The return of the Golliwog?

no offence (shirty bear) but you’re boring

shirty_bear said :

Dilandach said :

Why doesn’t anyone get up in arms when a black guy calls some white guy ‘cracker’? Its a derogatory term but the difference is, no one loses any sleep over it.

This.

Not to mention the Amerafricans calling themselves/each other “niggah”. I think I made up “Amerafrican” coz christ knows what’s safe to use these days.

Where’s the tribunal for me to run to when I get called “gweilo”? Or when “affirmative action” promotes an inept woman straight past me? Wrong time in history to be a white Anglo-Saxon male.

(And yes, I know such things are meant to right historical wrongs. Makes me no less discriminated against right now. OK, fire away.)

It’s a brave new world.

Dilandach said :

Why doesn’t anyone get up in arms when a black guy calls some white guy ‘cracker’? Its a derogatory term but the difference is, no one loses any sleep over it.

This.

Not to mention the Amerafricans calling themselves/each other “niggah”. I think I made up “Amerafrican” coz christ knows what’s safe to use these days.

Where’s the tribunal for me to run to when I get called “gweilo”? Or when “affirmative action” promotes an inept woman straight past me? Wrong time in history to be a white Anglo-Saxon male.

(And yes, I know such things are meant to right historical wrongs. Makes me no less discriminated against right now. OK, fire away.)

Kerehona said :

It appears the cockroaches are scuttling out from under the woodwork – and they’re everywhere.

I get the sense that this forum is full of people who get off on their own sense of self importance and how creative their insults. He Golliwogs tend to offend people is all I am saying – its a fact.

Only when people go looking for offensiveness. Did your ‘brother’ get offended with the cricket themed KFC ad with the guy eating chicken surrounded by the other team and offered them some KFC as a peace offering? “Oh my stars! Offering black people fried chicken! that’s obviously racist!”

Why doesn’t anyone get up in arms when a black guy calls some white guy ‘cracker’? Its a derogatory term but the difference is, no one loses any sleep over it.

When I was a small child, a relative sent me a t-shirt from PNG which had an image of a black kid with fuzzy hair on it, and a message in Pidgin that translated to “me the little monkey belong in Lae”.

Different times.

It appears the cockroaches are scuttling out from under the woodwork – and they’re everywhere.

I get the sense that this forum is full of people who get off on their own sense of self importance and how creative their insults. He Golliwogs tend to offend people is all I am saying – its a fact.

bearlikesbeer said :

Kerehona, if your Maori brother is keen on visiting people perhaps this address will interest him:

Coon Cheese
Australian Co-operative Foods Ltd.
Quad 1, 8 Parkview Drive
Sydney Olympic Park, NSW 2127

Best don’t let him anywhere near this though:
http://www.snackbrands.com.au/index.php/products/view/samboy

Something about this thread reminds me of the outrage in the US about the KFC ad with the West Indies cricke fans and the bucket of fried chicken…

Kerehona said :

Deref said :

Kerehona said :

Deref: Do you have evidence that they’re offensive and to whom? Are they any more offensive than, say, Barbie dolls? Cabbage Patch dolls are, no doubt, sold in non-white communities and they’re definitely caricatures – are we white folks offended by that?

There are plenty of things that we really should be offended about. Perhaps we shouldn’t sweat the petty things.

—–

I’d like to see you tell that to my Maori brother

If your Maori brother is offended by things that aren’t intended to be offensive, how does he react to things that are intended to be offensive?

Clever response, but still ignorant in attitude. Like I said, tell him yourself. Post your name and address and see if you can back it up.

I have a better idea. Why don’t you post your “tough guy” brother’s name and address and we’ll mail him a doll.

Kerehona said :

Deref said :

Kerehona said :

Deref: Do you have evidence that they’re offensive and to whom? Are they any more offensive than, say, Barbie dolls? Cabbage Patch dolls are, no doubt, sold in non-white communities and they’re definitely caricatures – are we white folks offended by that?

There are plenty of things that we really should be offended about. Perhaps we shouldn’t sweat the petty things.

—–

I’d like to see you tell that to my Maori brother

If your Maori brother is offended by things that aren’t intended to be offensive, how does he react to things that are intended to be offensive?

