Asterix is harmful for children

This is for anyone who thinks that political correctness is an English-speaking phenomenon.

The cartoon exploits of Astérix may be enjoyed by millions of children around the world, but the ancient Gaulish hero has just been declared unfit to be official ambassador for children's rights. He is too French, too violent, he perpetuates stereotypes and his outlook conflicts with the spirit of the European Union.

That, at least, is the view of the French branch of Defence for Children International (DCI). Astérix and his fat friend Obélix ran into trouble after Dominique Versini, the state Children's Defender adopted them to promote the United Nations convention on the Rights of Children. Albert Uderzo, the 80-year-old co-creator of Astérix produced an online album and devoted the proceeds of his birthday tribute album this year to the children's cause.

The DCI organisation says that Astérix conveys an "archaic...hierarchical" world at odds with the "revolutionary" values of the 1989 convention. This stresses the child's existence as a being with rights while children in Astérix are fragile objects that need to be protected, said Jean-Pierre Rosenczveig, a senior juvenile judge who heads the French DCI.

Astérix also projects "a Gaulish vision which ignores the intercultural reality of French society," they say. His constant resistance against the Romans and other foreign invaders sends altogether the wrong message in the peace-loving European Union.

In a 19-point list, the organisation lists the other negative ideas that Astérix projects. "The universe of Astérix and Obélix, two characters devoid of parents, spouses or children, makes few references to family relationships and these are most often reduced to conjugal relations and stereotype representations," it says. There was no room for "gangs of trouble-making and challenging children," it said.

It congratulated Obélix for tackling the problem of obesity but faulted the cartoon for failing to deal with unsanitary housing. The child defenders are also upset that Astérix delivers "a eulogy to tribal, hierarchical, society with frequent references to a chief." The right to education is sadly depicted by a woman school-teacher telling pupils: "Get into rows in silence please," adds the DCI.

Versini, a former junior minister who was appointed by President Chirac last year, called the fuss "a storm in a teacup". "We thought that the adventures of Astérix would enable us to speak to children about their rights with humour and tenderness," she told Le Monde. Her campaign continues over the objections of the rights organisation.

They used to split French cartoon fans into two camps: Astérix and Tintin. If you loved one, you didn't go for the other. I have always been a Tintinophile. The world of the late Hergé's boy reporter is far richer and deeper than the antics of Astérix (more on that later). After the death in 1977 of René Goscinny, the brilliant story writer, the Uderzo-only Astérix lost its satirical side and has since played to sentiment. Behind their jargon, his detractors at the Défense des Enfants International just seem to be annoyed by the wholesome childish flavour of this Astérix world.

Comments

[Sandrine]

oups, I always loved both of them !! Anyway, I think Dominique Versini had a great idea. Asterix is a great petit bonhomme ! And my daughter will read his stories too, just as she reads and loves the Disney fairy tales...

[christopher muir]

A simply ridiculous decision. Our friends Asterix and Obelisk will outlive these humourless bureaucrats who profess to know what's best for children - and I suspect they have, in their misguided pomposity, the welfare of parents in mind too. I seem to recall that Babar the Elephant once became a hot topic for discussion because the political correctness police tried to equate the jungle scenes with French colonialism.

[Jonathan]

I'm grateful to Astrix and Tintin for giving me a joy in reading as a child (and adult). No doubt dull and humourlous eurocrats would have our children cutting their reading teeth on something more substantial - like a copy of the Maastricht Treaty for example.

[John]

With some people, it's always something, isn't it?

And as much as I hate feeling like someone's got me pegged, the Tintin/Asterix either-or fits me exactly. I lived in Tours for my junior year in college some 25 years ago, and tried both cartoons, but only the Goscinny-era Asterix kept my attention. With the hype machine revving up for the new Tintin film, maybe I'll give the guy another chance.

