to think these are pretty racist?

[tardisjumper]

Was looking for some slippers for DP for Xmas (rock 'n' roll) and came across these:

racist slippers

I was pretty shocked tbh and think in a country where people are debating golliwogs, people should think twice benfore putting things like this on ebay?

Or are they just funny?

Karbea, being a Rastafarian or 'Rasta' is a religion. Some ( not all) Rastas' believe that smoking weed puts you one with God and doing so is part of their culture. So being called a Rasta is not an insult, unlike Gollywog.

Hate the slippers by the way!

One was called Bob something, sang some songs.

Karbea, why is Rastamouse racist? He's just a little children's character. A Rastafarian mouse. He's not an ugly caricature of a race of people, like a Golliwog.

Oh dear, I'm sorely tempted to buy a load of them now.

I can give them as Christmas presents, and those recipients whose faces go at the racist slippers will be outed as MNers!

No I think they're rare but not racist

Well,I just showed them to dd (13),who is mixed race Jamaican,and asked if she deemed them as racist.
She said "well,seeing as they stereotype a blackman with dreadlocks smoking a spliff...then yes"

They are fucking horrible and yes, racist.
Rastamouse is a cartoon mouse who comes from Jamaica and plays reggae. Golliwigs are a nasty caricature of black people based on the idea that black people were less human than white people. Quite a big difference.

Well, having seen the see you Jimmy hats (tartan bunnets with ginger hair stuck to them) worn by Scots and tourists alike, I just think it's a harmless caricature, and as a Scot, having seen three Dutch blokes wandering through town with them on the other day, I'm totally not offended. In fact it makes me smile.

Always makes me laugh that in these types of conversations someone always knows someone from said ethnic group who would not be offended and therefore it must be fine....

I couldnt work up the energy to call them racist. They are perpetuating a lazy stereotype though, yes...and are vile and...urm..anyone who wears them has to be a major dickhead.

...and as Feminine says, a major Elf and Safety risk.

The slippers are racist; Rastamouse is not racist

OMG they look like Cosmo and Dibs from that kids programme You and Me!!!!

Rastamouse is a mouse who is a rastafarian

gollywogs are based on slaves and racially prejudiced views of 'jolly black men'

there is a huge difference

I don't see anything wrong with them. I wouldn't buy them myself but ethnic minorities might like them because they depict them(?)

< slinks away and hides in the cupboard under the stairs waiting for the words to come (with a glass or two)>

I don't think it's racist...

AngelofTheLord, is that a joke? "...ethnic minorities might like them because they depict them?" You're joking, right?

AngelofTheLord

Slippers is exotic innit

They are pretty fucking foul, aren't they

at someone thinking that there is a character on cbeebees who smokes a spliff!

When I first moved in with DH, then DP, straight out of university for both of us, he had some truly awful stuff. One of the things he had was an ashtray being held by a rasta ornament. This ashtray may have been "accidentally" broken the first time I dusted. Whether or not it was racist it was completely hideous and belonged in the bin.

YABVU for calling the Kia Ora advert 'terrible'.

I virtually choked at "gooliwogs" :o

I don't know if they could be classed as racist but I personally am offended by them simply because they are so disgusting. My eyes are offended. Absolutely horrific. I may buy them for people I don't like.
How do things like this go from the design stage to the making stage? Who decides they would be a good product to produce?!