Santa Claus should no longer be a white jolly fat man... Santa Claus should now be...

[posty 2,315]

http://www.slate.com/articles/life/holidays/2013/12/santa_claus_an_old_white_man_not_anymore_meet_santa_the_penguin_a_new_christmas.html

 

When I was a kid, I knew two different Santa Clauses. The first had a fat belly, rosy cheeks, a long white beard, and skin as pink as bubble gum. He was omnipresent, visiting my pre-school and the local mall, visible in all of my favorite Christmas specials.

 

Then there was the Santa in my familys household, in the form of ornaments, cards, and holiday figurines. A near-carbon copy of the first onebig belly, rosy cheeks, long white beard: check, check, check. But his skin was as dark as mine.

 

Seeing two different Santas was bewildering. Eventually I asked my father what Santa really looked like. Was he brown, like us? Or was he really a white guy?

 

My father replied that Santa was every color. Whatever house he visited, jolly old St. Nicholas magically turned into the likeness of the family that lived there.

 

In hindsight, I see this explanation as the great Hollywood spec script it really is. (Just picture the past-their-prime actors who could share the role. Robert De Niro! Eddie Murphy! Jackie Chan! I smell a camp classic.) But at the time, I didnt buy it. I remember feeling slightly ashamed that our black Santa wasnt the real thing. Because when youre a kid and youre inundated with the imagery of a pale seasonal visitorand you notice that even some black families decorate their houses with white Santasyoure likely to accept the consensus view, despite your parents noble intentions.

 

Two decades later, America is less and less white, but a melanin-deficient Santa remains the default in commercials, mall casting calls, and movies. Isnt it time that our image of Santa better serve all the children he delights each Christmas?

 

Yes, it is. And so I propose that America abandon Santa-as-fat-old-white-man and create a new symbol of Christmas cheer. From here on out, Santa Claus should be a penguin.

 

Thats right: a penguin.

 

Why, you ask? For one thing, making Santa Claus an animal rather than an old white male could spare millions of nonwhite kids the insecurity and shame that I remember from childhood. Whether you celebrate the holiday or not, Santa is one of the first iconic figures foisted upon you: He exists as an incredibly powerful image in the imaginations of children across the country (and beyond, of course). That this genial, jolly man can only be seen as whiteand consequently, that a Santa of any other hue is merely a joke or a chance to trudge out racist stereotypeshelps perpetuate the whole white-as-default notion endemic to American culture (and, of course, not just American culture).

 

Plus, people love penguins. There are blogs dedicated entirely to their cuteness. Theyre box office gold. Most importantly, theyre never scary (in contrast to, say, polar bears and reindeer). Most kids love Santabecause he brings them presents. But human Santa can be terrifyingor at least unsettling.

 

And, with a penguin Santa, much Christmas folklore can remain unchanged. Being a penguin, Santa Claus can still reside in a snowy homelandthough for scientific accuracy well need to move him from the North Pole to the South. He can still rock a fake white beard and red suit if he chooses. Since penguins cant fly, Rudolph and his fellow reindeer will remain a crucial element to getting the job done on Christmas Eve. You may have even spotted a penguin here and there already among the holiday books and Christmas kitsch.

 

Will kids have a harder time believing in Santa the Penguinaka Penguin Clausthan in the fat white guy hes replacing? I dont think so. Kids are used to walking, talking bears and gigantic friendly birds. A penguin delivering gifts might even seem more feasible to them, since cartoons have primed them to consider such creatures fairly run of the mill.

 

Of course, since we created Santa, we can certainly change him however wed likeand we have, many times over. Like the holiday itself, Santa has long since been extracted from his religious roots, even if the name St. Nicholas still gets thrown around. Our current design takes inspiration from multiple sources, including Washington Irvings 1809 description of St. Nick riding jollily among the tree tops, or over the roofs of the houses, now and then drawing forth magnificent presents from his breeches pockets, and dropping them down the chimnies of his favourites. When Clement Clarke Moore published A Visit from St. Nicholas in 1823, the old man was described and illustrated as a plump but elfin figure. Since then, Santa has been redesigned and re-appropriated to push everything from soda to war.

 

So lets ditch Santa the old white man altogether, and embrace Penguin Clauswho will join the Easter Bunny in the pantheon of friendly, secular visitors from the animal kingdom who come to us as the representatives of ostensibly religious holidays. Its time to hand over the reins to those deer and let the universally beloved waddling bird warm the hearts of children everywhere, regardless of the color of their skin.

