As a black male who has a German language minor and likes Deustchland, I am truly disappointed. I can only wonder where the original idea for this came from.

Terrific

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...that bad taste and poor judgement are not uniquely American. Obviously, stupidity CAN cross the pond.

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Cultural context and imagery are handled slightly different in Germany. Sublime and slightly overboard. Why not using imagery like that for a pressing issue? Don`t apply US PCism. This ad-campaign would look different in the US because of your built-in sissors for selfcensoring. But first check if you can provide adequate schooling to black kids in the US. In Germany - equal opportunity schooling is provided. Be careful with what and how you judge.

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looking for the racist element in everything. Often other countries don't understand/appreciate the history of blacks in the USA or the offensive nature of certain things. You'll find blackface in many European countries and, alledgedly, it is not racist and not seen as offensive as it would be in the USA. In The Netherlands, and parts of Belgium, for example there is a tradition of "sinterklas". This is a holiday for children similiar to "St.Nick" or "Santa". However this one comes early in Dec and arrives on a boat with a servant called ZwartePiet (who is a blackfaced guy.) If the children have been good they get treats (sort of cinnamon cookie) if they are bad they are told that ZwartePiet will put them in a sack and take them back to Spain! (This tradition relates to the days when the Moors held Spain and so Spain was a frightening/bad place to be taken.) Anyway, no one in Holland considers this a racist (or considering the Moorish stereotype a sectarian/irreligous) thing. Also you'll see stores with Confederate Battle flags all over Europe and even Asia- not 'white supremist' but because they got it from old western movies, etc and just think 'its American'. In Spain and parts of Italy/Silicy people parade around during religious festivals in what, to American eyes, looks suspiciously like KKK klan robes!! Of course, they are nothing of the sort.

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Most of the US looks like a third world country. Shaggy villages with many churches and rundown-school. Fundamentalists speaking in tongues and flatly denying science.
Malnourished and fat children with hardly what you can call education. Expensive and bad healthcare. Looks like you are in need of some UN-relief effort because the empire is not willing to afford proper services for your taxes. But then you would need the education that you never got - to see that.

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The ads seem to be trying to evoke in the viewer a sense of "what if these were our children".

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And Germany doesn't have all of the baggage the Americans have when it comes to black people. Don't try to hang American guilt around the necks of the Germans.

We went through a long period, post slavery, when entertainers did black face on stages all over the country. Don't bother trying to project your own white guilt on the people of another country. Germans have all the guilt they can handle related to the Holocaust, thank you very mucy, a Holocaust that was aided and abetted by every wester nation who refused to allow tens of thousands of Jews to immigrate - and that includes the USA.

We can wallow in our own guilt - genocide against the native population and slavery should be enough for us. We DO NOT NOW NOR HAVE WE EVER HAD THE HIGH MORAL GROUND ON RACIAL ISSUES.

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I think we're in danger of not noticing the forest because of the trees in the way. (Hey, when it comes to triteness, I'm not shy!)

This is clearly an attempt to help some poor kids. Why make a BIG DEAL out of it?

Fact: most kids in Africa are uneducated.
Fact: most are poor.
Fact: most need help.

What's more important -- a little political correctness, or prying some money away from the fatcats who can easily afford to help?

Get a life! And, while, I'm at it, I also agree with the criticisms of the US. We are run by greedy pigs who don't perform the first function of government: protecting the welfare of their constituents. I'm ashamed, not of the US, but of them.

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After seeing all four ads I feel that they were indeed in good taste and made a good point in a fresh new way. Look at the facts: Africa has a very high percentage of people in poverty and Germany has a very low percentage. For white German children to express their feelings that the African children are unhappy and would be better off with more and better schools is a fine statement. The fact that it was done in an unusual way in no way detracts from the validity of the statements. I think many Blacks, particularly American blacks, criticize absolutely everything that even slightly touches on their negative buzzwords. Blackface was acceptable in the 1930's through the 1950's (maybe not to everyone) and out of favor for 50 years. So what? Leave freedom of expression alone. I once told a telephone solicitor to stop being so niggardly (cheapskate) and he accused me of being racist. I say to all you complainers: GET A LIFE.

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This is a complicated issue here... I don't think the creators of the ad meant any harm, so attacking them with vitriol is not going to help things, maybe only exacerbate tensions between people essentially vouching for the same ideal. What this brings to mind, however, are questions. Is "education" and "civilization"as defined by westernized countries the most appropriate for Africa? Or is it just more colonial intererence?

