Is Santa Claus Black or White?

December 25, 2009

I remember a young Michael Jackson, then of The Jackson Five, singing a song that tells the story of how he saw his mother kissing Santa Claus. It made me wonder if Michael was talking about the “real” Santa Claus or his father.

I don’t remember my mother ever telling me Santa Claus did not exist. I do remember her telling me quite emphatically that “she” was the Santa Claus after I expressed some frustration with a gift I had received one year. I wanted an electric football game. It was the kind that vibrated and it had miniature players. Instead, she got me another game that was more like a parlor board game. I was crushed. I think that is when I stopped smiling in pictures. My lack of appreciation did not go unnoticed. It was one of those teachable moments. After I got up off of the floor, I realized that if there was something that I wanted I would have to find a way to earn it. No one was going to give me anything…even Santa Claus if I did not do what I was supposed to do.

Christmas meant more than receiving gifts. There were other things to consider. Things like the real meaning of the season, the spirit of giving, and sharing with those in need come to mind. However, when you are seven or eight years old, you may still have some residue of selfish thinking. As an only son and the oldest child of four, I probably still thought the world should revolve around me. Some would argue that I still think that way today, but that’s another story for another day. When I did not receive the electric football game I requested from Santa Claus and my mother felt obligated to intervene upon my pity party, I realized that my mother was Santa Claus. My reality was not shattered and I suffered no long term psychological damage as a result. Well, at least I don’t think so!

Each year starting in October immediately after Halloween and in anticipation of the coming Christmas season, I would go through the motions of scanning through the sale papers included in the Sunday newspaper. Dreams of all of the new toys and gadgets would fill my head for almost two months. I would make my lists and campaign with my mother about what to tell Santa Claus. Then, at that time, after what would seem like an eternity, Christmas Eve would arrive and I would spend the night in a restless sleep thinking about the new toys I would have the next morning compliments of Santa Claus err, my mother.

If Santa Claus was really someone other than my mother, I never considered the possibility that Santa Claus could be Black.

All of the pictures I saw of Santa Claus showed this portly, white-haired fellow who had rosy red cheeks, a red suit, black boots and a big black belt. He could be in more than one place at the same time. He REALLY liked children and his only mode of transportation was a sleigh pulled by reindeer, including one with a red nose. He always seemed to be smiling and he never showed signs of fatigue after delivering presents all over the world. Could I have actually believed that?

I did not consider the notion that if Santa Claus was Black, I would probably get everything I wanted on my list. Some of you will know to what it is I am referring. It’s called “the hookup”. “The hookup” might be loosely classified as the unspoken courtesy that is expected when one is of the same race, culture, or ethnicity. If I am in a position of power or influence and I see someone across the desk or table who looks like me, then it is expected that I should give him or her special consideration. This happens all of the time in today’s world. Sometimes it can be directly attributed to race. Sometimes it is not. It is difficult to prove. Consider this thinking as it relates to Santa Claus.

If Santa Claus looks like me, shouldn’t I get some special consideration for the gifts I request?

There is another side to the story.

I did not consider that since all of the depictions of Santa Claus I saw were White that I would probably NOT get everything I wanted on my list. Some of you will know to what it is I am referring. It is loosely classified as the person who maintains the glass ceiling that keeps people at a certain level, suppresses who they are, and denies equal access to opportunity. Being held down by “The Man” is cited as the reason for lack of progress, shattered dreams, and a lack of hope and optimism that can only be gained if someone who looks like me (i.e., Black) is in the position of power and influence. If this were the case, I would not expect to get anything from Santa Clause. Considering this, the obvious question to raise is:

If Santa Claus does not look like me, should I expect to receive any of the gifts I requested?

The reality was that the ethnicity or sociological category of Santa Claus was not important to me at eight years old. I knew better.

I may have questioned whether or not Santa Claus actually existed, but I did not make the leap of logic at that age to question whether I would get special consideration if he were Black. Santa Claus did not represent a race to me. It was only after I got older and I had people constantly reminding me that there needed to be a difference that the notion of Santa Claus (somewhat akin to the little girl who played with White dolls instead of Black dolls) needed to be Black in my world.

