country at large, to take on the long-term challenge of sponsoring ethnically diverse Santa Clauses (maybe even Mr. & Mrs.) if not in your primary stores and Super Centers, maybe in the neighborhoods where your ethnically diverse customers (and you do have millions) live. Something like a “Ethnically Diverse Remote Santa Claus Kiosk” in neighborhood storefronts sponsored by your company where children of all ages with non-white complexions can go have their pictures taken with a non-white Santa Claus.
Are we as a society in some way or another afraid of “busting” the myth of Santa Claus if all of a sudden non-white ones start showing up on our sidewalks, our businesses, our malls? Can we not take this magical, imaginary concept to the next level, the level that recognizes the obvious diversification of our societal ethnicity and allow it to represent and embrace us all?
While tradition is wonderful in its’ on place, change is the order of the day, whether we like it or not. And change for the better of the constantly evolving society at large could in my opinion be the constant for maintaining love, peace and joy between us all. Not just during the magical, imaginary times but all times. Do the right thing. You have the recognition and you have the power to help the world be a more tolerant place. Empower, no encourage your rank and file to expand your already considerate and respectful diversification policy to include non-white magical, imaginary characters during the appropriate seasons. Thank you.
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21 Dec 2007 at 07:56 pm | #
Sorry Dean but Old St. Nick/Father Christmas/Sinterklaas/Kris Kringle is a character derived largely from Nordic/Germanic traditions and thus is traditionally a ‘white’. There aren’t many indigenous Black people from Scandinavia.
The traditional Black Christmas character is Black Pete.
21 Dec 2007 at 10:16 pm | #
Sorry Jack, but I think something has been nip-nip-nipping at your nose.
Santa is derived from St. Nick, but there is some evidence that St. Nick was black.
21 Dec 2007 at 11:58 pm | #
http://www.stnicholascenter.org/Brix?pageID=38
There is also evidence that St. Nicholas originated in the Mediterranean region. I haven’t seen anything to firmly substantiate Nick was black. Tawny/olive colored complexion perhaps, but not black.
Jack, you’re right about Black Peter. However, Austrian friends of mine (yes, I am a universally diverse person in friends!) have a different legend about Black Peter. He’s called Krampus. Krampus, the ogre, would find the naughty children, put them in sacks & toss them in the Danube.
St. Nick/Santa Claus/Sinterklaas, etc., is a very beloved legend in European history & folklore. I believe the European people & the European-Americans are entitled to something they can call their own. I can’t recall European-Americans taking an icon from another group of people & coloring it to their likeness & their acceptance. It’s too bad all people cannot accept things as they are & have been for centuries.
Besides, this is a tired subject. It raises up every time during the holiday season.
22 Dec 2007 at 12:15 am | #
All colors of Santa are appropriate and necessary. Maybe phone calls to corporate offices would be effective. How are Santas handled now? Are they in individual stores or sponsored by, say, mall management and utilized by all shoppers. That would be a good place to start. Find out who manages the mall and does the Santa hiring and ask which days and hours their Black Santa works? That will begin the conversation to find out why they don’t have one and perhaps put on some pressure. For those that don’t shop at malls, maybe approach local businesses like Family Dollar and ask if they would sponsor or co-sponsor with some parents, a (Black) Santa visit. I hear that Santas can be rented. I know Santa suits can be rented.
Who was the intended recipient for this letter? Who is the “leader in the business of delivering cutting edge change”? The supercenter reference sounds as if it’s intended for WalMart. Good luck with that. Do Walmart’s even have Santas?
22 Dec 2007 at 01:35 am | #
How can you say St. Nick was “originally” Black and then turn around and say “nigger” and “nigga” are two completely different words that have nothing to do with each other?
This is preposterous race ideology.
22 Dec 2007 at 05:22 am | #
Bollucks. Saint Nicholas was Greek, not Black. Jesus H. Christ on a Popsicle stick, why do you see everything through an artificial prism of race?
Hate to be the bearer of bad news Dean, but you’re White. Very, very white.
22 Dec 2007 at 08:26 am | #
Who ever said that?
And please read up on “signifyin.”
It won’t take the issue on directly, but good background. Also this, on the trope of the trickster. Good background for understanding the linguistic cultural tradition for turning a word like “nigger” into “nigga,” rather like making the word “bad” mean “good.”
I have always maintained that fact. Do you have a point?
22 Dec 2007 at 08:33 am | #
Also:
http://www.stnicholascenter.org/stnic/images/bari-nero-lg.jpg
22 Dec 2007 at 09:49 am | #
Oh jeez, now it’s “signifying” or more aptly, “signifyin’” simply slang used occasionally to describe when people overreact and some academic has gotten hold of the word. We all do it. It’s universal.
This kind of makes Deborahgirl’s point (though she’ll probably disagree just because I’m saying it) of a while back. Sometimes the Beacon oversteps in describing and defining Black people and what the Beacon considers the “black experience.” Citing this kind of academic reference is a prime example. It’s really not necessary.
22 Dec 2007 at 09:52 am | #
No, not “slang used occasionally to describe when people overreact.” A linguistic process where a word is made to mean its opposite.
How am I defining Black experience by simply acknowledging the work of a Black scholar? Am I not allowed to be familiar with Black scholarship?
