Blogger Aisha Harris unleashed a major controversy last week by writing a post arguing that Santa Claus should no longer be white. That article prompted Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly to say on air that Santa, like Jesus, is “just white.” (After the firestorm of criticism, Kelly defended her characterization of Santa, but admitted that she recently learned Jesus was probably not white.)
But as Gabriel San Roman at O.C. Weekly notes, Rage Against the Machine frontman Zack de la Rocha blazed that trail 20 years ago during a performance in 1993 for the Almost Acoustic Christmas concert put on by Los Angeles-area radio station KROQ.
Midway into “Take the Power Back” -- a biting criticism of the racial dynamics of the school system that presaged the fight over Mexican American Studies in Arizona -- de la Rocha rips into Saint Nick, saying:
When I say 'no more lies' I'm telling you that we're not here to celebrate this lie that is Christmas with images of Santa, this prosperous white man bringing presents and good hope to the communities of our country is a fat lie, and is one installed only to legitimize the falsehood which is white supremacy!
Listen to de la Rocha's anti-white Santa comments in the video above and check out some of the Rage lyrics that may have inspired U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) to back immigration reform below.
H/T: O.C. Weekly.
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