Tintin Racism Case in Belgium

[Jom]

Tintin is up in front of the Belgian courts due to the racism of one of the editions, namely Tintin in the Congo. I haven't read it myself but from what I understand it portrays blacks in a very negative light, resembling apes and speaking like idiots. Tintin, however, is still regarded as extremely important and one could say a work of art. Does this therefore exclude it from this sort of attack or should there be a warning added to the books?

In the case of Tintin, the issue is rather clear cut: it is racist, but in other cases should perceived racism also be censored? It's a rather prickly issue and would welcome comment.

The original story is from Le Monde and is therefore in French:
Source

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Tintin comparaît mercredi devant le tribunal de première instance de Bruxelles. Bienvenu Mbutu Mondondo, un Congolais résidant en Belgique, demande "le retrait de la vente ou à défaut, l'ajout d'un avertissement" sur l'album Tintin au Congo, qu'il juge "raciste à l'égard des Africains".

L'affaire n'est pas nouvelle. Elle a déjà fait grand bruit en Angleterre. En juillet 2007, la Commission pour l'égalité raciale a considéré que cet album contenait "des images et des dialogues porteurs de préjugés racistes abominables, où les 'indigènes sauvages' ressemblent à des singes et parlent comme des imbéciles." Outre-Manche, certains libraires classent désormais la bande dessinée au rayon adulte, et un préambule met en garde contre les préjugés que véhicule l'ouvrage. A New York, la bibliothèque publique de Brooklyn a restreint l'accès au livre. Il ne peut être consulté que sur demande et appartient désormais à une collection sur l'histoire de la littérature enfantine.

"IL EST NÉCESSAIRE D'AVERTIR LES ENFANTS"

"En France, nous refusons le débat sur les traces culturelles et linguistiques de notre pays", déplore Patrick Lozès, président du Conseil représentatif des associations noires. Le CRAN ne souhaite pas la censure de l'ouvrage, qui reflète l'époque coloniale. Mais "ce livre fait clairement l'apologie de la hiérarchie des êtres humains. Aucun enfant ne naît avec des stéréotypes. Dans un souci pédagogique, il est nécessaire d'avertir les enfants face aux propos de la BD pour qu'ils prennent de la distance", explique-t-il au Monde.fr. Patrick Lozès souhaiterait un avertissement figurant sur les premières pages de la bande dessinée.

A l'issue du procès en Belgique, le CRAN n'exclut pas d'intenter une action en France. "Nous aimerions ne pas en arriver à la solution radicale d'un procès. L'éditeur Casterman entend notre malaise, Moulinsart S.A. (la société qui gère tous les autres droits commerciaux) reste intransigeante." Même problème en Belgique où subsiste une ambiguïté de responsabilité entre l'éditeur et Moulinsart S.A.

Dans ses Entretiens avec Numa Sadoul en 1975, Hergé avait admis représenter les Noirs conformément aux préjugés de l'époque, les décrivant comme "de grands enfants". La première version de sa bande dessinée est parue en 1931, à l'apogée de la présence coloniale belge au Congo. En 1946, l'album est remanié. "J’étais nourri des préjugés du milieu bourgeois dans lequel je vivais, confie l'auteur. En fait, les Soviets et le Congo ont été des péchés de jeunesse." Numa Sadoul lui demande alors ce qu'il répond aux personnes qui le traitent de raciste. "Toutes les opinions sont libres…", tranchera l'auteur de Tintin.

Here is my translation of the article (not done in Google translate so don't worry ):

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Tintin appeared in front of the court of first instance in Brussels on Wednesday in a case brought by Mbutu Mondondo, a Congolese resident of Belgium who is asking for "the withdrawal from sale or at least the addition of a warning" on the cover of Tintin in the Congo, which he judges to be "racist towards Africans"

This issue is nothing new; it has already caused controversy in England. In July 2007, the Racial Equality Commission declared that the book contained "images and speech carrying disgusting racial prejudices, and that the 'wild natives' resembled apes and spoke like imbeciles." On that side of the channel, certain book shops now classify the comic strip as an adult book and a foreword warns readers against the prejudices which appear in the work. In New York, the Brooklyn public library has restricted access to the book. It cannot be looked at except by request and now makes up part of a collection on the history of children's literature.

"It is necessary to warn children"

"In France, we refuse to question the cultural and linguistic scars of our country", laments Patrick Lozès, president of the Council of Black Rights Associations. The council does not want to censor the work, which reflects the colonial era, but "this book clearly defends the idea of the hierarchy of humans. No child is born with stereotypes. From a teaching point of view, it is necessary to warn children about what the comic says so that they may be more objective", he explained to Le Monde.fr. Patrick Lozès hopes that a warning will appear on the first few pages of the comic strip.

As far as the trial in Belgium is concerned, the Council is not ruling out a similar action being taken in France. "We would love to not have to take the radical step of a trial. The publisher Casterman understands our complaint but Moulinsart S.A. (the organisation which handles the commercial law side) remains intransigent." There is even a problem in Belgium where there is ambiguity over whose responsibility the case is: the publisher's or Moulinsart S.A.'s.

