TheAgitator.com
Is This Offensive?
Thursday, April 10th, 2008I was browsing a gift shop in the Charleston, South Carolina airport this past weekend and spotted what you see in the photo below. They’re small figurines of old black stereotypes, including a mammie and–more striking, I thought– two figurines of a coal-black little boy munching on a watermelon, one with a big head and bright white eyes, the other in a straw hat.
Maybe I’m being overly-PC Yankee, here, but aren’t these just a wee bit offensive? I understand some people collect old minstrel figurines for their kitsch value. But these were brand new. And they weren’t for sale at some antique store or craft fair, but at the “here’s what Charleston’s all about” store in the Charleston airport. At the very least, I’d think it’s not the kind of thing the city wants to project as people arrive and depart.
I’m interested in hearing what others think. What say you, Agitator peanut gallery?
I should add here that I loved Charleston the city. More on that later.
definitely not something I would care to be seen owning.
Granted, you and I come from the same state — the great Southern state of the north — but yes. Those figurines are quite offensive.
Sambo, Mammie, etc. are explicitly racist and I’d have probably “shown my color” had I been in the store and seen them.
But this is one of several reasons I don’t venture to South Carolina.
Definitely offensive. You could have your VERY OWN historical stereotype doll.
Even worse, those are probably made in China
I probably would never buy one, either.
But it’s no more offensive than a hula-girl statue from Hawaii, a snow globe from Alaska with an Eskimo in an igloo, or any other depiction of a regionally iconic image.
It’s still possible to see kids in overalls and straw hats eating watermelon in the South. Nothing derogatory about it, it’s just an image that quickly and effectively communicates the idea of a specific region.
Further examples might include a surfer dude from California or a lobster-fisherman from Maine.
Ya, I’d call that offensive. Charleston is a beautiful city, but those are messed up.
Offensive maybe, but what do I care I simply wouldn’t buy them and think twice before buying anything in that particular store. Market dynamics plain and simple.
Yes… offensive.
But not that surprising, considering the flag they fly at the SC State House.
the only person who might be able to tell you if they are offensive is their creator(s)
Burdell I really don’t agree with you on this. There isn’t anything historically racist (as far as I know) about a Hula girl from Hawaii, or an Eskimo in an igloo in Alaska. They do not in any way reflect a period in time the way these do (Jim Crowe). I don’t know, to me this is a very sensitive thing, and even if I was buying this as a joke for my African American brother in law… if the cashier were African American, I’d probably re-think the purchase.
It’s not something I would want sold in the airport of my city. While I could understand the possibility that there are areas of the country where these kind of things aren’t a big deal, you have travelers from all over the country walking through there. At least things bearing the confederate flag could claim some historical signifigance, but these types of images have been pretty well recognized as offensive.
Mildly offensive, but really just tacky
Charleston is one the great American cities, especially for history buffs.
Radley, I’m with ya on most everything but c’mon….
This is one of the problems with America today. Too many people have too much time on their hands and they get their panties in a bunch over something like this.
All the other things to be concerned over, who gives a shit about some cheap ass figurines?
Slavery, deplorable as it was IS a part of the American history. Or would you rather just sweep it all under the table and pretend it never happened the way Russia is rewriting it’s history books?
Will you people please get a life already and stop all the PC crap?
I find them kind of offensive, and in extremely poor taste for an airport gift shop, but if it’s a privately owned shop and that’s what they want to sell that’s their right. And I suppose the figurines have got some value in that they give you an idea of what the person buying them is about (thereby making my decision to avoid that person much easier). People who buy that crap and display it in their homes rate about the same for me as people who put those little lawn jockeys ( http://overworm.com/NothingToSeeHere/NTSH%20Images/LawnJockeySambo.jpg ) in their front yards and I’ve never found the quality of my life diminished by not associating with people like that, especially since most of them have proven to be pretty dense, reactionary and irritating when I have dealt with them.
I’ve been shopping for a white guy wearing plaid shorts, black socks and sandals pushing a lawnmower, if anyone runs across one…
Those things are all over the South. Before Stuckey’s closed down most of their stores around here, they were right down the aisle from the Pecan (pē-kän) Logs.
