Rainbow Bridge For Whites Only, Say 'Thor' Fans

There is controversy over the casting of actor Idris Elba to play the Norse god Heimdall in Kenneth Branagh’s adaptation of the Marvel comic book Thor. Elba, you see, is black, while Heimdall is white (and completely fictional). “Norse deities are not of an African ethnicity! … It’s the principle of the matter. It’s about respecting the integrity of the source material, both comics and Norse mythologies,” says one disgruntled ethnographer. “At the risk of sounding like a bigot,” adds another, “I think this is nuts! Asgard is home to the Norse Gods!!! Not too many un-fair complexion types roaming the frigid waste lands up there. I wouldn’t expect to see many Brad Pitt types walking around in the Black Panther’s Wakanda Palace!” Now, I can understand how aficionados might want to see a certain degree of faithfulness to the source material (a cartoon) here, and I suppose arguing that one of the more interesting actors of the day should not be allowed to play a certain role because your associations with it (which come from a comic book) make it difficult for you to see past the character’s skin color does put you at risk of seeming intolerant, but I’ll be charitable. It doesn’t make you a bigot. It makes you a cretin. Take comfort in that distinction.