Posted on 01/15/2024 4:21:02 PM PST by simpson96
A Black Montreal theatre performer has filed a lawsuit against an anti-racism activist who he says falsely associated him with racism against Black people.
Franck Sylvestre agues in the suit filed at the Montreal courthouse on Wednesday that Alain Babineau made unreasonable claims about a puppet in a theatre piece Sylvestre created for children, damaging his career.
Babineau “unreasonably associated the plaintiff and his puppet with racism, with the submission of Black people to white people and even white supremacism and the dehumanization of Black people,” the lawsuit reads. The criticism was an attack on Sylvestre’s reputation, it adds, and an attempt “to expose him to the hatred and contempt of the public in general and the Black community in particular.”
At a news conference last February, Babineau, the racial profiling and public safety director at civil rights group The Red Coalition, called for performances of the theatre piece to be cancelled, arguing that the puppet was an example of anti-Black racism and reminiscent of blackface minstrel shows — performances intended to mock Black people.
Sylvestre’s lawyer, Guillaume Rousseau said the puppet is based on his client’s own appearance and that there’s nothing racist about the show.(snip)
“It’s an issue of freedom of artistic expression,” Rousseau said in an interview Wednesday. “If every representation of a Black person that doesn’t please Mr. Babineau and others becomes blackface, becomes the subject of calls for censorship, that limits my client’s freedom of artistic expression and, potentially, that of other artists.”(snip)
The lawsuit, which seeks $26,600 in damages, also alleges that Sylvestre’s career as a children’s performer has been threatened because he is now unfairly seen as “controversial” and presenters won’t book him.
In a statement Wednesday, The Red Coalition maintained that the puppet’s appearance is racist and could offend people.
(Excerpt) Read more at globalnews.ca ...
...and liberal heads exploded all over Canada.
If he were white, they'd probably institute the death penalty, just for him.
i can see the likeness...
lol - I can see why the leftist is all uppity. He’s been trained that black people represented a certain way = denigrating when sometimes a representation is just that.
I’m curious to see what his other puppets look like and how he exaggerates other features.
I was ready to take up arms against the Wokesters. But then the picture appeared. Yes, it’s a racist stereotype. And while the theater performer clearly has Negro blood, the puppet doesn’t have any of his features. I was thinking we’d see something closer to Rastus. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:%22Uncle_Rastus%22.jpg
When I scrolled down and saw the picture, I couldn’t stop laughing.
Who are you to say it’s a racist stereotype?
That is awful.
Which one is the puppet?
For once, they kinda have a point.
I’m white, so by woke definition a racist. So I know racism when I see it. Due in question is brown, so by woke definition not a racist. So of course he wouldn’t know racism if he saw it.
Kind of looks like a female congresscritter or two.
Same.
I have to admit, reading the article I was saying “Damn liberals once again bringing up fake racism”..... Then I saw that photo LOL LOL LOL!
Is this puppet racist? I think so.
Should the puppeteer be allowed to use it? Sure.
Should people be allowed to criticize this puppet? Sure.
Should the lawyers stay out of it? Sure.
(I think that about covers everything.)
I want to know what Walter has to say..
OMG..That sure is ugly! Lol!
It reminds me of the Pieter Schwartz comuc figures that used to be commonly seen in Netherland countries during Christmastime. A Dutch person in blackface trying to scare children into being good for Santa.
I don’t know if that tradition has continued or not.
Of course, Jeff is not Canadian.
A black puppeteer can use it, a white one, no.
They are both the puppet.
Cripes, he’s captured Big Mike’s appearance perfectly.
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