Offensive or not?

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/5296198 /Golliwog-doll-row-breaks-out.html

Mr Clarke, chairman of the Ipswich and Suffolk Council for Racial Equality, said: "It is offensive � all the people I have talked to about it say it is."

He should get out more and speak to more people, I find them rather cute.

Anyone live anywhere near Thing-Me-Bobs in Sudbury, Suffolk,?

[dot.haukes]

I don't think I could ever listen to Michael Row The Boat Ashore ever again without having nightmares.

[pastafreak]

The golliwog was originally a representation of the 'Black and White' minstrel shows of the late 19th-early 20thc. These shows made fun of Blacks with whites made up in exagerrated imitation of Black features. So-yes...the Golliwog IS historically a racial slur.......it did not just suddenly appear as some sort of "cute " childrens toy.

[noway2]

hi dot,only know the first 2 lines to that

[Ice.Maiden]

It seems ridiculous to me. There's an old toy shop in Derbys which's been selling these dolls for ages - no names given to them, but all on display from small to very large - and they sell!
I don't particularly like their faces, as they remind me of clowns, but I've always known them as "gollies" or "black dolls", and no idiot minister's going to tell me I should do otherwise. I've never looked at them in a "racial" way. If they're meant to represent a black person - I still don't see how they can be offensive. they're meant to be smiling, cheerful things.

[crazycathy2]

There's a shop near us that has a whole unit full of gollies and also money boxes etc they are very popular

[New Judge]

Mr Clarke did not speak to me.

But he would have discarded my comments if he had because I do not find golliwogs offensive.

[*Princess*]

It's ridiculous, PC gone too far as usual.

I remember when I was little, and the Robertson jams had the little 'Golliwog' tokens on them, dressed up as different things. Not once did it cross my mind that it was meant to be black person...because it isn't!

I suppose white people should object to white chocolate, white putting, white boards...

It's just so OTT it's laughable.

[pastafreak]

The golliwog was a representation of a white man impersonating a black...ie in 'black face' entertainments, or minstrel shows. ...these originated in America's Deep South....with roots in the slaves entertaining their masters. This representation was quite exaggerrated.



White blackface performers in the past used burnt cork and later greasepaint or shoe polish to blacken their skin and exaggerate their lips, often wearing woolly wigs, gloves, tailcoats, or ragged clothes to complete the transformation.

In 1895, the Golliwogg surfaced in Great Britain, the product of American-born children's book illustrator Florence Kate Upton, who modeled her rag doll character Golliwogg after a minstrel doll she had in the U.S. as a child. "Golly", as he later affectionately came to be called, had a jet-black face; wild, woolly hair; bright, red lips; and sported formal minstrel attire.

The above is from WIKI

[sp1814]

Just a thought - of all those who have posted comments along the lines of "I don't find them offensive", how many of you are black?

What I mean by that is, how could you find something offensive if it doesn't reference you?

[wasp]

SP1814 The terms - honky - brit - rooinek - redneck - pommie - limey - whitey all reference me. I am not offended Dont get so touchy

[sp1814]

wasp

That's a very presumptive statement!

I simply asked whether anyone posting was black - don't you think that would've added to the debate?

By implication, it seems that you don't.

Actually, re-reading your post, it strikes me as strange that you would include the word 'Brit'?

Also, I had to look up the word 'rooinek'. Never heard of it before.

[sp1814]

wasp

Also, I thought this thread was in reference to wollygogs rather than racist/racial terms?

[TCL-MUMPING]

Is "rooinek" Afrikaans? If so it's a term used by one white race for that of another.

[brionon]

I'm offended by Barbie dolls.

[DEN53]

The problem seems to be the name golliwog - simple, just rename the dolls !!

When the media, council officials etc, bring attention to these dolls, everything gets blown out of all proportion.

[pastafreak]

SP...if you were to look up the history of the word '********'...you would find it is quite racist indeed.
People may think that the dolls are 'cute'...but in most cases they only see them as part of a childrens book....not what helped to inspire that book.

[pastafreak]

Gee....it would seem my point has been proven ^^^^^^^

[DEN53]

Clowns paint their faces white, should we take offence that the white race are being made fun of ?

There are rag dolls with slant eyes depicting chinese, japanese people - should be ban those aswell?

Something is only racist if you choose it to be.

[pastafreak]

Go read the history of them...then pretend you are black....

[legend.isgod]

I really found whiffys post amusing for its stupidity.

I wonder how many times hes said the words g0lliw0g or made reference to immigrants as hes walked the streets of croydon?

im willing to bet his big flapping gob was firmly shut for fear of getting a good croydon kicking.



hypocritical idiotic litle pillock.

as for anyone else even attempting to say its not offensive , well, pickup your bnp membership forms on the way out of this thread as youre obviously qualified to join the bnp by way of your lack of intellect.



absolute crap spouted on this thread , and some idiots here actually believe it and advocate thinking it too !!!



unbloodybelievable