Racist easter eggs!

[merryone]

I work for Waitrose and our company has been accused of racism because they marketed a trio of chocolate ducks. Milk, white, dark. under each duck on the packaging, is a name. Milk choc is called "crispy" which would make sense if it had crispy bits in - it didn't, but I guess a pun on "crispy duck" the white one which was a yellowish colour was named "fluffy" - stands to reason, and the dark chocolate one which was laced had pink splodges was labelled "ugly" - representing the ugly duckling from the well known fairy tale. I'm not quite sure why they did this, as a trio of chocolate ducks didn't really require names, I'm guessing they just wanted to add a bit of humour/interest to the product.
The product was withdrawn and a full apology made to those who were offended and an assurance that no aspersion to race was intended. It has since been repackaged but without the names. Jeez though! My first thought was isn't it slightly racist to equate the colour of someone's skin with a piece of chocolate, not only that, the product represents a duck, not a human being!! Yes, if it was a trio of chocolate people, and the dark one was called "Ugly" and the other two were labelled with favourable names, yes, I think it would be totally understandable - but where is this PC craziness gonna stop?!

 

[Twilight]

I work for Waitrose and our company has been accused of racism because they marketed a trio of chocolate ducks. Milk, white, dark. under each duck on the packaging, is a name. Milk choc is called "crispy" which would make sense if it had crispy bits in - it didn't, but I guess a pun on "crispy duck" the white one which was a yellowish colour was named "fluffy" - stands to reason, and the dark chocolate one which was laced had pink splodges was labelled "ugly" - representing the ugly duckling from the well known fairy tale. I'm not quite sure why they did this, as a trio of chocolate ducks didn't really require names, I'm guessing they just wanted to add a bit of humour/interest to the product.
The product was withdrawn and a full apology made to those who were offended and an assurance that no aspersion to race was intended. It has since been repackaged but without the names. Jeez though! My first thought was isn't it slightly racist to equate the colour of someone's skin with a piece of chocolate, not only that, the product represents a duck, not a human being!! Yes, if it was a trio of chocolate people, and the dark one was called "Ugly" and the other two were labelled with favourable names, yes, I think it would be totally understandable - but where is this PC craziness gonna stop?!

I read about this & felt the same way I did when 'Baa, baa black sheep' was scrutinised - animals don't have races, neither does chocolate come to that. Have you tried them? If so, did they taste good?

 

[merryone]

I read about this & felt the same way I did when 'Baa, baa black sheep' was scrutinised - animals don't have races, neither does chocolate come to that. Have you tried them? If so, did they taste good?

Well funnily enough I have tried them, and that's because when we received the memo that the offending products had to be removed from the shelves rather than chuck them we were told we could put them out on the tables in the staff canteen for us to eat...and as chocolate goes, they weren't actually very nice tasted rather cheap and nasty despite the eyewatering £8 price tag - now that's what I call offensive lol!

 

[merryone]

An update on this because I've just called out a friend on a racist comment she made on Facebook, I'll get to that..but it reminded me of this incident. Whilst it was easy to think how ridiculous etc, a lady wrote to our into our staff magazine saying how angry she was about this product and very eloquently pointed out how it subliminally sent out a racist message in that the dark coloured one was labelled as ugly...she put it in much more depth and detail and I actually saw behind what I thought was ridiculous and totally got her point!
Good old facebook again,I know I should come off it and stick to messenger just for the convenience of sending messages to people..but would miss the cute cat pics lol! Friend of mine re-posted a meme that said "I'm proud to be white...bet nobody passes this on because they're scared of being called racist"...Good god, if that's not a racist comment, I don't know what is?!!! Sent her a pm just to say as nicely as I could, I think you should remove that comment, as there will be some backlash. Tried to ask her to think "why are you proud to be white?" It's the colour of your skin, it's not what makes you! Have you suffered discrimination or persecution because of the colour of your skin? Has anyone called you racist for no other reason than the colour of your skin? Why do you feel the need to defend it? I completely understand the need to stick up for/explain oneself if you've personally been accused of being racist and you totally haven't meant to have been - but posting/reposting a comment like that is imflamatory! God I wish people would think a bit!

 

[mediastar]

I am a bit of a mongrel myself, I had thought of myself as "mixed European" prior to the referendum. I've had people openly tell me that I have nowhere that I "belong" or on the other hand "well, your family don't count as immigrants, they worked", or my Mother was told that, once I was 16, she should stop work and allow a native English person have the job, because my brother and I should be out at work.... I detest racism and harrassment of any sort as a result!

 

[merryone]

I am a bit of a mongrel myself, I had thought of myself as "mixed European" prior to the referendum. I've had people openly tell me that I have nowhere that I "belong" or on the other hand "well, your family don't count as immigrants, they worked", or my Mother was told that, once I was 16, she should stop work and allow a native English person have the job, because my brother and I should be out at work.... I detest racism and harrassment of any sort as a result!