[richard jones]

Things are getting bad for children. They can't watch or read Asterix; they should not watch the Teletubbies because one of the guys (I always thought they were androgynous) carries a handbag. What can they read and watch? Aren't Harry Potter and Pirates of the Carribean too violent and traumatic?
Gaston Lagaffe next to be banned I suppose on the grounds of anti-handicap.
Perhaps all children would be safer with the European Union Constitution!!! It could be published as a nice little pocket-sized red book.

[Dominique]

Jean-Pierre Rosenczveig is an idiot. His blog on Le Monde is full of his phantasies.

This political correctness turns out into some sort of reverse racism mixed with a post 68 idealism considering the child as a responsible citizen.

He said Asterix was too "french". Does it mean now that being french means being anything but gallic? He probably does not even notice that what he says is very dangerous indeed. France needs an identity to integrate new comers. Asterix is not the worst stereotype to be used from time to time. He lives in a village where all inhabitants spend their time loosing it with sensless fights about details. Quite a french habit indeed, wether gallic or not.

As for his hatred for autority and the school stereotypes destribed in Asteric's albums, he just goes on with his political fight against Sarkozy. For those of you who do not know, he is the judge for children of Bobigny, who was accused by Sarkozy of being too soft with the minors that were involved in the 2005 riots. Rosenczveig is heralding the idea that these riots were "social" riots and that minors are not responsible. I am not saying he is right or wrong, i just want to stress that Rosenczveig is in Rachida Dati's visor and will probably not last very long at his post. This needs to be known for anderstanding this "asterix" issue.

Jean-Pierre Rosenczveig obviously wants to change France into some sort of USA or Australia, with an identity based on immigration, with natives being discriminated against and locked into reserves (maybe surrounded with "roman" garnisions). He does not understand that immigration is part of the french identity, but part only. The french identity is made of more that 2000 years of immigration, and has always had to mix the newcomers with the natives. That is called "SYNCRETISATION". That happend with the romans (civilisation gallo romaine), the francs (babaric invasion as well as christianisation), the normans invasions (now peacefully living in normandy), the 19th century european immigration with the industrial revolution, the 20th century immigration with the spanish republicans, polish workers, russions escaping the bolcheviks, italians, portuguese, Rosenczveig's parents, former colonies etc...

All of them did pay duty to the former natives, Asterix and his friends, by mixing with them, taking their habits (us et coutumes) and bringing some of theirs. That's the way it should be. Racism against the natives is clearly not the way!

[Alison]

How sad that the DCI should have so completely missed the point of A&O. Most of the humour relies on stereotypes, the more wildly inaccurate the better; so the Brits boil all their food and the Swiss can't say 'sh' sounds properly; that's WHY it's daft.

[Dominique]

I meant "SYNCRETISM" and not "SYNCRETISATION" (sorry for gallicism)

[Daniel Strohl]

As Christopher Muir puts it
rightly : « A simply ridiculous decision »; I would put it more bluntly in French : « C'est débile! ». A quote from Schiller may also apply : « Gegen Dummheit kämpfen Götter selbst vergebens » - even gods fight in vain against stupidity (see note).

Allow me a personal anecdote relative to René Goscinny. In 1963, I was serving in the French merchant navy, on a passenger ship (paquebot mixte). Line France – Spain – Portugal - Brazil – Argentina. On the way down to Argentina, we had René Goscinny on board as « passager de marque », although he was not yet as famous at that time as he became later. He was a very sympathetic gentleman, may be somewhat reserved, but with a sound appetite. I remember distinctly a funny fotograph of him sitting in front of a luxuriously dressed table, both elbows on the table, with a knife in the right hand and a fork in the left hand, both instruments pointing upwards. His serviette was around his neck – this photograph was published in « La revue des Messageries Maritimes » printed on « papier glacé » – Messageries Maritimes was a then renowned navigation company which unfortunately does no more exist.

René Goscinny made short interviews of representatives of the main functions on board – deck, engine, hôtellerie, radio ... He shot also some photographs which he used in an article he published in « Pilote » - he was « rédacteur en chef » of this « journal pour enfants et adolescents ». I still have an exemplary of that issue of « Pilote ». I am on one of the photographs, and am therefore able to admire myself with plenty of hair on the top of my head ...

