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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?
Yeah its very ignorant that people of our background that gone though things like thse for some many decades would allow it to happen over and over again!The comic book is released in made in mexico but its really making fun of Afriacan Americans or black people which ever one you perfer!Its using the word Negro in some manys and eveyone relates this word to us as black people! It’s time to make a change starting with small problems working our way up!
It’s not only Memin skin color, but the lips and wide eyes. It’s KKK America all over again. Mexico has had a long history of not so friendly behavior towards black folk. they long for the days of Spainish rule and slavery. They want so much to be like whites. This is nothing new for mexico and all civilized people should be offended. It will be interesting when Obama become President, they will really hate it!!!!!!!!!
who cares, racism is alive and we can’t do nothing about it……
It just goes to show racism is not DEAD, it is still preety much alive! And the comic is racist!
I have read all of the comments on here, and most of the people feel this comic depicts racism. I think the author, and creator of this comic should take this into consideration before He/She decides to write another comic book! One question that I do have is if the comic was meant to be funny, or humorous, then why was the Caucasian or other characters not depicted in a humorous way? Rather if you feel this comic is racist, or not; I don’t think anyone would want a comic book circulating which reflects their race (nationality, culture, ethic origin) portrayed in any derogatory way. In my opinion, I feel this title cover, and text portrays dark skin people in a negative and shameful light. Myself being a brown skin African American, I am not racist in any fashion or form; but I have not forgotten the shut-ins and protest my people have endured. We do have a Black History Month which we have dedicated to those who have fought, and pave the way for our youth today. Nor have I forgotten the signs that were administered which displayed “White Own, or Color Own.” To some a color might not mean anything, but to me the color of my skin express who I am. I have recently graduated with my Bachelors of Science in Management Information Systems, and this fall I will begin work on my Master’s of Business Administration (MBA). I am proud to be a well educated young African American male, and I won’t let anyone take that from me! God Bless to everyone, and I love you all!
lol….so cool photo…
seems i have seen this on tall dating site ____Tallmingle.com____,may be some one upload it on to that site,it is so famous ,many people talk about it on the forum
I think it is in very poor taste; I’ve also seen Mexican’s portrayed as lazy and lying under trees, drinking wine and beating their women!
So, if there are you who think it’s funny, the next comic strip, which is demeanding, could be of you, your ‘mama mia’, or your little dog, driving a car; cause you know ‘they’ say you all have cars, including your dogs! Now, does that sound funny?
Jokes with racial overtones are not funny………hey ‘Jose’!?
To make another example: You all lost at the Alamo, but you continue to want to be ‘white’! You think black people are at the boarders keeping your behinds across that ‘nasty water’ you have to tread to get here! Whites put your behinds in your place and took what they wanted; that’s why it’s California and not Mexico!
You think black people are calling you ‘wet backs’! Although you all do make me keep an extra eye on all children! Females to be exact!!!
We, African Americans are from Kings & Queens, not drunks, robbers and rapists!
First, I don’t like the fact that it states ‘It features a dark-skinned Cuban boy’, it features a monkey, not a little boy of any color. Second, unless I read the book, I can’t say rather it is or not. But I agree, if it’s been out for so long, why bring it up now?
How can anybody say that’s not racist, the boy in this picture clearly looks like a monkey, why are his face and hands tinted black like an aminal, I think this a cheap, indirect shot at racism.
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I was born and raised in Southern California(around Mexicans) for some reason they feel that they are better than blacks. That’s odd considering how much Mexicans have benefited from “our” struggle- Black have broken down many barriers so that not only Blacks can benefit but other monorities have benefited as well.
GINA,
That ain’t nothing but the truth!
The question is ridiculous!!! Anybody with a set of eyes should see this as offensive in this country. The only idiots thinking otherwise are not on top of AMERICAN HISTORY!!!!
yes I think this comic is racist….the only one in this world and out is the absolute superior is GOD!! That’s it, That’s all.
some r saying its ignorant (’wow’ said this) to talk about this but if people outside SouthAfrica didnt do anything there wouldnt be change. and also those saying he’s not black he’s Cuban seriously if a guy is black he’s black. that is no excuse not to talk. and those saying it,s cultural Seriously wat do you mean by that, racism is racism , cultural just means it was passed down generations that doesnt excuse it. and those saying it was printed in the 1960s so it doesnt matter, a stamp of it was made in 2005. And 4 walmart to try and sell i think t was a publicity stunt or smthing because id like to believe no 1 in their right mind would try this in US of all places
Can we say “Taco Bell”?
I just recently returned from China and you see the same thing, the Chinese want to look white at almost any cost–basically, European influence is strong around the world. Also, black people are going to have to market themselves much better in America and around the world. Normally, when you see something related to black people the image is either “thugs, ghetto girls, the bad aspect of the hood, the poor in Africa, and other stereotypical images…Thank God things seem to be changing with the images we see of the Obama’s, Colin Powell, Condeleeza Rice, Oprah, Tiger Woods, and others to name…However, I do see the article as being racist and deeply rooted with European influence…
It’s not racist people, read the wiki
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mem%C3%ADn_Pingu%C3%ADn
I think that MOST of the people who left comments on this subject are IGNORANT and RACIST! Do any of you know the history of Mexico? Thought not by the comments you are leaving! African slaves were once introduced into the population of Mexico and the mix of the two races looks more African-American than Mexican. The cartoon is not to degrade anyone,but to shed light on the “color” issues that come into play when races are mixed! Sort of how even in African-American culture there is dissention amongst dark-skinned and light-skinned Blacks!
This is the most racist ass comic I’ve ever seen and hell yeah this is a racist comic book no doubt about it and you have dumb ass people saying its not .Their picking on the cuban boy on how black he is and calling him negro what B-E-T should do is take that dumb ass music off like Soulja Boy and play more music like nas to help us black people more Knowledgeable to what is going on in the world.
thiss to PBROWN u made a statement that u dont think the comic book was racist. “Curious George, is he racist?” Let me say that in the cartoon and in the books curious george is identified as a monkey not a human, a child nor a man. nothing less nothing more. In this comic book they identify a cuban well u might as well as black child with monkey features. These two characters in no way go hand in hand. See the problem is ppl think because we are in the year 2008 that curtain images can be portrayed without someone being hurt over it. We as a nation need to realize that even though curtain events happened over a hundred years ago that theres still hurt there. And some one please tell me why black and browns still haven problems with each other when we should be one of the groups that needs to stand together
this to PBROWN u made a statement that u dont think the comic book was racist. “Curious George, is he racist?” Let me say that in the cartoon and in the books curious george is identified as a monkey not a human, a child nor a man. nothing less nothing more. In this comic book they identify a cuban well u might as well as black child with monkey features. These two characters in no way go hand in hand. See the problem is ppl think because we are in the year 2008 that curtain images can be portrayed without someone being hurt over it. We as a nation need to realize that even though curtain events happened over a hundred years ago that theres still hurt there. And some one please tell me why black and browns still haven problems with each other when we should be one of the groups that needs to stand together