Note: As of July 3, 2009, only the RSS feeds on this blog will be updated so I can focus my energies on my 
The latest controversy is mystifying many Mexicans, however, who often affectionately call Caucasians ''Whitey" in the street and nickname darker-skinned Mexicans ''Negro" or ''Moreno" without causing upset.
''It's not offensive," said Irma, 33, a post office clerk in Mexico City who grew up reading Pinguin comics. ''He's a comic book character and it's about his personality not his color. It's no different to having a white character."
''We aren't racist, if we call someone ''Morenito" (Darky) it's a term of endearment," she said.
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FIRST MEMIN PINGUIN IS NOT AN AFRICAN AMERICAN IT WAS INSPIRED IN A CUBAN KID
AND IF YOU ARE HAVING PROBLEMS WHIT AN MEXICAN CULTURE ICON , WHAT DO YOU SAY OF SPEEDY GONZALEZ HE SUPOUSE TO BE MEXICAN. AND A RAT TO.
Hi Quiroga!
I know that Memin Pinguin was inspired by a Cuban kid. As for Speedy Gonzales, I wrote about him here.
But what interests me most is your response. Tell me more about your view of the significance of the Cuban origin of the character, please?
We’ll I think I’ll get some sort of quiroga’s response
First let’s clear this off.
Many “lettered” (sorry for my crappy English) Mexican think memin is actually very stereotypical, and I can assure you if memin were drawn in this era, many voices would stand up immediately (although Mexican comic industry, the memin Mexican comic industry, was at it lowest only 3 days ago, in part of the popularity of manga, and Mexican erotic comic books)
The problem is, memin is by far the most popular comic book in the history of mexico, speacially in the golden era, and most people would wanted a tribute.
Like superman fighted “japanazis” and the will eisner’s spirit had a memin look-alike in the comic books, let’s say in this time, although not being “racist” , it’s not good to launch this kind of comics.
The only problem is, when going to release comic book tribute, you can choose any PC Superman picture in the 70 years run, and maybe put the spirit without reinforcing the black stereotype.
Memin pinguin can’t do that, memin was always the memin you see, we can’t really picture a PC tribute. Maybe the USA can lack of Speedy Gonzalez, or pepe le piu in their tribute’s, but memin is one of the only comic book icons that still takes feeling in the Mexican pop culture.
Why to bring the Cuban stuff?
There is racism in mexico, of course, and discrimination of any kind, you can see it in the streets and the politic or culture.
The worst discrimination in Mexico is the xenophobia against the united states. People’s reason? The lost of the territory in the Mexican American war, the Mexican immigration (actually, this is Mexico’s problem, but nobody want to deal with it), the cultural crash, the economic model importation, and to be honest, is actually an imposing that made people to go to the USA.
That’s the gringo figure, you can be white, Jew, Arab, Latino, Black, Asian, but you are still a gringo, and because of the xenophobia, you are guilty for all the things above.
So when a “gringo” of any kid, tells you that what you’re doing is wrong, attacks your poorly pop culture, and worst than that, The “gringo” government tells you what you are doing is wrong, it’s obvious why the people feel so outrageous.
If the African Mexican community, or even the Cuban government, which is the sweetheart of a very numerous Mexicans, tells you what you’re doing is wrong and makes a big deal out of it. How can you respond without a people’s separation? .
But when the “gringo” tells you it’s being humiliated by your poor pop culture, it’s an attack to the nation, why? Because he imposed you the economic model , the USA-Mexico war, etc. And want to take from you a pop icon, all the people react.
This is viewed in most of Mexico’s “people” and intellectuals, at a politic attack against Mexico, for the stupid stupid stupid, Fox’s comments aout the black community
Why didn’t the USA reacted at least 20 years ago, when the civil rights where well established?. Why now?
Why the USA doesn’t attack Japan’s comic book business, when they portray the same picture of black people?. It’s because is a good business among the country? . Just look at some episodes of Slam Dunk (heavy stereotype of the basketball leader, some times drawn as an ape) or the Cyborg 009 African member. This examples, specially slam dunk, are relatively new
Why is PI to show stereotypes of blacks and Latinos, and maybe Asian. But still is PC to boo in the WWE at Wrestler Muhammad Hassan, or “French” Renne Dupree and nobody makes big deal?
Why is not politically incorrect to see a movie where the “governator” of California, goes to Colombia and destroy the guerrilla with the USA help. They cared why the guerrilla exist?
I know obviously you don’t support those things, but this is Mexico’s “jodido” view.
And for the casualty of being a “gringo” the things Jesse Jackson says doesn’t make any relevance to most of the Mexican, not even if you return the territory, declare lost the USA-Mexico War, destroy the economic model, make social and economic equality, or even lose against Mexico in soccer obligatory for the next 40 years.
Some people in Mexico think the “gringo” figure is wrong, and try to fight against it, damn I hate it. But the truth is, when 60% of the population is poor, and see the revolution didn’t work, nor the independence, nor the radical movements leftist or rightist, and want to go to a quick exit, as in Venezuela, cuba, and maybe most of the world. Why to destroy each others, when we can blame the most powerful and richer country in the world, who says they are the land of the free and the home of the brave and love to impose in most views, “the American way”.
