To not be sure who is wrong in the Golly dispute?

[Mitmoo]

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2034203/Grandmother-faces-court-placing-Golliwog-window-dispute-neighbour-black-wife.html

OK it's a DM to flame me but never the less..........

A grandmother has a longrunning dispute over boundary issues, which I know from personal experience can be extremely distressing, even though in my case it was just a part of my small back garden not serious land as in this case.

The grandmother IMO was probably being racist in putting the golly in her window, but it is in her house and no one is being forced to look at it. She says it is a grandchild's toy and was put there only while tidying up. Other neighbour was so offended they photographed it!

But AIBU in thinking the other couple were being ridiculous to go to the police about it and now the original woman (probably in the wrong, don't buy the grandchilds toy story) could be facing two years in jail?

Perhaps there is an argument for granny being a nut in this day and age to buy a golly for a child, while admittedly loved the badges from the jamjars in the 70's.

Ultimately it is a doll, in her house, on her windowsill, she's wrong, she's probably racist but how can this be a good use of our courts, our legal system, this is a neighbour dispute.

How can they prove what was in her mind when she placed the golly in the window sill? AIBU in thinking these families are as bad as each other and are blowing this up out of all proportion, while accepting boundary disputes do get under your skin big time.

It seems to me involving the police was vindictive and a court case over this is unnecessary?

It's the sort of behaviour if I saw it I would say "silly cow" or similar and move on.

Two wrongs and all that. Not defending racist behaviour for a second just seems to me this has been blown out of proportion in making this a court case with possible jail time for having a golly on your windowsill.

Particularly as I am not sure they can prove her intent when putting it there.
We are supposed to be in dire financial straights as a country, how much is this case costing?

OR AIBU?

[workedoutforthebest]

PMSL Grovel :o

...Perhaps Enid Blyton's 'gollies' were just a little mischievous (sp) and it was all a little bit of harmless 'fun' . I think the fact that one of them was called 'nigger' says it all really...

[MillyR]

Again, I was under the impression that Black Sambo was set in India. I didn't know it grew out of stereotypes from America.

I think it would be useful for schools to look at this kind of imagery in History lessons, because it seems as if people are quite unfamiliar with racism in the recent past. I really don't know much about the popularity of racist imagery or how the different types of racist ideas interacted or mixed between the US and Britain.

I think people would take a different attitude to these things if what went on was discussed more openly. Schools certainly now do the US civil rights movement; perhaps they should do more on the racism in US and Britain and how that played out in entertainment; it seems particularly important with things like toys and tv because they are a way of getting people to invest in racism in a sentimental and deeply emotional manner. That perhaps makes it harder to challenge?

[KeepTheChange]

I watched a documentary on Enid. She wasn't a very nice person actually and treated her children terribly. I was quite upset!

[PGTip]

Political correctness gone mad! It's a golly, it's a dolly. Would we think it reasonable to have a black/Asian person charged with racism if they put a White doll in their window. What a waste if taxpayers money.

[KeepTheChange]

The moment someone types/says "It's political Correctness GORN MAD" I just think...

"oh dear, someone doesn't understand something" and then I read the rest of the point and I'm usually proved right.



BINGO!

[AmberLeaf]

PGTip...if that white doll had the same historical racist significance then yes.....but it wouldnt would it.

[SiamoFottuti]

its like godwins law but for utter morons.

Political correctness basically means stop acting like a twat.

[Malcontentinthemiddle]

and pretty much all dolls are white anyway.

[Jaquelinehyde]

This is all rather pathetic and both parties should be ashamed of themselves. Obviously the woman placed the gollie there to try and wind the other neighbour up and that is pretty disgusting but for the neighbour to report it to the police is just ridiculous.

When my son who was 2 at the time was called a monkey by my neighbour I reported it to the police and luckily because a couple of other neighbours heard it he was charged and so he should have been the nasty little man. The police were amazing.

