Reboot Sinterklaas
Greg Shapiro, 16 nov 2012
(as seen in DutchNews.nl)
It's time again for the Annual Dutch Racist Parade! Every year, the kids line the streets for Sinterklaas and his entourage of black-faced minions.
'It's not racist...' insist the parents. 'It's our heritage.'
Well, okay then. Why not dress up like this as well?
'Just celebrating our Dutch heritage...'
As the annual debate about Sinterklaas begins anew, this American Netherlander says: Why not a Sinterklaas Reboot? Specifically, why not take Zwarte Piet & give him a Michael Jackson makeover?
The reboot trend is everywhere.
Batman had a reboot. Spiderman had a reboot, just 10 years since his last reboot. Even Sinterklaas was reinvented by Dutch director Dick Maas. If you didn't see 'Sint' from 2010, it's the one where Sinterklaas is portrayed as a child-murdering psychopath.
So why not reboot Zwarte Piet? 'Oh, no!' cry the Dutch. 'You can't touch our beloved Zwarte Piet! He must be covered in blackface, or the children won't believe!' Dick Maas himself says it's okay for Sint to kill kids. Why not make Zwarte Piet a shade lighter?
I've had this argument with both Dutch people and black people. Quinsy Gario is the founder of 'Zwarte Piet is Racisme.' He insists that the title is not a matter of opinion; it's a simple fact. I agree with him. But I don't agree with his remedy: Dutch people should admit that they've been racist & stop Zwarte Piet immediately. That ain't gonna happen.
There's a great precedent that everyone is ignoring. Neger Zoenen. These chocolate covered marshmallow cookies were called 'Neger Kisses' for years (or even 'Negerinne Tieten).
(Use your imagination).
But around 2005, someone had the good sense to ask 'why not drop the Neger?' Now they're simply called 'Zoenen.' Are Dutch families forever damaged? No. And they get to congratulate themselves for their famous Dutch common sense.
(Use your imagination).
But around 2005, someone had the good sense to ask 'why not drop the Neger?' Now they're simply called 'Zoenen.' Are Dutch families forever damaged? No. And they get to congratulate themselves for their famous Dutch common sense.
My recommendation: drop the Zwarte. Just make him Piet. Then the next year drop the Afro. The next year, the blackface becomes soot - which is how Mr. Piet is meant to have come by the blackface in the first place.
By then, - if anyone still complains that you've ruined their lives- THEN you can call them racist.
I like to see some data. How much afro-american discrimination is there in different countries and how does that correlate with the tradition of celebrating sinterklaas & zwarte piet. As long as we don't have data we will have endless discussions about opinions. That is good fun, but will lead us nowhere.
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