That's awful! and I'm not surprised that you feel the way you do!

 

[shopperholic]

An update on this because I've just called out a friend on a racist comment she made on Facebook, I'll get to that..but it reminded me of this incident. Whilst it was easy to think how ridiculous etc, a lady wrote to our into our staff magazine saying how angry she was about this product and very eloquently pointed out how it subliminally sent out a racist message in that the dark coloured one was labelled as ugly...she put it in much more depth and detail and I actually saw behind what I thought was ridiculous and totally got her point!
Good old facebook again,I know I should come off it and stick to messenger just for the convenience of sending messages to people..but would miss the cute cat pics lol! Friend of mine re-posted a meme that said "I'm proud to be white...bet nobody passes this on because they're scared of being called racist"...Good god, if that's not a racist comment, I don't know what is?!!! Sent her a pm just to say as nicely as I could, I think you should remove that comment, as there will be some backlash. Tried to ask her to think "why are you proud to be white?" It's the colour of your skin, it's not what makes you! Have you suffered discrimination or persecution because of the colour of your skin? Has anyone called you racist for no other reason than the colour of your skin? Why do you feel the need to defend it? I completely understand the need to stick up for/explain oneself if you've personally been accused of being racist and you totally haven't meant to have been - but posting/reposting a comment like that is imflamatory! God I wish people would think a bit!

I don’t do Facebook, never liked it, never will, but I’ve got to say, what’s wrong with being proud to be white? I don’t get it because it’s ok to say you’re proud to black and proud of your black heritage, and yes I’ve heard white people being called names for the colour of their skin, I’m afraid racism is a two way street and works both ways, the term “Racism” doesn’t just exist for black people. I’ll probably be called racist for that too but unfortunately it’s true, racism is also caused by people twisting and calling out innocent comments. I’m not racist in any way shape or form, but come on, don’t jump on someone for being proud of who they are, all colours all races do it. As for discrimination, there’s positive discrimination that excludes white people from certain jobs, so yes I’m afraid white people do experience discrimination too. I’m not racist, and the fact I have to add that at the end of my comment shows how things get twisted.

 

[merryone]

I don’t do Facebook, never liked it, never will, but I’ve got to say, what’s wrong with being proud to be white? I don’t get it because it’s ok to say you’re proud to black and proud of your black heritage, and yes I’ve heard white people being called names for the colour of their skin, I’m afraid racism is a two way street and works both ways, the term “Racism” doesn’t just exist for black people. I’ll probably be called racist for that too but unfortunately it’s true, racism is also caused by people twisting and calling out innocent comments. I’m not racist in any way shape or form, but come on, don’t jump on someone for being proud of who they are, all colours all races do it. As for discrimination, there’s positive discrimination that excludes white people from certain jobs, so yes I’m afraid white people do experience discrimination too. I’m not racist, and the fact I have to add that at the end of my comment shows how things get twisted.

For one I most certainly didn't "jump on them" Just had a quiet word as I didn't want to see my friend embroilled in a public slanging match. There is nothing wrong with being proud of one's heritage, but I feel that it's often said when someone's slated it,or suffered discrimination, and hatred simply because of it ,so quite rightly they feel the need to defend it...thankfully I've never had to do that, never felt the need to stand up and say "hey I'm glad I'm white, or in this case "I'm proud to be white" - It doesn't matter..I am what I am a human being like everybody else - I'm happy with my lot, the colour of my skin is what it is, where i was born is where I was born, had no say in that, and have never received any negative comments about any of these things,and historically neither has any member of my family....sadly not everybody can say that. Don't get me wrong, I think "Political correctness can go a bit crazy at times....Baa baa "rainbow sheep" anyone? As you say innocent comments can be twisted even if no racism was intended and in a one to one conversation with friends and colleagues you can talk it through....post or repost a comment like that on a public forum yes, you will be jumped on...I didn't want to see that happen to my friend. We will disagree on this I'm sure but I felt the post was imflammatory! Guess we can agree to disagree right? The bit I felt was imflammatory was the bit at the end...saying I'm sure I'll be called racist...Why would anyone think that if she was just trying to say how proud she was of her heritage? Like you say there's nothing wrong with that, but was that post saying that?, or was it just saying I'll be called a racist for this? mmmm?