I love gollies as does dh and the children and we do not find them offensive at all. However, I understand that some people can still be offended by them and that is their perogative.

[crazynanna]

I don't think it really matters whether the doll was named before or after the word became a racist term. What matters,I think,is that people recognise and accept it is deemed as racist,and act accordingly.

I hate the W word.

[maypole1]

HoHoLaughingMonster in majorty white areas you would be hard pushed to find a shop selling gollys in london on any major city i went to the sea side i could belive it they had a whole shop full (i am black)

the only place i had seen a golly was on telly i nearly dropped my ice cream

the saddest thing was explaining to my dd why white people were selling charicator of black people in a shop and why its called a golly wog when that is a offensive term.


mindgone notice you didnt used the whole name of the golly ... and i guess the reason is because you know its offensive.

[FreudianSlipper]

we are all aware that they are offensive to some not everyone but to many they are and just because some think they are not does not give them the right to decide they are not for others

it is not pc gone mad it about being respectful toward others and this women was not. we should all be aware of what is offensive and what is not and if we learn something new then not to use that term as it may offend (i was not aware until recently that oriental was an offensive term have learned that some feel it is so will not use it anymore i rather drop the term it is not hard to replace it with asian than offend someone)

i hate the line i am not racist i have black friends it?s as bad as your family are ok but i do not really like black, asian, african blah blah blah rubbish

[Malcontentinthemiddle]

I have a term for the people who don't think Gollies are racist.

[minimisschief]

Things are only racist if they are used in a racist way. The golly wog itself is no more racist than a black plastic doll you can buy in a shop. It is utterly ridiculous that people can get arrested for having a toy from their childhood displayed in their window.

Regardless of why it was there it is no ones business to look into other peoples houses. And then complain about what they see.

[Malcontentinthemiddle]

Yes. It. Is.

[FreudianSlipper]

things are only racist if used in a racist way. tell that to my dad who has been called paki in an oh so friendly way don't mean it mate countless times and ask if he finds the term offensive or not or has it already been decided for him that it is not

it is not for you to decide what others find offensive it is for that person to decide

[GaramMasalaGirl]

Agree completely with FreudianSlipper ...it is about showing respect, consideration and common decency to others.

DP didn't realise until I told him that the term half-cast was highly offensive, DD who is 19 didn't know that gypsies is also an offensive term. They now both know and would never use those words because they want to be tolerant and considerate members of society.

And if I hear just one more time the phrase "...I'm not racist because my friend is black/my brother's girlfriend is black/my guinea pig is black...." I think my head might explode!

[KeepTheChange]

What nonsense minimiss.

Things are only racist if they are racist not if they are used with a racist intent. It's this kind of muddy thinking that is so infuriating. YOU might not think calling the corner shop the "Pa** Shop" but it is racist whether you think it is or isn't. WTAF?

Furthermore a golly is not like a black barbie, or any other sort of black dolly. It is a caricature with very very disturbing and revolting history.

[KeepTheChange]

X posted with Freudian. So sorry that your dad has had to put up with such willfull arseholery.

[OpinionatedMum]

I have no sympathy for the woman who put the golly in the window. Only a martian would not know gollys are offensive. She knew it was offensive, she knew it would be seen and she must be aware of the consequences.

[nokissymum]

minimischief "things are only rascist if they are used in a rascist way"

i couldnt agree more.

[FreudianSlipper]

he has always said it is there problem not his. i do remember him being spat at when i was young :( he now lives in the states and they think he is south american so gets a little abuse about that too when he tells them where he is from they are fascinated (sri lanka)

its funny how racists will often single out people from particular countries to vent their anger towards and that many now hate polish who are mostly white christian. puzzling really how people can be so stupid

[Malcontentinthemiddle]

People don't read, do they? There are countless posts on here explaining why the golly isn't the same as a black baby doll, and so on, but the golly-lovers won't even engage with any of those points - just 'la la la la it's pc gone mad I have a golly and I'm not racist nothing racist if you claim you don't mean it to be'.