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Post by Del on Sept 1, 2009 20:47:13 GMT -5
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Post by Wunderkind on Sept 2, 2009 0:22:11 GMT -5
I guess I see it from the opposite side, I don't see why someone should roll over. You can be secure in yourself as a beautiful person, and with that security comes a certain responsibility; one to yourself and the world around you. How you choose to manifest that calling varies from person to person and situation to situation. Taking offense to something doesn't always mean it comes from an insecure place, it also means it can from from a secure place; being secure enough to speak and act on something you believe in, despite others thinking you're making a lot of empty noise.
I find that whenever I feel something, I like to step back and examine where that part of me is coming from- if it's a secure place, an insecure place, and whether or not it matters in the end because emotions aren't supposed to have reasons. For this, my feelings do come from a secure place, but my spirit hurts for those who are hurt by this- regardless of where that hurt is coming from.
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Post by Del on Sept 2, 2009 0:40:34 GMT -5
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Post by Wunderkind on Sept 2, 2009 0:45:17 GMT -5
I think it becomes a racial thing because people always look towards what is different to divide each other. It isn't just about race, it's about anything different. Consider how (for reasons I can't understand) people talk about being a "ginger" or the "red headed middle step child." There's nothing wrong with red hair, I personally find it to be striking and beautiful, but people saw it as different, and sought to outcast and divide it. I think these things begin with one person feeling insecure, and they seek to push someone down to feel better about themselves. This person then teaches other people that this pushing is okay, and the person who was pushed teaches other that they too shall be pushed. People who have never been pushed look for it everywhere, and people who have never done the pushing before (but perhaps have been pushed themselves) look for someone to take their frustrations out on. And it spreads like a disease of the spirit, with (at times, it seems) few remembering they have the cure within themselves.
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Post by Del on Sept 2, 2009 0:48:01 GMT -5
I think it becomes a racial thing because people always look towards what is different to divide each other. It isn't just about race, it's about anything different. Consider how (for reasons I can't understand) people talk about being a "ginger" or the "red headed middle step child." There's nothing wrong with red hair, I personally find it to be striking and beautiful, but people saw it as different, and sought to outcast and divide it. I think these things begin with one person feeling insecure, and they seek to push someone down to feel better about themselves. This person then teaches other people that this pushing is okay, and the person who was pushed teaches other that they too shall be pushed. People who have never been pushed look for it everywhere, and people who have never done the pushing before (but perhaps have been pushed themselves) look for someone to take their frustrations out on. And it spreads like a disease of the spirit, with (at times, it seems) few remembering they have the cure within themselves. .:.sigh.:. Nicely said! So, where did it all go wrong?...I wonder...
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Post by Wunderkind on Sept 2, 2009 0:52:46 GMT -5
Now that, I have no reasonable theory on. Maybe someone else here does.
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Post by Del on Sept 2, 2009 0:57:41 GMT -5
Now that, I have no reasonable theory on. Maybe someone else here does. ;D
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Post by KG on Sept 3, 2009 5:31:05 GMT -5
I can't believe someone in the USA made the mistake of pairing the monkey with the black baby. I know most toys are made in China, and I also know that in China, the Monkey is an estemed animal, one of their zodiac symbols, and their folk tales have many stories about them. Chinese like monkeys, and there is not stigma against monkeys in China... I don't know what they think about black people... My guess is that the doll was designed and produced overseas in China or some other Asian country, but that the company would rather accept the blame without explaination, than to bring up yet another controversial issue. Shipping our jobs to China... Lead Paint and other poison issues that have come up, etc.
I just bet if you look on the back of that doll though there' s a stamp that says made in China. That would also explain the Panda doll mentioned in the other article. China also has Pandas. They'd ask the very logical question, what's wrong with Monkeys? It is OUR culture that has stigmatized monkeys. You would think that someone in their American offices would have caught this, but maybe they really don't even check behind the Chinese manufacturers at all.
I've heard there is a predjudice now, but I think origionally the expression red headed step child refered to apparently illegitimate children, born into a marriage with no red haired people in their family, on either side. The assumption was that if the child was red haired, and neither of the parents were, then the father would not believe he was the father after all... and think his wife had been with some strange red headed man, hense the red headed STEP child. It was an expression used to describe the way a man treats a child who isn't his own, and his wife is trying to pass it off as his, but he strongly suspects otherwise.
Anyway I do understand why the Monkey doll was offensive, but I suspect the Chinese people who created it had no idea... Any American would have known it was offensive. However the ones who made the decisions to market it, probably never even saw the actual dolls. It's really a shame though, cause they are cute dolls. And the Monkey toy is also cute. If someone did buy them they might be collectable. If they recall all but the few that hit the market... it would be a very limited supply.
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Post by a'Lan Mandragoran on Sept 3, 2009 7:37:44 GMT -5
I don't anything racially insulting about monkeys being paired with black children dolls, but then again, according to most of the black people I go to school with, I don't know anything because I'm not black.
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Post by dania on Sept 19, 2009 15:05:01 GMT -5
I know very little about racism against blacks or what others say about them because, well, I'm white. LOL
I wasn't exposed to a lot of racism- against me or those around me- so I just don't see it. I really don't see why pairing a monkey with a black child should be offensive, I'm just vaguely aware that it IS offensive to some people. But I don't "get" it.
After all, what child HASN'T been called a "L'il Monkey" by his or her parents...regardless of race? I know I certainly earned that nickname myself.
And while I don't understand the offense myself, I'm aware that it is offensive to many, and it was a stupid mistake for Costco to make. And I do think it was a mistake- because I honestly don't think that a huge corporation who's only interest is in making money would deliberately try to offend much of it's customer base. If they'd done it on purpose, they must've known what would happen. They're stupid, but they're not THAT stupid.
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