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[โ€“] 1 point 8 hours ago* (last edited 8 hours ago) (1 child)

Black people look like people, not drow elves with giant red lips. It's a racial caricature. I've stated and restated that. It was not created in a vacuum, it was created as a caricature of black people. In the same vein of caricature as minstrel shows. Dutch Christmas celebrators themselves recognize that, and have since modified Zwarte Piet to actually look like someone covered in soot.

Old Zwarte Piet Costume:

New Sooty Pete Costume:

I've explained as best I can. This feels like willful ignorance. It's up to you now to read what we've said and figure out why we've said it. Trust me, if you reread this thread you'll figure it out.

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  • [โ€“] 1 point 8 hours ago*

    But why is making a (racial) caricature of someone harmful? Can you imagine any situation or alternative timeline in which such a caricature would be neutral?

    It was not created in a vacuum

    I think that non-vacuum is exactly what I'm getting at. Was it created it to be racist? Was it used to promote a negative image of people? Minstrel shows certainly were used that way, but I don't know that Zwarte Piet was.

    I'm not being "willfully ignorant" - I just disagree about something and am trying to give you the space to convince me otherwise (but it's up to you if you don't want to follow that thread any more)

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