• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Curaçao: Racist Dutch cop humiliated anti-Zwarte Piet protesters

Status
Not open for further replies.

Pand

Member
Mammoth Jones said:
Just be completely honest about it:

"Yea, we know it's racist as fuck but to be honest...we just don't give a shit."

That's all. But stop with this "Oh but it's tradition" and "Oh no, that's only offensive to outsiders...no one is offended here where we're all white".

It's not as simple as that. I know it looks that way, but it's not. Black people from Holland actually defend the existence of Black Piet a lot of the time.
 

methane47

Member
Arjen said:
You know that's a spoof and satrire right?

Firstly... Do those kids who are the ones that piets are being defended for understand the spoof/satire?

Secondly Satire is a tool used to expose vices in society. For the most part Satire is just an exaggeration on a person's/group view or the truth.

Local Nederlanders in this thread are saying things that they suggest that they never once thought of Piets as slaves or second class citizens..

But then... when you take a look at something that they probably have seen on national television... Then you start to wonder... Are they lieing to you? or themselves?
 

Meadows

Banned
This further solidifies my theory that mainland Europeans have a terrible sense of humour. Apart from the Germans. Those guys are funny as shit.
 

Chuckie

Member
quadriplegicjon said:
The kids excuse is such bullshit. One person may destroy the feeble minds of our children! Lets ban all protesters even though we only expect one, maybe two!! And so what exactly did you mean about the black people you saw enjoying the celebrations? And why do other posters assumptions about them not bother you?

You might think that is bullshit, but that is the reason the mayor and the police issued the ban. Take it up with them if you don't agree with it.

quadriplegicjon said:
And so what exactly did you mean about the black people you saw enjoying the celebrations? And why do other posters assumptions about them not bother you?

Wow, you took that out of a post earlier. How the hell should I know you were referring to that.

I made that remark because someone toke anecdotal evidence that coloured people don't like the tradition because of 1 black dutch gaffer and a couple of protesters. I then questioned if that represented the coloured people because I saw loads of black people at the celebration who didn't mind.
I even said that was also anecdotal and that I would love a survey among the Dutch people if the Zwarte Pieten were considered racist or not.

I am merely telling what I observed, that most people (coloured and white) in Holland really don't give a fuck and enjoy the celebrations. Therefor I said I'd like to see a survey to find out what people really think.
 

RamzaIsCool

The Amiga Brotherhood
I have lived my whole life in Holland. But because of my Turkish origin we never really celebrated Sinterklaas at home. I did all the things surrounding Sinterklaas at primary school tho. Including the buying gifts for each other coupled with poems. I think in Holland it's bigger then Christmass and it's something people really care about. That's why people tend to be very defensive when it comes to certain aspects of the thing. Even if it's rascist as hell, which the zwarte piet thing is, people here will justify it becuase it's tradition. Something that has been this way generation upon generation. And if you ask me I don't see it changing soon, so we will have our annual zwarte piet threads for many years to come.
 

akira28

Member
Pand said:
It's not as simple as that. I know it looks that way, but it's not. Black people from Holland actually defend the existence of Black Piet a lot of the time.

I wonder though. I've been watching the European and specifically the Northern European version of integration, which seems to be 'as long as you don't rock the boat or try to change us or our culture, and if you accept everything to properly fit in, we'll accept you'. So integrated persons of colour I would think may be disinclined, by practice, from challenging such things.


What if one were to speak up, and suddenly the neighbors think you're critical of their culture, and critical of them?


...and shit yeah I do remember ignoring this thread last year..wtf is wrong with me?
 

neorej

ERMYGERD!
methane47 said:
Firstly... Do those kids who are the ones that piets are being defended for understand the spoof/satire?

Secondly Satire is a tool used to expose vices in society. For the most part Satire is just an exaggeration on a person's/group view or the truth.

Local Nederlanders in this thread are saying things that they suggest that they never once thought of Piets as slaves or second class citizens..

But then... when you take a look at something that they probably have seen on national television... Then you start to wonder... Are they lieing to you? or themselves?
I'm gonna go with 'neither'. You assume they are lieing, which is wrong in itself.
 

