Monday, August 20, 2007

Golliwogs in Trouble again



A traditional children's soft toy in Britain and Australia. I had one myself as a kid and liked it. Many kids have been quite devoted to their golliwogs. They ARE a caricature of Africans (see the comparison above) so are people not allowed to like African features?

"Golliwogs are being sold at the Royal Brisbane Hospital and Aboriginal elders say they perpetuate racist images of black people, and want them removed and destroyed. The "Golly Molly" dolls with large red lips, frizzy hair and brightly coloured clothes are on display in the window of the Atrium Plaza Pharmacy in the foyer of the public hospital.

"This is absolutely appalling and an enormous insult . . . the people responsible for them should be sacked immediately," said Aboriginal community elder and spokesman Sam Watson.

Mr Watson and Aboriginal activist Stephen Hagan said they would lodge complaints with the Anti-Discrimination and Human Rights and Equal Opportunity commissions.

Mr Hagan, who lobbied for the word "nigger" to be removed from a Toowoomba sports stand and is pushing for Coon cheese to be renamed, said the dolls needed to be destroyed and banned.

The Indonesian-made dolls are sold for $14.95 and $19.95, and are supplied by Robina-based company Bocchetta Plush Toys. Company co-owner Linda Bocchetta said the outrage was "silly". "We have never had anyone with an issue over these dolls," she said. "There are quite a few Australian companies making them. We are not the only ones."

An Atrium Plaza Pharmacy spokesman, who asked not to be named, said there had been no negativity towards the dolls since they were first stocked in November last year. "The purchasers of the dolls usually express a feeling of warmth and affection, as they often rekindle happy childhood memories," he said.

Source

Amusing that the people objecting are Australian Aborigines, not Africans. Aborigines are a quite different race who look quite different from Africans. Only the dark skin is in common. See below:



I reported a British disturbance over golliwogs on March 4, 2006 (Second post down).