MELISSA PHILLIP: CHRONICLE
Posted on 07/08/2008 8:11:47 AM PDT by SwinneySwitch
Customers ask Wal-Mart stores to remove book
Beloved by Mexicans for his dim wits, street smarts and playful disposition, long-running comic book character Memín Pinguín — a little black boy whose face resembles a monkey — is at it again.
His zany adventures chronicled in a hugely popular book series for decades are up for sale at your neighborhood Wal-Mart store in the Libros en Español section, right next to the store's cadre of African-American books.
The latest issue: Memín para presidente.
By Shawnedria McGinty's American standards, the image was shocking. The African-American woman who was shopping at the store on South Post Oak over the weekend immediately asked a store manager to remove the books from the shelves. A manager told her he would comply.
"I said, wait a minute: Is this a monkey or a little black boy?" said McGinty, 34, of Meyerland. "I was so upset. This is 2008."
But as of Monday afternoon, the books were still on the shelves at many Houston stores, prompting community activist Quanell X to demand that Wal-Mart apologize for selling the racially charged books.
"Even Hispanics of conscious minds sense this is racist and that to sell this is totally unacceptable," said Quanell X, who spoke in front of the Wal-Mart on South Post Oak and demanded officials issue an apology. "It is a disgrace — it's an insult to all African-Americans."
Quanell X, who was contacted by McGinty, requested a meeting with regional Wal-Mart officials.
A Wal-Mart spokesman said the books were removed late Monday at the Meyerland location, but would not say if the comic books would be pulled at other Houston locations. A Houston Chronicle reporter bought three Memín comic books for $7.44 each at another Wal-Mart on Dunvale.
(Excerpt) Read more at chron.com ...
There were blacks in Mexico, but they were absorbed into the mestizo majority. Nevertheless, African features are present in the populations of Veracruz and Tampico.
BTW: Has anyone tried to get the Dutch to ban "Black Pete", who leaves coal in your stocking?
Quanell the Tenth is misdirecting his outrage. He should be protesting at the Mexican embassy demanding a national apology.
“Former Mexican President Vicente Fox said he didn’t understand what all the fuss was about and insisted that Memín’s image was not racist, but a beloved character embraced by all Mexicans.....”
Speedy Gonzales meet Memin Pinguin....
Hey! IT’S DIVERSITY! IT’S MULTICULTURALISM!...ALL CULTURES EQUAL!........................
The US is the least racist country in the world, I feel. I mean others may be more open and tolerant, but they may also have no outsiders that cause troubles. Iceland comes to mind.
For our populace though ? You bet we’re good in the race department.
I used to drive a Quanell X, but the gas mileage was terrible. You’d think a Japanese luxury car would have decent MPG but they don’t.
Besides, everyone knows the best Spanish-language cartoon character is Mafalda.
Brazil and the Philippines are two nations that may have racial and religious issues of their own, but are very tolerant, especially when compared to places like France, Russia, Japan, most of Africa, etc.
Well, I laughed.
Speedy Gonzales and Frito Bandito, meet Memin Pinguin
“community activist Quanell X”
ROFLMAO. I had to stop reading there.
The Frito Bandito and Speedy Gonzales are/were beloved by Mexicans IN Mexico. It was the perpetually offended among the Mexican AMERICAN population that protested, not REAL Mexicans.
"I say to Jewish America: Get ready … knuckle up, put your boots on, because we're ready and the war is going down. … The real deal is this: Black youth do not want a relationship with the Jewish community or the mainstream white community or the foot shuffling, head-bowing, knee bobbing black community. … All you Jews can go straight to hell."
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"[i]f you feel that you just got to mug somebody because of your hurt and your pain, go to River Oaks and mug you some good white folks. If you’re angry that our brother is put to death, don’t burn down your own community, give these white folks hell from the womb to the tomb."
That doesn’t look like any penguin I’ve ever seen.
prompting community activist Quanell X to demand that Wal-Mart apologize for selling the racially charged books.
So Quanell The Tenth thinks that Wal-Mart owes somebody an apology? Here’s a couple of things Quanell has uttered, without apology:
"I say to Jewish America: Get ready … knuckle up, put your boots on, because we're ready and the war is going down. … The real deal is this: Black youth do not want a relationship with the Jewish community or the mainstream white community or the foot shuffling, head-bowing, knee bobbing black community. … All you Jews can go straight to hell."
"If you feel that you just got to mug somebody because of your hurt and your pain, go to River Oaks and mug you some good white folks. If you’re angry that our brother is put to death, don’t burn down your own community, give these white folks hell from the womb to the tomb."
He's best at bringing in Black suspected capital murderers so the bad po-po don't harm them.
I find it very difficult to believe that Walmart is the only business in this town of millions of people that is stocking these books.
Will Quannell and Queen Sheila bother to register a complaint everywhere, or just against Wallyworld?
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