Thatcher's golliwog comment...

[spacechimp]

Why is everyone condemning her as racist, when nobody knows which player she was talking about and therefore whether the player does in fact bear resemblance to a golliwog?

[Richard1966]

I blame the parents.

[daniela31]

Link please?

[spacechimp]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/tv-rad io/bbc-drop-thatcher-over-golliwog-comment-154 4267.html

[daniela31]

The BBC have refused to reveal the identity of the player concerned. But as this was supposedly said in a private conversation, why all the hoohah?

[spacechimp]

Yes, but why reveal all the other details? Could it be that the player does in fact look like a golliwog, and there's no story?

[Richard1966]

The hoohah is because this comment, private or not demonstrates an underlying lack of respect for other people.

[MustangLady]

If this was a private conversation, why then has the person(s) she was talking to leaked this conversation. It was exactly that, a 'private' conversation and should have been kept as such. If it was said as an insult, in public or on t.v. then the matter should have been dealt with but not under these circumstances. It was a conversation she obviously did not expect to be made public !

[spacechimp]

Richard, explain. If she thought he looked like a golliwog, and he does indeed look like a golliwog, why is it unacceptable to draw the comparison?

[daniela31]

As it was a private conversation between herself and Adrian Chiles, then it must have been him that leaked what was said to the BBC. If he was offended by her remark, why not just say to her about it?
Do we have to have every little nuance of a conversation disected and analysed as a possible racist remark?
She apologised and said it was a joke.................what more does the man want?

[Richard1966]

The below is copied from wikipedia. It explains that the term golliwog has during years of misuse been forever linked as a term of racist abuse. For a journalist working for the BBC not to be aware of the potential impact of using this term is beyond naive. Adrian Childs has just as much right to be offended as a black person. In my organisation this would be a sack-able offense, and as manager of my office I would not hesitate to dismiss anyone using any form of racially motivated insult. For Carol thatcher to have used this so openly demonstrates to me the environment in which she grew up to believe this was acceptable. As i said earlier. I blame the parents.



After the publication of Upton's first book, the term "golliwogg" was used both as a reference to the children's toy and as a generic, racist term for blacks. In Britain and the Commonwealth, "golliwog" perhaps became "***" a racial slur applied to dark-skinned peoples worldwide, including Africans, Italians, Greeks and other Mediterranean people, Native Americans, Middle Easterners, Hispanics, and Indians. [3] In Australia many young people of Greek, Lebanese and other Mediterranean descent have adopted the name "***" as a humorous identifier.

[sp1814]

spacechimp

Can you think of any tennis players who look like golliwogs?

Perhaps we could narrow it down ourselves.

Let's assume the player has to be black, with great big eyes and frizzy hair.

So...which player is this:

http://www.tzafonet.org.il/kehil/music03/music /debussy/golliwog.jpg

[craft1948]

Well I don't think it's Federer

[craft1948]

do we know it was definitely a male tennis player

[sp1814]

You know what? I'm going to have to opt out of this because I've just realised, I don't know what any tennis player looks like.

Well, I know what Venus and Serena look lika and I doubt anyone would refer to them as golliwogs, because they'd fly over and kick their asses!

[spacechimp]

Richard, yes, it can be used a racial slur. It also describes a formerly popular children's toy, now rightly considered to be racist. But if a black person, does in fact resemble a golliwog doll, why is it unacceptable to mention such?

If you are incapable of reasoning for fear of coming across as racist, imagine that there was an actual, real life golliwog playing tennis. Would it then still be unacceptable to say that this player looked like a golliwog? It seems to me that the condemnation is stemming from people who are absolutely convinced that is just completely genetically impossible for a black person even vaguely to resemble a golliwog.

[spacechimp]

No, sp1814, I can't think of any tennis players that resemble golliwogs. BUT, I don't rule out of the possibility that a tennis player could look like one.

Like you, I'm not all that clued up on tennis players' appearances.

[Postdog]

I'm not racist, but I have to be honest, the first time I ever saw one of the latest Blue Peter presenters, that thought enterered my head.

I think if you are a certain age, it's because you remember them.

I'm a bit surprised as it contains a certain sequence of letters that answerbank has actually printed the word.

[craft1948]

Well the only top black male players are James Blake and Jo Wilfred Tsonga who I think actually played each other in the Aussie open and they are both gorgeous.

[daniela31]

Golliwogs are still about. I had one when I was a girl, and you can still buy them. So if someone looks like my golliwog toy I would say so.
Same as Barbie Dolls. If I knew someone who looked like my barbie doll, I would say........'do you know, you look just like my Barbie Doll'

[Gormless]

It will just be another excuse for black people to run around shouting "racism!" and playing the race card.

I would be really impressed if they could maybe invent something, rather than just hollering for rights.