CHRISTMAS NOT MERRY FOR BLACK KIDS

CHRISTMAS NOT MERRY FOR BLACK KIDS

DURHAM, N.C. (Wireless Flash) – An African-American preacher in Durham, North Carolina, has a bone to pick with the traditional white Christmas. Reverend Paul Scott, who calls himself “The Ebony Ebenezer Scrooge,” wants black families to know they don’t have to accept “the traditional white Christmas” that is marketed to them. 34-year-old Scott says people should realize the idea of a fat white man coming down the chimney might be “damaging” to black kids who are discovering their own roots. That’s why Scott thinks Anglo images like the “blonde, blue-eyed baby Jesus” should be replaced by “Yeshua,” a black, dreadlocked Baby Jesus, whom he believes was the true Biblical messiah, according to scriptures. Scott also thinks holiday TV needs a wake up call – saying the only black character in A Charlie Brown Christmas, Franklin, “...didn’t even talk Black.”

Thu 12-13-01