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Title: Racial complaints mire New Westminster Christmas parade
Source:
The Vancouver Sun
URL Source: [None]
Published: Nov 25, 2011
Author: Kelly Sinoski
Post Date: 2011-11-28 20:08:10 by X-15
Keywords: None
Views: 113
Comments: 5
Organizers of New Westminster’s Dutch Sinterklaas celebrations will pull “Black Peter” from their traditional parade next weekend after complaints that the black-faced helper carries racist undertones. Members of the African-Canadian community had complained that Zwarte Piet, or Black Peter, a young person in blackface makeup, is offensive and outdated and should not be included in the Dec. 3 event. This will be the first time since 1985 that Black Peter will not accompany Sinterklaas as he heads to New Westminster Quay aboard a paddlewheeler boat. “We will not have Black Peter,” organizer Tako Slump said Friday.”We did all our research and came up with the understanding that they do have a point. We can assure the African-Canadian community that there will not be any offensive black faces.” A statement from Sinterklaas organizers apologized to those “who may have found aspects of our celebrations demanding and hurtful.” Slump said organizers want to hear from the Dutch community about how to proceed without Zwarte Piet in the Sinterklaas event, which is scheduled for the boardwalk on Westminster Quay and will feature Sint Nicolaas, as per Dutch tradition, giving gifts, singing songs and playing games with local children. The celebration draws between 400 and 600 Dutch Canadians every year. “There are different options but we really want to hear from the community how they would like to fill it in,” Slump said, noting a decision will likely be made after the weekend festivities. “It’s a big issue.” Bernard Piprah, an organizer of the annual Black History Month symposium at Douglas College, had argued the Black Peter character comes loaded with offensive, racist stereotypes. According to the Dutch tradition, Black Peter is responsible for carrying a book full of the names of naughty children, along with a rod and a sack to take the bad children away. “[The character] is degrading, and it’s racist, and it’s incredibly outdated,” Piprah said. “You can’t erase that. You can go to your local library and read that this Black Peter was a slave. He beat children. He was dumb, and he spoke buffoonish Dutch. There are just so many insulting aspects to that character, and I can’t believe they’re celebrating it in New Westminster.” Piprah said Friday it was a “reasonable compromise” to eliminate Black Peter from the annual celebration. “It’s kind of something they should address, no matter what the culture, when an aspect of it is clearly offensive to a particular group,” he said. Poster Comment: Christmas chimpin'....
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#1. To: X-15 (#0)
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The relationship between morality and liberty is a directly proportional one. None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free. Oh, kvetching around the "Holiday Tree"? deleted
The relationship between morality and liberty is a directly proportional one. None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free. Jeremiah 13:23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Then you also can do good Who are accustomed to doing evil. King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.) ... bible.cc/jeremiah/13-23.htm http://kingjbible.com/acts/8.htm v. 26-39..... Acts 8:26 And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. 27And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia [ bible.cc/jeremiah/13-23.htm ], an eunuch [ bible.cc/isaiah/56-3.htm - 5] of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, 28Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet [ http://kingjbible.com/isaiah/53.htm ]. 29 Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. 30And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? 31And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. 32The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: [ bible.cc/isaiah/53-7.htm ] 33In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth. [ bible.cc/isaiah/53-8.htm ] 34And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man? 35Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. [ bible.cc/isaiah/53-10 / http://kingjbible.com/galatians/3.htm verses 6-9...16...26-29 /[ bible.cc/galatians/3-29.htm ] 36And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? [ bible.cc/galatians/3-26.htm ] 37And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. [ bible.cc/isaiah/53-10.htm ] And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. [ bible.cc/isaiah/53-10.htm ] 38And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. [ bible.cc/galatians/3-26.htm ] 39And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: [ bible.cc/galatians/3-5.htm ] and he [THE EUNUCH] went on his way rejoicing. 40But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea. Expiation A Sermon (No. 561) By the Rev. C. H. SPURGEON "Thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin."—Isaiah 53:10..... www.spurgeon.org/sermons/0561.htm This is known as the gospel [Good News]: And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee [CHRIST] shall all nations be blessed. Peace on Earth; Good Will Toward All Men. If not at Christmas, when? "...as long as there..remain active enemies of the Christian church, we may hope to become Master of the World...the future Jewish King will never reign in the world before Christianity is overthrown - B'nai B'rith speech http://www.biblebelievers.org.au/luther.htm / http://bible.cc/psalms/83-4.htm
If not at Christmas, when? Kwanzaa.
- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, 1749-1832
#2. To: Eric Stratton (#1)
Have they scheduled a formal "Airing of Grievances" yet?
#3. To: Original_Intent (#2)
- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, 1749-1832
#4. To: X-15 (#0)
#5. To: AllTheKings'HorsesWontDoIt (#4)
Peace on Earth; Good Will Toward All Men.
-Alex Kurtagic
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