Mexico, mexico
Topic: Racism
Okay, I was asked to comment on this and the truth is that it is so shocking I felt I had to get involved.

These are the about to be released special edition stamps celebrating Mexican culture. A lot of news organizations have covered this (BBC and NY Times) and apparently 750,000 of these stamps are going to be released. The character is called Mem?n Pingu?n and (from the Times):

Created in 1943, the comic-book character was inspired by a Cuban child, its creators said. He is well intentioned but hapless, and his mannerisms and speech reinforce 1940's stereotypes of blacks as lazy, mischievous and uneducated, anthropologists and civil rights advocates say. Comic books featuring the character are still being published in Mexico.

How this is representative of Mexican culture I will never know. This is extremely shocking in light of the current state of racial misunderstanding. I guess the good thing is that it does really illustrate how blacks are considered in the broader world (especially in light of yesterdays post). Still, it is really just unbelievable that something like this could be possible in a country that one considers to be a modern nation.

This is really funny commentary on why they just don't get it (from the BBC):

A spokesman for Mexico's president on Thursday noted that the cartoon had in the past helped to promote family values, and called the adverse reaction "strange."

One Mexican diplomat responded that the character was no more offensive than the cartoon Mexican mouse, Speedy Gonzalez.

I should add that Speedy Gonzalez is a pretty offensive stereotype...but we aren't making a stamp.

After initially posting about this I found these pictures of covers of the comic. F**k me but I can't believe that they think this shouldn't be offensive. I guess no aid to Africa from Mexico. Makes you wonder what all the Native Americans in Mexico are complaining about.

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Back to what I really wanted to cover. Check out this catfish!

This 650lb catfish was hauled in on the Mekong River. Sadly, giant catfish are a dying species and this one, which they hoped to keep alive, didn't make it. They were able to milk it for spawning purposes but then it was cut up and sold to villagers. I wonder how he tastes.