Clever response, but still ignorant in attitude. Like I said, tell him yourself. Post your name and address and see if you can back it up.

Do I detect a hit of threat?

If your brother had my address, how would he respond, Kerehona? Would he sit down and have a rational discussion about it over a cup of coffee? I get the impression that you’re implying that he’d be more likely to resort to violence. If that’s the case then he clearly has some significant psychological problems for which he should seek help.

If you’re implying that I’m a racist, my Aboriginal, Chinese and US Black friends would find that implication highly amusing. Well, actually, they’d find it highly offensive. But they wouldn’t get violent about it.

“Ignorant”? OK – I’m happy to accept that. I’m always grateful for being better informed.

Kerehona said :

shadow boxer said :

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

If you are a nine year old girl that finds stuffed dolls with oversized eyes and lips and block primary colours appealing I suggest you stick to Panda’s and the Wiggles. If you are a thinking adult help consign this thing to the dustbin of a less enlightened time.

That is a good explanation about why Golliwogs are offensive – I wonder if these people who have alternative views actually would want to read it? Would they then be enlightened to actually change their perspectives?

I did, and it’s certainly made me better informed. It seems that the creator of golliwogs intended them to be racist and offensive. Perhaps a product of a less-enlightened age, but that doesn’t make it any more acceptable now. My examples of Barbie and Cabbage Patch dolls don’t fit that mould – they weren’t intended to be offensive.

Perhaps the best approach would be to give copies of that article to the people selling golliwogs. I suspect that if they knew the background they might be less inclined to sell them.

Postalgeek said :

My son’s gran just gave him one as an early Chrissy present. Still sitting in the same spot where it was unwrapped. Seems adults get more excited about these things than the kids.

Kind of re-enforces my point, kids don’t care. Buy them a Panda instead.

Buying one of these things is just being beligerent, next thing you know you will be doing 80 in the right hand lane on the GDE, just because you can.

Kerehona, if your Maori brother is keen on visiting people perhaps this address will interest him:

Coon Cheese
Australian Co-operative Foods Ltd.
Quad 1, 8 Parkview Drive
Sydney Olympic Park, NSW 2127

Worry about Neo Nazi children’s TV. If you find “little johnny” viewing racial hate sites, it wont be the doll that told him to do it.

Kerehona said :

shadow boxer said :

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

If you are a nine year old girl that finds stuffed dolls with oversized eyes and lips and block primary colours appealing I suggest you stick to Panda’s and the Wiggles. If you are a thinking adult help consign this thing to the dustbin of a less enlightened time.

That is a good explanation about why Golliwogs are offensive – I wonder if these people who have alternative views actually would want to read it? Would they then be enlightened to actually change their perspectives? For those educated people who don’t like to read, watch this racist cartoon video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gH4ivOyO0PQ&feature=player_embedded

Outraged just for the sake of being outraged. A moral panic. Its ACA/TT territory. (“Mmmm Skidbladnir there with a report that no parent could afford to miss”)

Don’t like them, don’t buy them. Or just spend your life trying to redact past decades, doesn’t take much to find something to be offended about or find something that you think someone or a some minority might be offended about.

Postalgeek said :

My son’s gran just gave him one as an early Chrissy present. Still sitting in the same spot where it was unwrapped. Seems adults get more excited about these things than the kids.

Have to agree. My son has been given three in his young life (all from great-grandparents) and has never shown an interest in them. I must admit I’d never really thought too much about them. I’d just considered them something from ‘another time’, and that was why it was the great-grandparents who bought them

After reading a bit about them this morning I can see why they’re considered offensive based on the doll’s history. But if people want to get their knickers in a knot about it then perhaps they should discuss it with the vendors selling the dolls rather than whinging on here and throwing their Maori brothers into the ring.

shadow boxer said :

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

If you are a nine year old girl that finds stuffed dolls with oversized eyes and lips and block primary colours appealing I suggest you stick to Panda’s and the Wiggles. If you are a thinking adult help consign this thing to the dustbin of a less enlightened time.

