Mattel has released a NEW black Barbie doll. She has fuller lips, curlier hair and other features that the company says more accurately represents African-American women. The doll was created by Stacy McBride-Irby, an African-American who watched her daughter play with dolls and wanted to create a doll that looked more like her. "The new Barbie means so much to me because she came from a positive place," McBride-Irby said. "My daughter loves the doll. I've had dads thank me for creating this line of dolls that represent their little girls. These dolls are for girls all over the world."This is not the first time Mattell released an ethnic doll. In the 1990s, Mattel released a Latina Barbie and a series of ethnic Barbies. Many parents applaud the release of ethnically diverse dolls. iReporters say their little girls want to play with dolls that "look just like me."
As I was reading this article, I thought about Tom Tancredo's assimilation quote: "Throughout history,
people who are NOT WHITE Anglo-Saxon (Northern European) have become American by adopting a WHITE Anglo-Saxon (Northern European) culture." Tom Tancredo wants all minorities to ASSIMILATE to some Mayberrian Vision he has in his mind. He wants minorities to drop their Color. Drop their music. Drop their dance moves. And transform into Alfred E Newman. Just like he did.Tancredo's problem: He does not understand that our country has continued to evolve ethnically and culturally over the last two centuries. We are not and have never been Northern Europe. Additionally, our cultural identity has NEVER stood still. We are not the America of 1776, 1865, 1950, 1980 or even 2000.
The lesson Barbie is teaching Tom Tancredo: There is BEAUTY IN DIVERSITY! America is a land of Immigrants. We are the world's ideal. We are the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave. We do not have to assimilate to WHITE Northern Europeans. We are our own unique country. We are NOT going to assimilate to his picture of White European Alfred E Newman. We are going to be ourselves, Americans. And, as minorities grow in number, we want dolls that look like us, food we like to eat and music we enjoy. Every American does.
I love America. We are a melting pot/salad bowl. We are a land of Immigrants.
"E pluribus unum: out of many one. One state made of many states. One culture made of many cultures. One tribe made of many tribes. One clan made of many clans. One family made of many families. Made of individuals as unique and precious as life itself. "
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