I think they’re offensive and I wouldn’t patron a store that sold them. However, I get offended by people who say “PeeCan” so who am I to judge?
I will say that although I haven’t been to Charleston except to pass through, I’ve visited South Carolina many times and I’ve always enjoyed it and found it a beautiful state. I’ll probably avoid the airport gift shops in the future, though.
All the other things to be concerned over, who gives a shit about some cheap ass figurines?
Perhaps because it’s indicative of greater problems. Are these figurines the worst example of racism in America? Certainly, not. But it does represent indifference and insensitivity. You are presenting a false choice. Perhaps if I literally had to choose between this issue and some other issue which directly abused black Americans then I’d choose the latter. But shouldn’t we be concerned with all forms of racism?
Slavery, deplorable as it was IS a part of the American history. Or would you rather just sweep it all under the table and pretend it never happened the way Russia is rewriting it’s history books?
Who is saying we should hide it? Rather than hiding it, getting rid of racist mementos is part of getting past the terrible history and working at fixing the current problems. I don’t see how you can possibly see this as sweeping history under the table. It’s not as if Radley is attempting to use the state to ban these items. He’s saying that reasonable people should be offended by these and encourage others to speak out against it. He’s completely correct.
A bit in poor taste. But as I learned on the Antiques Road Show, there is a pretty strong market for original figures like this from earlier 20th C. with a lot of black collectors. When antique things like this become popular, there is always a market for imitations as well.
Definitely tacky.
Offensive? Well… the issue there is that “offensive” is entirely in the eye of the beholder, and there are people who will be offended by anything. I once knew a woman who was offended by crosses as part of Christmas decorations because, in her words, “The poor baby isn’t even born yet and they’re already nailing him to the tree.” I remember reading an article saying that Dairy Queen’s “MooLatte” (coffee-flavored ice-cream drink) was racist because it sounded like “mulatto” and was light brown in color.
“Who is saying we should hide it? Rather than hiding it, getting rid of racist mementos is part of getting past the terrible history and working at fixing the current problems.”
The problem I see with that attitude is that there are a whole lot of people who see “Tom Sawyer” as a “racist memento” and want to get rid of it. Personally, I’d rather see tacky Sambos on a store shelf where people laugh at them and say how tacky they are than have them hidden away and treated seriously.
there oughta be a law against selling those things….
I do not think it is offensive. It is actually a positive. Using old outdated sterotypes as little nick nacks helps defang them. We can now see how tacky they are
I never would have guessed them to be offensive, or overtly racist. After all, racism is about an intent present in someone’s mind. Being from the South, there are a lot of things that have racist orgins, but that I and many other people don’t think of as racist. For instance, I just realized the other day that the term “cotton pickin’” has racist origins. I’ve used that term my whole life and never thought about it as racist until one of my friends (who’s not from the South) pointed it out.
Then nobody has to buy them. Get over it, people.
The problem I see with that attitude is that there are a whole lot of people who see “Tom Sawyer” as a “racist memento” and want to get rid of it. Personally, I’d rather see tacky Sambos on a store shelf where people laugh at them and say how tacky they are than have them hidden away and treated seriously.
That’s why there is a difference between banning them and encouraging people not to use them. Anyone who sees Tom Sawyer as racist is missing the point and is mistaken, in my opinion, but it’s their right enourgage shops not to sell them, etc. I would be against people from trying to do this, but it’s well within their rights. When you use the state to meet your goals then you are in the wrong.
Very, very tacky. I’m not willing to call them outright racist, but I have to wonder about how much non-racist appeal they could have.
Very, very poor taste.
What #23 Robert said.
I’m surprised people make it to adulthood considering how fragile and easily offended we have become. Good grief…….
Come one people. This has nothing to do with people being “offended” or overly politically correct. It is about not encouraging racist and stereotypical things. It’s like encouraging the Confederate Flag (though certainly a few of you will defend it). It is a symbol of racism and should be discouraged. That doesn’t mean it should be legally banned, but certainly it is offensive.
