Freedom of speech versus extreme political correctness

Okay, now I'm going to talk about something that really upset me tonight. I went with my fiancée to visit her sister and her brother-in-law.

Her brother-in-law's quite a nice guy, but tonight I offended him completely inadvertently. He's black, and became offended when I mentioned the word "gollywog" (refering to the type of doll) during a casual conversation with Natalie.

He told me politely that he finds the word very offensive, and told me not to use it anymore; he said that he would have expected someone of my intelligence to have known better, and that he's hurt people for less.

So anyway, this made me feel pretty damn shit, but not showing it, and not wanting to start any sort of argument, I appologised and acted friendly, shaking his hand when I left.

So when I left, I kinda felt like the worst person on the planet almost. I wanted to kick myself for saying the wrong thing; let me get one thing straight, I'm not racist. I don't care if you're black, white, asian, or if you're green with six arms and three heads. To me your just a person.

But after a while I started thinking, was it right for him to be offended? Was it right that he should make me feel so shit for using what is, by all acounts, a legitimate English word?

I'm starting to wonder if I should really feel bad for using a word that offended him, or if he's simply being pretty childish...

What do you all think? Would anyone on here, black or white, find the word "gollywog" extremely offensive? And if so, please tell me why.

 

I don't even know what the fuck gollywog means. But some people do get far too easily offended, you should have to always be worried about offending someone, if they choose to be so easily offended, then they should expect to be offended.

 

This is a golliwog (iscreamchocolate corrected my spelling, thanks hun!)



It's a type of stuffed children's doll. They were banned many years ago, because they were considered to poke fun at black people.

 

Tell him to fuck off . and get a real life.

 

I can understand maybe he was offended because they found it offensive back then in the day. but then again I don't see whats so offensive about the name... It just means a black man... And a golliwog is a black doll.
he is a black man isn't he?? I'm sure black people, chinese people etc have their own little names for us. I heard a native guy call me vanilla... uuh yea... I wouldn't take offence to it because he's right, I'm white. But then again I find the name Negro to be offensive.. and I hate saying it.. But then again, why do black people get offended by it when it's true. I don't get why I am offended by it but I feel offended. It could be the energy of the word and how it was said. Are they ashamed for being black? The name Negro sounds just sort of I dunno offensive, even though it shouldn't be.. yes not sure. Just like some native people hate to be called Indians, only natives. I don't see why he would be offended really.. If you were just talking about the dolls.. I don't see what his bid idea is... Then again you don't really know his past, or past experinaces.. Or personal experiances. Maybe something happened to him long ago as a kid and it has effected as an adult. Who knows maybe he is being childish. But then again you would have to know his whole story...

 

i might even use the ****** word while im at it.

 

well i'm pretty sure i wouldn't be offended but i guess i wouldn't really know because i'm white, and i'm not sure coz he might of thought you were racist which i know you are not. so i dunno he might of took it to heart but realised you din't mean to offend or something. i'm not sure but i guess everything'll be alright with you both the next time you meet.

 

and anyway golliwogs are cute i think x

 

i think some of the golliwog dolls are really scary... some are cute though

 

In my opinion, as you said nothing intentionally derogitory... you shouldn't care at all. They're just words...

The other day, I was refused to ride in a car with my friends because I was dressed in a skirt and women's top (I'm male, biologically...). I wasn't offended; the guy didn't mean any offense. He was just uncomfortable with me as I was... The very same probably applies here.

 

well its not like white people get offended when people use the word
cabbage patch kid.

 

I think the more important thing is the connotation that you used the word. What were you saying to use the word? It's like "******". If you are stating that someone was called a "******" or you were talking about the historic significance of the word, well, I can't see how getting offended could be justified. However if you were to call a group of people "niggers" or say something derogatory about "niggers", then I can see where someone would get upset.


I could say that the word "hippy" offends me and ask that no one use it anymore, but would anyone really take heed, even if it really did bother me? Most people would think I'm nuts and just ignore me. Some people are overly sensitive.

 

He definately sounds like he's got the problem, not you. I wish people would just lighten up. I couldn't imagine going through life like that...my feelings would STAY hurt.

 

It's probably just in the way that you said it. Such as: did you say, "Hey, your new-born son looks like one of those little golliwogs!" or "That picture of you from the way-back days looks like a golliwog!" Did you attach something personal to your sentence or did you just see a little black doll and reminesce of the old style ones?

 

I was discussing musical instruments with my fiancée, she got muddled up and started talking about ornamental glockenspiels, for some reason.

She wondered what would happen if she typed "ornamental glockenspiels" in on ebay; I remembered some ornaments I had seen, small painted porcelain golliwogs playing musical instruments.

So I said something like "you'd probably find some little pot golliwogs playing glockenspiels or something." That's when Mark overheard and got upset.

 

I think he got a bit carried away, but not with out some justification.. if he just overheard he may not have realised what context you had used it in.. did you not know the history of the term or character ?.

the doll has become the subject of a great deal of controversy— particularly with ever-increasing ethnic diversity of the resident European population— over whether it should be preserved and passed on as a cherished cultural artifact and childhood tradition, or retired as a relic of an earlier time when anti-black racism was as casual as it was blatant.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golliwog

http://www.ferris.edu/htmls/news/jimcrow/golliwog/

It seems it was never intended to be racsist

http://www.sterlingtimes.co.uk/golliwog.htm

but these things alter over time...

I remeber the golly on the back of the the robertsons jam jars..

because i am half black and 'back in the day' had a afro... friends/family etc used to tease me with 'get yourself back onto the back of the jam jar' this has not really scared me for life.. but anything like that aint nice as a kid and it still irks me now... Though it is funny

If he finds the word offensive, you should respect that..as i am sure you do.

 

Its not your fault that you didn't know he'd get offended. I didn't even know what the word meant, let alone that it could be offensive, until I read this. Some people are just over sensitive. Honestly, people shouldn't get offended by any of this shit, really they are just words. Unfortunately, people will continue to be offended. I believe 100% in saying whatever you want, even if it is full of hate. Morally you should know not to say it, but it you want to say it you have the right to. I try to be as un-offensive as I can not because I think I should be politically correct, but out of courtesy to those who may be offended and because I dont feel like starting shit up.

 

i dont see how he could get offendended the word WOG stands for Western Oritented Gentelman

 

I don't think he was offended by 'wog' it is 'gollywog' those lovely black as the ace of spades teddys.. and the 'rascist' connotations they have picked up over the years unfortunatly.