Posted on 12/04/2014 6:05:48 AM PST by NOBO2012
“Run, run as fast as you can. You can't catch me, I'm the gingerbread man ."
Yes I know: another day, another racist outrage. Butt do you know what tomorrow is? It’s the Eve of St. Nicholas Day. You do remember St. Nicholas don’t you? Aka St. Nick, aka Sinterklaas?
You may recall when we discussed him last year, during one of BO’s European tours. St. Nick, Dutch progenitor of our own American Santa Claus, visits children on the eve of his feast day (December 6), bringing them small gifts (i.e. no iPhones or Xboxes):
Later on the night of December 5th, Sinterklaas takes his book of names and, dressed in his long red robes trimmed in white fur, goes out with Zwarte Piet in the nighttime delivering gifts to the good children.
Whoa! Timeout: who is this “Zwarte Piet” and what does he have to do with our story?
It appears that he’s an undocumented immigrant who came to Holland via Spain in search of a better life, and to do the work that the Dutch wouldn’t do:
A few weeks before St. Nicholas Day, Sinterklass and his Moorish helper, Zwarte Piet, which means "Black Pete", arrive from Spain in Amsterdam, Holland. They are greeted by the Royal Family. Sinterklass is dressed in his long red bishop's robes, wears a mantle and carries a crozier.
Later on the night of December 5th, Sinterklaas takes his book of names and goes out with Zwarte Piet in the nighttime delivering gifts to the good children. The bad children are said to get a lump of coal and the naughtiest of the children might get stuffed into his bag and taken back to Spain!
Well, that’s one way to handle the “dreamers” who aren’t behaving themselves.
They wake up in the morning to find their shoes filled with nuts and candies, and a small bag of chocolate coins wrapped in gold paper -- or a lump of coal!
Good grief, we’re already pushing it with the “chocolates,” butt a lump of coal!? You’ve got to be kidding. Besides, now that the kids have discovered there are iPhones and televisions out there, just for the taking whether they’ve been good or not, the small treats in the shoes lose much of their appeal.
Butt let’s get back to Zwarte Piet, or Black Pete if you will. While St. Nick’s original little helper was a Muslim convert from Morocco, now days they just take any old white Dutch guy and let him put on blackface and pretend to be Black Pete. It’s stunning that this blatantly racist behavior has been allowed to continue, despite protests around the country.
At this point it’s unclear whether old St. Nick will be able to continue his good works if Black Pete is no longer allowed to assist him. Butt don’t worry, we probably don’t need him imposing his Christian-based values on little Dutch children – many of whom are Muslim now – anyhow.
So I’ve got to run, I have to bake some Dutch speculaas – the original gingerbread men – for tomorrow’s feast.
If you wish to review the original BHO-gingerbread story from last year, it’s right here. Including the special gingerbread man the Belgians made for Big Guy…
and a special section on speculaas.
Happy St. Nicholas Day Eve!
Posted from: Michelle Obama’s Mirror
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.