Madrid’s white politicians ‘must stop blacking up’ for Three Kings parade
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Version 0 of 1. Tired of seeing white politicians “black up” for a children’s post-Christmas street parade, almost 62,000 people have signed an online petition demanding that Madrid council choose a black man to play the role of Balthazar in the city’s Three Kings cavalcade next week. Arguing that “it is senseless and unnecessary in this day and age for the king Balthazar to be a white man painted black”, signatories of the petition on change.org have criticised what they see as an offensive and anachronistic practice. “Children aren’t stupid; they realise it’s a con when they see a white man who has blacked up,” said one signatory. “Children must know that black people are not just immigrants on boats or street vendors without papers,” remarked another. Madrid city hall insists the choice is not racist but simply traditional. Since the return of democracy after the death of Franco, the right to be one of the Three Kings has been decided by city councillors drawing lots. “We don’t have any non-white councillors, and nor can I remember there being any,” a spokeswoman explains, adding that representatives of the People’s party, Socialists and UPyD centrist grouping from the 57-strong assembly will pose as Magi next week. A year ago Diego Cruz, the leader of the council’s Socialist group, said publicly that the parade should represent Madrid’s multi-ethnic diversity. But nothing seems to have changed. “Madrid has become a different city since this tradition began and the truth is that city hall has not changed so much. But I think it would be cheating to change this and feel we have solved the diversity issue,” says Cruz, arguing that the key problem is a lack of political representation for ethnic minorities. For Esteban Ibarra, the leader of Spain’s Movement Against Intolerance, the underlying problem is that the public presence of minorities is virtually non-existent. Spain’s national parliament and regional assemblies are devoid of members with a non-European background. “As well as black people, Gypsies, Muslims or Jews do not have any public presence either. Spain reflects its diversity poorly and this is reflected in ridiculous incongruences such as having a white councillor blacking up to be Balthazar,” he said. |