Contrary to what you say, this doesn’t make me fragile for pointing out this.
Much of this stuff, especially antique racist stuff, has been bought for years by upper middle-class and well-to-do black families who want to show their children and themselves how far they have come.
BTW, the term “peanut gallery” was originally used to describe the “colored only” section of a theater.
chsw
They’re Mamie figurines….refers to black dolls that conform to the old southern stereotype that was definitely racist, HOWEVER, nowadays the figures are collected as pieces of antique memorabilia. They come in all varieties, from salt shakers to figurines to dolls…genuine Mamies are always old, but these might be cheap reproductions.
In the late summer 25 years ago while driving through mostly black neighborhoods in Chicago, I saw wagon-load after wagon-load filled with watermelon for sale. Is it racist to conclude that watermelon is popular with blacks (at least in that region)?
Cultural stereotypes exist because they describe a portion of a population with sufficient accuracy that they are instantly recognized. A depiction of a cultural stereotype is only racist if it is meant to impart the idea that a race is somehow inferior. There is nothing here to lead me to that conclusion.
The PC crowd has been amazingly successful convincing people that almost any caricature of blacks is racist and we should all feel offended and (if white) guilty.
Well, I guess they’re all over, from comments above, but remember, SC’s a little different. I go to Columbia once a year for a book show, and it’s very liberal, sophisticated, great microbrews, and all your northern franchise goodness available.
And then on recommendation you go to Maurice’s BBQ, a bit hung over, order the reasonably-priced basket, sit down, enjoy the BBQ, haze fades, suddenly you realize there are no black people anywhere in the packed restaurant (working, eating, nada), and the owner has books like “Civil War; the Real Story” for sale.
///Very good BBQ, but I won’t be heading back.
My Lord. Political correctness has brain-washed you all. The mammies and picaninnies are NOT offensive! They are part of a culture. YES, they are part of a southern BLACK culture! They are no more offensive than fat little white babies as ‘cherubs’ or the term ‘red-neck’.
Pull your heads out of your butts and quit being offensive yourselves with your feigned indignation.
I’ve been buying them and reselling them on eBay. I have made enough to retire at 32. People just love hem. I get orders from all over the world.
hem = them
A good friend of mine (who’s black) was hauling a a load of watermelons to Detroit a few years ago. He arrived after closing, so he called his pop and asked him what he should do. “Hell son, you’re in Detroit. Just open the trailer.” He said they were all gone in less than an hour.
That story always cracks me up. Also, grow some balls if those dolls get your panties in a bunch.
If anyone is offended by these, they’re really wound too tightly. They might be considering in poor taste by some, but they’re not offensive on any standard except that of someone who’s really got their panties in a bunch. Ooops,… sorry… that was sexist.
I know a few people who own figurines like this, and have seen a couple of other people taking the real old collectible ones to the Antiques Roadshow TV show for appraisal. All the owners happened to be black. A few have expressed that part of the reason they collect them is that they remind them of historical discrimination - in a “never forget” kind of way. These are not militant people, cultivating hatred of whites; I get the impression they want to retain an awareness of their history and where they came from. Another owner I asked said she just liked them, remind her of simpler, happier times, the way people with a different background (ie, a white guy like me) might react to a Norman Rockwell.
FWIW.
Not offended.
Most proper definition of offend from Webster’s Online Dictionary: to cause to feel vexation or resentment usually by violation of what is proper or fitting (was offended by their language).
Nope. I am not vexed, nor do I feel resentment. Don’t believe most of you feel that way, either. Perplexed, possibly. Angry, perhaps. A select minority would be offended.
To note: I am a 34 yo white male who has grown up in an area with a 40-45% Hispanic population (SETexas). I am aware that racism still lives and breathes here as I have seen plenty.
What good does it do to get offended? Not that I never get offended, nor do I begrudge somebody who does. We’re human, we get offended, and we will certainly give offense at some point. It’s not a very free society if somebody, somewhere, isn’t being driven up the wall.