In interviews with Numa Sadoul in 1975, Hergé admitted having represented blacks in a way which conformed to the prejudices of the era, describing them as "big children". The first edition of the comic strip was published in 1931, at the height of the Belgian colonial presence in The Congo. In 1946, the strip was modified. "I was fed by the prejudices of the heart of the bourgeoisie where I was living, confessed the author. In fact, The Soviets and The Congo were the sins of youth." Numa Sadoul then asked him what he said to those who accused him of racism: "All opinions are free...", the author of Tintin declared.

Here's a sample of the strip:

Spoiler for Some may find this offensive: 

[Machiavelli25]

Its not especially racist. Just typically ignorant, as is to be expected from the period.

Definitely racist today, probably wouldn't let my kids read it (I personally have read it).

[Jom]

Its not especially racist. Just typically ignorant, as is to be expected from the period.

Definitely racist today, probably wouldn't let my kids read it (I personally have read it).

Why wouldn't you let your children read it, whilst warning them that it is prejudiced? It's important to understand how blacks were perceived to understand the racism that still exists today.

[Machiavelli25]

Why wouldn't you let your children read it, whilst warning them that it is prejudiced? It's important to understand how blacks were perceived to understand the racism that still exists today.

Well yeah, by kids I mean young kids. Kids can be very impressionable, and I could easily see them not understanding me and taking the presentation of black people as fact. Obviously if they were over 10 I wouldn't care, by then they should be capable of seperating fact from fiction.

Problem is though Jom the possibility of a young kid picking it up in a school library without his parents knowing. That could pose an issue.

[Gromovnik]

This pic reminded me of Idi Amin.

[Farnan]

Deja Vu...

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...ghlight=tintin

[Giuliano Taverna]

I'm generally against censorship as a matter of principle but I can't see a context where anyone would actually read this filthy racist trash. Its like Mein Kampf and the turner diaries, let it be published, and let anyone who enjoys its work be properly condemned by society in general. Effort should be made to raise awareness about the subject in order that the youth can be inoculated against the ideas presented in such literature.

[Jom]

I'm generally against censorship as a matter of principle but I can't see a context where anyone would actually read this filthy racist trash. Its like Mein Kampf and the turner diaries, let it be published, and let anyone who enjoys its work be properly condemned by society in general. Effort should be made to raise awareness about the subject in order that the youth can be inoculated against the ideas presented in such literature.

Well it's not like Mein Kampf in that it doesn't set out to be an explanation of how the author views the world; it's simply a comic strip featuring characters that conform with the perception of the times. It neglects to mention wither Hergé actually visited the Congo but I suspect he didn't and simply relied upon what information he had available, whilst making sure he met people's expectations.

Deja Vu...

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...ghlight=tintin

Please don't infract me, Farnan

In all seriousness, though, this thread will hopefully foster a bit more sensible debate than that one. I'm afraid I only searched the Mudpit before making this thread rather than the entire forum.

[Giuliano Taverna]

My point was simply that racist literature should be permitted but publicly condemned. If for no other reason than I believe no one has the authority to decide for me what I can and cannot read. I think that should be an absolutist position in reference to literature. I doubt highly that such a comic is suddenly going to turn France or Belgium into apartheid states.

[Phier]

I wish I would have saved the link, when I read this a week or so ago the link included pictures of a Tintin park IN the Congo where they had life sized statues from the book.

[♔Goodguy1066♔]

When was it written?

[Jom]

Edit: oh you meant the comic.

[Gromovnik]

When was it written?

the comic is from 1931.

[Landsknecht_88]

What a bunch of clowns.

[♔Goodguy1066♔]

the comic is from 1931.

If we were to start suing all the racist rubbish that was published in the 1930s, we'd be halfway through by the 26th century...

[Jom]

If we were to start suing all the racist rubbish that was published in the 1930s, we'd be halfway through by the 26th century...

It's not being sued in the way you seem to take it, i.e. for damages; it's being taken to court in an effort to either remove it from being published - which is rather extreme in my view - or get some sort of foreword put in the book to explain the perceptions of the era in which it was written.

Besides, the main difference between this and the other "racist rubbish" that you mention is that this book is still being published and as a book for children no less. Comparisons to Mein Kampf etc. aren't terribly apt as Mein Kampf has interest from a historical perspective to understand what the driving force behind Hitler, a man who changed the course of the 20th century, was.

[♔DeusVult!♔]

Its Tintin. Funny adventure comics from another time period. I really don't think they should be sued/banned over this.

[Manco]

Maybe they should just put a disclaimer in the front that the depiction of Africans can very well be perceived as racist but that it's an artifact of the timeperiod.
Outright banning is rather over the top imo.


On another not, Tintin is boring.

[Pious Agnost]

Maybe they should just put a disclaimer in the front that the depiction of Africans can very well be perceived as racist but that it's an artifact of the timeperiod.
Outright banning is rather over the top imo.


On another not, Tintin is boring.

I agree completely.

[Norge]

Might have been a good idea to mention that it was created in the 30's, Jom.