 

[shopperholic]

For one I most certainly didn't "jump on them" Just had a quiet word as I didn't want to see my friend embroilled in a public slanging match. There is nothing wrong with being proud of one's heritage, but I feel that it's often said when someone's slated it,or suffered discrimination, and hatred simply because of it ,so quite rightly they feel the need to defend it...thankfully I've never had to do that, never felt the need to stand up and say "hey I'm glad I'm white, or in this case "I'm proud to be white" - It doesn't matter..I am what I am a human being like everybody else - I'm happy with my lot, the colour of my skin is what it is, where i was born is where I was born, had no say in that, and have never received any negative comments about any of these things,and historically neither has any member of my family....sadly not everybody can say that. Don't get me wrong, I think "Political correctness can go a bit crazy at times....Baa baa "rainbow sheep" anyone? As you say innocent comments can be twisted even if no racism was intended and in a one to one conversation with friends and colleagues you can talk it through....post or repost a comment like that on a public forum yes, you will be jumped on...I didn't want to see that happen to my friend. We will disagree on this I'm sure but I felt the post was imflammatory! Guess we can agree to disagree right? The bit I felt was imflammatory was the bit at the end...saying I'm sure I'll be called racist...Why would anyone think that if she was just trying to say how proud she was of her heritage? Like you say there's nothing wrong with that, but was that post saying that?, or was it just saying I'll be called a racist for this? mmmm?

Her saying at the end “I’m sure I’ll be called racist” has proved she’s absolutely right to say it and is proven by the fact you’re jumping on her post to make her aware and defend herself of a harmless comment in her eyes, that’s probably why she, and myself, say it, because in this crazy world of political correctness, you have to deny you’re racist before anyone accuses you of it. it’s a nice thing you do to protect your friend though, so we'll shake on it and agree to disagree. :mysmilie_3:

 

[alter ego]

Twenty-odd years ago I worked in an office (NHS) with four older ladies. One of them had a Robinson's Golly figure to the side of her computer along with a few other knick knacks. I remember my aunt used to collect them (all musicians IIRC) and displayed them on her windowsill.

I asked colleague about it and it turns out my aunt had given it to her as her mum and my aunt were good friends and the figure was a double.

I had the bad timing to have started this conversation in front of a young coloured man who was on some sort of training scheme.

Well, he reported us for racism. The whole office was given a verbal warning but colleague and I were given written warnings for racism.

We'd been nothing of the sort! It made me so bloody angry I can tell you. My colleague had to put the little golly away (after it being on her desk for decades) and we were "banned" from talking about "anything like THAT" by the manager.

Same manager had ignored me when I complained that the same young man had said loudly to some younger colleagues that he didn't want to be told what to do by a "bunch of fat old bags" (more than once). Ageism? Fatism?

It really annoys me that we're expected to wipe things from history so as not to upset certain people (be it racism or veganism or anything else). These things happened! As a kid I loved the Black & White Minstrels show thing. I had no conception of racism then. But to be banned from talking about TV shows from our youth is ridiculous. It reminds me of ISIS destroying historic ruins!

I do understand that racism exists and is unpleasant to be a victim of - from experience. My best friend was going out with a foreign student (no details as it's very outing). A group of them would always be hanging around the local cafes and were VERY racist towards white people. My friend had picked up a lot of the language and translated what they were saying. Very upsetting. So I do understand how hurtful and upsetting it can be to have comments etc., aimed at you because of your colour.

It's not just colour either. I understand Mediastar's feelings. It exists in many forms. There are some unpleasant people out there who are deeply racist and these people are the ones that need re-educating (or locking up!). I just wish that some people would stop trying to erase parts of history because they don't like it. One of my daughter's friend's parents had been telling her there was no such thing as the Holocaust - this is why we need history. We don't need it repeating itself and while I realise that many racists at the top level would like this to happen, lessons learnt from history will hopefully prevent it.

Just don't accuse me of being racist because as a child I loved the Robinson's Gollies and the B&W Minstrel show!

 

[merryone]

I used to collect the gollies from the jam jars back in the 70s when I was a small child and not once did I ever think that they represented people, but I know the term "Wog"that stems from that has been used frequently in the past to insult people - and one of my best mates told me that at school she was referred to as a "Jam jar kid" which was very upsetting for her. Gollies have gone, so has the b&w minstrel show, and because they did exist in our childhood, we will naturally talk about them from time to time....And I'm sure most of us "tailor" our conversations as not to offend anyone who's likely to be offended. I can understand perhaps how the young man felt uncomfortable hearing your coversation, but it sounds to me he was very rash in reporting the situation...not giving people a chance to see whether he got along with them or not. However, he did and management addressed it, but I certainly don't agree that you should've been given written warnings...A rational conversation would've been more useful. Sounds like the fella, regardless of his creed or colour was a total arsehole, and most certainly should've been given a written warning for his conduct, as what he said was deliberately insulting! Can totally understand why these changes have been made, think political correctness has gone a bit overboard in some places..but if we treat one another with the kindness and respect we deserve, the world would be a better place!