Do we retaliate with Speedy Gonzales Stamps?
New Mexican Stamp — Ludicrous Insult — Actually it insults blacks everywhere. Curiously these stamps appreared shortly after Vicente Fox told black America to shove it, by refusing to apologize for insulting comments.
The White House on Thursday objected to a postage stamp issued by the Mexican government, saying that “racial stereotypes are offensive no matter what their origin” and have no place in today’s world.
The stamp depicts an exaggerated black cartoon character known as Memin Pinguin, 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.
That really S@cks!
Dumb B@stards!
I don’t know why this cartoon is unsulting anybody. A cartoon has, by definition, “exagerated features”. Or do you know anybody that looks like The Simpsons, or Popeye ?
And talking about Popeye, I guess it is insulting all sailors then ??
Please, it is just a cartoon. I remember the case about Speedy Gonzalez, were the USA thought it was insulting the mexicans, and the mexicans thought it was a pretty funny character, always beating the gringo cat ……. (read the comment under the stamps). Will you never understand your neighbours ?
I have actually never read the cartoons of Memin Pinguin, but I am pretty sure none of the people complaining against it have either, so it is difficult for me to evaluate if the content is racist (as should be for them, including Mr. Dvorak). On the stamps, which is the only thing I can judge, I see nothing offensive, but a cartoon of a black boy smiling (in a tuxedo and a frack in some of the stamps, giving the impression of a smart and well educated person, by the way).
In american culture, this sort of image is considered insulting to blacks, but why impose american cultural ideas on Mexico? Mexico didn’t have slavery and the history that we had. Let them have their culture and we can have ours.
Is this guy even supposed to be a caricature of an african? How do we know what the cartoonist had in mind? Many Mexican people are dark skinned, so maybe it’s supposed to be a dark skinned Mexican guy. Maybe it’s just a coincidence that this guy looks similar to the african caricatures that appeared in this country in the past. Just because Jesse Jackson doesn’t like the cartoon doesn’t mean it’s racist.
With such a sick government in Mexico, no wonder so many want to come here.
Wait, Eduardo….the Speedy mouse cartoons were pulled …because LA RAZA made a huge stink in the 70’s….literally. The college campus latino groups made a big fuss, got news coverage, and all…locally. They said the character was a rude-crude depiction of a stereotype showing lazy Mexicans, because of the other fat slow mice always sleeping or drinking BEER. So, the fuss was NOT from the gringo side.
If you notice….there has never been an uproar about Pepe la’Peu…the French cat-mashing, over-sexed skunk, or for Foghorn Leghorn, the overbearing southern Rooster. This is because…the white kids (and French?) kids never got all up-in-arms about these depictions. Huh, go figure. The latino kids…were just doing what they saw the black kids doing…… towards Little Black Sambo Restaurants, and all the “step’n’fetch it” minstral images, and other things which they deemed unkind. The latino kids were just copy-cats.
However, the whole issues with black folk images that are exaggerated and always with a “monkeyish” tinge to them….. bring up the sore subject of slavery and racism in America. In a rush to fix the past….we have altered our country’s images. Only a half decade ago….there was segregation, lynchings, riots, murders…. all because of some old fashioned racist idea that one race was better than the others.
Evidently Mexico still embraces racism. It’s because the “government” is made up of white uppper class “castilian” who rule Mexico, at the expense of the vast numbers of Indigenous Mexican “brown” people, the “mestizos”? (Of course, remember…Presidente Vicente Fox is the son of a wealthy Irishman!) There are five ruling families of Mexico, and they don’t give a damn about anyone with brown skin…..which is the outrage about the stamp. The Spanish Conquistador attitude still reins supreme in Mexico! Bartolome de Las Casas described the “discovery” of Cuba quite nicely….
http://middle.usm.k12.wi.us/Faculty/markwald/handoutAtrocities.htm
The Conquistador’s were, without a doubt, the most blood thirsty, self-centered, macho men on the planet. They killed everyone and anything (women children babies old people, animals) in their path. A few remained in Mexico to be the ruling class…the very wealthy, and these people do not care about the people of Mexico. Isn’t that obvious.
