Santa is white!

You can always count on Fox News for a laugh. On her show the other day, Megyn Kelly was talking about a story by an African-American person saying that Santa shouldn't just be white anymore. Maybe she wants there to be a black Santa too. But the author did suggest a penguin Santa as well. Personally, I don't care if there's a black Santa and a white Santa. After all, both are pretend. But  Megyn Kelly seemed to have a very real problem with the suggestion of Santa being anything other
than white...

The first thing to note is that if you actually read Aisha Harris' article, it is obvious that Fox misrepresented her story. It wasn't a story claiming that it is racist for Santa to be white, as Kelly initially mused. Instead it is a story suggesting a new holiday icon. That's where Penguin Claus comes in.

Personally, I can't pretend to understand how a white Santa caused her emotional pain as a child. But then again, I'm a white man, so I'm coming from a different place. Society has historically been stacked toward my favor and privilege. I did have plenty of black teachers in elementary school though. Black women no less. Yet, I didn't feel like I was somehow left out because our skin was different tones. I suppose that's not a perfect comparison though, since my teachers weren't an ever present symbol like Santa is at Christmas time. That said, back to the crazy talk from the Fox news talking heads...

By the way, for all you kids watching at home, Santa just is white but this person is just arguing that maybe we should also have a black Santa. Santa is what he is and just so you know, we are debating this because someone wrote about it, kids.

Jesus was a white man, too. He was a historical figure. That's a verifiable fact -- as is Santa. I just want the kids watching to know that. My point is, how do you just revise it in the middle of the legacy of the story and change Santa from white to black.

Historical paintings of the real St. Nicholas, and the facial
reconstruction commissioned by the Vatican.
Conclusion: Not white.

Jesus is a historical  fact just like Santa Claus? Considering that there is no Santa, I'll agree that Jesus is equally as real as Santa. This is about the point that one of the other talking heads stated that "you can't just twist the facts to fit a political agenda". What!? Isn't that the sole reason that Fox news even exists? Add that to the statement that you can't just revise the story right in the middle of it. Um, it already has...

Part of the inspiration for Santa Claus comes from the historical figure St. Nicholas (not to mention the Norse god Odin). Nicholas came from a part of Greece that is now Turkey. Not a region known for it's whiteness. Likewise, Jesus is said to be from the middle-east. That means that the Caucasian image of Jesus isn't an accurate one as well. The image of both figures have already been changed to match the cultures of those adopting them. They are also the product of what markets better and helps sell more goods. Remember, if it weren't for Coca-Cola, the popular image of Santa would likely look much different.

Left: Jesus made into a European white man to fit in.
Because middle-eastern is scary. White means he's just like me.
Right: What someone from that region at that time frame
would have actually looked like. Again, not white.

I just find it hilarious that what St. Nicholas and Jesus really would have looked like, means that most
conservative would feel uncomfortable sitting next to them on an airplane. So yet more fake outrage and manufactured controversy from Fox. How long until they have to have a disclaimer on the bottom of the screen, I wonder?


-Brain Hulk

Follow us on your favorite social networking sites!
facebook | google+ | twitter