St. Nicholas Hates Black People...Santa Also Called Into Question.
While it is true that most of the western world celebrates Christmas, it doesn't mean that it all occurs on the same day. As with most of Northern Europe, Holland has their own version of Santa Claus, St. Nicholas. The story is basally the same; a jolly and wonderful spiritual man secretly gives presents to good children. He bypasses the whole reindeer and North Pole angle, by suddenly appearing and placing treats in the shoes of good children. I can look past the problems that can occur when chocolate is placed in stinky sneakers, but I cannot ignore some problems regarding the role his "helper."
As you can see from the picture that his "helper," named "Peter" is in fact black. The whole folklore, which originated in the 19th century, indicates that he was an evil soul that was tamed by the Christian persuasion of St. Nicholas. Instead of having an elf, this interpretation of Santa Claus is someone who captures an African, gives him the moniker of Zwarte Pieten (Black Pete), and then forces him to give candy to little children.
