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Gollywogs - is this guy for real?.


Kavi Ugl
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Shetland as a whole is not racist. Racism exists, I've seen it and heard it, but it's far from the norm. In any congregation of folk there will be some disharmony. However, Shetlanders do not share the social and economic factors that are the seeds of most racism and are unlikely to. Sure, a number of immigrant workers may have come into the isles of late, but there has been no detrimental economic impact to the 'indigenous' Shetlander. ie, there's nobody down the dole queue who can claim (legitimately or otherwise) that their job has been 'taken by the Polish' etc. Additionally, there can be no sense that Shetland life has been in anyway affected by racial migration - there are simply so few ethnic minorities to make it an issue.

 

It is for these reasons that I think the GollyWog toys are genuinely bereft of racial undertones and are a product of the blessed naivety many of us share with regards to the racial relations elsewhere. Shetland has it's idiots, but these toys should not be seen as alluding to some sort of latent xenophobia. Honestly, they're just toys.

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Shetland as a whole is not racist. Racism exists, I've seen it and heard it, but it's far from the norm. In any congregation of folk there will be some disharmony. However, Shetlanders do not share the social and economic factors that are the seeds of most racism and are unlikely to. Sure, a number of immigrant workers may have come into the isles of late, but there has been no detrimental economic impact to the 'indigenous' Shetlander. ie, there's nobody down the dole queue who can claim (legitimately or otherwise) that their job has been 'taken by the Polish' etc. Additionally, there can be no sense that Shetland life has been in anyway affected by racial migration - there are simply so few ethnic minorities to make it an issue.

 

It is for these reasons that I think the GollyWog toys are genuinely bereft of racial undertones and are a product of the blessed naivety many of us share with regards to the racial relations elsewhere. Shetland has it's idiots, but these toys should not be seen as alluding to some sort of latent xenophobia. Honestly, they're just toys.

 

Great post, :lik:

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It could well be argued that our membership of the EU has vastly reduced the number of jobs in the fishing industry.What we need is a referendum on our membership of the EU of course our politians will never allow this as they know very well what the answer would be.So much for democracy

 

At last, somebody talking 'real' issues! :wink:

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It could well be argued that our membership of the EU has vastly reduced the number of jobs in the fishing industry.What we need is a referendum on our membership of the EU of course our politians will never allow this as they know very well what the answer would be.So much for democracy

 

You mean Golliwogs are to blame for decimating the fishing fleet?

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Let me ask a question? As far as I can see Shetland has racism yes but no where near as bad as south. I have a friend who was seen by police making a "racist" comment but let me ask where was the justice when the police clearly witnessed him call my friend a Scottish (bad word) Is that not racism too?!

 

I also have a childhood memory of my head teacher at school calling me a racist?!? Due to some petty girly fall out and being pulled into the head teachers office for a meeting (scariest moment of my life) I was then branded a racist for saying my friends Asian mother cooked better fish and chips than my Shetland mother. What the Christ is that about!!!

 

Also a small rant, my parents have recently got new neighbours not from Shetland, they were welcomed and seem friendly enough but..... They have 6 cars and take up all parking on the street. They then took to writing letters saying it was there private parking. They also park so instead if fitting 6 cars in one stretch of road they can only fit 3. Now where is the justice in people coming into the community and taking charge and making people feel uncomfortable??

 

The last comment was suppose more of a rant and just ignore that one but the racist at 8 years old because of fish and chips?? I didn't even know what it meant until my mam stood up and "gave dem laldy"

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schools now have to keep a register of all so called racist incidents involving pupils.All such incidents are recorded .In a recent case in England a 7year old called a pupil a certain name when challenged by a teacher he said his parents used that word all the time.The police were informed and were said to be taking this incident very serously.Now dosnt this remind you of what used to happen in Hitlers germany or Stalins USSR .

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I can honestly say, I think if you had said the word gollywog, in a public place where I lived before, someone would have called the police.

 

Another point, not an urban myth I might add as I know the child, is the very word black. He pointed out that another child was black. That was all. He was disciplined at school. It's ridiculous, there was no abuse. What can you say, when said child turns to you and says, well he IS black? Yes, but you can't say that, because, ermm, errrmm...

 

Common sense has disappeared (except in Shetland). 'Racism' has been hijacked by the politically correct. I reckon the majority of people don't like it, and know it's ridiculous but are too scared to say so, in case they are labelled racist too.

 

When there is no prejudice or discrimination how can it be racist?

 

If you go up to someone 'of colour' and ask them about their race/colour, I'm sure they would have no hesitation in saying, 'I'm black'; but call him a black man in front of a group of white people and there would be much foot shuffling, and sideways glances and someone is sure to say you're being racist or something!

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