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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsA family got a racist note after putting up a Black Santa. Soon, neighbors began displaying their
own black Santas.
From Sydney Page at the Washington Post
Chris Kennedy and his 4-year-old daughter, Emily, adorned their front lawn in North Little Rock, Ark., with Christmas decorations in early November, as they do every year.
They strung twinkly white lights along the rim of their home and stationed an inflatable Christmas tree and a towering Black Santa on the lawn, next to a colorful, illuminated sign that reads, JOY.
The spirited Christmas display, which the Kennedys have showcased for the last few holiday seasons, had only been met with cheer in their neighborhood of Lakewood, Kennedy said.
That changed Nov. 23, when Kennedy, 33, checked his mailbox and was stunned to find an anonymous, racist letter attacking the seven-foot Black Santa on his lawn. Please remove your negro Santa Claus yard decoration, the letter, signed Santa Claus, demanded. You should try not to deceive children into believing that I am negro. I am a caucasian (white man, to you) and have been for the past 600 years. Your being jealous of my race is no excuse for your dishonesty. Besides that, you are making yourself the laughing stock of the neighborhood. Obviously, your values are not that of the Lakewood area and maybe you should move to a neighborhood out east with the rest of your racist kind.
Rest of the story here:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2020/12/03/black-santa-solidarity/
TLDNR version: The neighbors were appalled and everyone put up black Santas as a sign of solidarity.
fearnobush
(3,960 posts)Dorian Gray
(13,479 posts)the neighbors stood behind him like that. What a total wimpy jerk off that person must be to write an anonymous letter like that.
Trumpdumper
(170 posts)Hekate
(90,527 posts)Not just in skin tone but in features. Seriously, they are representative of African and Middle Eastern sages, and I think hailed from Persia (Iran) and were Zoroastrian astrologers.
Cant do anything about Baby Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, because I would guess that they represent whatever culture they found themselves in over the centuries, as Christianity spread across Western Europe. They are darker in Russian Orthodox and Byzantine icons.
Seek, and ye shall find.
Happy holidays!
soldierant
(6,785 posts)you'd have nothing left but a flock of sheep and a jackass.
ChazInAz
(2,556 posts)I was just in that small city last month, in the heart of conservative, white bread Kansas.
Benedictine College was in the process of setting up a permanent art installation of the Holy Family's flight into Egypt, life size bronzes depicting them as African.
One could say that I was amazed and delighted!
tblue37
(65,212 posts)https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-apps/imrs.php?src=&w=916
https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-apps/imrs.php?src=&w=916
https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-apps/imrs.php?src=&w=916
The Kennedy's now have TWO on their lawn:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-apps/imrs.php?src=&w=916
FSogol
(45,435 posts)To the local children's hospital.
Demovictory9
(32,419 posts)Response to tblue37 (Reply #4)
Chin music This message was self-deleted by its author.
trueblue2007
(17,187 posts)crickets
(25,950 posts)Good on the neighbors for standing with the Kennedy family. That's real Christmas spirit.
Karadeniz
(22,461 posts)GulfCoast66
(11,949 posts)It was lily white then, but it was the 70s.
Like all suburbs Im sure it is now more diverse.
Even 40 years later Im not surprised. It was one of the most educated neighborhoods at the time, although not at all super rich. It was very neighbor oriented then as well. People looked after each other. My best friends parents still live there.
This story made my night.
iluvtennis
(19,825 posts)Clash City Rocker
(3,385 posts)He was white, I guess, but not that white. And Santa is a magical figure. There are representations of him all over the world, in countries of every race. Santa represents all of us. This is such an example of white privilege and fragility that I cant even put it into words. Im so glad their neighborhood stood by them against whatever idiot wrote that letter. Thanks for posting.
sprinkleeninow
(20,211 posts)And they will one way or another.
They'll no doubt call Him: Fake, Fraud, Scam. And may want to 'fix' Him bcause of His dark complexion.
