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Original poster

Tesco Christmas card making fun of children with red hair

377 replies

Northernlebkuchen · 15/12/2009 11:48

here

I can't believe they think they should sell something like this. So glad this woman got them taken out of our local tesco - now what about the rest of the chain?

I know two children horribly bullied because of their (beautiful) red hair. It's just the same as any other discrimination - breeds hate and misery

OP posts:
Original poster
Northernlebkuchen · 15/12/2009 19:49

tree - that's not a nice thought.

OP posts:
verylittlecarrot · 15/12/2009 19:50

Putting the racism argument aside for a moment...

When people use red-hair as the butt of a joke, or for something more sinister, it's generally based on the assumption that red hair = pug ugly and unlikeable.

Prejudice is prejudice
Bullying is bullying
Name calling is nasty, whether it is "paki", "spastic", "fatso", "pikey", "four-eyes" or "ginger minger".

Are some posters really arguing that certain categories of prejudice are dreadful, unacceptable, but others (as defined by who, exactly?) are trivial and fair game for ignoring?

Why the need for one-upmanship in the discrimination stakes? "My suffering is so much more worthy than yours" Is there some hierarchy of victim status that defines one person's suffering as greater or more worthy of sympathy than another's? No-one sensible is equating the scale of the atrocities committed in the name of race to the bullying of a redheaded child, but discrimination and generalised belittling of an entire group of people happens along a spectrum. It's just not on, really, at either end of that spectrum.

LittleWhiteWolf · 15/12/2009 19:50

Flightattendat, I misread that as untrained and seductive, the most dangerous kind.

tackyChristmastreedelivery · 15/12/2009 19:52

I gave birth flat on my back too, it was by far the most comfortable.

I don't want to see a card taking the piss out of me for that either.

God what a depressing thread.

Original poster
Northernlebkuchen · 15/12/2009 19:53

Georgi - most people distinguish between 'funny' and 'cruel' though.

OP posts:
Georgimama · 15/12/2009 19:53

Go for it. I've never reported a post directed at me yet.

The point is there are "jokes" about everything. Jokes about old people, fat people, stupid people, rich people, poor people, and some of them will offend some people but they all serve a purpose - to make us confront the stereotypes we subscribe to. Some of you are talking about having "red hair in the family" like it's a congenital disease! Perhaps you should be more positive in your attitudes? I would laugh, I really would. But then I liked red hair so much when I was younger I dyed mine red. It was fashionable when I was a whippersnapper.

ThumbleBells · 15/12/2009 19:53

well put, verylittlecarrot.

Tree, I hope not - but if you never got called it to your face then it matters less in some ways, although not in others. At least no one was trying to intentionally hurt you.

Georgimama · 15/12/2009 19:54

Most humour is slightly cruel. It's a balancing act.

sarah293 · 15/12/2009 19:54

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sarah293 · 15/12/2009 19:55

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Original poster
Northernlebkuchen · 15/12/2009 19:57

So Georgimamma - telling a child that their hair colour renders them undeserving of Christmas presents - where would that fit in your balancing act then?

OP posts:
lostinwales · 15/12/2009 19:59

Just shown all this to DS1, 9, (gloriously red and glossy haired), he laughed his head of at the card and was disappointed it had been withdrawn as he wants one. I'm now worried that we may be a bit unintelligent and should really become more militantly ginger as a family. Possibly living in Wales makes a difference?

Georgimama · 15/12/2009 20:00

The card doesn't say that though, does it? It says the exact opposite.

Don't ask me to define the nation's morals, I'm not Mary Whitehouse. I really do think some people (a lot of people) on this thread have got a little bit over excited. Have you honestly, honestly, never laughed at a joke that poked fun of fatness, or age, or an ugly face, or general misfortune? Actually, don't answer, because I can tell you will claim you haven't, and I won't believe you.

Georgimama · 15/12/2009 20:00

lostinwales, you sound completely normal to me.

sarah293 · 15/12/2009 20:02

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sarah293 · 15/12/2009 20:03

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tethersjinglebellend · 15/12/2009 20:03

Flight, the pedant in me won't let it go

It was the correct 'their'- I think the [sic] was misplaced, sorry.

Georgimamma, I agree completely WRT to jokes.

And I have red hair in my family and my pants

AgentZigzagDoingAYuleLog · 15/12/2009 20:03

verylittle 'Is there some hierarchy of victim status that defines one person's suffering as greater or more worthy of sympathy than another's? No-one sensible is equating the scale of the atrocities committed in the name of race to the bullying of a redheaded child'

You have just answered your own question. Is there a hierachy of victim status? Bullying of a redheaded child can't be aquated on the scale of racist/religious atrocities.

To equate the two, only IMO, is disrespectful to groups who have historically been systematically tortured and whose whole families have been wiped out on the basis of their race or religion by a ruling government. This is nothing like bullying someone on the basis of having red hair.

verylittlecarrot · 15/12/2009 20:04

My SIL is both disabled and has red hair. I'm bemused by the fact that some posters think it's appalling to imply she's unloveable or ugly because of one characterisic, yet acceptable to suggest it because of the other.

It seems to me to be subscribing to the belief that it's OK to be mean to a group of people if the consensus or majority find it funny. Oh, and if you get to make sure that you're not in that unfortunate group first, of course.

Who else can we have a good smirk about today?

Flightattendant · 15/12/2009 20:06

Tethers is this right? 'their characteristics specific to their race '

I thought there were too many theirs

but I might be wrong in which case I had better do some revising.

tackyChristmastreedelivery · 15/12/2009 20:07

Do you know, I don't think I ever have laughed at anyone else for being fat and so one. Not as an adult at anyrate.

Blimey!

Flightattendant · 15/12/2009 20:09

'Racial discrimination arises out of the belief of some that their characteristics specific to their race make them superior to those of another race.'

surely not.

I'm going to bed and will be back to review the verdict tomorrow.

Apols Nancy

Georgimama · 15/12/2009 20:10

Not at a particular person, at a joke made about no one in particular, about some perceived negative characteristic.

If you're trying to say you sit stoney faced though Friday Night at the Apollo and the like, then I really don't believe you.

tethersjinglebellend · 15/12/2009 20:10

Flight, I'm doubting myself now... admittedly, it doesn't read particularly well, but it's the correct 'their'; 'the' would have perhaps been a better substitution.

I hate pedantry. No, I love it. Gah.

I'm tired and hungry.

Georgimama · 15/12/2009 20:11

I think possibly there should have been a comma or two, as in:

Racial discrimination arises out of the belief of some that their characteristics, specific to their race, make them superior to those of another race.'

but it's splitting hairs.