I do think it’s kind of silly for *you* to get offended. Embarrassment is understandable (they are ridiculous). But to take offense really doesn’t prove or accomplish anything, unless somebody is being hurt. And, no, I don’t think suffering from white guilt counts as victimhood.
I predict some bans coming.
Sure, I think they are offensive. As a libertarian, I wouldn’t ban the sale of the things, but that doesn’t mean I can’t have a personal opinion about it.
I go to a lot of auctions where these things are sold and most of the buyers are white ( not that I mean they are racist- I am just saying that it’s not all black collectors as some have seemed to imply).
FWIW, most of the people I know who eat a lot of fried chicken and watermelon are white as well.
And somehow I doubt there is an actual “mammie and pickaninnie culture” outside of the minds of some white racists.
What do I know, though. I’m not from South Carolina. This is a place where Klan museums run by nazis are celebrated. just saying.
Is it offensive that I remember so fondly the old Tom & Jerry cartoons with the Mamma, Screaming Thoooomas, Thooooomas.?
Sigh. I hope I dont need to feel guilty about that, its a shame they are banned now
Residents of Charleston should be embarrassed for their city.
Hell, while their at it, why not add some clansmen figurines, just for variety.
Err…. Klansman.
I think people need to develop thicker skin. There is only one reason things like those figures exist………they sell. If no one bought them then they wouldn’t exist. If you don’t care for them then don’t buy them, the rest will take care of itself.
Um who cares?
Has anyone considered the kitch value of these figures? It’s probably through the roof. They already get a boost from being sold in an airport gift shop.
Somewhere I’ve got the mammy and pappy s&p shakers from my late grandmother - and another set will be coming from my other grandparents. I think I still have a Little Golden Book of Little Black Sambo… or some LBS story.
I’ll keep them to teach my children about our history.
I saw something on MLK day - it was a Modest Proposal sort of thing, as in, What if the Confederates had won? Anyway, at the end they showed a handful of products with labels like Blackie toothpaste and another for flour… can’t remember them all, and apparently many are sold overseas. The last items they pointed out were Aunt Jemima syrup and Uncle Ben’s rice.
My question is, what else would you call the syrup and rice? Aren’t they named for specific people, and wouldn’t changing it erase their memory?
I’d rather keep the names and remember their origins.
Offensive? Without a doubt. But there must be a market for them or they wouldn’t be there.
I still want to see ‘Song Of The South’ to find out why it was banned in this country. That really concerns me. I mean, we can have the ‘torture porn’ flicks like the Saw movies . . . but somehow Uncle Remus and The Tar Baby are more ‘damaging’ to a society?
That’s offensive to me, that way way of thinking.
Since I’m not offended by them, would the answer be No?
At this point in my life (42, wife, 2 kids) I’ve figured out I am a horrible gauge of what is offensive or not. Mostly because I am rarely offended (I cannot remember the last time).
When I hear someone has been offended it has comes to a point I do not care anymore.
If you are offended that I am a heartless bastard, well good for you. I still don’t care
I still want to see ‘Song Of The South’ to find out why it was banned in this country.
You can download it from most bittorrent sites. I have a really good copy on DVD.
I’ve worked out a new principle of Internet sociology: Anyone who uses the phrase “panties in a bunch” can be ignored without further ado.
Hmm, maybe American’s are a bit too PC-minded. In Puerto Rico, where I grew up, nobody bats an eye at the woman depicted on cans of the most popular coffee sold on the island: Yaucono.
Here’s a pic from their website (I’m going to try to embed it with the IMG tags but, if it doesn’t work, just copy past the link and see for yourself):
[img]http://www.yaucono.com/images/yauconita.gif[/img]
The South is still as racist and ignorant as it has ever been.
Your moral compass is dead on target on this Radly.
I’m starting to think that too many of you are brainwashed. There depictions of old time antiques that are collected by both black, white and any other color out there. Personally I think the little boy eating watermelon is cute. I don’t care that the look comes from a time when racism was more prevalent, I don’t care that the figure is black, and I don’t care that it’s a stereo type. I’d have to have the same ability to be offended by redneck figures, or beach going figures or any other figure doing stereo typical things.
