Emanuel Cleaver: “I have introduced H. Res. 347, a resolution that condemns Mexico for printing and distributing blatantly racist postage…”

“I have introduced H. Res. 347, a resolution that condemns Mexico for printing and distributing blatantly racist postage stamps; and I am, along with many others, urging Mexican President Vicente Fox to immediately cease printing and distributing the postage stamps and recall from circulation those postage stamps currently on the market. {time} 2145 Madam Speaker, Mexican-Americans and African-Americans have fought for decades to eliminate and erase racial stereotypes and depictions that dominated all forms of media in the early 20th century. On June 29, 2005, the government of Mexico issued a series of five postage stamps commemorating and celebrating Memin Pinguin, a comic book character created in the 1940s who was depicted as a dark-skinned Jim Crow era cartoon. And while this character is depicted as a black child with dark skin and greatly exaggerated lips, similar Jim Crow memorabilia referred to when I was a boy as Pickaninny and his mother Mammy were all over this country. Due to a rise in sensitivity, those things have pretty much been removed from sight. But this particular comic book series is interesting because it is now current. Memin Pinguin is a character who is taunted by white colleagues for his appearance, his speech and mannerisms. The Mexican postal service has authorized the issuance of 750,000 of the stamps which may be used in the Mexican domestic market and the international market.…”