The curse of the 'golliwog' strikes again.

[natjack 10]

As I think about my taxi driver scenario, I felt a little bit taken aback, the fact that he did not see me as British, and then it dawned on me that he must see the word "British" with some kind of association to it.

I'm not quite getting this situation. You mean the taxi driver was white British and not Asian? I didn't even realise there were any non-Asian taxi drivers operating in Sheffield these days. I've never seen one, either as a passenger or when waiting at the rank. Or do you mean because neither of you were white, he didn't think of either of you as being British?

 

Or maybe he just uses his ethnic orgin so he was a bit puzzled what you meant, like I always say I'm English if the subject ever comes up in conversation. I don't even think of myself as British at all, is that wrong?

[Bago 10]

I'm not quite getting this situation. You mean the taxi driver was white British and not Asian? I didn't even realise there were any non-Asian taxi drivers operating in Sheffield these days. I've never seen one, either as a passenger or when waiting at the rank. Or do you mean because neither of you were white, he didn't think of either of you as being British?

 

Or maybe he just uses his ethnic orgin so he was a bit puzzled what you meant, like I always say I'm English if the subject ever comes up in conversation. I don't even think of myself as British at all, is that wrong?

Okay.... let's move on from thinking that all taxi drivers are Asian... erm.

 

He was a caucasian taxi driver who lives in Cambridgeshire and is part of the area's locals. I thought that we got on pretty well, and we talk about all sorts of things, but it just dawned on me when we encountered that silent moment, that he saw me as different. I consider myself as a British Chinese. He considers himself as British. I'm sure. It is just that when I used the term, and he did not see me as that, I do not know what to make of it. Did I cringe at the moment, I think I did. I think he also did as well. But we quickly moved on.

 

I don't think he is wrong, but it did hit home, and maybe I felt a tad offended at being integrated into Britain, and yet, still some people may not acknowledge that side of me. I still get asked, "really, where *are* you from?" I sometimes said "I'm from Sheffield". Then they start to argue with me!

 

So now I have a very practised response of, "I am born in X. Yet, my parents were born in Y. I am of x generation of B. I have lived in C, before I moved here."

Edited February 5, 2009 by Bago
Sorry, it did not make sense.

[Minimo 59]

Perhaps we could rebrand that toy as 'wolligog'

[Waldo 96]

I think anyone would just want to be treated as normal and in a respectful manner...

 

Yes, I very much agree with you Bago.

 

Point I was trying to make; the more you force people (of different ethnicity) to get along, and not be unkind to each other; the more you actually inhibit respect, care, trust and connection between people from arising naturally, in a genuine and heart-felt manner.

 

What gets my goat is that, whatever goes on politically in the papers, then gets diverted onto individuals like myself. It perpetuates the negative air onto real people whom you have not met, or really know personally. This kind of winds me up, a lot.

 

When people say derogatory things about other people, or groups of people; doesn't it say more about them, than it does you?

[libuse 10]

FWIW, we little choice but to pay for the BBC. If they hadn't have sacked her then we'd all be paying the wages of a woman who thinks its ok to liken a black man to a golliwog. How can that ever be good?

 

Worse still, her defense of lightheartedness wasn't even backed up with an embarassed apology........."lighthearted" my a***. The woman is as vile as her mother and I'm glad that the public may have been alerted to her odiousness via this incident.

 

Thanks for listening

[Bago 10]

...

When people say derogatory things about other people, or groups of people; doesn't it say more about them, than it does you?

Isn't this part of the culture, or the political system? That everything is up for grabs and dissection in a very democratic nationalistic public way?

 

The business about removing the golliwog toys from the gift shop was plastered all over The Metro today. I read that and did have a good decent giggle to it.

 

I think I am also on the sentiment as boyfriday, that as long as people don't deliberately gets obtuse with terms like this. I don't think people will mind that much. It is like similar terms such as "chink". I don't mind if people are indeed genuine and innocent about the usage of the word, and my radar is not that high, but there are certain lines that you don't cross, and I am sure that when used in a negative way, the other person can indeed sense it and detect it. I think this kind of negative political move is what breaks down communication.

[Bago 10]

LOL, it doesnt stop it being a true statement though foxy!

 

Actually, even if it were true I'd be too polite to bring it to her attention

 

But that's only a reflection on real life, how many times are we asked 'does my bum look big in this' and delicately reply 'of course it doesn't'!

 

Most of us know how to behave in public, Carol Thatcher especially does with her education and upbringing.

 

The tennis player, may well have looked like a gollywog, but it didn't need bringing to anyones attention and it was rude and overbearing to do so especially given the mixed connotations associated with the word.

The way I see it is that, there is a difference between something said privately between two people, and that you have an emotional bond with, to someone you don't know, making a rude comment about your skin tone.

 

It's like, sometimes my mother tells me off for being such a "banana", being yellow on the outside, and feel so white on the inside. Yet, I know that is because she wish for me to show her more of the chinese side of me, rather than the antagonistic verbally challenging Western side who debates about everything. lol. If she said this to me, I would take it. Cos I know from where it is comng from her heart.

 

However, if some random stranger said this to me. Then I question this, as I am not going to stand for that. I don't even know them. Where are they coming from with that? They don't know me personally. What's their game in saying something like that as an insult?

 

I know that some may argue that there is a missing self deprecating tone, but surely if you feel pride within yourself, then skin tone is not one of those areas up for grabs and dissection? Not areas that you feel pride in. This is for sure.

[mossdog 10]

FWIW, we little choice but to pay for the BBC. If they hadn't have sacked her then we'd all be paying the wages of a woman who thinks its ok to liken a black man to a golliwog. How can that ever be good?

 

Worse still, her defense of lightheartedness wasn't even backed up with an embarassed apology........."lighthearted" my a***. The woman is as vile as her mother and I'm glad that the public may have been alerted to her odiousness via this incident.

 

Thanks for listening

Yes we all have to pay for the BBC! and now we still have to pay the incredible wages of "gob on a stick" Jonathan Ross,who in many peoples book,perpetrated a far far worse crime than Carol Thatcher,............but thats alright then!and don't forget we are still paying the fabulous pension of a man who took us to a needless illegal war and for your information,her mother was the last true leader this country has had! not that a lot of the Sheffield left who post on this Forum will understand that!.....................golliwogs aren't even worth a mention! Edited February 5, 2009 by mossdog

[lady_angel 10]

Margarat thatcher great ,she brought this country to its knees lol

[Bago 10]

Yes we all have to pay for the BBC! and now we still have to listen to "gob on a stick" Jonathan Ross,who in many peoples book,perpetrated a far far worse crime than Carol Thatcher,............but thats alright then! and for your information,her mother was the last true leader this country has had! not that a lot of the Sheffield left who post on this Forum will understand that!.

 

Gordon Bennett, do you feel bullet-proof today?

[libuse 10]

Yes we all have to pay for the BBC! and now we still have to listen to "gob on a stick" Jonathan Ross,who in many peoples book,perpetrated a far far worse crime than Carol Thatcher,............but thats alright then! and for your information,her mother was the last true leader this country has had! not that a lot of the Sheffield left who post on this Forum will understand that!.

 

Last true leader? Oooh, heck, you seem a little deluded, but I suppose the sins of her mother aren't on topic so I won't stray there.

[mossdog 10]

Last true leader? Oooh, heck, you seem a little deluded, but I suppose the sins of her mother aren't on topic so I won't stray there.

Nothing about Tony Blair then.......?