2008 brought something new into my reality, although it was not completely different. I remember 1973 when Detroit elected a Black mayor. I was there. I was 12 years old and I regularly read the newspaper. It was a part of my upbringing. Coleman Young was a pro-labor, pro-union, fiery, old-school Democrat. His opponent was the former police commissioner, White and Republican. There are still some people that will immediately juxtapose White with Republican and Black with Democrat. Thirty six years later has not brought much change in the political climate even though the landscape of society has changed dramatically. I remember the moment was captured as an historic one. Several years prior in 1967, Cleveland, Ohio did the same with its election of Mayor Carl B. Stokes. These events marked many that I can recall from reading or my own experience in my childhood as bearing significance because society placed significance on the person’s ethnicity. I was reminded of the historical significance again and its relationship to ethnicity with the election of President Obama in 2008.

A lot of the hoopla surrounding the election in 2008 centered on the race of President Obama and the prospects for a new party in the White House. I believe the issues were not as significant. Folks were seeking a Black Santa Claus and he would be in the form of the next President of the United States of America.

Is my Santa Claus for 2009 President Barack Obama?

The jury is still out. 2009 was supposed to be the year of hope and change. Jobs would be plentiful because of the government’s stimulus package. The automotive industry would be bailed out similar to what happened with the mortgage industry. Opportunities for higher education and jobs in corporate America would rise because of new initiatives for developing alternative energy sources and contributing to the global economy influenced by going “green”. 2009 was supposed to be the year that government partnered with small business to stimulate jobs, radically reform healthcare insurance, and kick start the economy. Taxes would not increase and a society consumed with race and partisan politics would come together in a new spirit of cooperation and collaboration.

Where is my Santa Claus today? Where are my presents?

I was laid off in May 2009. I am still looking for a job in the stimulated economy. Santa Claus has not been to my house. In fact, I think he sent me a bill from last year! Yikes.

Another Christmas has passed and I find myself thinking about some of the same things I thought about as a child. I have fond memories of those times, even when I did not get exactly what I asked. Life was easier. I did not have to worry about bills – paying my rent, maintaining an auto, and keeping my creditors off my back. All I had to do was my schoolwork and chores. I did not realize I had it so easy. Forty years later I still have the same question about Santa Claus. I know Santa Claus is not real. Further, the Santa Claus I am expecting may not even be Black. But, I do know this. If President Obama is not Santa Claus, I now know why I am unemployed still. I did not receive any gifts for Christmas and I may have to rely upon my mother again to play Santa forty years later. However, this time instead of an electric football game, I’ll be asking for a place to stay. Yikes!

Is Santa Claus Black or White? It really doesn’t matter when you don’t have a chimney!

==================================================================

“It is calming to know that when the final trumpet sounds,

My life will not have ended in vain.

I will run out of time before I run out of words. God has given me the gift of my thoughts.

He has given me the gift of the pen.

I need to use them both to show His will does win….” 1

(1) Excerpt from the poem “ The Things That Matter” –

Included in Voices Inside My Head – Poetry Inspired By God To Heal Pain

Copyright © 2009 Milton A. Brown

Do Republicans Celebrate Christmas?

December 25, 2009

Christmas is characterized and symbolized as the one holiday where the spirit of giving is the central focus. Volunteering, exchanging gifts, serving food, sharing time, and telling the story of Jesus Christ are all associated with the season. Generally speaking, people are nice, willing to share, and focused on spending time with loved ones and giving selflessly to make someone else feel good on Christmas Day.

I have celebrated Christmas all of my life. My motivation has not always been solely about telling the story of Jesus Christ. There was a time when I was motivated by things other than the Christian meaning of the season. However, even during those subdued periods where I have not given as many gifts or attended functions or parties or even shared time with family and friends, I am acutely aware of the “reason for the season.”

Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ to pay tribute to the individual who ultimately provided the greatest source for optimism and hope in the history of mankind. (This is not just my opinion. Christians worldwide share this view.)

This is not to discuss the validity of the Christmas celebration. Many folks celebrate Christmas for different reasons. I am simply revealing why I celebrate Christmas. I celebrate Christmas to commemorate the birth of Christ. I don’t expect to eat a lot of food, receive gifts, or even reconnect with family or friends. All of those things are nice and I have enjoyed them in the past, and God willing, I will enjoy them again in the future. I celebrate and honor the day because of what it represents. Jesus is the ultimate answer and I believe that. However, as I sit down today, I am wondering about something that was suggested to me the other day.

