A leopard can't change its spots.

[Oldandeasilyconfused]

The Golliwogg was a 19th century invention,in a children's book .A jolly fellow and companion,who went around doing 'nice' things. An interesting character,nowhere near the wet twat of Noddy.

Goli came from era of casual racism,where white people were not even aware of the gross offence they gave.

I grew up in the 1950's. It was common to say use aboriginal stereotypes in advertising.We had a brand of licorice here called "Nigger Boy" (I kid you not). I remember there was a brand of pancake mix called "Aunt Jemmima's" featuring a drawing of a jolly ,fat, black 'mammy'. My sister had a golliwogg, and you can again buy them here. Children are not racist,they have to be taught.

The "Golliwogg" (later "Golliwog", "golly doll") was a character in children's books in the late 19th century and depicted as a type of rag doll. It was reproduced, both by commercial and hobby toy-makers as a children's toy called the "golliwog", and had great popularity in North America, the United Kingdom, Europe and Australia, into the 1960s. The doll has black skin, eyes rimmed in white, clown lips, and frizzy hair, and it has been described as the least known of the major anti-black caricatures in the United States.[1] While home-made golliwogs were sometimes female, the golliwog was generally male. For this reason, in the period following World War II, the golliwog was seen, along with the teddy bear, as a suitable soft toy for a young boy.

The full Wiki article is worth reading.


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


Am I offended by them? No I am not,but I can fully understand how a black person could be. The incident in question seems have been a deliberate racial slur.