The Black Santa Controversy

Just as sure as the sun will come up each day and Christmas will come  each year there will be people whose mission is to continue or start a war on Christmas. Recently, Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly thinks the idea of a racially inclusive Santa Claus is utterly ridiculous. I disagree! Oh yeah, she went on to say Jesus was white too. Let me go on record and say Ms. Kelly you are wrong on both point.

I am sure there is much disagreement here, but this is a fictional character. Now, knowing that Santa is not real, why can’t he be seen through the eyes of the beholder? African American families have decorated their homes for Christmas, with trees, ornaments, lights, and everything else that comes with the season. The fact is none of this has anything to do with Jesus, and that’s supposed to be the reason we celebrate Christmas. Therefore, let's be honest, it was all created for commercial receipts because Jesus was really born in the Spring.

On the point that Jesus was white; I can settle that argument easily. At the time of Jesus’ birth and death there were only two people in the region (1) the Romans and (2) the indigenous people, who were people of color, i.e. black. It was the power of the state [Rome] who made him white and Michael Angelo added the white face to the deity. Religion has been used by rulers to control the mind of their subjects since people claimed a God and Christianity since the Council of Nicea.

Most black children don’t grow up in homes where there is a chimney for the jolly white man to come down to bring the gifts, he is supposed to be giving them. Let me add that African American families might have a black Santa instead of a white one because we have that choice. This is merely a diverse representation of the mythological figure that marks the season for millions around the world. One writer suggested during this debate: “Why not make Santa a penguin? That way, everyone, can celebrate the figure without the racial baggage that marks so much of American life”. After all, they gave us a rabbit to celebrate Easter. Oh, my bad, the Easter Bunny is who too.

Ok, let’s get back to “Santa Claus”! The character has his roots in early Christian Europe, Dutch folklore, and Germanic paganism. Given that this character is a human creation and given his role as a non-sectarian symbol for the holiday; it’s reasonable to want to remove race from the equation.

I am going to go out on a limb and say this issue is nothing more than white racial panic. America for most of its history was white; today not so much; it has changed and very diverse. For example, not long ago all the presidents were white to. This Fox News anchor has built her job on race baiting and why would anyone be surprised by anything say might say. By the way, if you don’t know what she said? The remark was taken right out of the supremacy handbook. She said, during her primetime news show on Wednesday, “Santa just is white. But this person is arguing that maybe we should also have a black Santa.”

Bah Humbug! Girlfriend you are the problem and not anyone who want to use their right to see the world – celebrate or worship – as they have a right to do. Long gone are the days when people of your hue say it and all others accept it as true. And that is my thought provoking perspective…