Note : the minister mentioned by Charles belonged to a government which of course had opposition from the left. Many of the French magistrates are organised in left leaning unions (mildly said).

PS : I just have read Dominique's commentary with great interest. He has sent a big torpedo right on the waterline of Mr.Rozenczveig or may be below it ...I didn't know all the details mentioned in the commentary.

I have noticed a short time ago that Dominique speaks German; may be he will appreciate the Schiller quote!

[Paula]

With an Australian Federal Election due later this year some cartoonists have been having fun using the Tintin image for the new Leader of the Opposition Kevin Rudd. But no more, there have been complaints...not from the politician, but from the creator of Tintin. It's a great pity because the resemblance is uncanny.

[Dominique]

D.Strohl,

Es ist aber shade dass Gott die Dummheit einfach geschaft hat. Vielheicht ist (war?) er auch ein bischen ...dumm?

sorry for being politically incorrect.

[Alexander]

I don't think Vitalstatistix could ever be seen as a poster boy for 'tribal, hierarchical, society'. If anything, the village is badly run and anarchic, the chieftan is a pompous idiot and it's only held together by magic potion and Asterix's brains and willingness to go out in the world. A good metaphor for modern France?

[christopher muir]

Dominique, somehow the Asterix & Obelisk discussion is drifting, like a boat from Africa, towards the subject of immigration which nowadays pretty well touches all developed countries. I hope that France can maintain its appealing traditional habits, but it will require measured tactics if the projected population numbers of foreign born residents and their children are correct. Language, history and civics exams are confronting new arrivals everywhere. While those on French territory might await any newly devised tests, I hope that first they can thumb through copies of Asterix and Obelisk to understand French humour; better they do that than ponder on the writings of the former Dutch politician Ayaan Hirsi Ali. She has unsettling predictions about the chances of Europe keeping its identity intact.

[Jim Lyons]

Nonsense! They are sick. Viva Asterix!

[Robert Marchenoir]

Children have no rights, whatever the United nations and assorted busybodies might say. Children have duties full stop, and adults have duties to children.

This is somewhat different, and something that the PC brigade fails to understand.

There was a country where the saying once went: children should be seen and not heard.

Thanks again to Charles Bremner for having published in detail the pretenses of these do-gooders. What I read in the French media was much shorter, to the point of obscurity.

Jean-Pierre Rosenczveig has always been an irritating member of the "moral" Left, but this is really over the top. This posturing is so terminally stupid, so debased, so pompous, it defies criticism.

Sarkozy should appoint him in a remote and cold place where he would hand parking fines.

Today, a representative of the left-wing judges' union, the Syndicat de la magistrature, said on the radio: "Harsher penalties have no deterring value". You really hear and read the most incredible things in this country.

One wonders, if she really thinks that way, why she took up that profession. Surely you do not voluntarily become a soldier if you think that armed force does not deter hostile intentions.

Unless all you really want is to destroy the institution from within. Indeed, when he gives interviews, Jean-Pierre Rosenczveig describes himself as a militant.

How can you be a judge and a militant? It does not make any more sense than a feline dog or a living dead.

[Sarah Hague]

I can't understand the point of trying to fit a series of stories about Roman era Gaul into the straitjacket of modern day political correctness. Asterix wasn't conceived for such a purpose and complaining that he is too violent etc to be an ambassador for children's rights is just stating the obvious.

No one with half a brain cell would even have considered the stories of Asterix and Obelix for such a purpose. I'm not sure that any good story or figure would fit the purpose actually. Where political correctness is involved only the most uncreative, boring and meritless tread.

In fact, if I was Uderzo, I'd be frankly petrified if my hero was used for such a purpose, knowing what they would turn a brave, independent, self-reliant hero like Asterix into.

I suppose Andy Pandy is too English...

[Frank Schnittger]

"Children have no rights, whatever the United nations and assorted busybodies might say. Children have duties full stop, and adults have duties to children." - Robert Marchenoir

I must take issue with the above statement by M. Marchenoir.

