Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To want to run for the hills

69 replies

Scaredcrow · 11/09/2018 13:15

Have name changed for this.
I live in a "naice" village where we have an annual Scarecrow trail, each year there is a theme and people, school, shops, businesses etc build scarecrows and display them for a week around the time of harvest.
I won't say what the theme is as it could be identifying and I don't think the crow in question fits very well anyway. The whole thing is meant to be fun and an activity meant to build community spirit.
It has come to light that an organisation have decided that their crow this year will be a slave trader who later became involved in the abolition of slavery, not very obvious as you drive on a main A road through the village but there will be a written explanation next to the crow. All fairly harmless so far, BUT they are going to have a small crow depicting an African child in chains next to it.
I am quite frankly horrified and have suggested that they rethink, I went as far as saying "you can't do that" but they are unmoved.
I live on the same road and want to run for the hills as I can envisage a huge shit storm descending on the village in a few weeks time, not to mention numerous traffic incidents as shocked drivers catch sight as they drive past.

OP posts:
SneakyGremlins · 11/09/2018 13:16

They can't seriously fucking want to do that!

DianaPrincessOfThemyscira · 11/09/2018 13:19

Oh god no. That is such a terrible idea.

I would raise it again and ask if they are trying to get on the front page of national newspapers with how spectacularly tone deaf (being generous there!) the village as a whole has been.

Beargoesgrr · 11/09/2018 13:19

Confused how do they not see what they’re doing?!!

Original poster
Scaredcrow · 11/09/2018 13:20

Oh yes they do, I can see prosecution for hate crime, racism and huge offence being caused just for a start.
It will boost the numbers of people attending the event but that will no doubt include the daily fail and tv news reporters.

OP posts:
DianaPrincessOfThemyscira · 11/09/2018 13:20

I think anything to do with slavery should be avoided, especially when it’s supposed to be a fun community based activity of a (probably) mostly white community.

Not to mention the links to scarecrow = Jim Crow laws which was my first thought.

Original poster
Scaredcrow · 11/09/2018 13:25

The Jim Crow laws are just one massive link that makes this inappropriate, it is supposed to be a celebration of farming traditions linked to harvest and protection of newly sown seeds, personally I'm apposed to any theme as they should be scarecrows.

OP posts:
recklessruby · 11/09/2018 13:39

That's just awful. Whoever dreamed that idea up needs to read some history about slavery. Very offensive and I presume not everyone attending will be white?
As a white woman I find this totally unacceptable in 2018 Angry

ProcrastinatingPingu · 11/09/2018 13:42

Wtf?
How can anybody think that this would be okay? Hmm

TheStoic · 11/09/2018 13:45

Hopefully the Daily Mail will pick this up before it happens. I’m sure the village will recognise itself if they do.

Ketayuzu · 11/09/2018 13:50

Have you got a friendly PCSO who could go and have a gentle word about why this isn't a great idea?

Original poster
Scaredcrow · 11/09/2018 13:53

I'm tempted to involve the Parish Council or Scarecrow trail organisers, they will know it's me but I really don't care about that, I just want to stop them.

OP posts:
Andypandypoo · 11/09/2018 18:30

No no no, who would even think this was ok, are you sure someone isn't pulling your leg.
If it isn't someone playing a very sick joke you have to report them to the organisers, surely there are some guidelines about not producing offensive scarecrows or something.

Andypandypoo · 11/09/2018 18:32

No no no, who would even think this was ok, are you sure someone isn't pulling your leg.
If it isn't someone playing a very sick joke you have to report them to the organisers, surely there are some guidelines about not producing offensive scarecrows or something.

Original poster
Scaredcrow · 11/09/2018 18:44

PCSO is a really good idea but not sure the offending people will be around when he is. Does anyone know if they would actually be committing an offence under hate crime or racism laws.
It definitely isn't a joke, I wish it was.

OP posts:
Angiemum23 · 11/09/2018 19:03

My village is currently doing the scare crow thing. It's only once a year, maybe they are trying to use it as an educational item. If you feel that strongly I would contact the head of organisation.

Original poster
Scaredcrow · 11/09/2018 19:46

You've hit the nail on the head, they are intending it to be highly educational as the character they're trying to depict has connections to the organisation they represent but in doing so they are completely missing the point of the whole event.
Their display has a very prominent position in the village on a busy main road with buses every fifteen minutes to the local city so lots of commuters going past in one direction and over 1600 secondary school pupils going in the opposite direction to the very popular local state school.

OP posts:
Original poster
Scaredcrow · 11/09/2018 20:50

Update from crowgate, apparently it's all going to be fine because they will be showing an educational film inside the building to explain the story behind the crows in question. All it needs are people in high vis jackets stopping the traffic and getting people to go and watch the film and nobody will raise any objections will they.

OP posts:
DianaPrincessOfThemyscira · 11/09/2018 20:52

Fucking hell they are dense aren't they? It's almost an 'I'm not racist some of my best friends are black!' type thing.

Original poster
Scaredcrow · 11/09/2018 21:08

Diana does it make it worse if it's a Church doing this? They honestly can't see that anyone can take offence because it's a true story and the bad guy came good and was kind to the slaves in the end.
I've suggested that they change the crows to depict a happy scene of man holding child and everyone being happy instead of large male holding the chain attached to the neck of a small crying child cowering at his feet. They think my idea won't have as much impact, too fucking right it won't.

OP posts:
Namechangeforthiscancershit · 11/09/2018 21:29

I had a horrible feeling you were going to say it was a Church.

They really need to stop being stubborn and listen to you.

Original poster
Scaredcrow · 11/09/2018 21:37

I'm not involved in any way, was just chatting to a group of people who were erecting the platform on which the crows will be displayed. Just a casual conversation along the lines of "what will your crow be this year" I stood there all polite and gently trying to persuade them that they would not only cause huge offence to most of the village but was also racist and inappropriate.

OP posts:
thejeangenie36 · 12/09/2018 00:46

The Church could profit from a link to articles on the controversies which marked the 2007 200 year anniversary of the abolition of slavery. The image of white people as rescuers / blacks in chains is considered massively distasteful because it minimises / omits the role of the slaves' resistance in ending slavery and thus promotes the idea that blacks were inferior, the very justification used by slavers.

Aintnothingbutaheartache · 12/09/2018 00:53

I cannot quite believe what I’ve read here

Twotailed · 12/09/2018 01:46

YANBU that is hideously offensive and so inappropriate. Are there any black people on the committee?

If they won’t listen to reason I would be making sure I was out of town that weekend...

delphguelph · 12/09/2018 01:48

Yes they can't do that.

Put a stop to it, pronto.