Kapsama

Member
Oh man European racism truly is the gift that keeps on giving. You bring up Racist Claus or better yet Gypsies and all that smugness and holier than thou attitude vanishes, just to be replaced with logical fallacies and an infantile view of racism. Not to mention the childish petulance.
 

Idde

Member
methane47 said:
Local Nederlanders in this thread are saying things that they suggest that they never once thought of Piets as slaves or second class citizens..

But then... when you take a look at something that they probably have seen on national television... Then you start to wonder... Are they lieing to you? or themselves?

Awesome, being called a liar over the internet by someone why apparently has more insight in my psyche then I do myself. Guess there's a first for everything. Thanks for enlightening me :)

akira28 said:
I wonder though. I've been watching the European and specifically the Northern European version of integration, which seems to be 'as long as you don't rock the boat or try to change us or our culture, and if you accept everything to properly fit in, we'll accept you'. So integrated persons of colour I would think may be disinclined, by practice, from challenging such things.


What if one were to speak up, and suddenly the neighbors think you're critical of their culture, and critical of them?


...and shit yeah I do remember ignoring this thread last year..wtf is wrong with me?

Unfortunately it's not 'rocking the boat' that's problematic. Extremes are not speaking Dutch, thus placing yourself out of the job-market and relying on welfare. Being extremely agressive to gays. Refusing to shake hands with women, because they are inferior. Being detached from the original culture and having a hard time fitting in here, with a lack of an authority figure as a consequence.

HUGE DISCLAIMER: I do not think all Muslims are like this, or even most. Just a very visible minority. These are extremes.
 

Particle Physicist

between a quark and a baryon
Tence said:
You might think that is bullshit, but that is the reason the mayor and the police issued the ban. Take it up with them if you don't agree with it.


Of course that is the reason given... but do you honestly believe that? Are the minds of young Dutch children really that fragile, that one or two protesters (as you seem to think there would not have been more) would have blown the minds of the kids? Should we also be arresting anybody that tells a kid that Santa Claus is not real? Stop being intellectually dishonest here, please.





Tence said:
Wow, you took that out of a post earlier. How the hell should I know you were referring to that.


Because you based your opinion on an assumption you made, all the while deriding me for "assumptions" made.
 

Arjen

Member
Kapsama said:
Oh man European racism truly is the gift that keeps on giving. You bring up Racist Claus or better yet Gypsies and all that smugness and holier than thou attitude vanishes, just to be replaced with logical fallacies and an infantile view of racism. Not to mention the childish petulance.

Thank god we have Americans to teach us morals!
No seriously, fuck you, and you ignorant bulshit attitude
 

methane47

Member
Idde said:
Awesome, being called a liar over the internet by someone why apparently has more insight in my psyche then I do myself. Guess there's a first for everything. Thanks for enlightening me :)

neorej said:
You assume they are lieing, which is wrong in itself.

Start to wonder... Are they lieing to you? or themselves?

won·der
verb (used without object)
1.
to think or speculate curiously: to wonder about the origin of the solar system.

I'm Speculating whether or not some are lying.

I never claimed you were. But there are little hints suggesting that some may be.
 

akira28

Member
Idde said:
Awesome, being called a liar over the internet by someone why apparently has more insight in my psyche then I do myself. Guess there's a first for everything. Thanks for enlightening me :)



Unfortunately it's not 'rocking the boat' that's problematic. Extremes are not speaking Dutch, thus placing yourself out of the job-market. Being extremely agressive to gays. Refusing to shake hands with women, because they are inferior. Being detached from the original culture and having a hard time fitting in here, with a lack of an authority figure as a consequence.

HUGE DISCLAIMER: I do not think all Muslims are like this, or even most. Just a very visible minority. These are extremes.

Those things you listed equate to major rocking of the boat. It almost seems like...and I remember the earlier days of the recent immigration pushes, like it's a rejection of the previous integration philosophy. Instead they're forming cultural ghettos that have to be cracked, instead of being individuals integrating Dutch culture into their daily lives.

And if it was considered such a minor thing, the disclaimer wouldn't be needed. I think that people believe this all comes part in parcel with Muslim immigration. It becomes a Muslim problem when in reality it's a Dutch problem. And they say "Hey why don't you fix your problem?" And random muslim guy says "Problem? I have no problem. What's your problem?" And it goes on from there until someone tries to deliberately piss someone else off.
 

