[jen_jen]

I’m not sure if I’ve shared this story here before or whether it was on another forum so apologies if I’m repeating myself.

I had an older cousin who was an only child and was spoilt rotten. She always had the most exquisite dolls, the kind that you looked at and didn’t play with. One of my favourites was a black doll that had the prettiest face, thick afro-style hair, gold earrings and deep brown eyes…bear in mind that this was at a time when most dolls were white, had straight blonde or brown hair and blue eyes so to my young eyes she was very different and special.

A few years ago her daughter asked if she could borrow one of her dolls as her daughter (my cousin’s granddaughter) had to take in an old toy that her parents or grandparents might have played with. She selected my favourite doll, still as pristine and beautiful as ever. Alas she didn’t get shown to the class…the teacher confiscated it and asked he mother to come to the school to discuss it. She had deemed this beautiful doll as racist because it was black and had afro-style hair. She didn’t know quite what to say when it was pointed out that it was more racist to think that only white dolls were acceptable or that racially correct depiction in the afro hair was in some way offensive.

Whilst I abhor racism and all forms of prejudice, it does seem that sometimes we bend over so far to not cause offence to one group that it is more offensive in its own way as we almost seem to be denying their existence or, in avoiding offending one group ending up offending another group. We seem to be losing sight of common sense and a sense of balance.

[jen_jen]

Poli at times your naivety astounds me…at least I hope it is naivety.

[jen_jen]

Regardless of whether we’re talking about race, gender, sexuality, disability etc., it’s not words that are offensive, it’s not the toys that are offensive, it’s the context in which they are used and the intent behind them.

[jen_jen]

@rogue trader wrote:

its bungle,now you know ive nothing against gays,ask my boyfriend if you dont beleive me,but theres so many kiddies prog, i mean come on that guy in telly tubbys with the handbag,and what about captain pugwash eh, his crew was seaman staines, master bates, and roger the cabin boy,, i mean come on,, i maybe young but dont try to pull the wool over my eyes, and dont get me started on the muppets,i gotta go im being shouted at, ok duncan im coming up now,, bloody boyfriends eh!

There is a persistent urban legend, repeated by the now defunct UK newspaper the Sunday Correspondent, that ascribes sexually suggestive names – such as Master Bates, Seaman Staines, and Roger (meaning “have sex with”) the Cabin Boy – to Captain Pugwash’s characters, and indicating that the captain’s name was a slang Australian term for oral sex. John Ryan successfully sued both the Sunday Correspondent and The Guardian newspapers in 1991 for printing this legend as fact.

Bye bye Hamza, US prison life won’t be as cushy as UK prison life I’m sure…what a shame.

[jen_jen]

Tut I was gonna post a serious response and now it’s all gone humorous… :evil:

[jen_jen]

That is no gentleman and it is something I’d rather not imagine.

[jen_jen]

http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/

Simply stunning, Mother Nature at her best.

[jen_jen]

Lol nice reply Terry :lol:

Having been involved in a similar thread on another forum recently where I was told by some people that I was very sensible, by others that I was overly pc and by others that I was a racist, I don’t think there’s a right answer to this… :?

[jen_jen]

I thought Billy was scottish…

[jen_jen]

Couldn’t see that coming… :roll:

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