Totally stupid - whatever next

[Musicalbox]

Haribo stops selling 'racist' sweets

Perhaps when we are told to stop doing things because they offend someone, we should ask who that person is who has been offended and to ask in what way it offends them. PC gone mad.

[suesjools]

Not sure what's wrong with celebrating different cultures either. Does this mean I should stop wearing my Native American and African made jools? Funny thing, they get more compliments from African Americans than anybody else.


Good thing Santa isn't offended by those marshmallow treats...

Best wishes for many sales to all,

[westlondoncarparts]

Unless people posting to this thread are familiar with Sweden and can therefore understand the Swedish cultural context in which comments were made about the sweets, the comments made might not have any real bearing on the situation.

As somebody who has only a small limited direct connection with Sweden, if I were to go for an uninformed comment about the situation I would play the devil’s advocate card and say that the situation touches upon sensitivities within Sweden about the role of Sweden in the African slave trade and in African colonialisation by the Europeans. Although Sweden was not one of the big players in the slave trade, it did engage in the slave trade with the Ottoman Empire and with the Caribbean. The small Swedish island colony of St. Barthelemy in the Caribbean was an important trading centre for slaves. Also, Sweden was a participant in the Berlin Conference of 1884 in which the European colonial powers agreed how they would carve up Africa for their own commercial advantage. Implicit in both the slave trade and the European carve up of Africa was the lack of respect for African people as human beings equal to Europeans and the assumption of cultural supremacy of Europeans over Africans. To sell sweets made in the design of African human and art facial images with the intention that these represent images of a ship captain’s experiences from those times shows disrespect to Africans and runs the risk of accusation of giving the stamp of approval for the European colonial attitudes of those times. The Swedish role in the slave trade and in African colonialisation had been airbrushed from mainstream historical teachings for many decades but has recently come back into the Swedish public arena and does not sit comfortably with the generally accepted image that Swedes have of themselves as having been humane and kind people in the past. If I am correct in my interpretation of what this situation with the sweets is all about, then I would say well done to the Swedes for raising awareness of the issues and well done to the sweet company for responding. The more that light can be shone on all facets and manifestations of racism, whether historical or current, the more that can be done to try to eradicate the perniciousness of racist attitudes from our respective cultures in the present day.

[squern]

I wondered why you never saw those "flying saucers" in sweet shops any more.
The PC brigade obviously anticipated the offence to extra-terrestrial beings, and had them withdrawn.

Personally, I think it is offensive, and possibly racist, to anticipate or be offended on someone else's behalf. It is patronising, and assumes racial and cultural stereotypes. I thought we were against that.

Incidentally, It is questionable whether the slave trade was based on racism. It could not have been successful without the co-operation of Africans, who themselves took slaves to sell and for their own use. It began as a tribal oppression.

[kazeran]

Unless people posting to this thread are familiar with Sweden and can therefore understand the Swedish cultural context in which comments were made about the sweets, the comments made might not have any real bearing on the situation.

As somebody who has only a small limited direct connection with Sweden, if I were to go for an uninformed comment about the situation I would play the devil’s advocate card and say that the situation touches upon sensitivities within Sweden about the role of Sweden in the African slave trade and in African colonialisation by the Europeans. Although Sweden was not one of the big players in the slave trade, it did engage in the slave trade with the Ottoman Empire and with the Caribbean. The small Swedish island colony of St. Barthelemy in the Caribbean was an important trading centre for slaves. Also, Sweden was a participant in the Berlin Conference of 1884 in which the European colonial powers agreed how they would carve up Africa for their own commercial advantage. Implicit in both the slave trade and the European carve up of Africa was the lack of respect for African people as human beings equal to Europeans and the assumption of cultural supremacy of Europeans over Africans. To sell sweets made in the design of African human and art facial images with the intention that these represent images of a ship captain’s experiences from those times shows disrespect to Africans and runs the risk of accusation of giving the stamp of approval for the European colonial attitudes of those times. The Swedish role in the slave trade and in African colonialisation had been airbrushed from mainstream historical teachings for many decades but has recently come back into the Swedish public arena and does not sit comfortably with the generally accepted image that Swedes have of themselves as having been humane and kind people in the past. If I am correct in my interpretation of what this situation with the sweets is all about, then I would say well done to the Swedes for raising awareness of the issues and well done to the sweet company for responding. The more that light can be shone on all facets and manifestations of racism, whether historical or current, the more that can be done to try to eradicate the perniciousness of racist attitudes from our respective cultures in the present day.

Its a flipping packet of sweets for crying out loud, not a public statement of racial discrimination.
And I am also with squern, without the native Africans there would have been no slave trade, and to make a further point, why in heavens name is anyone expected to constantly apologise for something that an ancestor did or thought?
expecting someone to apologise or feel guilty for the acts of an ancestor or country is either out of their tiny mind or trying to find a way to oppress modern and progressive thinking.
I think?

[astral276]

...and to make a further point, why in heavens name is anyone expected to constantly apologise for something that an ancestor did or thought? expecting someone to apologise or feel guilty for the acts of an ancestor or country is either out of their tiny mind or trying to find a way to oppress modern and progressive thinking.
I think?

Totally agree with you. The sins of my forebears, and those totally unconnected with me, do not rest on my shoulders. I feel no guilt or shame over anything they did.

Maybe those who do would cause less problems in the world if they restricted themselves to hanging themselves by the nipples from steel hooks and beating themselves with barbed wire - rather than expecting everyone to engage in self flagellation over things they have no responsibility for.

The report states that Sweden found the sweets 'racist' and not that they personally found them offensive. That means that they were assuming they were offensive to some other race. Did they bother asking members of that other race? Surely the only people who can decide if something is racially offensive are those that are of that race. As someone else put forward, making that decision for them is offensive in itself.

Slavery existed long before what is know as the 'slave trade' was carried out, and still goes on today. Africans were not, and are not, the only ones subject to enslavement. I recall reading one report that calculated that there are more people enslaved in the modern day than ever there were during the 'slave trade'. Today though it is a hidden problem.

[kazeran]

.

Today though it is hidden problem.

Except in my house...

[tonyreddevil]

then not in my house

[Salomina27]

Here in Wales I have often witnessed real racism and hatred for the English, though not by everyone, nevertheless by many.
Whilst I do not like everything my English ancestors were responsible for in the wars between the English and Welsh in centuries past, I am not responsoble for it and get very tired of it hearing about it and seeing, feeling the hostilities sometimes. Especially as I see the same problems existing today as they did when the English were at war with Wales. The Welsh often caused more problems through their in fighting with each other, contentious spirits, bloody mindedness and self-seeking rather than uniting together. They still moan today about their independance yet are happy to and actively seek all the benefits union with England has offered.
Having said that I have some lovely Welsh friends.

[kazeran]

Here in Wales I have often witnessed real racism and hatred for the English, though not by everyone, nevertheless by many.
Whilst I do not like everything my English ancestors were responsible for in the wars between the English and Welsh in centuries past, I am not responsoble for it and get very tired of it hearing about it and seeing, feeling the hostilities sometimes. Especially as I see the same problems existing today as they did when the English were at war with Wales. The Welsh often caused more problems through their in fighting with each other, contentious spirits, bloody mindedness and self-seeking rather than uniting together. They still moan today about their independance yet are happy to and actively seek all the benefits union with England has offered.
Having said that I have some lovely Welsh friends.

I completely understand, but you have to live and let live.....I mean, I don't have a problem with the Italians, I forgive them for invading England and enslaving my people..