Particle Physicist

between a quark and a baryon
Pand said:
Translation of the article:



I always enjoy these kinds of debates, being Dutch myself. It's weird to realize that something which has been part of your upbringing is so controversial in other countries. I get the controversy, and I think we should probably work towards changing the Black Piets to something else. Kids don't care at all, it's only the adults who have been brought up with this holiday who experience some serious cognitive dissonance when debating this and consequently balk at changing it. In their defence, I don't think there's anything inherently malicious about the tradition. That doesn't change the fact the image of a Black Piet is pretty offensive to anyone not familiar with the tradition.


Maybe not white kids, but as our friend Tence stated, you cannot make generalizations like that. For instance, my mother when she was a young child used to rub baby powder on her skin in order to attempt to make it lighter. It horrified me when she jokingly mentioned this. I know the situation and circumstances are different, but the psyche of a child IS affected by their surroundings, how they are treated, how they see others that look like them being treated, etc. I know for a fact that my mother's experience is not remote, so I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss this as 'kids don't care.'
 

-MB-

Member
I work at a school with majority of them being from immigrant heritage. lots of black muslims etc.
And I never ever seen any of them nor their parents have any issue with the sinterklaas festivities nor did they ever see it as racism or were offended as such.
The only ones who are are the people not living in the Netherlands, not familiar with this tradition. And maybe a handful of Dutchies that are easily offended and cry foul at everything they think is even remotely racist or discriminating.
 

akira28

Member
-MB- said:
I work at a school with majority of them being from immigrant heritage. lots of black muslims etc.
And I never ever seen any of them nor their parents have any issue with the sinterklaas festivities nor did they ever see it as racism or were offended as such.
The only ones who are are the people not living in the Netherlands, not familiar with this tradition. And maybe a handful of Dutchies that are easily offended and cry foul at everything they think is even remotely racist or discriminating.

...aaand scene. Thank you. We got some good film. Take one of the envelopes from the table by the door. Take only one plz.
 

Kapsama

Member
Arjen said:
Thank god we have Americans to teach us morals!
No seriously, fuck you, and you ignorant bulshit attitude
What's the matter, you don't like it when the shoes on the other foot?
 

Wazzim

Banned
Kapsama said:
What's the matter, you don't like it when the shoes on the other foot?
We don't like shoes at all, we roll with klompen man.
DMw31.jpg
 

Dali

Member
Pand said:
It's not as simple as that. I know it looks that way, but it's not. Black people from Holland actually defend the existence of Black Piet a lot of the time.
And it's not as simple as that either. I'm not saying blacks that "defend" it aren't genuine in their backing. Just saying maybe you should think about being a minority in an all white country full of people that get bent out of shape if you say their racist tradition is racist. Easier to not make waves for a minor indignity you only have to face once a year, than be the asshole black guy that just doesn't get it.
 

wsippel

Banned
Furoba said:
I don't think any of the locals regard Sinterklaas as something racist. Sure, it may have unflattering origins, but it holds only a positive meaning now.
I'm not even sure it has unflattering origins. Nicholas was the bishop of Myra, so he obviously had colored servants. That has nothing to do with the "superior white man enslaving black people" stereotype, though. Europa is not the US, we have a very different and far longer history. The Moors once conquered large parts of Europe, they're not seen as inherently inferior or as slaves or something.

Blackface makeup is also common in Europe when we're celebrating Epiphany. Is that racist? I really don't think so. One of the three wise men was black, and we don't have enough black people to portray that part, so we have to resort to makeup. What other options do we have? We could either not celebrate Epiphany at all, or just omit the black king. But honestly: That would be really racist (not to mention stupid) in my opinion.
 

Dali

Member
mr2xxx said:
Just lie to the kids an tell them Zwarte Pietes got sick and paint them all green, problem solved.
I think they tried that with blue petes. Didn't catch on. Wasn't racist enough, or something.
 
I think it's important to know for people outside the Netherlands that even though the appearance of zwarte piet is (partially) based on the old 'negro' stereotype of slave heritage, zwarte pieten in today's celebration of Sinterklaas do not act uneducated & subservient.
They are presented as witty, sometimes mischievous, very positive 'helpers' of Sinterklaas who communicate normally without a foreign accent.
 