I think is a lost war, and only can be beaten when all the countries in the worlds have the same importance. That’s why most people see this as an imperialism imposing.
And as for the blog entry.
It’s true, hell, I was called “guero” in school, the most darker skin available was called “prieto” or “Negro”. If your were a mestizo with a lot of indigenousness look, you where called the “indio”,
I cried, why?, yes, I maybe be sensitive, most of the time in my childhood, and sometimes the kids, as awful, and awful they were, tried to comfort me. “We are not making fun of you”, and to be honest, they were not, maybe I was the only stupid that cared about that, not the kids they were called “prieto” or “indio” or the other “gueros” made a big deal. Actually, those names, as for most of Mexican people, doesn’t care at all, of course when a nazi flag is shown, everyone is angry.
That’s our awkward culture, believe it or not. And the adults use it also
Although some people, like me, wants a politically correct Mexico, where the color of the skin is not a way to reference others, or the catholic influence to be short down (even the left movements are Catholics and “guadalupanos”), I know my opinion is not well received, until I found a way to take the poverty out of the country. Maybe I can talk my ideas with the same “thinking” people, but until then, you better stay apart of the population, you don’t want to become a gringo
Note 1: Again, sorry for my crappy English
Note 2: I don’t know how to refer to the term “Popular” in English, so I use the term “People” as I see it’s translated to La republica popular de china or “China People’s Republic”
Good morning,
Thank you so much for your comments (and thanks to Quiroga as well.) I completely understand your points about the Mexican War, which is something that I teach about in my classes.
I think it's instructive for "gringos" to understand that in the 1830s Mexico was a functioning society with temendous resources and a growing economy that was undone, in part, by Americans asserting their right to own slaves. I say this not to bash the United States, but to make a point about the ways in which rhetoric can be employed in the building of empires. Sam Houston and his cohorts at the Alamo are mythologized as freedom fighters because, as William F. Buckley said, "history is the polemics of the victor." We don't talk about them as the flawed human beings that they really were. In the same vein, because the indigenous Mexicans and formerly enslaved Africans were not in positions of power, their experiences are marginalized and minimized.
Frankly, I thought it was interesting that Mc Clellan said anything about the issue at all. I am sure that his statement was calculated for domestic political consumption as much as anything else. As for Jesse Jackson, I wonder whether he had a role in getting Mc Clellan to make a statement. I get the sense that he has been trying to find common ground with the Bush administration of late, and I thought that it was interesting that he appeared alongside Gov. Jeb during the Terri Schiavo controversy. I wouldn't expect Mexicans to care about what he thinks -- but then most Americans, including African Americans, aren't paying much attention to him anymore either. These days, his clout derives more from the extensive contacts he has and his access to younger people who are opinion leaders.
My hope in blogging on this subject was to invite a conversation about these stereotypes and their impact within and outside of the cultures in which they are created. Your responses are very gratifying in that regard, and I thank you for them. I hope that both of you, as well as others, will continue the dialogue.
what i now is that the creator of memin pinguin Yolanda Vargas Dulche (1923-1999) on a vacation in Cuba "before Castro" she saw a kid whit his shirt dirty and pants full of hols selling small sea shells, she found him cute and after spooking whit him she drown a comic base on his looks. back in Mexico she started the concept of memin pinguin taking the name from his husband Guillermo "MEMIN was his nick name when he was a kid"
and pinguin is taken form the term Pingo that has bean use to call mischievous kids.
the back ground of the character is more an biography of the creator Yolanda she grew up in extreme poverty as memin pinguin.
there is no real connection of Cuba and the story of the comic book, but in the time that it was created there was a bum in Cubans moving to Mexico, like singers , musicians, dancers in that time Mexico was in love whit the mambo and the percussion ritms of the Cuban dancers they even use colorful costumes, that can be seen in the mother of memin in the comic.
and that what i now.
This makes no sense at all. Sensible people everywhere recognize this character for what it is. No sensible , caring people would want to put this out to the world knowing the pain that it causes.
my biggest question is this one: why not replace the character with the picture of a real black child. Or least close to one.
Ya'll need to wake up!
come on mexico! YOu can do better that this.
I think tributes are nice. Memin was a cartoon that captured the hearts of many in its day; recognizing Dulche by displaying her art was commendible. Especially considering the potential of how people who never heard of Memin could react.
This goes to show that the U.S. labels people and things too easily and quickly, offend people by trying to take away all offensive images, and are basically ignorant. Trying to get this stamp from being sold was selfish and oppressing. It's not the U.S.'s business what stamps Mexico prints. If the Mexicans had a problem with the stamp, they would have taken care of it themselves. The only reason this is such an issue is because people want it to be. Memin is a harmless cartoon from many people's childhood, let him be.
Besides, images are the least of society's problems. How about the government focuses on something more important, like gun control or making an EXIT plan for our troops.
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