Oh, I understand “our neighbors”, and, their ruling class of barbarians who laugh at everything and everyone who is NOT “their kind” of Spanish….
Is that the kind of “understanding” you want?
I agree with most comments here as it doesn’t look insulting in itself. Of course, I have no idea about whether the comic book is prejudiced or not. The stamps surely don’t show an American black sterotype which is the one that most people find repulsive. For example, the hat is on frontwards, the pants are pulled up, no gold teeth, books instead of guns and the character is happy and unthreatening. How is this insulting?
Eduardo …don’t be stupid.
. The images are very much like ones used in the early 30’s and 40’s in the USA where the character are often sitting on porch and eating watermelon. If you don’t think that Mexican culture could have adopted or created this same form comic form you’re kidding yourself.
and yeah. I’m black. And it offends me. fuck what you think.
Well, I guess I have to answer. To siamus first, for the insults: do not assume that what you see is what other cultures see. My wife is black, and has huge lips and she looks similar to that cartoon. And I find her absolutely gorgeus, so for me that cartoon brings a smile, not hate. You say: “the images are very much like”, but they are not the same, and do not assume that similar look means similar message. By the way, if you fuck what I think, do not bother to answer again, please. Keep minding your own business. Or, if you want to be outraged about something, complain about Guantánamo Bay, not about stamps. And I am not stupid.
And now to meetsy. I still think you don’t get it. You are right that the Spaniards killed people and were pretty violent. But put things under their historical context. After the conquest of Cuba, the Spanish Crown got outraged at the killings of the Islanders (none survived them in a century), and they tried to ammend it for future conquests (Bartolomé de las Casas was one of the misionaries denouncing them). By the way, how many indian tribes survived the anglo conquest in the north ?? How many anglos dennounced anything back them ?. In fact, the Spaniards were the first ones to consider the Indians “human beings”, while the rest of the world didn’t consider them humans for another 150 years !! (in the movie “The Mission”, they try to escape from the Portuguese-controlled Brazil to the Spanish controlled territory because there status would change from animal to human). If you are serious about this topic I recommend “The conquest of Mexico”, by Hugh Thomas or “Cartas de relación”, by Hernán Cortés (the detailed letters from Cortés to the Spanish Crown explaining what happened in México). Also, the University of México has a good book called something like “Versión de los vencidos” or similar (the conquest told by the indians). There you can read, for instance, that when the Spaniards finally attacked Mexico City (Tenoticlan ), they were about 700 spaniards and 300,000 indian allies (mostly tribes from the East coast trying to get out of the Aztec oppression), and that although the Spanish plan was to keep the city intact (as a gift to their King), their allies were out of control also killing the aztecs. Of course, they are not innocent (under today standards) of killing and terrible things, but what I mean is that you have to put things in perspective both in time and in location. Another example: the first embassador from Cortés was un-skinned by the indians, and Cortés retailiated bloodly. Was he right ?. But were they the bloodiest ?? I really don’t think so, I think they were actually exactly like the rest of the world at that time. Another one: the aztecs were killing about 10,000 a day during their sacrifices in the temple at the peak of their empire. Is that any better ?
Talking about Mexico, although I agree there is still some racism, I think it is probably more classism. The ruling families are not ruling because of their color anymore, but because of their class and family names. I know plenty of white mexicans that are not rich and a handful of dark ones that are doing economically well. Still some way to go, though. But at least they do not have a president that is the son of a previous president, or a senator who is the wife of a previous president ……….. or a Guantánamo Bay, were prisoners of war are not allowed even to be called that. Do you really think Mexico is more classist or racist that the USA ?
And I didn’t know about the Speedy Gonzalez story in the US. Some of my friends in Mexico thought he was cute and funny ……
The problem with stupid ppl in the USA is that they stick their nose in places they have never been invited to. Sorry to say it that way but its true. The stamps made in Mexico was made for mexican and not for stupid gringos
[ED NOTE: Since this IP address appears to be from ATLANTA, Gerorgia we can assume this note is bogus. I want to assure people doing these stunts will be blackballed from the site. I don’t need this BS]
Memim was a great character. The comic is related to poverty. Not
racism or discrimination.