Dali

Member
Herbspicesoy said:
I think it's important to know for people outside the Netherlands that even though the appearance of zwarte piet is (partially) based on the old 'negro' stereotype of slave heritage, zwarte pieten do not act uneducated & subservient.
They are presented as witty, sometimes mischievous, very positive 'helpers' of Sinterklaas who communicate normally without a foreign accent.
Just like Tom!
 

-MB-

Member
akira28 said:
...aaand scene. Thank you. We got some good film. Take one of the envelopes from the table by the door. Take only one plz.

Yes and? There is always someone who is opposed to something, and in this case allot of the time the ones offended are not even blacks, but just whites. Some pople just take political correctness to the extreme and ruin it for the genuine people who fight racism. Most of whom don't have any beef whatsoever with his tradition.
 

Tijnisch

Neo Member
People in the Netherlands do not think Zwarte Piet is an issue.

The tradition of Zwarte Piet is non-existant outside of the Netherlands.

People outside of the Netherlands are only confronted with the Zwarte Piet if they look for it themselves.



Why is this still a problem to GAF.
 

akira28

Member
-MB- said:
Yes and? There is always someone who is opposed to something, and in this case allot of the time the ones offended are not even blacks, but just whites. Some pople just take political correctness to the extreme and ruin it for the genuine people who fight racism. Most of whom don't have any beef whatsoever with his tradition.


I didn't say anything...just filming people being people.
 

Kayo-kun

Member
I'd call Zwarte Piet racist even after reading their origins. I mean blackening their faces are one thing, but wearing afro wigs etc. and "speaking in a Surinamese accent" does without a doubt seem to have racist undertones. I am also disgusted by the way the cop keeps kneeing that protester in the spine. It's hilarious how Europe often lectures other countries and religious groups about freedom of speech, while beating those who make non-violent protests in their own country.
 

wsippel

Banned
Kabouter said:
I think there were a few people who had slaves as staff, but certainly nothing on a large scale. Far and away the most slaves went to Brazil and the Caribbean.
The catholic church banned slavery based on ethnic background in the 15th or 16th century if I remember correctly. White "slaves" were always far more common in Europe either way.
 

Particle Physicist

between a quark and a baryon
Tijnisch said:
People in the Netherlands do not think Zwarte Piet is an issue.

The tradition of Zwarte Piet is non-existant outside of the Netherlands.

People outside of the Netherlands are only confronted with the Zwarte Piet if they look for it themselves.



Why is this still a problem to GAF.


Well, there are some Dutch gaffers here that have problems with it. And so does the Dutch guy in the video that is being arrested for wearing a t-shirt.



Herbspicesoy said:
I think it's important to know for people outside the Netherlands that even though the appearance of zwarte piet is (partially) based on the old 'negro' stereotype of slave heritage, zwarte pieten in today's celebration of Sinterklaas do not act uneducated & subservient.
They are presented as witty, sometimes mischievous, very positive 'helpers' of Sinterklaas who communicate normally without a foreign accent.


How come we have so much conflicting information on so much about the Black Petes. Some people say it's not black skin, it's just dirt/dust from chimney sweeps, some say it is black skin, but it's not racist... Some Dutch gaffers have mentioned that they speak in a Caribbean-dutch accent, other emphasize that they communicate without a foreign accent. It's really bizarre.
 

Wazzim

Banned
Tijnisch said:
I wonder though.

Would this be less racist and frowned upon if Sinterklaas was black himself?
Of course not. What's that kind of question? Some white people called it racist when blacks got the same rights and you think they wouldn't find a black Sinterklaas racist? lol
 

marcurius

Member
Kayo-kun said:
I'd call Zwarte Piet racist even after reading their origins. I mean blackening their faces are one thing, but wearing afro wigs etc. and "speaking in a Surinamese accent" does without a doubt seem to have racist undertones. I am also disgusted by the way the cop keeps kneeing that protester in the spine. It's hilarious how Europe often lectures other countries and religious groups about freedom of speech, while beating those who make non-violent protests in their own country.
Almost as hilarious as people thinking Europe is a country.
 

Tijnisch

Neo Member
Wazzim said:
Of course not. What's that kind of question? Some white people called it racist when blacks got the same rights and you think they wouldn't find a black Sinterklaas racist? lol

Who are these white people?
 