The Convention on the Rights of the Child is the most widely and rapidly ratified human rights treaty in history. 193 member states of the UN have ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child - the UN and Somalia being the only members that have failed to do so.

The Convention acknowledges that every child has certain basic rights, including the right to life, his or her own name and identity, to be raised by his or her parents within a family or cultural grouping and have a relationship with both parents, even if they are separated.

The Convention obliges states to allow parents to exercise their parental responsibilities. The Convention also acknowledges that children have the right to express their opinions and to have those opinions heard and acted upon when appropriate, to be protected from abuse or exploitation, to have their privacy protected and requires that their lives not be subject to excessive interference.

The Convention also obliges signatory states to provide separate legal representation for a child in any judicial dispute concerning their care and asks that the child's viewpoint be heard in such cases. The Convention forbids capital punishment for children.

The convention is different from the common law approach found in many countries that had previously treated children and wives as possessions or chattels, ownership of which was often argued over in family disputes.

The Convention also has two Optional Protocols, adopted by the General Assembly in May 2000 and applicable to those states that have signed and ratified them: The Optional protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict and the Optional protocol on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography.

Just what is your problem with all of this, Robert? Are children not entitled to certain legal protections in your view? Is it the work of "busybodies" to seek to protect them from slavery, prostitution and child pornography?

The whole point of giving legal rights to children is to protect them when adults fail in their duty towards them. Your approach: "children should be seen and not heard" would seem to try to bring us back to the Victorian age when child labour and exploitation in coal mines was commonplace.

Do you really want to let Somalia or Darfur set the standard for how children should be treated?

[elizabeth schumann]

I hear some Bible Belt governor is trying to have Harry Potter books pulled from of libraries for "witchcraft". Seems ridicule, alas, doesn't kill... That Rosenzweig has some thorny mind!!!

[Edward Welbourne]

Robert Marchenoir said:

"Today, a representative of the left-wing judges' union, the Syndicat de la magistrature, said on the radio: "Harsher penalties have no deterring value". You really hear and read the most incredible things in this country.

"One wonders, if she really thinks that way, why she took up that profession. ..."

You assume she had that opinion before taking up the profession.
What if, instead, years of experience of being a magistrate lead her to that opinion ?

What persuades you that her opinion is so incredible ?
I should not be at all surprised if the harshness of penalties has very little impact on the efficacy of the justice system; nor should I be surprised if it *does* have a material impact; one should conduct experiments to discover such matters - or learn from experience by, for example, being a magistrate for some years.
The likelihood of being caught - and the speed with which that happens - could plausibly have far more impact.
In any case, the one plain fact that is well-established in this connection is that most criminals are shockingly stupid - so don't be surprised if they fail to live up to your expectations of how reasonable folk would behave, if they had any sense.

On the other hand, repudiating Asterix as a champion is silly.
Partly because children identify with him (he's small and he gets respect despite not being officially in charge).
Partly because the authors subtly undermine the very stereotypes they are accused of promulgating.
But mostly because the stories are great fun and a joy to read !

Perhaps the bureaucrat's real problem is the anti-authoritarian theme; Asterix is never overtly anti-authoritarian - indeed, he's generally polite to authority and respects it - but the reader soon enough sees authority as a fool and the unauthorised Asterix as hero.
Just as we, who inhabit this comedy called reality, rapidly find the bureaucrats to be fools - and come to love the authors for what they have given us.

[Cultural Snow]

These French are crazy, by Toutatis!

[David Williams]

I am at a complete loss reading this. As a child Asterix and even more Obelix represented a fantasy world I adored and lept into so fully the comics even stirred a genuine interest in the history of the Roman Empire and Gaul at the time. I agree with the columnist, even at ten years old the satire even if not understodd fully of the Goscinny stories created a fuller more engrossing world. I can't recommend the books enough, the critics are frankly crazy.

[Cootsi]

Oy Vey Zmir! Rosenczveig!!!

