Primark forced to remove racist t-shirt from sale

[Soubriquet]

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I don't watch the walking dead. So this reference would have gone straight over my head.

But again I'm the generation who sang catch a tiger by its toe so wouldn't have immediately gotten the racist connection either.

But once it was pointed out, I got it and agree it should definitely be removed

What were they thinking making this?

[HattiesBackpack]

I watch WD and do understand what it is in reference to- But I think considering the other connotations then yes it was badly thought out.

[OpalFruitsMarathonsandSpira]

Ah, I wouldn't have known that was rascist either. Just googled it - we were always about the tigers toe too.

[Lugeeta]

The walking dead was my first thought so I don't think it would seem racist to a lot of people. And the nursery rhyme I would think tiger.

[FormerlyFrikadela01]

We caught a tiger too so wouldn't automatically think of the racist connotations.

[GeillisTheWitch]

The graphic has a large American baseball bat, wrapped round with barbed wire, and covered with blood.
This image relates directly to the practice of assaulting black people in America

I thought the walking dead was about killing zombies. Not black people.

[SaucyJack]

The counting rhyme itself is centuries old, and existed long before any controversial racist versions.

It's a bit stupid IMO to withdraw the entire stock of t-shirts because one bloke who hasn't watched the programme, and doesn't get the cultural reference, had a bit of misplaced whinge.

[OnionKnight]

I think the bloke who complained needs to get a life.

[Beansonapost]

This will be an interesting thread, I can see it now.

[FormerlyFrikadela01]

I agree it should have been removed from sale. Just because I and many others dont automatically think of the racial connotations doesn't mean they aren't there.

[Anasnake]

The baseball bat is 'lucille' ffs

[LinghamStyle]

I thought it was a tiger! I do watch TWD and wouldn't have thought it was racist, however I'm not black so don't feel like I'm qualified to judge.

[user1471517900]

In the world of football, Rangers fans sing rather offensive extra words to Simply the Best. Should we ban Simply the Best, or accept that we can't ban everything as someone might find a connotation to find offence at. The t shirt itself is not being racist, misinterpreting it makes it offensive.

[Fauchelevent]

Yeah, it was badly planned.
I'm black, don't watch twd but also i used to use "eeny meeny" as a child and only learned of the racist version as an adult. I wouldn't have immediately thought TWD or racist, but if you only know the racist eeny meeny, are black and see someone wearing that out n about, you'd probably leave the vicinity quick.

@ pp who said about the rhyme being centuries old - not always applicable though. Lots of things with innocuous meanings later take on gruesome meanings and we definitely don't plaster them on shirts.

[RachelRagged]

I am of an age where , to our shame (but was not our fault , it is how it was) I recall it as catch a N by the toe . .. that was the 1960s/70s.

However, to be honest, I would not see racism , and he looks older than me so would remember the N version I suppose . Younger generations would not know necessarily as, as pps have said, they used the word tiger .
I do think its a storm in a teacup though really . Some of the most popular characters , and therefore those who play them, are black in TWD. My favourite is , it is Michonne .

[Millipedewithherfeetup]

When i was little, we sang, eenie meenie minee mo, set the baby on the po, when its done, wipe its bum, eenie meenie minee mo , i have never ever heard the racist one.

[bigredtractor]

I wouldn't make an immediate racist link either - but i am.offended by the rwference to clubbing people to death

[ArchNotImpudent]

I've never heard of the TV programme, but I would associate the phrase with the 'n' reference and feel embarrassed if I saw someone wearing the t-shirt. Primark have made the right decision.

[RachelRagged]

My second part there makes little sense. Ill attempt again .

I would not see racism, but this man obviously does . I recall it now, and sang to my own DCs, the catch a tiger version , as did my parents with me and my children . . It was the older generation to them still used the N in it.

[AuntieStella]

It wasn't tiger when I was growing up.

It is good that that version seems to be well in its way to being expunged from the public memory. But the generation who grew up with it hasn't died out yet. So just using the first line is not (yet) neutral.

[FormerlyFrikadela01]

Well no User because the origin of simply the best isn't an offensive song. However the origins of enni meeni mini mo is racist.
I'm with Lingham on this. I'm white therefore it's not my call to make.

[SquatBetty]

How absolutely ludicrous. Negan, the character that recites the rhyme in that particular episode of TWD says 'catch a tiger' anyway!

What a pompous prick this shopper is to have complained about this.

[Aeroflotgirl]

Absolutely stupid, anything can have racist connotations. People just want to be permanently offended. Here's the original nursery rhyme version! I think I will purchase one.

allnurseryrhymes.com/eeny-meeny-miny-moe/

[RachelRagged]

Arch, just out of interest as you recall it too, what decade were you born ? Want to see if it was more common back then My decade was 1960s

Yes Lucille the bat is pretty savage isn't it ? They have a fake one on Ebay , almost fainted at the price .. £93.00 odd.

[Notanotherpawpatrol]

Dh was just telling me about his and he had to explain why it was racist I thought the word was piggy! It's what we sang at school and it's what my kids sing!
I'm sitting on the fence here as I honestly didn't know it was racist and can see lots of people wouldn't know. However can see why people would find it offensive.

[FilthMonster]

My friends and I used the racist one at school unfortunately, although we had absolutely no idea what it meant. I didn't hear the n-word in context until much later and was generally brought up in a very accepting and open-minded household.

What rhyme do people teach their children now when choosing between options? Clearly want to avoid any racist connotations with the DC!