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Perhaps people in the Black American community should have the NAACP create ads with little black children in white face with missing teeth looking like say, the little white children in the Appalachian Mountains, or the many poverty stricken areas of Kentucky or Virginia and express how they wish to help "educate" them.

Would this offend White Americans or would it be in "good" taste and mean "no" harm?

Terrific

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While I agree with some of the posters who have urged restraint in judging too harshly the general idea of the campaign, I can't believe they used mud to darken the kids' faces. The visceral message -- and I think it's fair to say this is irrespective of the cultural context -- is that black skin = white skin + filth.

How about an African PR campaign in which cute little African kids imitate white Europeans by smearing their faces with pus?

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Let`s look at the reasons why so many african children still live in poverty and without access to education:
-IMF - loose translation - Imperial money fund.
-Small arms sales from the US and others
-Interventionist politics and gunboating
-Marginal access to developped markets
-Multinationals, Energy-, Agro- and Pharmabusinesses
-Loanserving
-Corruption

Maybe this ad-campaign did not go far enough. Little, painted, skulls might have done the trick...

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What I see is a consciousness-raising campaign that says - it's a child, whatever its color - color isn't even skin-deep - read the picture as of a white child for whom there are no teachers - feel your concern - now read it as a picture of a black child - does your feeling of concern ease off? shame, shame! - standards of educational availability apply to -any- child. It's a brilliant ad when understood that way and in a fine tradition of 60s/70s CR campaigning.

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At first I was shocked and up set but after taking into account the German perspective (versus an African-American one) I dont think they really ment any harm but at the same point it doesnt achieve its intended purpose..which is to help uneducated africans in a clear strong message.. the message is relayed with other demeaning/confusing ideas...
there are other ways to get the message across and this ad doesnt do the job

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Step 1...Click me....
RRAC
Step 2 ..scroll down looking on the right column until you get
to ARCHIVES.................
Step 3 ..Click the 5/1/2006 to 6/1/2006 date range...Voila!!
Thursday, May 04, 2006
"Violent Racism Out of Control" in Russia.....READ IT!!!
Step 4..there are four links at the bottom of the article:
Racism in Russia is out of control: Amnesty (doesn't work)
==Russian racism 'out of control' ==
==Amnesty accuses Kremlin of inaction as racism spins 'out of ..==
==Russia: Racism 'Out Of Control,' Says Amnesty==
The last link is particularly instructive fellas...why one can almost smell the stench of european white racist neonazi vermin who stomp and knife little girls to death.
Ah..but you say THAT'S in Russia....Not so fast 'Hans'...
RACISM AGAINST BLACKS IS A GROWING TREND IN EUROPE
Global News Digest
AP News, Newsweek International, Globe & Mail (South Africa)
June 10, 2006..here's a little excerpt:
These fears were highlighted last month when Uwe-Karsten Heye, a former government minister, lamented the fact -- in a radio interview -- that people with dark skin "might not make it out alive" if they dared set foot in certain towns, especially in the Bradenburg region around Berlin. About the same time an African-German organization offered to publish a list of "no-go" areas for the benefit of World Cup visitors. Public response, both to Heye's statement and the African group's offer, was highly critical and disfavorable, to say the least.
The tendency to downplay racism directed at blacks and other people of color while highlighting threats represented by neo-Nazism and right-wing violence is not only a German phenomenon. All across Europe, the emphasis seems always to be on the right-wing as a fringe non-representative element, and on that basis officials make their explanations of incidents of racism in society. People of color all over Europe are saying, as strongly as they can, that such responses are not adequate.
United Kingdom and The Netherlands
In Britain where a black teen was killed last July with an ax embedded in his skull by white men "shouting racist taunts," the focus of media and government is -- as in other European centers -- not on endemic racism in society, but on right wing extremism.

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Why are we surprised?! Correct me if I am wrong ...but are these not the people that thought Hitler was da shit ?! To be born without color is a birth defect caused by a recessive gene ... you don't think that the mind is affected?

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I WISH I had the time right now to expound on how ludicrous this ad campaign is.

First off, campaign's for helping little African children have been a fad amongst "liberal" foundations for at least the last two decades...It would be foolish to say that none of these campaign's have served an adequate purpose, or rather, a purpose that could legitimately be tied into a fruitful reality for African children. I suppose that there is an ad or group of ads out there that have saved African lives. THANK GOD FOR THOSE AD'S! Who knows, this ad campaign may actually save a small African village from famine.