Pand

Member
quadriplegicjon said:
Maybe not white kids, but as our friend Tence stated, you cannot make generalizations like that. For instance, my mother when she was a young child used to rub baby powder on her skin in order to attempt to make it lighter. It horrified me when she jokingly mentioned this. I know the situation and circumstances are different, but the psyche of a child IS affected by their surroundings, how they are treated, how they see others that look like them being treated, etc. I know for a fact that my mother's experience is not remote, so I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss this as 'kids don't care.'

What I meant was that kids don't care if the Black Piets are changed into something else, it's only the adults who, for nostalgic reasons, don't want to change anything about it. I fully agree that imagery like that can influence young minds. I just don't think a lot of people are aware of it.

I'm all for changing the tradition. It won't happen soon, though, it's too ingrained into the public consciousness.
 

Kayo-kun

Member
marcurius said:
Almost as hilarious as people thinking Europe is a country.

But not as hilarious as those who put words in the mouth of others to make pathetic attempts at being funny.

When I said Europe I was referring to the major countries in the European Union who usually try to lecture other countries about freedom of speech.
 

Particle Physicist

between a quark and a baryon
Pand said:
What I meant was that kids don't care if the Black Piets are changed into something else, it's only the adults who, for nostalgic reasons, don't want to change anything about it. I fully agree that imagery like that can influence young minds. I just don't think a lot of people are aware of it.

I'm all for changing the tradition. It won't happen soon, though, it's too ingrained into the public consciousness.


Oh, yeah. Sorry, I misunderstood you.
 

marcurius

Member
Kayo-kun said:
But not as hilarious as those who put words in the mouth of others to make pathetic attempts at being funny.

When I said Europe I was referring to the major countries in the European Union who usually try to lecture other countries about freedom of speech.
Maybe you should specify that to begin with, then, because it's certainly not clear from reading your post.
 

akira28

Member
They want to preserve their traditions, what their ancestors, whom they love, did. Unfortunately, that sometimes means they defend the bad with the good. Who wants to admit that what they did for so long could be wrong in any way. No one was hurt, etc. How about this. Get an actual black Dutchman...no, that idea's to forward thinking for this age. Perhaps after 2012, the next wave of humanity can seal this break.
 

wsippel

Banned
akira28 said:
They want to preserve their traditions, what their ancestors, whom they love, did. Unfortunately, that sometimes means they defend the bad with the good. Who wants to admit that what they did for so long could be wrong in any way. No one was hurt, etc. How about this. Get an actual black Dutchman...no, that idea's to forward thinking for this age. Perhaps after 2012, the next wave of humanity can seal this break.
Dunno about Holland, but when we're celebrating Epiphany in Germany, we usually look for black guys to portray the black wise man. Problem is that we hardly have any black men. So what exactly are we supposed to do? Cancel the whole thing?
 

Heshinsi

"playing" dumb? unpossible
cobragt4001 said:
Using wikipedia for a history lesson is a joke lol The Moors as a majority were of dark skin, and yes you had light complexion people that were Moors but lets not act like the Moors were some melting pot. If you read Greek and Roman sources on the Moors you would see that they described them as nigri which means black or adusti meaning scorched and the Roman dramatist Platus maintainted that the Latin word Maurus(moors) was a synonym for Niger so there you have it. Please don't whitewash my ancestor's history.

I remember reading about this Zwarte Piet years ago and I feel the same way now that I felt when I first read this, it's racial trash. Look at the German version of this tale and you'll see that the black helpers are devils that have been conquered. This Sinterklaas is just a symbol of white dominance over black like St. Patrick who is celebrated cause he drove the Moors from Ireland.

The people who conquered Spain in the 8th century, and subsequently came to be called Moors by Europeans, were not the same people you're describing here. Look at people in Morrocco, Tunisia, Algeri etc, do they look black to you? They're Berber and Arabs.
 

akira28

Member
wsippel said:
Dunno about Holland, but when we're celebrating Epiphany in Germany, we usually look for black guys to portray the black wise man. Problem is that we hardly have any black men. So what exactly are we supposed to do? Cancel the whole thing?

Have you no Italians? (Honestly, I've been playing Indians for years. You can just get anyone, really.)
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom