Monday 17 December 2007

The War against Golliwogs continues

Golly dolls - the black and white toys which many believe have offensive racist connotations - are being snapped up in NI shops.

A Belfast woman said she was "horrified" to find them in a local shopping centre.

Nicola Bailey said: "I can't believe people are making, selling or buying them."

But for the shop owner, the dolls have proved a top seller.

Nevertheless, the owner of the Mr Christmas shop in Connswater has apologised for any offence and said he would send the rest of his stock back.

The Equality Commission said the dolls were a "throwback to the 50s".

They have been stocked at the Connswater centre since September.

They are very popular, the shop said and, at one point, they were sold out. The dolls have been one of their best selling items in a number of years.

But the shop's owner said it was never his intention to offend. Once his display dolls are sold, he won't sell any more and will return the rest of the stock to the manufacturer, he said.

Chief Commissioner of the Equality Commission, Bob Collins, said the dolls were not appropriate.

"The world has moved on a great deal and everyone should move with it," he said.

Does this middle-aged man really have nothing better to do with his time than fixate over the sale of children's dolls? Apparently not.

Still, at least they didn't get the police involved this time...

On a related note, I wonder if anyone has any details regarding the number of racially-motivated crimes committed as a result of contact with golliwogs? For some inexplicable reason, I have yet to see the (no doubt very detailed and damning) figures.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Note the authoritarian assumption buried the claim that "the world has moved on a great deal and everyone should move with it". Mere change happens all the time; but "moving on", in this instance, implies moving in a particular ideological direction that the Equality Commission thinks is "appropriate".

Whether it's spineless saps being "horrified" by golliwogs or shopkeepers bleating about their intention not to "offend" when selling them, is there no limit to the pathetic pliability of British society

Political correctness exists to intimidate and to muzzle.

Homophobic Horse said...

Some of the top PC phrases

Homophobic Horse said...

Any criticism of out of control immigration, for any reason, under any cicumstances, at any time, is racist and should be punishable by internment in concentration camp.

Fulham Reactionary said...

Anon:

"Note the authoritarian assumption buried the claim that "the world has moved on a great deal and everyone should move with it". Mere change happens all the time; but "moving on", in this instance, implies moving in a particular ideological direction that the Equality Commission thinks is "appropriate"."

Well phrased. I had meant to write about that point myself, but wasn't really able to express it properly (probably something to do with posting at about 1am).

Homophobic Horse:

Thanks for the links. I had seen the second one earlier today, but the first one was new to me (and very accurate).