22 Dec 2007 at 09:53 am | #
Also, what do you mean by the phrase “some academic”?
Do you discredit academia because you could never succeed there? Is that why you always talk in circles?
22 Dec 2007 at 01:35 pm | #
Why in the world does every little thing have to come down to race in this city? Why can’t we just accept that a beloved character known worldwide is white. You can’t change the pope’s color just because you want to reflect equality, you can’t change the president’s color, and you can’t change Santa. He is what he is. It’s like saying the Easter bunny isn’t really a bunny…he’s just a cat with long ears. Aint gonna happen. Can’t we all just get along.
22 Dec 2007 at 04:05 pm | #
So what do “nigger” and “nigga” mean, respectively? What are the opposite meanings, exactly?
It’s the same word, just pronounced a little different.
22 Dec 2007 at 05:20 pm | #
Uh-oh. Accusations. Lies. I never aspired to a career in academia. Had I, I would have succeeded. You can’t believe that an ordinary working joe or jane that didn’t come from privilege, didn’t go to an ivy league school, and a woman at that, has the nerve to challenge you. It screws with the paradigm. And spreading this lie about me should earn you a self-imposed time-out. Even though it’s your opinion, I construe it as a lie—about me—and lies aren’t permitted on the Beacon.
22 Dec 2007 at 06:06 pm | #
That party was sick.
What does that line say? Is the party good, or bad?
Ending in -er, and the word is a slur meant to dehumanize. It says the target is less than human.
Ending in -a, it is a term of affection between friends, especially when both are Black.
22 Dec 2007 at 10:52 pm | #
Deans #15
bullshit
The outcast group adopts the defining term used by their detractors as a term to promote fraternity within the group of outcasts.
The pronunciation means nothing.
It is the same as hippies in the 60s referring to themselves as freaks, the term used to define them by the social element in power at the time.
It is a passive form of social resistance.
The difference in pronunciation is inconsequential.
23 Dec 2007 at 03:18 am | #
Here We Go Again #12, you captured part of my thoughts on the Easter Bunny. Once this crap started again about St. Nick (it happens every year, somewhere), I wondered when some disgruntled individual was going to start tinkering with the Easter Bunny, St. Patrick, St. Valentine & all the rest of them typically associated with European history, legend & folklore. Unfortunately, there are people on the face of this earth, not just this city, who enjoy upsetting the things that are firmly rooted in other cultures. Those sort of actions will always be a thorn for some, in order to keep fueling the discord. It’s as if the Europeans are forbidden to keep their traditions alive, because it’s called out as being racist. It’s always something. I vividly remember Dean carping & bellyaching about Oktoberfest & the German-American people being in “costume”. He got put on the street for that “costume” sh#t. As for the pope’s color in the scheme of equality, he’s part of the equality-diversity jazz & no one can change that. It’s the acceptance that some won’t recognize.
Well, this baloney certainly takes the flakes. Dean, what you’re attempting to say is when the -er word is put into use, it’s a slur, especially when hurled by anyone of any other color than black. Apparently, you haven’t heard too many women toss around the -a word when they’ve been wronged by some clown who wasn’t worth the powder & shot to begin with. The women use it liberally when giving some clown the grief, especially when she’s caught him with some no good Ho.
FYI, Dean, anyone of any color can be an -er. It also denotes a slovenly, lazy, shiftless individual. The -a word is basically the old Deep South ugly way of referring to their purchased humans, their chattel, their assets. Either way, it’s not acceptable by anyone. Apparently, you don’t get stopped in traffic much to hear the lyrics from the demeaning music that some enjoy. It’s no wonder there’s no self-respect, no respect for humankind, no positive self-empowerment & esteem. Yeah, I guess I wouldn’t have those attributes if I listened to kill the -a & be a hero.
And who’s culture, legends & folklore will be the subject of attacks next week? The Arabic people? The Hispanics? The Vietnamese? The Jews?
Dean, several years ago there was a word to describe individuals like you who are white & try to be black. It certainly wasn’t today’s term of whick.
23 Dec 2007 at 09:42 am | #
What would you people do if the racial pot stopped being stirred? Oh wait, we would have harmony and no civil rights hustlers.
23 Dec 2007 at 10:33 am | #
How have I “tried” to be Black? By discussing language?
That does not even make sense.
As for the two variants of the “N-word,” why are you acting like I have invented this stuff on my own?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigga
23 Dec 2007 at 11:51 am | #
I totally agree that there should be Black Santas and that children of other colors should see a likeness of themselves in these characters, even if they are mythical. Yes, why is it an issue? It shouldn’t be. White kids should enjoy sitting on a Black Santa’s lap and telling him what they want for Xmas just as Black kids have been expected to do since the tradition began.
23 Dec 2007 at 02:48 pm | #
Rayshawn, what are “civil rights hustlers”? Was Dr. King hustling for civil rights? Or are these civil rights hustlers the ones that continue to make race an issue?
01 Jan 2008 at 06:02 pm | #
Here’s a thought—-many inner-city children don’t even MAKE it to a mall to sit on a Black or white Santa’s lap for a myriad of reasons that can’t be listed for lack of space and time. But for those who do—-post #20—-you hit the nail on the head.