I want to start by saying that I am not racist in any form. If this may help you, I am African and a true black.
Before I go on to say anything further, I want to question the rationale behind the British thinking they will do better in standing up for our rights than we ourselves.
The UK Commission for Racial Equality has labeled the Tintin book racist and criticized a high street book chain for stocking the title. A spokesman for the chain said it was moving the Tintin book from the children's to the adult graphic novels section of its stores.
I understand it is the 'job', if it can be so called of the Commission for Racial Equality to ban books, films, adverts and so on, that portray any sense of racism, in any form.
In this regard I do not dispute the fact that the Commission had a right to register its distaste for portrayal of Africans in 'Tintin in the Congo' by Herge. Neither do I see the justification for appointing themselves to lead the charge when they could have deferred the 'responsibility' to an African Representative group.
Well, let us leave it there; because I was going to go on to say that sure sounds racist in disguise to me.
But to my real subject matter; for sometime now the media has refused to let us have any rest from the intense publicity of the launching, or is it 'de-launching', of the last Harry Potter book. This is meant to be the great children?s book that has ruled a generation.
I want to declare my biases upfront; I hate Harry Potter with a passion, while I completely adore the reporter boy, Tintin.
Billions of blistering barnacles! I can not imagine for the life of me why someone will want to take offence at a portrayal of Africans in a way they have always been portrayed through time. When I read Tintin in the Congo I sincerely didn?t even notice that the African portrayed were representative of me. It is simply not so and the world, or most of it knows it now. It wasn?t also as if the major characters in Tintin mistreated blacks or insulted their intelligence. It is clearly a case of 'mistaken identity' and could be gladly forgiven.
The British habit of pragmatism, honest or otherwise, should not be imposed on the African free and inhibited spirit. If we were angry at everything, I don?t think we will be making fun of their Prime Ministers by giving them chieftaincy titles.
So now why am I all huff and puff about the boy wizard, Harry Potter? Because of the very underlining reason for all black antagonism; the portrayal of white good and black bad.
Don?t worry about agreeing with me (especially if you are Harry Potter Fan), but raising children on a daily dose of white and black magic is not my idea of cultural balance.
But I am out going out in the streets today carrying a placard saying 'Death to Harry Potter' or planning bombs for the crowded movie centres on launching day (no laughing matter).
I just accept it as good literature and a profitable business venture.
That is why I ask that you leave my Tintin alone or else, I promise by Ten Thousand Thundering Typhoons, I will insistently launch a very personal campaign against Harry Potter, even in his death (if it gratefully happens) and so help me God.
Before I go on to say anything further, I want to question the rationale behind the British thinking they will do better in standing up for our rights than we ourselves.
The UK Commission for Racial Equality has labeled the Tintin book racist and criticized a high street book chain for stocking the title. A spokesman for the chain said it was moving the Tintin book from the children's to the adult graphic novels section of its stores.
I understand it is the 'job', if it can be so called of the Commission for Racial Equality to ban books, films, adverts and so on, that portray any sense of racism, in any form.
In this regard I do not dispute the fact that the Commission had a right to register its distaste for portrayal of Africans in 'Tintin in the Congo' by Herge. Neither do I see the justification for appointing themselves to lead the charge when they could have deferred the 'responsibility' to an African Representative group.
Well, let us leave it there; because I was going to go on to say that sure sounds racist in disguise to me.
But to my real subject matter; for sometime now the media has refused to let us have any rest from the intense publicity of the launching, or is it 'de-launching', of the last Harry Potter book. This is meant to be the great children?s book that has ruled a generation.
I want to declare my biases upfront; I hate Harry Potter with a passion, while I completely adore the reporter boy, Tintin.
Billions of blistering barnacles! I can not imagine for the life of me why someone will want to take offence at a portrayal of Africans in a way they have always been portrayed through time. When I read Tintin in the Congo I sincerely didn?t even notice that the African portrayed were representative of me. It is simply not so and the world, or most of it knows it now. It wasn?t also as if the major characters in Tintin mistreated blacks or insulted their intelligence. It is clearly a case of 'mistaken identity' and could be gladly forgiven.
The British habit of pragmatism, honest or otherwise, should not be imposed on the African free and inhibited spirit. If we were angry at everything, I don?t think we will be making fun of their Prime Ministers by giving them chieftaincy titles.
So now why am I all huff and puff about the boy wizard, Harry Potter? Because of the very underlining reason for all black antagonism; the portrayal of white good and black bad.
Don?t worry about agreeing with me (especially if you are Harry Potter Fan), but raising children on a daily dose of white and black magic is not my idea of cultural balance.
But I am out going out in the streets today carrying a placard saying 'Death to Harry Potter' or planning bombs for the crowded movie centres on launching day (no laughing matter).
I just accept it as good literature and a profitable business venture.
That is why I ask that you leave my Tintin alone or else, I promise by Ten Thousand Thundering Typhoons, I will insistently launch a very personal campaign against Harry Potter, even in his death (if it gratefully happens) and so help me God.
1 comment:
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