Ninny Thinking

A few things:

1. I am a ninny for thinking this
2. I’m not the only one who has thought of this
3. I’ve probably not thought nearly enough about this
4. Nevertheless . . .

Over the weekend, I read a rather short Facebook discussion on whether a published author should include an “evil” Japanese couple in her latest book.

The consensus: No, white girl. Do not.

What I’m a ninny for thinking (and the rest will fall in line, as you’ll see):

If the evil characters were of her own race, would the question have even come up?

Corollary question: What about if, like me, your characters are animals in the literal sense, not the figurative sense?

I understand the need for racial and cultural sensitivity. But are we to the point that the only window through which one my fictionalize race or culture is through the same-same lens?

And do writers of other cultures or races even hesitate if their evil characters are, shall we say, white Westerners?

I can hear the knives being sharpened and see the torches being lit. I know Whitey has, on occasion, performed poorly when casting around for evil – or even bland – characters and strike on a racial or cultural nerve when doing so.

This doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen in reverse. Or that when it happens in reverse that it’s bad, because Whitey can be bad.

But so can, I have to think, the Japanese.

Nevertheless, I will continue to think about this. And see what arises.