Yes, Memin was a victim of racism….in Dallas Tx. (Memin and friends played a football game there…)
It’s hard to believe but in Mexico the discrimination is forbbiden since
…1824
I am from mexico, i know what this cartoon is about and there is nothing racist… i wont say what it is about.. you have to investigate for yourself!!
INVESTIGATE FIRST!! THEN HAVE ANY OPINION ABOUT IT!!!
and by the way…. this cartoon is very popular in mexico ’cause of that they are going to do an stamp!!! for some reason!!!! clear!!
Eduardo..
Thank you for your response. I’ll look into some of your reading material suggestions. Even though I’ve lived in California most of my life….we get very little history of anywhere besides the same ol’US stuff.
I am part Mohawk Indian….and know what has been done to the American Natives, over time. But, more new world natives were killed by virus than by violence. Read — Guns, Germs, and Steel
by Jared Diamond — to get a very fresh perspective historically. There is also a series of documentaries…currently on PBS…
http://www.pbs.org/gunsgermssteel/
However….the cultural divide, our cultural perspectives…will tell me that the stamp is wrong, and something shameful…while yours will tell you that it is innocent and niave. The problem is…should one country, that shares a border, release a stamp that hits a nerve of the neighbor? It wouldn’t be such an issue if we didn’t just have Mr. Fox say something so outrageous….about black Americans. Plus we have such an issues as the illegal immigration which is affecting many of us daily, and the gangs spaypainting everything in sight with their gang signs, and then the whole issue of extradition of murderers …just incase the “might get the death penalty”. These things all add up to a great deal of frustration….and add to that, what appears to US, a racially inspired stamp. It’s adding fuel to the tension.
…Still….my view is of an American who’s family (on one side) has been in the Northeast since 1640, and historically against slavery, consistently for over 300 years (and the Mohawks were here way before that). My view is a bit slanted.
I find the stamps ugly, and unappealing, and the more I read about them….wonder if the character isn’t more like Curious George, the monkey-child.
This stamp is a message of hate!
Its just in bad taste!
People have feelings.
Eventually man, probably the smartest creature on the planet will destroy man and the planet.
How Ironic.
If the US government raises a protest over the Mexican stamp, how come they have no problem with the Cleveland Indians logo? Check out the team merchandise, especially the jacket at this address.
http://shop.mlb.com/sm-cleveland–bs-1452349.html
There is absolutely nothing wrong or offensive with this stamp. Here in American, we have the right to freedom of speech. In California, I have seen T-shirts that, in my opinion, are truly offensive. This is the problem with us here in America; we claim to be a country that values our freedoms-especially those that deal with writing. It seems to me that some people in our country expect American culture to be in every country. However, like America, Mexico is a democratic, free country. In the first place, if Mexico wants to create a stamp of a “dark monkey” (which by the way is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen), what right do we, the defenders of free speech, have to stop them. Secondly, come on, there is absolutely nothing offensive about the stamp, unless you think “cute” is offensive. If the monkey was white, would that mean that Mexican people don’t like white people? That’s a ridiculous assumption.
I AM A BLACK AMERICAN, I am not offended by a country doing what America started YEARS ago. This is the 21st Century and we are still fighting Racism. But it is believed that America is the greatest country in the world. How then can we who live here, blame a third world country trying to be as great as us by imitating the same racist practices and policies started by our Government? Ignore the small
minds of selected groups of people around the world dedicated to destroying harmony and peace by pushing buttons designed for such a response. America must change its position and foster racial harmony HERE if it is to be accepted or believed as a true superpower. On the other hand..which part of the stamp must you lick to make it stick?
Its funny when you got these kracka’s making comments on how it chould be cute, or thinking real hard how and why its racist.
Hrmm, maybe when I draw white people, I should draw a picture of them with a white hood, burning a cross, and hanging people like nigga’s, and jews on a tree branch.
You know what, I think all white americans secretly have letters “kkk” tatooed in their skin.
