L'Oreal Found Guilty of Racism.

[Wolfman]

I'm not an expert on these matters but I know that the British built a strong educational system and cultural infrastructure in their colonies that was a unifiying factor in the colonies, which garnered some allegiance, as an economic and cultural springboard for some. I don't think the same holds true for the French in their colonies.This hearkens me back to the Franz Fanon and the Negritude movement. I saw an excellent, thought-provoking film a few years ago, "Chocolat," not the Johnny Depp and Juliette Binoche one, but a 1988 French one about the tensions in the household of a colonial adminstrator in French Cameroon concerning racial/colonial issues raised in this thread.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chocolat_%281988_film%29

[AKA_Monet]

Tauluama--

Interesting the Europe and Canada are having this kind problem or issues.

I think most folks from the US understand the sentiment, but there were too many people that died to change it. And we had it tied back to our US Declaration of Independence and Constitution as adjusted to literally "forced" us to reconcile what we see.

That is not to say self-segregation does not occur. But we will be the first to question it. The US government has literally re-ignited the flames of segregation on its rulings. Well, I know some folks who also burned down LA in 1992... What are they going to get labeled as today? Terrorists? I just know that the US is going to have to be prepared for that--people United will be defeated.

[Wolfman]

In a related topic that bears some examination since it involves racism in the colonial Francophone world and how it has impacted the contemporary scene. The '30s comic French series book "Les Adventures de Tintin: Tintin au Congo ("Tintin in the Congo"), whose characters first appeared in a Belgian newspaper 'Le Vingtieme Siecle' ("The 20th Century") in 1929, has recently sparked controversy in Great Britain, being declared racist. In rsponse, sales of the book have skyrocketed.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070714...n_070714083801

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by Wolfman

In a related topic that bears some examination since it involves racism in the colonial Francophone world and how it has impacted the contemporary scene. The '30s comic French series book "Les Adventures de Tintin: Tintin au Congo ("Tintin in the Congo"), whose characters first appeared in a Belgian newspaper 'Le Vingtieme Siecle' ("The 20th Century") in 1929, has recently sparked controversy in Great Britain, being declared racist. In rsponse, sales of the book have skyrocketed.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070714...n_070714083801

I recall reading some Tintin as a kid, and maybe even watching some on TV, I don't remember picking up negative racial themes in it. Certainly doesn't mean they're not there, but it started in the 30's! Little Orphan Annie's comics are right up there in terms of racism. Sometimes you have to read older material in the context of the times in which they were written.

(I suspect people are buying them because a) they read them when they were younger and forgot about them until the first newstory and b) they're afraid they'll go out of print)