Came across this forum posting through google, thought it worthy of a thread.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zwarte_Piet
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinterklaas
Discuss.
http://en-gb.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=179948425230&topic=10503A case for America to implement cultural sanctions and boycotts against the Netherlands (Holland)
Dear Rev. Al Sharpton
I heard about the protest in New York about the celebration of Holland's theft of Manhattan as a docking station for the slaves of Peter Stuyvesant.
This is no secret to black people but there is something that not very many of us are aware of. I ask you for a little of your time to make you aware of one event that will shock you and others of the National Action Network. So called Dutch tolerance has been marketed around the world and all though those who would necessarily be the victims of their intolerance see it as anything but the former, the status quo prevails in it's practice of social and cultural bigotry within the confines of it's borders. For over 10 years I have resided in Amsterdam, Holland as an artist after living in New York City for 25 years as one, which is where I came to admire your devotion in fighting for justice and the equal rights of our people. I grew up in Memphis, Tenn during the volatile 60's and southern segregation, I was 16 when Dr. King was assassinated. I am one of many African Americans living in Holland but unlike most of them, I've decided to export the "pathological" racist nature of Dutch culture back to America. At some point, President Obama will visit Holland and when he does, I hope it is not in the month of November because should he come during this time, it would easily become the most embarrassing moment of his presidency. Like most African Americans living abroad, especially in Europe, we stayed up through the night because of the 6 hour difference and at about 4 am when CNN announced he had won, we cried in the early morning hours. Later I went out to get a coffee and when I walked into one of the mini malls, all through the public spaces were hanging "black face dolls" and cutouts of the same in most of the store windows. I had forgotten the Dutch were starting the celebration of their infamous " Sinta Klaus and Swarte Piet ( black Pete) " Christmas, it has to be the most racist celebration in contemporary western civilization. This spectacle of Dutch white supremacy does not happen without protest from many inside of the country and from outside the country as well. Most protest are met with threats and acts of violence. These actions are to no avail as the Dutch and their government defend it by saying it is their right to celebrate whatever they want to and that it is a harmless affair for the children. What they really mean is, it's meant to make them fearful and treat all Black people with absolute disdain and for the last 159 years it has worked very well. They always resort to a position of self-entitlement and their rights of tradition when critical debate is had in the media about the racist connotations of this event.To make this point clearer, a few weeks later they celebrate the normal Christmas in December 3 weeks later. The Black Pete character was started in 1850, at the height of Dutch slavery in the Americas. As a black companion of the old white red suit wearing Sinta Klaus, he is never to stand taller than the old white man and he speaks with an inferior dialect as he threatens the children with kidnapping them and taking them back to Spain. There are literally thousands of these "black faces" running around during this time of the year intimidating people of color.
The country of Belgium also celebrates this repulsive event, mostly in the north of the country where they share the same border with the Dutch. Belgium is another story. To commemorate their King Leopolds brutal rule over the Congo, when he had the hands of Congolese people cut off if they refused to slave for, the Belgians celebrate this with small chocolate hands that are sold along with chocolates of the Dutch Swarte(black) Piet. Below is an image of a group of Dutch people with their faces painted black. They get angry and become violent if you say it is racist. The uniform is that of a royal clown.
Besides being one of the most despicable, degrading and vile celebrations in western civilization, it serves as a "virtual assault" on all black and brown people living in Holland, making it very difficult to fulfill basic civil rights during this month long permeating assault on the communities. I and other black friends of mine have been called " Black Piet" by Dutch citizens. Dutch television is infested with these characters at this time of the year.The historical relationship between Holland and African people has never been one of humane awakenings, all one need do is refer to their horrific contributions to world colonialism, slavery and the inhumane system of Apartheid in South Africa. Since the election of President Obama, Europe has not been able to fully accept this "change" it now finds itself having to adjust to. As long as the American President was white and conservative, Europe could hold on to it's prejudice and racist condescending attitudes but now, the Dutch in particular are under the spot light for this celebration more than ever before. I do not care if the Dutch celebrate their Sinta Klaus and their Swarte Piet, I do care about America practicing the principles we hold dear as Americans. The relationship between the Dutch and Black people has not changed that much since slavery. They have become more civil and less violent but the majority still refer to African people as "dark people" and "coloreds", words like "negers and negresses" are often used as well, from childhood through adulthood. They operate on a "multi cultural caste" system in Holland, which goes like this; Dutch, Indonesians, Arabs ( Turkish then Moroccan ), Suriname ( light complexion to dark), Antilles (light complexion to dark) and Africans. Non Dutch speaking foreigners are next to last in the "pecking order", especially Americans. Another example of the unfair treatment of Americans, most Dutch people speak English as a second language, the city of Amsterdam has officially declared English as the second language. Recently a new rule was put into effect, authored by a Rita Verdonk one of many card carrying racist parliament members that sit in parliament, where only EU members like the French, Italians, Germans, ect., ect., don't have to learn to speak Dutch and are allowed to work in Holland. Even though English is the second language in Holland, Americans have to learn Dutch or leave the country. The EU countries I mentioned do not have to learn Dutch even though English is how they communicate to do business. The law is designed specifically to target Americans. Most Dutch people seem to have a perplexing love/hate way of relating to Americans, they love American products but dislike it's people.