That is a good explanation about why Golliwogs are offensive – I wonder if these people who have alternative views actually would want to read it? Would they then be enlightened to actually change their perspectives? For those educated people who don’t like to read, watch this racist cartoon video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gH4ivOyO0PQ&feature=player_embedded

Deref said :

Kerehona said :

Deref: Do you have evidence that they’re offensive and to whom? Are they any more offensive than, say, Barbie dolls? Cabbage Patch dolls are, no doubt, sold in non-white communities and they’re definitely caricatures – are we white folks offended by that?

There are plenty of things that we really should be offended about. Perhaps we shouldn’t sweat the petty things.

—–

I’d like to see you tell that to my Maori brother

If your Maori brother is offended by things that aren’t intended to be offensive, how does he react to things that are intended to be offensive?

Clever response, but still ignorant in attitude. Like I said, tell him yourself. Post your name and address and see if you can back it up.

Kerehona said :

Deref: Do you have evidence that they’re offensive and to whom? Are they any more offensive than, say, Barbie dolls? Cabbage Patch dolls are, no doubt, sold in non-white communities and they’re definitely caricatures – are we white folks offended by that?

There are plenty of things that we really should be offended about. Perhaps we shouldn’t sweat the petty things.

—–

I’d like to see you tell that to my Maori brother

If your Maori brother is offended by things that aren’t intended to be offensive, how does he react to things that are intended to be offensive?

My son’s gran just gave him one as an early Chrissy present. Still sitting in the same spot where it was unwrapped. Seems adults get more excited about these things than the kids.

shadow boxer said :

Wow, so the general feeling on here is that you know these things are profoundly offensive to a large group of people (and that they serve no purpose) but you want to keep them because they look nice or you had one as a kid.

Wake up to yourselves.

Not as profoundly offensive as people who make it their duty to take offensive at things on behalf of others who may or may not even care.

Wake up to yourself.

I’d like to see your Maori brother tell the Tuggeranong shopkeeper to remove the dolls from the shop window because he thinks they’re racist. I can just imagine the shopkeeper’s response.

JC said :

chewy14 said :

Racccccciiiiiiisssssssstttttttt!!!!!!!!!!!!

Please explain……how it is racist?

This is why Australia is full of racists

Deref: Do you have evidence that they’re offensive and to whom? Are they any more offensive than, say, Barbie dolls? Cabbage Patch dolls are, no doubt, sold in non-white communities and they’re definitely caricatures – are we white folks offended by that?

There are plenty of things that we really should be offended about. Perhaps we shouldn’t sweat the petty things.

—–

I’d like to see you tell that to my Maori brother

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

If you are a nine year old girl that finds stuffed dolls with oversized eyes and lips and block primary colours appealing I suggest you stick to Panda’s and the Wiggles. If you are a thinking adult help consign this thing to the dustbin of a less enlightened time.

shadow boxer said :

Wow, so the general feeling on here is that you know these things are profoundly offensive to a large group of people

Do you have evidence that they’re offensive and to whom? Are they any more offensive than, say, Barbie dolls? Cabbage Patch dolls are, no doubt, sold in non-white communities and they’re definitely caricatures – are we white folks offended by that?

There are plenty of things that we really should be offended about. Perhaps we shouldn’t sweat the petty things.

Wow, so the general feeling on here is that you know these things are profoundly offensive to a large group of people (and that they serve no purpose) but you want to keep them because they look nice or you had one as a kid.

Wake up to yourselves.

In my local chemist they sell them with an explination similar to this on from wiki…

“There are differing versions of how the word “Golliwog” came into existence. One story is when the British soldiers were in Egypt in the 19th century, the Egyptian labourers working for the British Army were required to wear armbands with the letters W.O.G.S. indicating they were Working On Government Service and these labourers were called Ghuls (???), an Arabic word for ghost, by the British soldiers. Children of the Egyptians played with rag dolls of black stuffed material and the British (soldiers) bought them as gifts and took them back to England. The dolls were called Ghuliwogs and this word later became Golliwog.”

Wow. I loved these dolls as a kid. I was innocent/naive enough not to know they were supposed to be making fun of anyone or any race. I just thought they were beautiful and special because they were black and not boring white dolls. They always looked happy instead of pouty and and yes, got me into some mischief and trouble on occasion too. Surely if we teach our children respect for all nationalities and religions, these beautiful dolls don’t have to be seen as mocking any race, but seen the way a naive child would see them?