[Valentin]

The very idea of 'children rights' is silly, in the sense that only adults can be spoken of as having or not having rights.
Children are not considered as such, therefore any issue affecting them should always be dealt with via their tutors, whoever they are - parents, relatives, the school, the city, the State.

Putting together a collection of obligations that adults and their institutions have towards children is a sensible and necessary thing to do. Speaking of these obligations as "children rights" is utter nonsense, since children are minor and unable to enjoy "rights".

As to the "right to life", this is the kind of stupid abstraction we see in all kinds of human rights treaties. We all have the right to live. DUH. We all have the "right to work" - on condition that unemployment is not too high. Right?

[Daniel Strohl]

EDWARD WELBOURNE,

The quoted judge might be right about the lack of deterring value of harsher penalties. But virtual-only penalties are no good either ...

If one looks at the problem from the other side, i.e. the point of view of the victims and/or of ordinary law abiding « citoyens », the latter may be upset by the fact that numerous "multi-récidivistes" are still arrogantly running around and in some cases even taunting their victims and police as well. If the existing law had been normally applied by more judges (this is their duty after all), less of the multirécidivistes would still be running and bragging around, hiring more and more younger boys for their various « jobs », i.e. drugs, and devoting themselves during their « off business time » to their favorite sport, car burning.

Of course, prison is not the sole solution. There is much work to do in the « banlieues » to improve housing, schools and job opportunities. This is easy to say, and difficult to implement. That's why it has hardly been made up to now, either by our left « bien-pensante » à la Rosenczveig, or by our « egoistic » right.

I like your commentary about Asterix.

DOMINIQUE,

You have used the pregnant word « idiot », which is understandable by anybody in French, English and German (and possibly in other languages as well). You may be interested to know that there is a more powerful German variant of it, i.e. « Vollidiot » - for not German speaking persons : Voll is pronounced « Foll » and means « full, plain ». However, this word – even if it is grammatically correct - should be used with care, since it is definitely not a compliment ...

[Dominique]

Daniel Strohl,

I used to use the word "doff" for a german idiot, eventhough i do not really remember how to spell it.

"du bist doff" was one of my favorite when i was a child!

[Daniel Strohl]

DOMINIQUE,

I think the correct spelling is "doof" - I just checked in my "Duden" - it is written with oo because doof is pronounced with a "long lasting" o.

[rocket]

If Dominique's German is like his English.... watch out we might have WWIII soon.

Is he also critical of the Germans?

[Costanzia]

I dont know why the DCI are spreading this sort of nonsense about Asterix. Children of the world plse tell them that on est tous des Gaulois, par Toutatis! I grew up on Asterix and never never get tired of it. To see for yourself an image of Asterix & Obelix, go to my BD link at http://www.equilio.com/multimedia.php?country=3&startID=2002&prevID=21&PHPSESSID=ea4484ae4c07a20bb8a6ca9a1bdd998b

[baber]

As a child and growing up I read Asterix as my first introduction to Europe. It had multiculturalism written all over it and the message that in the end, we werent all that different, just "toc-toc-toc".

That made me think of Europeans not as racist murderers, colonial, imperialist bastards but as normal people. If I hadnt get the message from Asterix at that tender age, the message from the bureacrats couldnt have been more different. And it was because of Asterix that I was able to appreciate what a great thing the European Union might be.
The bureaucrats are not just stupid, they want children to think of the EU from the riots we see on tv and all the problems that makes the news. For crying out loud!

Vive le Asterix!

[baber]

I loved both Tintin and Asterix and still do. I recommend them to all kids so that they grow up learning to appreciate other people, however different. Children's rights are good and very commendable but if kids don't get positive images like Asterix, they will turn to porn and that's not such a great idea.

Both Tintin and Asterix give multiculturalism a good name and political correctness is an ever changing concept anyway.

Maybe these DCI people don't have kids or certainly don't spend enough time with them because they're "too busy". If they did they might realize something about what kids need and why the office needs to stay outside the home.

