#blacklivesmatter racism is a human problem

Pretty good example of unconscious racism. Wonder if they’d feel the same if there were similar dolls but white. Could even call the female versions Karen.

Edit: yes I realise it lacks the colonialist mockery element.

This doesn't really make sense y'know...

Not sure what you mean.

A golliwog’s a caricature of a person of a different race depicting physical characteristics that were used to mock said race by an invading empire whom they had no previous contact with, who treated them as sub-human and repeatedly massacred them over generations.

I can see how some people might think it’s inoffensive because it’s a toy, but I don’t think it being a plaything makes it inoffensive. Rather, the fact that it’s fine for it to be offensive because it’s a plaything shows unconscious racism, and I wondered if a caricaturish toy depicting a stereotypical white person would be received the same way.

As there hasn’t been a majority non-white imperial power subjugating and mistreating white people in the last few hundred years, the doll would lack the additional insult of generational mistreatment of a race.

Hope that‘s clearer.

Yeah I agree/get all that. It was the idea -

Wonder if they’d feel the same if there were similar dolls but white. Could even call the female versions Karen.

- that I didn't think made sense. Because of exactly the reasons you detailed above. White ragdolls exist from the same era. Barbie, Cindy etc later. But without the context there can be no "similar", so "how they'd feel" to me doesn't make sense.

This. Which is why "how would you feel if..." arguments are bullshit and why counter-racism (against white people) isn't the same thing. I've seen articles where people claim "Gammon" is a racist term, or "Karen" is as bad as the n-word. Bollocks.

people claim ...”Karen" is as bad as the n-word. Bollocks.

Which is why I figured it would be the kind of thing to get knickers in a twist, while still lacking the colonialist element.

My boss, who identifies as indigenous

Are they actually indigenous or are they just like those americans who claim they are native american because their grandmother's grandfather once sniffed a Navajo's crotch?

This, I thought, was a very nice gesture. Would rep.

For the man who has everything (bike) related :)

A golliwog’s a caricature of a person of a different race

facepalm.jpg

She has some indigenous heritage, I don't doubt that, it's just her fondness for offensive racist soft toys that I find perplexing given her background...

I foresee some 'cultural awareness' sessions in our team's upcoming training schedule... It's very disappointing, we're a pretty diverse group in our office and I wasn't expecting these kinds of attitudes to be floating around... I won't tolerate it so it looks like we're heading for stormy waters!!

It’s easy to completely miss the racism in something you’ve grown up with and never thought about. But to deny the golliwog characters were racism in-effect is ... fucking insane.

Has she never read, or completely forgotten the books?

Has she never read, or completely forgotten the books?

She called them 'innocent children's stories'... My other colleague started with some choice whataboutism so I shut my mouth and sent an email around the entire office linking to this article on the history of the golliwog, I hope it hit a nerve...

https://www.ferris.edu/jimcrow/golliwog/

Agreed it’s not the same thing but they’re still derogatory terms based on someone’s skin colour which is unacceptable imo.

Well, that's all it is, a gesture. Plenty more to be done. But I'd like to think it's better than nothing. It's a start, at least.

It turns out the wife of one of Cycliste's colleagues helps out at a charity which provides play facilities for the children of Swiss asylum seekers. Sounds like an ideal recipient of my birthday present from Cycliste, and even better it will totally boil the piss of the racist zenophobic not-even-brave-enough-to-admit-they're-actually-Neo-Nazi fuckers in the UDP. Win win.

Interesting article on how the first paramedic service were black men.

https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/freedom-house-ambulance-service/

unsung history.. ffs thanks for sharing @Hjusth

Do you get extra racist points for selectively pointing out the origins of the character, then claiming it is innocuous but won't let the character fade in to history.

EDIT: This comment is aimed at the people that claim the gollywog isn't racist. These are the comments I have read and thought if it so innocuous, why care if it is no longer around. These are the same people that complain about the Agatha Christie novel that is now called - And then there were none. This is the books third name and is the book any different for the title change?. Personally, I just found those characters a bit scary and as a child and would not eat Robinson jam if I saw the jar.

Ah the treatment of Indigenous Australian is really bad, no equal rights till 66? Babies being taken from the Indigenous community to be given to white childless couples.

The treatment of indigenous Americans also. They are more at risk of being murdered by police than any other group in the US, but they live in largely rural areas so deaths go unnoticed and underreported.

The treatment of indigenous peoples across the globe is fucking appalling, but I guess that’s what colonialism will do for you.

Joining the dots between Stop & Search and the UK’s damaging drug policies.

https://youtu.be/eudma6d0N-o

@lynx Wind it in, Raf. Eh?

In reply to what?

If it is the comment 543, have edited for clarity.

I remember one line from Blackadder goes forth, where Blackadder (the gist and not actual line) enjoying being a soldier when fighting 'locals' that didn't have guns. The might is right, and he who has the more advanced weapons win, and then write history.

I think this is contentious as people find it hard to look at injustices in isolation as there are historical/cultural injustices against individuals, groups, races, ethnicities which are themselves guilty of the same. More specifically I think perhaps people that by discussing/acknowledging injustices suffered by a particular group it may somehow detract from any injustices they may have carried out.