howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
this issue has resurfaced, we had a threa about this some time ago.
story from sam lennon of kent online.
A garden centre owner has become locked in a race row over his selling of black golly dolls.
Lindy Gander wrote to Terry Burch, the boss of Bybrook Barn Garden Centre in Kennington, condemning the products as "racist garbage".
She has threatened to provoke a mass boycott of his business.
But Mr Burch has hit back, accusing her of seeing racism where none exists.
Mrs Gander, 50, emailed Mr Burch saying: "It is disgusting that there are still organisations/shops like you who are willing to try to sell racist garbage like this.
"I will also be contacting my friends in Kent and the south east to contact gardening groups in your area to boycott your shop unless you remove these 'toys' immediately."
Mr Burch furiously wrote back: "We are not amused by your comments or by your threats.
"The gollies that we sell are nothing more than dolls, i.e. black dolls.
"It's yourself that introduces racism into the issues.
"Had these dolls been white no comment would have been made.
"We certainly would never have used the term garbage when referring to a black, white, brown or yellow doll and making colour an issue just perpetuates matters.
"They are black dolls, nothing more, nothing less. It's people that perpetuate racism, not products.
"Your text infers that we are somehow racist. We are not, that is in the mind of the beholder.
"One could argue that selling a rag doll is somehow a slur on the underprivileged.
"
Alec Sheldon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 18 Aug 2008
- Posts: 1,037
Who is Lindy Gander ?. I have heard of Goosey Goosey but not Lindy.
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
A madwoman clearly Alec....
Good for Mr Burch in giving her some home truths...
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
every so often this issue is raised and it is always a white person that raises it.
i think that anyone black would see it as a doll only, nothing like a human being.
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
the only way to find out wheather its rasist or not is to ask a coulerd person if we have one on here at dover forum
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
when this came up before brian, a television crew asked a number of black people and only one was offended.
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
ok howard i missed that one.but would be nice to a comment on here saying so.
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,895
It is not the doll that is disliked by the black population it is the name they can find so offensive.
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
here is the offending rogues gallery at the garden centre?
they have been called gollies for decades now, cannot see how any offence can be taken.
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
ahhhh cute little chaps arnt they.
Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
Brian, I've been painting rooms and doors white in Essex, it was Winter up north there, came back today to a Kentish Summer, green vegetation everywhere. I find no offence to the golly dollies in Mrs. Ganders comments, which probably earned her some publicity for her own golly dollies.
The doors had been dark brown, and now they have become white. Does this use of colours qualify me to make the statement that a black door can be painted white?
My sister had a gollywog when I was 2, from the Robinson jam collection, and she didn't ley me play with it.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
welome back alex, sorry to hear about the traumatic event with the golly.
hope you have made up with your sister now.