Where can I get a set by mail order? I need to round out my collection of (1) little German boy eating an apple (2) little Asian boy eating a banana (3) little Mexican boy eating grapes (4) little United Statesian boy eating a peach and (5) little Jewish boy eating strawberries. Then I will be better able to instruct my children about what racism is not.
If this display were meant to be a depiction of a period in history rather than a racist stereotyping slap in the face they would include a figurine of a white man with a whip.
“Sticks and stones can break my bones. Tacky little figurines can never hurt me.” … Get a life, people!
“The South is still as racist and ignorant as it has ever been.”
Having grown up in the South and lived in the North for the past 12 years, I can assure you that the South is far less racist than the North - and far more integrated.
The difference is that some Southerners are simply more open about their prejudice. You see Confederate flags and figurines down there, and assume that the lack of them in the North indicates a lack of racial bias.
The North has a higher degree of racial separation and exclusion than the South; it is just more subtle about it.
Is it racist? No. It’s called ‘black americana’. Search google and one of the first results is an ebay category for this type of collectible. And you know who are among the biggest collectors of this type of item are? African Americans.
If people (including many here) did even the smallest amount of research instead of working from simplistic gut reactions, the world might be a better place.
Another vote for not offended. I wouldn’t buy them, but I don’t find them offensive. Though, last year while visiting back home, I bought a rag & porcelain “mammy” type doll that a black woman makes by hand and sells in her gift shop. I think the doll is beautiful and I love her, but some visitors say she’s creepy. I tell them to be nice or “Sarah” (she has a name tag) will get them. In my very racially diverse family, being called racist would be laughable. Now that I think about, I learn a lot about people from their reaction to Sarah. She protects me from rednecks & assholes.
thorn is dead on here. It’s like that Dave Chappelle joke about how white people won’t say who they’re voting for, but blacks will openly talk about wanting to kill the President. Whites and blacks in the South have real differences that we will openly fight about. But at the end of the day, we get along pretty damn well here these days. I have a lot more in common with a random black guy in Alabama than a random white guy in LA or NYC.
What’s most disturbing about these responses is that the commenters have absolutely no interest in understanding the complex social dynamics here. I’ve been to about 40 states and 10 countries and have seen a lot of things I consider strange. However, unless you’re in the bleachers at Yankee stadium I’m not going to judge you based on where you are. I’m certainly not going to imply that an entire quadrant of a country is stupid or ignorant or racist.
These comments are very disappointing. It’s good to see that a bunch of white people aren’t offended by black stereotypes. As a white person living in Canada it doesn’t particularly offend me either. Of course, that’s not the point. Of all the blogs I thought this one would have the most enlightened views on the harm that racial stereotypes have. Not so.
Queue people calling me ignorant, politically correct and stupid.
I live in the South by choice for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is cost of living. Having lived in the SF Bay Area for 20+ years, I found a charm here that is undeniable and could not have found there if my life depended upon it. The benefits of living there versus here and vice versa would fill a dictionary-sized tome, so I will refrain from listing them.
What I will do is echo a few statements made by locals with an outsiders perspective.
When I first moved here, not only did I find that people were generally more friendly than where I came from, they were far more open about their racism. For example, I met my next door neighbor a days or so after we closed on our house and the man told me to make sure that I completely disinfected the home because ‘niggers’ had lived there directly before me. Sorry about the use of the ‘n’ word but that’s what he used to me, a stranger whom he had just met. I could go on and make comments about him and his appearance and outward hygiene but I won’t as I learned everything about him that I needed to that day. As now have you.
The point is that I now know to stay away from the guy. Racism makes my skin crawl. And the fact that it is out in the open here, there is no mystery to who I need to stay away from to prevent unpleasant confrontation. Where I came from, the racism was surreptitious and a lot of times it was too late before I found myself in a racially charged situation that could have been avoided.
I still think it sucks that there is racism anywhere, but unfortunately, there is still ignorance and seems there will always be some out there to one degree or another. And as long as we have the latter, we’ll have the former I’m afraid.
