Racial tension? No, apparently not.

[Demonoid Phenomenon]

Has anyone ever sold something embarrassing at their store? I'm not talking condoms or anything obvious like that.
For example, when I worked at Dollar Tree, some of our biggest selling items were those fragile little resin figurines that people put on a shelf to gather dust.
When the 'Tree' first started putting these out, some of them had an African American theme.
I was mortified at some of the things they were sending us, and I was against putting them on the sales floor. We're talking just this side of a minstrel show and I'm being totally serious when I say that. I was expecting outrage and all sorts of drama.
But, out they went anyway, and guess what?
They sold exceedingly well.
And most of the people buying them...were black.
We couldn't keep the dang things in stock!

Ah, but then, I'm just a stupid white boy from Mississippi. What do I know?

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Probably, they thought they were funny.

My sister collects that majolica with the theme of "funny black folks" that was popular back before it became generally accepted that you just don't MAKE stuff like that. She is an English major with a specific interest in southern lit. She likes this stuff mainly because it is so over the top. Probably the same reason your black customers found this stuff so appealing. They were probably laughing their butts off.

[NightAngel]

I am a Wiccan and while some people would think that I should be offended by all the little effigies of green faced, wart nosed witches- I'm not. I see no reason to get all up in arms over something so silly. Obviously, anyone with an iota of sense knows that there aren't groups of warty, green women flying across the moon on broomsticks.

I think they're cute and funny really. I use my Halloween Witch coffee mugs year round.

[protege]

Probably, they thought they were funny.

My sister collects that majolica with the theme of "funny black folks" that was popular back before it became generally accepted that you just don't MAKE stuff like that.

Has anyone seen some of the postcards from the late 1940s through the 1950s? Quite a few were done with the same theme. Not all of them are meant to be funny though--I've seen a few rather nasty ones; for example, the card titled "A Darky's Prayer" which shows a black man about to be eaten by alligators. Try doing something like that now...you'd have a major protest on your hands, and rightly so.

[Bliss]

And look at me, I'm absolutely insane in the membrane, and I never get offended by all the funny depictions of people in straightjackes....

woohoo

*skips away*

[friendofjimmyk]

OT - kind of...

There are certain things sold in gas stations and dollar stores that are sold as one thing but their use is widely known for another...

Glass roses...The things that are glass stems either with a glass bulb on the end or without and they have a little tiny fake rose in them - they are supposed to be "love roses" - uh, no. Maybe, but the majority of the people who buy those are using them for illegal substances.

[Primer]

OT - kind of...

There are certain things sold in gas stations and dollar stores that are sold as one thing but their use is widely known for another...

Last weekend, after attending the Texas Rennaisance Faire, we stopped at a little out of the way gas station. My DH decided he wanted a couple of cigars (no biggie, he doesn't smoke them often), but he also saw a "neato" lighter that flashes different color lights when the flame is going.

He got it.

There was also, packed in the display tin, a little bitty pipe. Gee...I wonder to whom that was being marketed?

"Wow...look at the pretty lights!"

[Lace Neil Singer]

"I can feel the colours!"

[Cosmic Cat]

I am a Wiccan and while some people would think that I should be offended by all the little effigies of green faced, wart nosed witches- I'm not. I see no reason to get all up in arms over something so silly. Obviously, anyone with an iota of sense knows that there aren't groups of warty, green women flying across the moon on broomsticks.

I think they're cute and funny really. I use my Halloween Witch coffee mugs year round.

I know what you're saying. Technically, I should feel horrible oppressed and deeply offended by little red-headed leprechaun figurines because they "stereotype" the Irish, but they don't bother me.

[Horsetuna]

Maybe its the same phenominon that makes MEl brooks so popular? Blazing Saddles had so many N-word jokes, History of the World PArt 1 had the Inquisition song and many other jewish jabs, that you couldnt MAKE fun of it.

Of course, I am sure someone tried.

When the new Producers came out, I am very surprised I didnt hear any stories about people being offended about the 'Springtime for Hitler' song or anything. Rather dissapointing.

[Gurndigarn]

Maybe its the same phenominon that makes MEl brooks so popular? Blazing Saddles had so many N-word jokes, History of the World PArt 1 had the Inquisition song and many other jewish jabs, that you couldnt MAKE fun of it.

Of course, I am sure someone tried.

When the new Producers came out, I am very surprised I didnt hear any stories about people being offended about the 'Springtime for Hitler' song or anything. Rather dissapointing.

It wasn't a surprise, this time around. I rather enjoyed the performance. The Jail Recap was very good.

[dizzy_starshine]

last year we had a mens hair dye, color real black, and the model on the box was a black man. We had so many complants about it being 'racist' as all the other models were white.

[Horsetuna]

Point about it being a surprise. Still, I admit some person who never heard of the original would've said SOMEthing about jews, hitler and all that. Ah well.