I loved my Golliwogs….I had 3, Golly, Wog and Benson (yes, I am a 70’s child!).

Golly got into all sorts of mischief with me, but he had a gutter mouth and I got my mouth washed out with soap when HE said the ‘eff’ word when I was 7. I can still remember screaming ‘Golly said iiiiiitttttttttttttttt’.

Although my horrid family used to torture me by singing ’tis the season to beat Golly’. The scars I bear….

I think it’s wonderful seeing them about, but none these days look like my old Golly.

chewy14 said :

Racccccciiiiiiisssssssstttttttt!!!!!!!!!!!!

Please explain……how it is racist?

astrojax said :

what are dolls like in china, anyone?

Perhaps they have ‘funny’ Tibetans, who do hilarious thing with prayer-wheels.

The Myer space is being taken over by Stereotots, where all the racial cliché dolls of the world will be stocked.

astrojax said :

what are dolls like in china, anyone?

I think that kind of misses the point. Dolls in China would be made by Chinese for Chinese; the design of these dolls is based on a discriminating stereotype created by whites to ridicule blacks. It’s not like Chinese children play with dolls that have buck teeth and go “HARRO RUV YOU RONG TIME” or something.

johnboy said :

JennD said :

Bring on the CALD dollies! I’d be happy to let my kids play with toys that are an example of the world they do live in rather than examples of the ‘right’ world. Especially representative of the worlds many valid faiths and religions.

Linguistically diverse dollies?

Fair call – except for those that have recorded ‘voices’.. Although having dolls that say “mama” in a variety of languages probably won’t be made for they wouldn’t sell I suppose.

JennD said :

Bring on the CALD dollies! I’d be happy to let my kids play with toys that are an example of the world they do live in rather than examples of the ‘right’ world. Especially representative of the worlds many valid faiths and religions.

Linguistically diverse dollies?

astrojax said :

my son has the one you can see with the yellow shirt, right middle. it sits next to mr squiggle and a monkey on top of his indoor cubby. he loves it; and as there are more dark skinned people on the planet than light skinned people, it shouldn’t be surprising that inanimate representations are both fair and light coloured, really… where are the olive and light brown dolls, but?

what are dolls like in china, anyone?

I think dolls in China are often white, wide eyed and with blonde or red hair like ‘ours’. This probably contributes to the skyrocketing levels of young Asian women who are having surgeries to appear closer to the apparent western ideal.

Bring on the CALD dollies! I’d be happy to let my kids play with toys that are an example of the world they do live in rather than examples of the ‘right’ world. Especially representative of the worlds many valid faiths and religions.

Racccccciiiiiiisssssssstttttttt!!!!!!!!!!!!

dungfungus said :

I would rather have my children have one of these that one with a burka.

not sure if trying to be funny, or just very stupid

my son has the one you can see with the yellow shirt, right middle. it sits next to mr squiggle and a monkey on top of his indoor cubby. he loves it; and as there are more dark skinned people on the planet than light skinned people, it shouldn’t be surprising that inanimate representations are both fair and light coloured, really… where are the olive and light brown dolls, but?

what are dolls like in china, anyone?

Useless tidbit – Jeff Kennett has one of the largest Golliwog collections in Australia

dungfungus said :

lizw said :

I think they’re just called “Gollis” these days.

I would rather have my children have one of these that one with a burka.

Seriously? one of the most stupid comments i have ever read. If this country letting in people of other races and relgions bothers you – then maybe you should f*** off, coz we’re full.

I noticed this when I moved to Canberra about 4 years ago. They’re everywhere. I like them.

lizw said :

I think they’re just called “Gollis” these days.

I would rather have my children have one of these that one with a burka.

One of the pharmacies in Belconnen mall stocks them, always a bit surprising to see…

Try that in Harlem.

The biscuits are called Scallywags these days – I still enjoy nibbling their hair off, then the arms and legs.

I think they’re just called “Gollis” these days.

I know they are supposed to be politically incorrect – but I have one I got as a child that is almost as tall as I am that sits around in the easy chair enjoying life and occasional cuddles from the cat and visiting children.