This is the second Christmas in America where the people are under the leadership of President Obama, the first African-American president in the history of the country.

President Obama, who is a Democrat, represents the party most known for giving and providing a social balance in a country that embraces an individual’s ability to “pull themselves up by the bootstraps” and make it on their own (so to speak). The Republican Party promotes personal responsibility, working hard, and limiting the amount of assistance government provides.

During this season of giving, I had to ask myself, “Do Republicans celebrate Christmas”?

This question may seem absurd on the surface. If you know my background, you may not think I am a lunatic for asking. I will not claim to know with certainty the politics of everyone in my immediate and extended family, but I know there is a history of supporting the Democratic Party without question amongst a vast majority of the family. Some may call them “Yellow Dog Democrats.”

Yellow Dog Democrats would allegedly "vote for a yellow dog before they would vote for any Republican". Currently, the term is now more generally applied to refer to any Democrat who will vote a straight Party ticket under any circumstances.

I believe President Obama would not have won the election running as a Republican, even if his moderate stance on issues like Afghanistan had come to the forefront during the campaign process.

The other day I was playing tennis (doubles to be specific) and in between sets the conversation turned to the state of the economy, my job search and some of the recent current events. The usual suspects were part of the discussion. The topics included: Tiger Woods, President Obama and healthcare, the ‘evil’ oil companies and their profits, and the gauntlets and land mines of Christmas time commonly referred to as “the malls.” It was typical small talk for anyone near a newspaper, radio or television in these times. I have been taught and recently started to implement a personal strategy, where I do not always inform someone that I disagree them. It has prevented me from engaging in a lot of arguments. I think my blood pressure is lower as a result. However, I still think about some of the things I have heard long after the discussion is over and my interaction with the source has since passed. When I think about those things, I am led to discuss them with someone else or write about them.

My playing partner (I’ll refer to as John) on this day is someone I don’t know very well. I don’t know that we have anything in common. I do know that we share the same ethnicity and for that reason it is easy for some people to make assumptions about one’s thinking. I think John did that on this day. When people see me, without asking a single question and regardless of the person’s background, ethnicity or culture, I know certain prejudgments might be made. I have learned to accept this to some extent. If the person does not want to take time to get to know me, it does not make sense for me to attempt to paint a different picture during a brief encounter. However, if I actually have an opportunity to talk to the person, then, I may have a chance to offer a perspective that they did not expect. Remember, there is more to the book than its cover. The other day was one of those times when I quickly assessed that it was not the time or the place to get into a lengthy discussion on politics, religion, and culture. We were on the tennis courts! However, my mind could not let the comment pass. The response I heard the other day to the questions of high unemployment, subpar educational performance in minority households, and lack of jobs, rising gasoline and food costs, a war that seemingly will not end in the Middle East, corporate abuse, the American auto industry collapse, and a country’s budget that will remain at deficit was simply this:

“…those damn Republicans.”

I thought, “Those damn Republicans.” Are we still blaming Republicans for all of the ills in this society? Are we still blaming former President Bush (43)? Are we still blaming former President Reagan?? Are we still blaming Lincoln? How far back does this blame go?

What was even more disturbing and I believe it was the undertone of the comment, was this question:

Are we (African-Americans) still blaming white people for all of the ills in this society?

One might argue that John was joking and that his comment about Republicans was intended to incite laughter. I have learned, however, that a lot of folks attempt to mask their true feelings under the guise of joking. I pay careful attention to people’s “jokes”. Sometimes the jokes are serious. You can’t ever really know. But, if the jokes are considered within the context of a bigger picture, there may be some reality hidden in the jokes.

Then, after thinking about the comment some more, I had my own questions.

Does anyone ever blame the Democrats for anything?

Why didn’t John say, “Those damn Democrats”?

Let me be clear about something first. I do not support the Democratic or Republican party. I am an independent conservative and I try to align my voting preferences with the issues that are important to me at that time. Some would suggest that I have Republican leanings. That may be true to some extent; however, I have supported Democrats also. I try not to let the party label dictate my thinking.