[edjr 5,731]

Why, you ask? For one thing, making Santa Claus an animal rather than an old white male could spare millions of nonwhite kids the insecurity and shame that I remember from childhood

 

 

WHAT???????

 

Hollee focking hell is America spinning down the toilet.

 

I'll tell you what. You leave OUR Santa alone and you make you own focking penguin santa. FOCK YOU!!!!!!!

 

 

I checked and there is no email for me to email her and tell her to choke on a candy cane.

[Geezil 24]

National Association for the Advancement of Colored Penguins.

[IGotWorms 3,435]

War on Christmas!!!

[NorthernVike 2,080]

National Association for the Advancement of Colored Penguins.

[posty 2,315]

I checked and there is no email for me to email her and tell her to choke on a candy cane.

Here email address is located at http://www.aishaharris.com/about/

[hoytdwow 202]

Santa Claus doesn't exist. HTH

[FlaHawker 24]

Santa Claus doesn't exist. HTH

Really? I though B. Hussein Obama was Santa Claus?

[DankNuggs 305]

How about you teach kids that skin color doesn't matter.

[DankNuggs 305]

 

 

WHAT???????

 

Hollee focking hell is America spinning down the toilet.

 

I'll tell you what. You leave OUR Santa alone and you make you own focking penguin santa. FOCK YOU!!!!!!!

 

 

I checked and there is no email for me to email her and tell her to choke on a candy cane.

Kwanzaa is a completely fake holiday. It's mascot should be penguin Santa.

[patweisers44 710]

 

 

WHAT???????

 

Hollee focking hell is America spinning down the toilet.

 

I'll tell you what. You leave OUR Santa alone and you make you own focking penguin santa. FOCK YOU!!!!!!!

 

 

I checked and there is no email for me to email her and tell her to choke on a candy cane.

Ask her what shade Jesus is when you email her Ed.

[Geezil 24]

Kwanzaa Clause. He is kinda like Santa Clause. He DOES dress up and sneak into your house at night, and he IS carrying a bag full of expensive "gifts".

[parrot 789]

Ask her what shade Jesus is when you email her Ed.

Yeah, I figure if Jesus can be Lily-white, all bets are off.

[BunnysBastatrds 1,955]

When I was a kid my dad was that guy in the neighborhood who put lights all over his house, Every year it got bigger and bigger. To the point where my mom couldn't run the washer and drier if all the lights were on because it would trip the panel. So about ten years in I was taking down the boxes and light up figurines and noticed that our six foot tall Santa had turned dark brown over the years. Me: Hey Dad!. It appears we have a dark brown Santa. Dad: That's pretty damn funny. Put hin on the roof next to the sleigh with the alligator Rudulph (we had a sled led by an aligator with red lights for teeth) It'll probably piss off some of the neighbors so do it. Me: You think I should paint Mrs. Clause brown? Or have our Santas be an interacial couple?

[hoytdwow 202]

Really? I though B. Hussein Obama was Santa Claus?

That's because you're an imbecile

[TimmySmith 2,782]

Correction, Dec. 10, 2013: This article originally misidentified penguins as mammals. They are birds.

 

[hoytdwow 202]

[Mike Honcho 4,154]

Yes, it is. And so I propose that America abandon Santa-as-fat-old-white-man and create a new symbol of Christmas cheer. From here on out, Santa Claus should be a penguin.

 

Thats right: a penguin.

 

 

 

She had the guts to say what we were all thinking.

[drobeski 3,061]

 

It's about time someone had the balls to say it,...you know we've all been thinking this anyway.

yes, we are sure all of you moonbats think alike.

[edjr 5,731]

yes, we are sure all of you moonbats think alike.

[MTSkiBum 1,605]

Yeah, I figure if Jesus can be Lily-white, all bets are off.

 

It is funny how all the paintings and stained glass in church show everyone has having pale white skin, when in fact middle easterners had darker skin 2000 years ago than they do today. How many people would go to church if their savior looked like a Muslim?

[Mike Honcho 4,154]

yes, we are sure all of you moonbats think alike.

 

Nice try kid, you keep trying though...someday you'll say something funny.

[drobeski 3,061]

 

Nice try kid, you keep trying though...someday you'll say something funny. :thumbsup

:

who's trying to be funny ?

[Mike Honcho 4,154]

who's trying to be funny ?

 

 

Oh, sorry, I thought you were...I should of known, you were just being your reTAHded self.

[Little Rusty 17]

libtards roon 'merica daily

[montana 89]

A WHITE Santa being pulled by BROWN reindeer.