For being so 'spiritual' and showing vain 'holiness', many have no clue regarding their historical Jesus.
catbyte
(34,325 posts)niyad
(113,021 posts)George II
(67,782 posts)bucolic_frolic
(43,027 posts)We had a lot of BLM signs over the fall, but there are still Biden/Hate/Satan signs about, and I wonder why we're not going a bit negative, such as Trump Lost signs, and Get Over It. I do see an occasional DumpTrump 2020 though
amuse bouche
(3,657 posts)Demovictory9
(32,419 posts)soldierant
(6,785 posts)And , if so, what was he for the 1,150 years before that? Saint Nicholas of Myra was born in or around 270 BCE. He is the one who is identified witht the modern Santa Claus, at least in part on account of his reputation for giving to those in need ( and a few miracles.) He was a Greek born in what is now Turkey, and while we can't be sure, would most likely have been brown.
AmericanCanuck
(1,102 posts)However, for universal characters, race and ethnicity are irrelevant.
I hope they catch the guy that wrote the letter.
twodogsbarking
(9,664 posts)the same character?
Response to FSogol (Original post)
Oneironaut This message was self-deleted by its author.
Demovictory9
(32,419 posts)jmbar2
(4,859 posts)Every Christmas, the whole neighborhood turned into a holiday lights and decorations extravaganza.
I took my little niece when she was three, pulling her through the neighborhood at night in her red wagon to see the lights and decor.
"Look, there's a chocolate Santa! A chocolate Charlie Brown, a chocolate Snow White, a chocolate Jesus! All of the characters were "chocolate". Most of them were skillfully homemade.
She noticed - and loved it. (We're white)
LiberalFighter
(50,767 posts)emmaverybo
(8,144 posts)land its author in jail. The storys last sentence brings tears. Still, I wish the twisted, racist letter-writer would be exposed. Hope to God the Kennedys stay safe. Hope to God, we make a better world for Emily.
LuvNewcastle
(16,834 posts)something mean and stupid, everybody would either be in jail or working at the jail as a cook or a guard. Whoever sent that letter is just some pathetic person with no life who is too much of a coward to tell this guy in person what he thinks about the stupid decorations. I have no problem with exposing this person and making fun of him, but there's no legal reason to throw him in jail.
Joinfortmill
(14,378 posts)niyad
(113,021 posts)would first be looking at any newcomers to that lovely neighborhood.of course, it could have been someone visiting!
But bless the neighbors for their solidarity!
Next up: women as Santa Claus.
Aristus
(66,275 posts)Probably because I have a bit of a thing for Mrs. Claus.
Thats what I get for sneaking looks at the Playboy Christmas issues when I was a kid.
niyad
(113,021 posts)FSogol
(45,435 posts)niyad
(113,021 posts)FSogol
(45,435 posts)vercetti2021
(10,155 posts)It sounds like this is some edgy fucking stupid teenager trying to be a goddamn Troll and he really did a piss-poor job at it
AllaN01Bear
(17,944 posts)The Conductor
(180 posts)The small-minded bigots are also completely wrong.
The real St. Nicholas was brown-skinned and from the Middle East. It reflects their own stupid bias to get that wrong.
https://holsingerlawoffice.com/the-origin-of-santa-claus/
lonely bird
(1,675 posts)Nobody knows when The Christ was born. December 25 was appropriated by the Church. Santa Claus is a bastardization of Saint Nicholas. Nicholas was a bishop living in what is now Turkey. Like most early saints his story cannot be proven accurate or factual.
As for black or white? Who gives a flying fuck. These RW racist religious snowflakes are pathetic
soldierant
(6,785 posts)My favorite is that, in Medieval times, and n many northern hemisphere cultures before and after, the day we call March 25 was the first day of spring and the beginning of the agricultural year, and was therefore thought to have been the (anniversary of the) day on which the world was created. So if course it would also have to be the day the Son of God was conceived. And they could count.
That it fell within the Saturnalia, and other festivals in other cultures - also for agricultural reasons - you can't work the fields when the ground is frozen, but you also lave all that harvest sitting around which should be used before it spoils - is often given as the prime reason, and it may have been, but it was not the only one.
twodogsbarking
(9,664 posts)smelling funny.
ProfessorGAC
(64,827 posts)Very good result.
Apparently, they are quite welcome in that neighborhood.
BobTheSubgenius
(11,558 posts)Now, look for the lawn without Black Santa and prepare for a beating.
Justice4JFK
(21 posts)Time to move forward together as one people of many colors.
3catwoman3
(23,943 posts)I love how they responded.
keithbvadu2
(36,640 posts)Have you been good little boys and girls?