Thank you, AD!!! Thank you for inspiring the pro-active nature in those people who would have otherwise not ever known about the depressive state of Africa...right?

People, are you kidding me??? Government agencies and liberal foundations have studied TO DEATH the African as a substitute for a serious international effort to combat poverty. That's why right now any one of you can quote statistics relative to it's impoverished state. That's nice...it's really cool that you know about the absence of teachers and the absence of school books, and even the ratio comparative to Africa's neighbors and peers world wide. That's cool...BUT THAT KNOWLEDGE IS IN NO WAY REFLECTIVE OF A COUNTRY/NATION COMMITTED TO THE DILIGENCE AND SACRIFICE REQUIRED TO STOMP OUT AFRICAN POVERTY.

Now, on to the obvious display of the beauty of black children painted on white faces. No racism there....right?

Hold on, wait... I just found another ad campaign designed to draw attention towards poor Filipino children who may be sold as sex slaves...the same white kids above are back, but look...THIS TIME THEY'RE GRABBING THE CORNERS OF THEIR EYES AND STRETCHING THEM ACROSS THEIR FACES. Next to the faces are statistics, like, "one in four of people who look like me will be raped mercilessly by men over the age of 30."

LOL, if it really takes mud plastered over white kid's faces to understand the intensity behind starving potential in Africa....then the world has a long way to go before acknowledging the culture and relevance behind a wondrous nation. Then again, we tend to only give mind to other cultures that are contributing to our idea of a global economy, I suppose that's enough to make us a "cultured" peoples.


A nation is like a person, and the first step towards a person recovering with a personal issue is ADMITTING THE EXISTENCE OF THE ISSUE WITHIN THE PERSON. So, as a nation, let's admit the existence of racism in the sub conscience, and move from there.

I mean, seriously, who is this ad for?

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The Germans are sacrey people. Scared to show love for mankind. Jealous of the beatiful Brown people of Africa and the U.S. Brazil,Bahamas, Europe, Aisa,South America. We are everwhere. A hateful man is like a wild dog that goes around barking and trying to attack everyone. The reason the dog is wild is because he was never been properly socialized when he was a puppy. I blame your parents and there parents for not teaching you to love everyone. Brown people are not going anywhere so get used to us. Love us or leave us alone.We all came from somewhere. Think about who really put you here and why? To be hateful. You must be out of your mind. Karma is real. What you put out you will get back. Be very careful with your life.I am African American and i have the courage to say i love all of you.German or not. Can you be the man i am? Do you have the courage i have? But you think we are less than you. Who is acting like they are less now?Let love in your life and you will never have a dull day. Peace to Germany and Africa. Let love run your life not hate. Wake up Brothers. we are all in this together.An to the woman of Germany. We love you to.And we wish peace and enlightment to all the people of Germany and the World. It's not worth it to hate. It invalidates your life. It drains you and make you miss. out on all the love that people want to share with you. My ancesters were slaves brought to America to work for the prosperity of another. But i am not bitter. Bitterness is self defeating. Love conquers all. Love is more powerful than the mighty ocean,a mightybomb,a mighty gun and a evil mind.Rise up Germany and choose love. Greetings from America.

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Black Face on little white children? are you serious? I would expect something like this from just plain ignorant people, and white people none the less, but UNICEF threw me for a loop. How does an organization that normally promotes nothing but good things like Education and tolerance attempt to set black people, my people, back to a place in time that was so painful, deeaning, and gut-wrenching. It's downright wrong. who ever the master-minds behind this "Idea" were should be fired, And UNICEF should be really careful who they let represent them. It doesn't matter if this ad ran in Germany, the United stated, or Iraq, they had a responsibility of holding up the integrity of this organization. It's a slap in the face to African/African American people and to those who fought and died so that we would no longer have to endure that type of pain and humiliation. And don't chuck this comment up to just another angry BLACK woman, chuck it up to an Educated one, who could not and will not sit idle by and let my people be taken advantage of. The potentially beautiful message lost it's weight when they Put those children in black face. It just sad to see what type of people are molding our future. This ad shows me that they(who ever is responsible for the creation and distibution of this ad) are breeding a generation who thinks it is okay to play on the HURT of a people!
With Pain,
Connie

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UNICEF almost certainly commissioned a high priced commercial ad agency to do the 'dirty deed'..so to
speak... NOW WHO MIGHT THAT BE????? Hmmmmmmm..
A suspect comes quickly to mind....they should be taken to task ...... :O)

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I am shocked at UNICEFT. What a horible display of racism. Will this world ever stop looking at skin color and just look at us being The Human Race.