[Olivier Brutin]

Love the columns but would like to make the small remark that Tintin is not french but Belgian!!Herge, just like Jacques Brel is an icon of our culture and we are very proud of them!!

Olivier Brutin

[jean-marc p.]

In Europe Asterix is considered a hero only by young readers of France and Belgique. This is due because of the racism and many stereotypes that you can find inside that comics. Asterix teachs you to hate the Romans, Egyptians, Britons and Goths are often represented as stupid folks, and so on. In addition he is a doped athlete. So, according to me, the decision is not "ridiculous" at all. Asterix cannot become the official ambassador for children's rights.

[j-m.p.]

In Europe Asterix is considered a hero only by young readers of France and Belgique. This is due because of the racism and many stereotypes that you can find inside that comics. Asterix teachs you to hate the Romans, while Egyptians, Britons and Goths are often represented as stupid folks, and so on. In addition he is a doped athlete. So, according to me, the decision is not "ridiculous". Asterix cannot become the official ambassador for children's rights.

[marion]

Agree. Imagine to publish a comics box about Sambo, the kid of African origin, or about the natives of America and G.Custer, something that ridiculizes them. If you were an African-American kid or an American native, would you accept it? Would you love to read about someone who ridiculize your people? I think you wouldn't be happy. Especially if you lived in France. Asterix is racist, unfortunately.

[marion]

Agree. Asterix is racist, unfortunately. Imagine to publish a comics box about Sambo, the kid of African origin, or about the natives of America and G.Custer, something that ridiculizes them. If you were an African-American kid or an American native, would you accept it? Would you love to read about someone that ridiculize your people? I think you wouldn't be happy, especially if you live in Paris, France.

[marion]

Agree with the DCI. Asterix is too racist, unfortunately. Imagine to publish a comics box about Sambo, the kid of African origin, or about the Indians of America and General Custer, something that ridiculizes them. If you were an African-American kid or an American native, would you accept it? Would you love to read about someone who ridiculize your people? I think you wouldn't be happy. Especially if you live in Paris, France.

[Juliette]

J-M.P et Marion:ça fait longtemps que je lis Astérix et je ne comprends pas en quoi c'est "rasciste". De toute façon, il y a toujours des gens pour chercher la petite bête partout c'est incroyable

[Dominique]

"Asterix teachs you to hate the Romans, while Egyptians, Britons and Goths are often represented as stupid folks, and so on."

Obviously, the one who wrote this never did read Asterix. Or more probably never anderstood it...

The romans are described at the center of civilization in Rome, the Brits are described polite, well manered and will never surander, Egyptians are great builders, and the goths are strong boys !

The most stupid stereotypes in Asterix are for the gaulois... who desperatly need some potion magique in order to get things done, who are scared that the sky may one day fall over their heads, and who are hating each other so much that they prefere to have a dummy as their boss rather than the smart one!

quite inspiring indeed.

Ségolène, are you there?

[atle bjorge]

"Would you love to read about someone who ridiculize your people?"

Yup :) I'm Norwegian, and still remember the vikings from Asterix. "White sauce with white sauce" was their favourite dish, i think. I really don't know how to explain this to you guys... I guess you either have a sense of humor, or you don't.

Anyway, the level of political correctness in DCI is quite scary, and an example of bigotry of the highest order.

[Rebecca]

First i'd like to say how I loved the Asterix and Tintin books as a child and they still have pride of place on my bookshelf. I'd also like to say what a comic genius and brilliant satirist Rene Goscinny was because it doesn't get said enough on this side of the channel.

Until Dominique Versini started using everyones favourite midget warrior to promote the DCI i never knew the organization existed, so that has to be a good thing for a start.

Also lets not forget that Albert Uderzo is giving the proceeds of the 'Asterix les Amis' tribute album to the DCI and its selling extremely well. So thanks to this "archaic...hierarchical" figure they wont be short of a few Euros.

All i can see is that this Dominique wants to do is generate awareness for a French children's organization by using France's most popular homegrown children's character.