white santa

Earlier this week, writer Aisha Harris composed an essay asking for a more inclusive and culturally sensitive Christmas holiday figure.  Harris argued that the image of Santa Claus as a jolly, fat white man propagates the idea of whiteness as a default category, and suggested that he be replaced with a penguin.

Of course Fox News got wind of this story and had to be, well, Fox News. Anchor Megyn Kelly not only reassured folks that Santa and Jesus were white, but went on to address the “discomfort” felt by minorities due to the “truth.”

From Salon:

“Just because it makes you feel uncomfortable doesn’t mean it has to change,” she said (unintentionally providing a sort of mantra for conservatism vis-à-vis race). “You know, I mean, Jesus was a white man, too. He was a historical figure; that’s a verifiable fact — as is Santa, I want you kids watching to know that — but my point is: How do you revise it, in the middle of the legacy of the story, and change Santa from white to black?”

Read more at Salon

 

Of course, this is just another example of Fox News anchors being weird, silly, and frankly, dumb. But Harris poses an interesting question.

 

Would you support a “makeover” for Christmas’ most visible spokesperson?

What/who would you recommend?

Sound off below!