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"in africa, kids don't come to school late, but not at all" (!)
...
Besides claiming that every single person in "Africa" isn't educated...

You can't see it in the images used in the article, but in smaller type it says "In Africa kann jedes zweites kind nicht zur schule gehen," (In Africa, every second child can't go to school,) followed by something about everybody having to commit to the cause* to change that, yada-yada-yada, Angela Merkel, G8, Millennium Goal etc etc.

The simplistic statements in big type are just attention grabbers. The actual message is the bit between the lines.

it is also disturbing that this organisation thinks blackfacing kids with mud (!)

It's very obviously not mud, but some kind of makeup.

---------------------------------------------------------
* The blackfaced kids also seem to be a play on the German idiom used there, "Farbe bekennen", which literally means something along the lines a of "announcing/showing ones color".

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I don't think so. That ad department knew exactly what this meant and how it was going to be seen as offensive. Blacks in germany were treated the same way jews were and Minstrel shows were popular then too. Cmon guys .... seriously?

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well... first point (which may have been made already... i'm too drunk and too lazy to read all the comments)... the way they list the the ad's and the translations is about arse backwards.... what is labled as "first kid" is actually the one at the bottom... 2nd kid is the one at the top... 3rd kid is actually in the right position (hey 1 of 4 aint bad)... 4th kid is 2nd from the top and i'd argue about the translation... blöd is more evil/bad than suck but lets not nit pick...

second point... if this ad ran in america yes it would've been all shiat upon (case in point i found it linked to fark.com (wonderful site) and the by line was "Good to know tasteless marketing expands beyond american borders")... well... lets take a look at the population of "colored people" vs "others" in america and then again in germany... i'm sure you'll find a skew higher in america... just a guess... and i'm too lazy to fact check ect to make my point ... that being the "supposed" case... would you appeal to a small minority in your country by plastering actual african children or would you try to actually try to invoke a sympathetic audience by appealing to the masses... i guess its a no brainer but then again the germans are evil... i mean god forbid ... no other civilization has done atrocious things in times of hardship...

now as an added note... the last part of my comment isn't designed to apologize or legitimacise the holocaust... IT HAPPENED... having been to auschwitz and dachau as well as growing up next door to a survivor of the latter i do not try to make excuses for the mob mentality that was rampant at the time... but guess what... its not 1940 anymore.... and i would dare ANYONE to take a look at the history of their own country and not see even the smallest reflection of that... humanity is the root of all evil and the spring of all goodness...

that being said... FLAME ON

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Hitler and his cronies might be gone, but nothing has really changed in Germany. "Oh, you Americans don't understand us." Bullshit. We understand you only too well.

Besides, it isn't Americans you have to worry about offending. It's Black people, whether they be African Americans or not. And it's pretty obvious that if you're defending this crap, then you don't REALLY give a damn what Black people think.

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According to press reports, Van Themsche, while being treated in hospital, confessed to police – and allegedly to friends before committing the murder – to specifically targeting non-whites. Of the 2-year old (white) child, Van Themsche said she was "in the wrong place at the wrong time."[1] Her death however, was not incidental, since the rifle had to be reloaded before each next shot. The killer allegedly told his interrogators that "the presence near a black was sufficient reason" to kill the toddler.
BELGIUM
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Off-duty Swiss soldiers stop neo-Nazi attack on Africans
GENEVA - A group of off-duty Swiss soldiers rescued three black men from a neo-Nazi attack and pursued the extremists until police arrived, police said Friday. The soldiers happened on the attack early Thursday close to Geneva's main train station. The eight neo-Nazis were verbally abusing and assaulting the African men when the soldiers intervened. Police said the six soldiers shielded the victims and chased the attackers until officers arrived. Four Swiss, three Frenchmen, a Briton and one Frenchwoman ages 18 to 27 were arrested in the attack.
In the following link be certain to follow the Ashton link within
and the imagery links in the Ashton comments posted by 'Andy Konky Kru',e.g.Congo sample page (large scan)
TIN

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This does not say that nobody is educated in Africa.
I think the meaning is that white children in Germany,... or where ever, should be grateful that they have access to education, and should make the most of it, and it states that many people in Africa would like an education, but can't get any because it is not available to them.

