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Is This Comic Book Racist?
July 9th, 2008
Black activists are up in arms over a popular Mexican comic book Memin Pinguin recently sold in WalMart. It features a dark-skinned Cuban boy (named Memin) with large ears and big pink lips, who’s always being made fun of because of his color. “This is poking fun at the physical features of an entire people. Making them look buffoonish (and) portraying the young [Black] kid as stupid,” Quanell X, an activist, told The Dallas Morning News. “Whenever they are beating him, they are referring to him as Negro. Even here, when he is being punched, slapped [he is called] Negro. This is a disgrace.” The comic received such a backlash that WalMart decided to remove it from their shelves, saying in a statement: “…[W]e understand that Memin is a popular figure in Mexico. However, given the sensitivity to the negative image Memin can portray to some, we felt that it was best to no longer carry the item in our stores. We apologize to those customers who many have been offended….” The comic, originally published in the 1960s, has been very popular in Mexico for years, so much so that the government decided to issue a stamp commemorating Memin in 2005 – a decision didn’t sit well then with U.S. activists and politicians who said the character was racist. But the Mexican government thinks it’s a misunderstanding and that Americans just don’t understand the character’s cultural importance in their country. Do you think this Memin character is racist?
its not racist
I never knew the comic book existed, until know. Looking at the cover of the comic book it does not look racist to me. Think about the cartoon character, Curious George. Is he racist? Sometimes I think we tend to blow things out of portion. This comic book has been in circulation since 1960. So now, it’s a problem with racism. Whatever!!!
I HATE MEXICANS THEY IGNORANT AN RASIST
The white man is the devil.
It is stupid! But considering the way the Mexican’s feel superior to blacks (what a joke), I wouldn’t be surprised if it wasn’t really meant to be derogatory against blacks in some way.
We as a people have come a long way, even the Mexicans. So why WAL-MART this item in there store. This is not people friendly. When a child looks at this comic book, how should he feel. As a retailer, this should have never put on the shelf.
why don’t they create a comic book about a super immigrant who does all the jobs that americans won’t do for less money
The comic is racist and mexicans somehow think they are closer (in color) to the white man that african americans.
There is no such thing as a “super immigrant” who does all of the jobs americans won’t do. Mexicans are the new slaves, who they pay wages below market value. The joke is this: Why should I hire a one american at $9/hr when I can get 3 mexicans who will do it for $3/hr?
These…. people know what they are doing when they issues these Magazines, Films, Comments. There just stoking the fire!!
Yo! right, Mexicans feel they are superior and they AINT!!!
Take dat shizzle off the shelves, dammit!
we open doors for mexicans.and this is the thanks that blacks get,from mexicans.