This is STRICTLY for entertainment purposes and not open for debate!
But I have found some rather fascinating opinions and comedic revelry on the subject, two of which I thought I'd share.
It all started when Aisha Harris wrote in her article Santa Claus Should Not Be a White Man Anymore on www.slate.com about her experience growing up conflicted because Superman, (Oh, excuse me, Freudian slip) SANTA CLAUS was white in some place and black at her house.
Megyn Kelly from Fox News stepped right up...and then stuck that same foot in her mouth by saying not only was Santa Claus white, so was Jesus.
So, getting back to Aisha Harris's article (assuming you followed the link), she thinks Santa Claus should from now on be a penguin. Because penguins are so cute and sweet and everybody likes them.
Apparently, she's never heard of THE PENGUIN from the Batman comics that has been in existence since December 1941 (Ha! December! How ironic is that?), and is probably just as popular as Santa Claus.
OH, Puh-leeeeez! Batman, Superman, Santa Claus, Michael Jordan...no, wait he's NOT WHITE!
Okay, so let's compare Michael Jordan to Santa Claus, because, obviously, Michael Jordan is a fictional character (he, and Denzel Washington) because there is no way a man who is ALL THAT and has fans of all races and nationalities can be black. Because if he was black, then white people wouldn't like him. They would not have attended his basketball games, cheered for him in the Olympics, bought his shoes or his underwear, or whatever he was promoting, right? Because white people can ONLY admire and relate to white role models or, in the case of Michael Jordan and Santa Claus, LEGENDS!
SO, if Santa Claus can be depicted as black, or (Oh, please no...a penguin) then by all means, Michael Jordan must, from now on be depicted as a white guy or a very tall rabbit. If you don't get that reference...look it up.
Now do you see how really ridiculous this all sounds?
Santa Claus is a fictional character based on St. Nicholas, who was actually from The Mediterranean, so he was probably sporting a rather decent tan.
However, for many generations, we in America have celebrated/acknowledged a Santa Claus who is loosely based on Washington Irving's (white guy) version of Sinter Klaas, Thomas Nast's (another white guy) illustrations in Harper's, and the jolly on elf in the poem by Clement Clarke Moore (you guessed it...white guy) as our jovial gift giver.
Santa Claus is legendarily portrayed as a portly aging white guy, with or without glasses, red suit, black belt, white or green gloves or mittens, black or white boots and the all too familiar (regardless if he's riding a Harley Davidson or a sleigh, whether he's fly fishing, drinking a Coke, sunning at the beach with Jimmy Buffet, being taken over by a Pumpkin King with a great singing voice, or sitting at the mall) white beard. He lives at the North Pole with a bunch of elves with curly toed shoes and pointy ears, his wife, Mrs. Claus who is just a regular, overweight, sweet lady...who is also white.
BTW it is NOT Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus! It is Santa and Mrs. Claus.
After spending most of the year making toys in the North Pole, he rides his sleigh all across the world and drops down the chimney (if you have a chimney, if not, does he just slip through a window or come through the front door?), he eats the cookies and milk you set out for him, he leaves presents under the tree and/or in stockings, and sneaks back out.
Then your parents get up really early and play with your toys before you get to!
So, I don't see the problem here.
Other countries have their own version of this generous guy, why can't we? And why does it have to be a racist thing for him to be white?
If you want a Kwanzaa Claus, then by all means, get one! I'll tuck a figure of him right in there with the rest of my Santa Claus, Pierre Noel, Sinter Klaas, and Ded Moroz collection..but please, just let Santa Claus be an overweight white guy.
And Jesus can be Middle-Eastern.
More great articles to read:
Jesus Wasn't White but Santa Definitely Is
Megyn Kelly Addresses White Santa Comments
Love ya, Megan and Aisha for keeping it fun!