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Perhaps the ads were meant to say very bluntly that Europeans would never tolerate for their own kids the deplorable conditions that black kids in Africa suffer daily. The depiction of the white Euro kids in blackface could be intended as a "reality hack" to catch the attention of jaded first-worlders who would ignore these messages in any other form.

I agree that they made an unwise choice (especially in having the kids smiling as if they were enjoying "playing black") but I don't think they were necessarily being racist. It's bad enough the conservatives are knee-jerk reactionaries, let's not go down that path ourselves.

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Just because the US has a history of bad associations with blackface, they are not entitled to label others' genuine efforts of aid as misguided.

I am from South Africa, so let me be clear: YOU HAVE MISINTERPRETED THE ADVERTISEMENT.

For that you might choose to hold the advertiser to blame, but you should first look to your preconceptions.

I see no such qualitative judgements about race and social standing here. What I see is my child transposed in Africa, where education is a privilege; a concept that westerners just don't understand. The mud is a metaphor for the disparity between our access to education; it is not some sophomoric comment about their humanity or their destituteness.

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Outraged by an act of solidarity? Unfortunately, yes, that happens too...

Are African Sangomas being racist when they paint themselves white?
http://www.afripics.com/home/photos/images/photo_81249.php
Sangoma

We are so incredibly blind to what really matters in this issue.

Jennifer Brea responds well here: http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/jennifer_brea/

but almost all of us are missing the point.

The rage in your heart about what the "other" is doing is your first priority right now. Transforming that rage into healthful, productive, nourishing love is your challenge. Take up the challenge and resolve your inner anger. Transform your rage into loving action and make a difference.

Blaming the "Germans" here simply won't help. What steps will you take right now to create a harmonious loving inner world? When you look at yourself in the mirror, do you see someone who is angry about what "others" are doing, or do you see someone who is content, happy, and extending that happiness graciously to others?

Right now, decide to make a difference in yourself first. Understand that hurting others is wrong, but that misguided good intentions often hurt. Allow yourself to see what really matters...allow yourself to resolve the hatred IN YOU!

Outrage is just rage dressed in a thin coat. Rage is a dark energy promiscuously feeding on the American mind, multiplying incestuously and wrenching every last bit of loving energy from your precious soul. But you can choose to cast off the parasite of rage, and while reading this message, right now, you can say to yourself "I cast off all rage for now and forever, thank you." And with that, the parasite of rage has no more power over you. If you need additional help, seek it, find it, and you will be free of the torturous cycle of ineffectiveness being forced on you.

Leave the Germans alone. Let the rage go. Bring harmony, love, peace, light, and joy into your heart, into your home, into your relationships...no matter how strained...and do it...NOW!

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I don't believe that these ads were intended to be racist. It appears, to me, that along with the comparison between German children and African children in the words on the signs, the "mud" on their faces is meant to show that, in a way, African children are so much like German children... i.e., they need school, so send UNICEF money, please!

The unfortunate thing about this campaign is that its creator obviously is very ignorant about the history of "black face" entertainment and racism. Then again, I wonder if Germany ever had that in their culture in the first place? I don't know, but I'm sure it wasn't as a big deal as it was here in America.

Point? We need to get over stuff like this. You're all like the guy who argues, "White? Why does the milk always have to be white? It's a conspiracy!" Sheesh.

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Obviously they had good intentions (raising awareness) in posting the ad. That doesn't preclude the ad from being racist. Do I really have to explain that??

It is just inappropriate and offensive for white people to put mud or paint on their faces and pretend to be black. Newsflash: it offends black people. Blacks have never "accepted" it -- only whites, the oppressors, found it acceptable. Blacks are not amused by whites' enjoyment of black caricatures. If I costumed myself in some "Jewish" way, or made my face look Asian, guess what? Jews and Asians would be offended, because I am not Jewish and I'm not Asian.

Why is it even necessary to do blackface? Shocking revelation: There are millions of blacks in the world if you need a model for some advertisement. Otherwise, if you want to use a white model, the model should appear in the ad as their white self. Make the point in the ad with words.

Anyway, once UNICEF learned that the ad was regarded as offensive, they pulled it. I appreciate that they were willing to admit their error and correct it.

I'm disappointed in all the white people that are defending this. You all really need to become civilized. Step into this age of enlightenment. All of the uncivilzed acts that white people got away with 40 years ago and before are unacceptable.