Dutch television currently and consistently show images of blacks like you saw in America during the 50's and 60's.
*Last week a commercial for a local electronics store called BCC showed a Dutch man repairing a laptop and wearing a T-shirt with a black face image eating a watermelon.
*Tele 2 the mobile telephone provider did a commercial using a "black sheep" that clearly is designed to "subliminally" mimic particular racist perceptions of black people. The sheep speaks in English not Dutch like other commercials in Holland, complains about being different from white sheep in a slow unconcerned accent. The wooly black hair.......now of course the Dutch will say it's comedy and too much is being read into it.
If that is the case, why did the Austrian campaign against foreigners (Africans) use the same "black sheep"commercial to make its point?
Like most northern Europeans, the Dutch practice and subsidize "denial therapy" for it's people. The Sinta Klaus and Swarte Piet Christmas is one of those sessions with the therapist. Most of the history in their books concerning slavery and other crimes against humanity have been either eliminated or altered to a more friendlier perception of the country. Marketing. The conservative prime minister's attempt to deny that slavery was sanctioned by the Dutch government is a good example of this denial. The Dutch Monarchy has and always have had absolute rule in the Netherlands, it is the ruling body that sanctioned the horrors of the Mercenaries known as the Dutch East Indian Company on African people, Native Americans and Indonesian people. The Monarchy still has absolute rule. Look at the Nightwatch painting by one of their so called Dutch Masters, Rembrandt and you will see a good example of the business class that ruled Holland during slavery with the blessing of the monarchy.
Police brutality in Amsterdam's south east community;
2005- 11 African immigrants die in a fire while being held in detention in a large storage container. Police and airport security made no attempt to save them while standing a few meters away.
2005- Ghanaian man falls mysteriously from 7th floor balcony in police raid. Police said he jumped.
2007- Massive police raid at The Grand Cafe. Over 100 black customers are separated from Dutch customers and other cultures. All were taken away and those without proper ID were released in remote areas far away from their homes, while others say they were ported out of the country to eastern European countries and then transported back to their homes in Africa.
2008- Martin Luther King jr. awards Amsterdam mayor an achievement award for his actions as mayor over all of this. The King Foundation contacted no black leaders or anyone in the community prior to the award given the Mayor Cohen.
Amsterdam mayor receives Martin Luther King Award | DutchAmsterdam.nl
30 May 2008 ... Amsterdam mayor Job Cohen becomes the first non-American to receive ... the spirit of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was handed ...
www.dutchamsterdam.nl/298-job-cohen-martin-luther-king-award -
2009- Jesse Jackson visits Amsterdam, did not meet with any representatives in the black community, purposely avoiding this issue. Absolutely no prior contact with the black community was made by Rev. Jackson.
2009- 4 black men fall mysteriously from 6 and 7 floor balconies in one day during police raid. One dies and others are in serious condition. A national police investigation has given the community no results.
Boycott Dutch interest in America and rescind cultural ties!
Why?
The Dutch call the time of slavery their "Golden Age", a time when they made so much profit that they are still able to meet a national budget just with the accrued interest earned on their 300 years of exploits. They still own property in New York City from the colonial times and are one of the major business investors in America, many Dutch companies operate in the states and have subsidiary interest there as well. Many Dutch people live and enjoy the multiple dynamics of freedom in America as citizens, residents and visitors. There is no national holiday that insults them or any other American. Since the election of President Obama, American principles concerning equal and human rights, exceed past the nation's borders and are now an integral part of our foreign policies. Why should Zimbabwe have American sanctions against it and not Holland? Because Holland is more passive with it's aggression? Partly true but mainly because the Dutch are northern Europeans and for that reason and that one alone, is all they need to insult over 100,000,000 black and brown Americans as they consume Dutch products. If African Americans entertainers and artists refuse to perform or exhibit their work in the Netherlands, not to force the Dutch stop the racist "ritual" but to show them there are no more debates to have on this subject. It is their prerogative to be racists, it is our duty as African Americans to avoid doing business with a country that encourages it's people to portray black people as a demeaning black face character crouched and serving a white man.
In 2009, the 400 year celebration of Henry Hudson's voyage to America on the ships the Dutch built to transport African slaves is being celebrated at this moment in New York City. Dutch royalty is traveling there as well as other descendants of Dutch slave masters to celebrate this event. This is the perfect year to initiate the boycott of Dutch products, protest any and all cultural celebrations of this 400 year anniversary in NYC. know you are the one person in New York capable of initiating a effective and substantial action to bring national attention to this. We will viral this "historical movement" to other network sites throughout the internet, to celebrity and high profile political figures. We proved how effective the internet can be with the election of President Obama, now is the time to show it's effectiveness in orchestrating a trans-Atlantic protest and boycott. We look forward to having NAN support us in anyway possible, especially in building a viral network to reach millions of people.
Peace be with you,
A. Murrell
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zwarte_Piet
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinterklaas
Discuss.