Partisan politics has always fascinated me. I have often wondered how someone could blindly accept an ideology and cater to a group without studying and/or questioning the values and fundamental tenets of the group. For example, history teaches that the Democratic Party was the party of slavery in America. The Confederate army was comprised of states that were Democratic in their politics. The Northern army was comprised of states that were Republican. President Lincoln was a Republican. Slavery was abolished by law under a Republican administration. I realize this is the simplistic argument. However, it does give some insight into the party distinctions.

Under President Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR), the Democratic Party became identified more closely with modern liberalism, which included the promotion of social welfare, labor unions, civil rights and the regulation of business. The opponents, who stressed long-term growth and support for entrepreneurship and low taxes, began calling themselves "conservatives."

Conservatives do not lack social consciousness nor do they oppose civil rights, however the government’s role in legislating behavior is not fully supported and generally speaking, less government is a tenet of conservative thought. Unfortunately, there are misinformed individuals who upon hearing the label “conservative” will immediately draw the conclusion that you a cold, callous, “let them eat cake” type of individual who will not give to the needy and is intolerant of anyone with an opposing viewpoint.

One party will give you a handout. If you give me a fish AND teach me how to fish, you have helped me. If you simply give me a fish, you have NOT helped me.

One party will suggest you learn how to fish and may be willing to teach you. This is fine. However, if you don’t give me to access to the lake, you have NOT helped me.

When I considered the historical context, I realized what John meant. The government (or at least the party that favors more government) is supposed to rectify everything that is wrong with society. The government becomes the opiate of the people, because the government is supposed to be “for” the people. Hitler’s Germany tried that and the U.S. fought a war to ensure that type of thinking did become reality for much of the world. Although not totally successful in the effort, World War II insured that Parisians could continue to speak French and not German, and the U.S. could have a president rather than a dictator.

In John’s mind, if the Democratic Party ruled:

1) Unemployment would not exist because everyone would work for the government,

2) Education would be totally controlled by the government, thereby raising the performance levels because all people would have equal access to education (see public schools?),

3) Jobs would be plentiful (anyone have a stimulus job?)

4) Gasoline and food costs would be stable because the government would control pricing,

5) The war in the Middle East would be of little consequence to our security because we’d pull out,

6) Corporate abuse would not exist because corporations would not exist,

7) The American Auto industry would survive because the government would bail them out and dictate the types of cars to build (General Motors comes to mind.),

8) The deficit would be resolved because wealth would be redistributed and the government would take more taxes from the rich and middle class and redistribute to the poor and the government, and,

9) Social healthcare would mimic the current system used to provide healthcare to our nations’ veterans (Anyone been to the VA hospital lately?).

If this sounds like some type of Orwellian 1984 horror story of a totalitarian government gone amuck, that is because we may be on that path as we look at our political landscape today.

I am not suggesting that total reliance upon any one party is the answer to the ills in our society today.

But isn’t it about time we stop blaming any single political party depending on who is in the White House at the time?

I never expected President Obama to have all of the solutions. I also did not blame former President Bush for all of the country’s problems.

One party will probably give me a fish and tell me, “Happy Holidays!” not wanting to offend those who don’t celebrate Christmas or those who may celebrate Christmas for reasons other than the birth of Jesus Christ.

One party may give me a fish and expect me to listen to the story of Jesus Christ as I am eating and then when I am done, tell me “Merry Christmas”. This may seem like an overbearing attempt at winning my allegiance to their thought process.

I don’t really know.

Ultimately, I believe the answers will rest with God and all of the things we deal with today will come to pass. However, as for now,

I am just asking the questions.

Do Republicans celebrate Christmas? Ask a Democrat. They’ll tell you!

===================================================================

“It is calming to know that when the final trumpet sounds,

My life will not have ended in vain.

I will run out of time before I run out of words. God has given me the gift of my thoughts.

He has given me the gift of the pen.

I need to use them both to show His will does win….” 1

(1) Excerpt from the poem “ The Things That Matter” –

Included in Voices Inside My Head – Poetry Inspired By God To Heal Pain

Copyright © 2009 Milton A. Brown