I know this has been blogged to death, but not many people read this one so why not add my $.02?

 

So the news has been going around in circles about those awful stamps published in Mexico featuring  that character Memin Penguin. The writer of Latino Pundit says he is "reassured" by others justifying why the character is not offensive.

 

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The problem is that the character has exaggerated features and I must say looks like a monkey. However, I found two sources of defense stating that this character is not racist at all.

I'll agree that Memin Pinguin has exaggerated features thick lips and wide-open eyes. But what people have to take in consideration is that the Mexican culture is different, I am not going to say that discrimination doesn't exist in Mexico, it's just based in other characteristics, social status and wealth being the most notable ones. The truth is that back there the color of the skin is not important and people pay little attention.
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Had you done a little more research, you would also had learned that in 1985 the Phillipines declared Memin Pinguin a "must read" at public schools claiming that the comic strip "promotes on students respect to the family and the institutions."

Also another:

After the US flap, Mexico’s Terra News poll indicates that 89 percent are in favor of the Memin Pinguin postage stamps. A clear indication that Mexicans feel the stamps are not racist.

Should the French complain to the US for having a skunk (Pepe le Pew) be French? Or Mexico about Speedy Gonzalez? Or how about all those exaggerated bandidos in so many motion pictures? Are they racist? Only in the United States are there those who think they are.

Researching all of this I now feel much better about the character than I did originally when I first just only saw and judged based on the physical characteristics alone. Maybe Jesse Jackson should relax a little bit.

 

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But does "justification" make it okay? Does the fact that there are stereotypes EVERYWHERE and based on every group in some form or another make it all right? Well, of course not. Yes, people perceive race differetly in different countries. I can't speak for how black Mexicans would feel. How about the revolutionary idea that, for those of us here in the US, the stamps represent a racist or racially-charged image, not because anyone says  they are wrong, but just because they are?