TO: #59 | thorn | April 11th, 2008 at 11:09 am
Other people do it too is the most pathetic cop out there is.
TO: #64 | Danno49 | April 11th, 2008 at 1:03 pm
There will always be racism as long as folks like you “avoid” confronting the issue in racially charged situations. As long as “good” people stay silent the racist cretins take that as agreement and acceptance.
I’m also on the bandwagon that says the South is a convenient target for broad brush allegations of racism. I agree that in the South, certain groups vocalize their racism much more openly - though I’d rather that than the closeted racism of the rest of the country.
Certainly there are areas, especially in Mississippi where the old stereotype of the racist southern elite still prevails. I don’t know that it’s any worse than what goes on in Oregon and Northern California which is a skinhead breeding ground (Though both are pretty bad). I do think it’s easier to point out “southern” racism because of its history - thus it becomes an easy target for people to point at in order to show the superiority of where they grew up or the values they were taught.
As for this issue, I don’t care. I don’t think it’s a big deal, and I think “being offended” is a ridiculously loose and subjective standard by which to judge anything. I know this is the height of heresy for an educated and enlightened citizen of the world to hold, but I am coming to believe that the issue of racism, while certainly real and tragic, is overblown. It seems that now there are two types of racism - real and damaging racism and the kind that people point to in order to show how not racist they are.
TO: #24 | robertl | April 10th, 2008 at 6:00 pm
“Then nobody has to buy them. Get over it, people.”
True.
For minority Americans these figurines on a shelf in a store they are patronizing represent the ever present racism inflicted on their daily lives. Like the confederate flag and the Swastika are a slap in the face for anyone offended by the continued presence of racists.
I’ll get over it when there are no more racists randomly terrorizing innocent store patrons by shoving these hate symbols in people’s faces.
Alex,
Where can I get a Sarah?
I having no luck with rednecks or assholes and I can really use the help
“I’ll get over it when there are no more racists randomly terrorizing innocent store patrons by shoving these hate symbols in people’s faces.”
lol, Going for the Michelle Malkin disproportionate outrage award?
#66 -
Wow, Pat. You took a fairly general statement I made and proceeded to pass judgment.
You have no idea who I am or why I made the statements I did. You know, not everyone feels themselves responsible for righting the ills of society. However, if I see injustice in my sphere of influence and there is something I can do about it, I speak up and/or do something about it. But as a family man who has a 60+ hour a week job, I find it counter-productive to seek it out and try and put right to it. I figure it’ll come to me . . . and it does.
Go attack someone more deserving then me, please. I’m not ready to die on a cross as you seem to be. My family needs me.
Lastly, I have to live with my neighbor for God knows how long. Should I have taken him (and a good number of those who live around me) to task for his ignorance and sake of principle? I would seriously consider it if I really believed it would make a difference by changing minds. I was 95% certain that such a brazen man would not be interested in what I had to say on the subject. But I could not take that 5% chance at the time all things considered. And after living next door to him for about 5 years now, my silence toward him since the day he told me to disinfect my house has let him know what I think of him. I’m sure he thinks I’m a liberal tree-hugging California surfer boy. And that’s fine with me Peace is maintained as it seems that an unspoken ‘let’s agree to disagree’ policy is in effect.
Robert Porter,
The problem I have with comments like yours is that you assume these dolls are racist and work from there. Do you really think the South is so assbackwards that overtly racist knicknacks are sold in airports? Perhaps if this issue piques your curiosity, you should do some reasearch and try to make sense of it instead of assuming that the South is chockablock with racist neanderthals.
This thread reminds me of when a reporter taped Nick Saban relaying a story about a “coonass fellow.” The next day there was all sorts of media outrage until people started figuring out that coonass isn’t offensive to most. If you spend 5 minutes in southern LA, you’ll see a RCA (Registered Coonass) bumper sticker on an appropriately coonass vehicle.
Lee,
I think that question was directed at Trish; however, you should probably try the Cracker Barrel. They got everything there.
Alex,
I remember the first time I heard the term ‘coonass’. It was from a coonass.