Better yet, draw pictures of white people with pointy noses much like a bird, flat ass, small dicks, white hair, and blue eyed..
and the list goes on.
Memin Pinguin is part of our popular culture…So please dont complain about things that you dont have any idea BROTHERS n SISTERS! Im MEXI BLACK and Im proud of it. VIVA MEMING PINGUIN CABRONES!!!!
More on the subject on the what, and the how that the Black community kicks itself in the rear end on a daily basis!
Without a doubt giving praise misfits, while condemning individuals worthy of praise, has definitely left its destructive mark on the Black community!
Why so many Black people promote disgraceful and treasonous individuals is beyond belief
ok, have any of you guys asked yourself why no country likes you, Let me tell you why, BECAUSE YOU ARE SO F””””” NOSEY, YOU JUST DON’T GET IT, i am mexican, and proud of it, you white ppl are the most racist ppl anyone can know, now you want everyone to look at us that way so you won’t be looking racist but you are. Who is the person that found this?? is he caucatian?
Oh , get something we got no black, white, or brown, WE ARE JUST “MEXICANS”, and if you want to comment something about racism, first judge your f”””” self; because we didn’t make any africanamerican our slaves
Hey Paco – – you crack me up. Few been more racist than the good old world conquering conquistadors. Why go to the expense of shipping blacks to Mexico when you can enslave the locals?
But that pales to how you are still currently voluntarily the subjects of the Catholic Church. Again, all effects of conquest by Spain. Your history would be totally different if you had had the luck to be invaded by England.
GOUSA–not perfect==but a whole better class than Mexico.
There’s a difference between us, you are right. We are a 3rd world class country, right again, but do we have this problems that you guys have? we see ppl, not races. By you saying “shipping black”, i see that you see races. we’re all humans, therefore we do mistakes… but don’t blame on someone else your country’s racism
Well Paco–
1==what is the correct way to say that African Black People were transported in sailing ships to the New World? They were black, they were shipped. Whats your exact issue besides objecting to the truth?
2==Lets see. There were 3 times more black slaves in very early Mexico than there were spainards. http://www.mexconnect.com/mex_/feature/ethnic/bv/brief.htm
3. You are proud to be a Mexican is totally racist unless you are being totally redundant as every other nationality should also be proud to be whatever they are?
4. You are totally racist to wonder who revealed the black Mexican stamps. Are they Caucasian you ask? Is that really the issue or is the issue why did MEXICO print up such a stamp or are you so racist you can’t stand any honest criticism.
5. Correct me if I am wrong–isn’t Mexico still enslaving native indians in your copper mines? Think I saw that in the news 2 years ago==but it was reported by some white guys, so probably you shouldn’t believe it.
See, Paco is saying that Mexicans don’t see races, they see people… yet he uses the statement “you white people are the most racist people anyone can know”… Hmmm, I thought you didn’t see races, Paco. What “white people” are you talking about? You said, “by you saying ‘shipping black’, i see that you see races”, but I see that, by you saying “you white people” that YOU see races.
And let’s not ignore that many Mexican born people who are now here in America and voting are freely, publicly admitting that they won’t vote for one of our presidential candidates for the sole reason that he’s “black”. Seems like those Mexicans see races to me, and seems like you do too, Paco.
Face it, no country is without racists and the United States of America is no different, no better, no worse than any other. Though at least we’ve finally abolished legal slavery and segregation, unlike many other nations.
See, Paco is saying that Mexicans don’t see races, they see people… yet he uses the statement “you white people are the most racist people anyone can know”… Hmmm, I thought you didn’t see races, Paco. What “white people” are you talking about? You said, “by you saying ‘shipping black’, i see that you see races”, but I see that, by you saying “you white people” that YOU see races.
And let’s not ignore that many Mexican born people who are now here in America and voting are freely, publicly admitting that they won’t vote for one of our presidential candidates for the sole reason that he’s “black”. Seems like those Mexicans see races to me, and seems like you do too, Paco.
Face it, no country is without racists and the United States of America is no different, no better, no worse than any other. Though at least we’ve finally abolished legal slavery and segregation, unlike many other nations
negros feos