--Kerry

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This is not related to this story -- more so to some of the bloggers' claims about Europe not being racist. Europe is a very racist region of the world. I am a human righst lawyer, and have lived and worked in Europe. I've worked on cases of discrimination against Roma (gypsies) in Europe. The white people in Europe do some really horrible things to Roma people, such as sterilizing Roma women without their consent, not allowing Roma to live in certain neighborhoods, etc. This is a serious and widespread problem throughout Europe.

Also, anyone that has spent time in certain cities in Europe can attest to the fact that neo-Nazism is alive and well there.

As I stated above, this is not related to the article per se, but more to people's misguided comments on the article in defense of European sensibility.

Please don't comment on things that you don't have knowledge about.

--Kerry

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Russia investigates report of killing by Neo-Nazis
By C.J. Chivers Published: August 14, 2007
MOSCOW: The Russian authorities said Tuesday that they were investigating a video recording of what appeared to be the grisly execution of two bound and gagged young men, filmed in a forest beneath a large Nazi flag. At least one of the men was beheaded on camera as he lay in a shallow grave.
The video, which appeared Sunday on several Russian ultranationalist Web sites, circulated on the Internet with a note from a previously unknown organization that called itself the National-Socialist Party of Russia. The note announced that a "military vanguard" had begun an armed struggle against "black colonists and those who support them from the Russian government."
Slightly less than three minutes long, the video begins with scenes of the countryside and the title, "Operation of the National-Socialist Party of Russia to arrest and execute two colonists from Dagestan and Tajikistan." For a date, it lists
only 2007. The video then shows two terrified dark-skinned men kneeling in the forest under a Nazi flag. Each man speaks through a gag in accented Russian, saying only, "We were arrested by National Socialists." One has been bound with heavy tape, the other with rope.
One of their captors shouts "Glory to Russia!" and then lunges forward and decapitates one of the men with what appears to be a large knife. Heavy metal music plays throughout.
IHT
CHRON
I watched the video..it's not too hard to find on the net.
..there's nothing clever for me to say......

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I'm a male of African ascendence residing in America. I am not American. I come from the Caribbean. The writer seems to confuse the conclusion for the premise. One may not conclude the veracity of a conclusion while denying that of the premise. Many things may look similar but the reason for their existence may be very different.
It struck me as weird that mud would be used by an advertising company chosen by UNICEF. How was that confirmed or corroborated? I understood the ad clearly. It attempts to indicate that while some German children may not value what they have, there are children in Africa who would were they to have the same opportunities. It also indicates that were it not for visual prejudice we would notice that "black" is just pigmentation and underneath it's all that same; CHILDREN.
I did not grow up in America and did not receive my primary education from here either.
Let me point out what has always offended me ever since I first became aware of the world around me. Black women who perm their hair, use extensions and above all weaves. They all aim at a look that distinctly rejects any trace of the original. The weave and extension will be of a grade much closer to that of a Caucasian, Sino-Asian or maybe even Asian than anything they were born with. Now that's offensive to me who thinks that there isn't and shouldn't be anything wrong with my hair. That is more offensive to me than a black face.
Not every person of African ascendence perms, extends or weaves their hair but a great majority do. They will often put the blame on others saying that they will not be accepted with their natural hair in the work place and other similar defensive claims. That may be so but if you don't fight you will not gain your freedom. It should be said also that they continue to do so because many males of African ascendence and Caucasian males who date an marry them do not complain. The idea of personal choice is often thrown about as self defense. Then there is the lack of will to fight something from which one draws benefits.
This is all to say that I don't think that the writer's claims about the UNICEF ad were justified at all and that there are many things in the arena of self image that are much more problematic. It's not about appearances or what people are going to think about it, but what it actually is. That is a very difficult thing to have in a very religious environment (a great part of the Afro American community is religious) where objective and rational thought is not encouraged nor fostered. People want to be made to feel good. The idea of opinion is substituted for a reasoned and rational analysis. Every one gets to feel good about what they think they feel, even if they don't understand anything about the subject about which they feel. In America, the other person's "opinion" counts too much over one's own. Many people do not realize that it is a form of control.
The first amendment gives people in the US the right to freely express their ideas. The basis for the notion is originally not a result of a legal conclusion but of philosophical reasoning which has found its place in law. By that, it's a humanly valid statement. For an American to think that abridging the speech of an individual instead of demonstrating the fallacies contained therein is an affront to their constitution and its talented drafters.

Badiane

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