I figured out right away what it meant because of the context it was used in.
I’m sure a great many people had egg on their face after their ignorance was exposed to them in learning what the colloquialism meant. And yet some people maintained it was racist regardless of explanation simply because it ’sounded’ racist.
Thanks for bringing that up, very applicable here.
Pat Rogers,
Um, did you read the multiple witness accounts that these objects are primarily purchased by blacks, the group you are supposedly defending with your mouth-foaming rant? Good job - reactions like that aren’t solving the problem, they ARE the problem!
Pat Rogers,
I’ve not used a cop-out, nor have I justified any racism in the South by declaring that racism is more acceptable because it is also present in the North.
You stated, ““The South is still as racist and ignorant as it has ever been.” and my response was simply pointing out that it is quite false. The South is far less racist than in the 1800’s, or for that matter the 1950’s.
I inferred from your statement that you find the South - not the North, and not America in general - to be a center of ignorance and racism. My reply to you was stating this is not the case. In my experience, those 2 factors exist more in the North than the South.
thorn
Ditto what Deoxy said.
It kinda depends on who the market is for them, doesn’t it?
If it’s for non-black folks who are racist or don’t know any better, and such people make up the majority of purchasers, then yeah, it’s pretty bad.
If most buyers are black, then I presume they have perfectly valid reasons for buying tacky racist mementoes of the old south.
It’s a well-known fact that Nazis often decorated their homes with little Jew figurines and McCarthy had an extensive collection of dolls with brown clothes and bad haircuts.
The problem I have with comments like yours is that you assume these dolls are racist and work from there.
And you start from the assumption that they’re not offensive. The responsiblity lies with you to explain how dolls based on the racial slurs and the clearly offensive blackface routine are not offensive.
Do you really think the South is so assbackwards that overtly racist knicknacks are sold in airports?
Yes. I think people remain ignorant and hateful to this day.
Perhaps if this issue piques your curiosity, you should do some reasearch and try to make sense of it instead of assuming that the South is chockablock with racist neanderthals.
And perhaps you should do some research on the origins and meanings.
What in effect you are saying is that you’re not offended therefore no one else has the right to be offended. That’s very easy for you to say.
As one historian (doubtlessly a politically correct liberal!) has explained, “The Mammy was created by white Southerners to redeem the relationship between black women and white men within slave society in response to the antislavery attack from the North during the ante-bellum period.” Thus the Mammy and Sambo figurines that come out of the Jim Crow era are a direct reflection of this. Don’t try to tell me that I’m just maligning the South. Racism is real, yes in both the South and the North, but Southern racism is more overt while Northern is more hidden.
There is no reason, whatsoever, to defend these racial stereotypes.
So you think there’s racist white people in the South with black figurines?
TO: #78 | Robert S. Porter | April 12th, 2008 at 1:49 am
Well said.
TO: #75 | thorn | April 12th, 2008 at 12:22 am
I lived in central Florida for a couple of years. The day I arrived in town there was a Klan protest going on against hiring a minority police officer. Thousands of Klan garbed thugs angrily threatening the city hall. The day I left Florida there was a massive Klan protest going on. Again with fully robed Klansmen protesting. This time against having the confederate flag removed from the county office building.
As a journalist I have been to Klan rallies in both the north and the south. The difference being that the north has social diversity in the workplace and higher union wage levels that allow people, of all colors, to rise up from the economic bottom of society. In the right-to-work south poor people, especially minorities, are still oppressed by not having any economic opportunity even where there are jobs because white control all the jobs and minorities can only get the worst lowest paying jobs.
I covered a fire in a poor black neighborhood in Florida. The white firemen used water only to keep the fire from spreading. Not to stop the fire in the house. When I asked about this I was told that the n’s house was not worth the risk of engaging the fire. The let the house burn to the ground. I have covered thousands of fires and never heard that outside the south.
The white south is a racist and backward as it has ever been.
TO: #74 | Deoxy | April 11th, 2008 at 6:11 pm
A lot of people join the Klan. Does that make the Klan righ