Did the Red Haired mother over react?

cars · Post by **cars** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 9:58 am

Tis the season to overreact?

According to the BBC, a UK red haired mother of three redheaded children, was offended by a mega-retailer's sale of underachieving, supposedly-witty Christmas card which reads: "Santa loves all children. Even the ginger ones." The offending card shows an photo of a red-headed boy sitting on Santa's lap.

Obviously, the card was supposed to play on the myth that redheads are predisposed to chronic misbehavior. Instead of shrugging off the unsuccessful attempt at humor, the mother took it as a Christmas card-sized hate crime against the planet's "ginger" population.

Is the mother simply fighting the good fight to make the world a better place for her redheaded children? Or is she going overboard about something that's really not worth the effort?

Reportedly, the retailer pulled the cards off the shelves, and apologized to all carriers of the red hair gene, worldwide. Hopefully with the intent, that the mother will be satisfied with their response/actions.

Should the retailer be held liable for this essentially dumb card. The real problem is the poorly-executed attempt at a joke, where there's nothing really funny about the card.

So what do you think -- did the mother overreact, or should the retailer have known better?:-2

Rapunzel · Post by **Rapunzel** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 10:54 am

In this PC world of ours, we are not supposed to comment on people's skin colour, religion, height, weight, big ears or any other quirks they may possess.

How then, is it acceptable to comment on their hair colour?

My daughter is a strawberry blonde. If you called her a carrot top, she would call you stupid, "Because everyone knows carrot tops are green, Einstein!"

Yes, I can see the joke.

Yes, I'd be offended on her behalf.

Yes, I think the retailer is a numbskull who should have known better.

gmc · Post by **gmc** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 11:19 am

What no more blond jokes either? That cards been on the go for years, look closely-there are dozens of blondist, sexist ageist cards where do you draw the line? What about Geordie jokes, essex girl jokes (the ones I know don't understand why are funny )

What do we do about things like this?

If it's a black man is it racist-but is this?

YouTube - Austin Powers - The Best of Fat Bastard

Jazzy · Post by **Jazzy** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 11:33 am

I as a redhead didn't see the humor in this card.

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Skylark · Post by **Skylark** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 3:15 pm

Rapunzel;1273967 wrote: In this PC world of ours, we are not supposed to comment on people's skin colour, religion, height, weight, big ears or any other quirks they may possess.

How then, is it acceptable to comment on their hair colour?

My daughter is a strawberry blonde. If you called her a carrot top, she would call you stupid, "Because everyone knows carrot tops are green, Einstein!"

Yes, I can see the joke.

Yes, I'd be offended on her behalf.

Yes, I think the retailer is a numbskull who should have known better.

I agree, red haired children are not second hand citizens like Tesco made out!

They should be ashamed of themselves!

dubs · Post by **dubs** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 3:40 pm

This is my beautiful grandaughter.. If anyone made fun of her because of the colour of her hair, I would punch them in the head.

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pinkchick · Post by **pinkchick** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 3:44 pm

dubs;1273999 wrote: This is my beautiful grandaughter.. If anyone made fun of her because of the colour of her hair, I would punch them in the head.

Aaaawwww! Would you just look at that gorgeous wee girl?

:-4:-4

fuzzywuzzy · Post by **fuzzywuzzy** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 3:54 pm

cars;1273958 wrote: Tis the season to overreact?

According to the BBC, a UK red haired mother of three redheaded children, was offended by a mega-retailer's sale of underachieving, supposedly-witty Christmas card which reads: "Santa loves all children. Even the ginger ones." The offending card shows an photo of a red-headed boy sitting on Santa's lap.

Obviously, the card was supposed to play on the myth that redheads are predisposed to chronic misbehavior. Instead of shrugging off the unsuccessful attempt at humor, the mother took it as a Christmas card-sized hate crime against the planet's "ginger" population.

Is the mother simply fighting the good fight to make the world a better place for her redheaded children? Or is she going overboard about something that's really not worth the effort?

Reportedly, the retailer pulled the cards off the shelves, and apologized to all carriers of the red hair gene, worldwide. Hopefully with the intent, that the mother will be satisfied with their response/actions.

Should the retailer be held liable for this essentially dumb card. The real problem is the poorly-executed attempt at a joke, where there's nothing really funny about the card.

So what do you think -- did the mother overreact, or should the retailer have known better?:-2

do they have cards that read : "Santa loves all children. Even the blacky or packy or slopey ones."................................I think not.

fuzzywuzzy · Post by **fuzzywuzzy** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 3:55 pm

dubs;1273999 wrote: This is my beautiful grandaughter.. If anyone made fun of her because of the colour of her hair, I would punch them in the head.

Go get em' Dubsy!!!! I'll bring the heavy artillary!!!!

Bruv · Post by **Bruv** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 4:59 pm

Every joke is offensive to someone.

Some people get them some don't, some jokes are funny some are not.

As a joke I don't find it particularly funny or offensive.

cars · Post by **cars** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 5:39 pm

Personally IMO it is offensive. As tender young kids that can read, may feel hurt since most likely they will not get the point that it's supposed to be only a joke. The card fell way short of being funny, and was just plain mean. The mother was being protective, as mother's will do. The retail store's manager who allowed those cards to be bought & stacked on the slelves is the one responsible for the insensitivity, & should be educated in common sense!

Rapunzel · Post by **Rapunzel** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 7:54 pm

cars;1274033 wrote: Personally IMO it is offensive. As tender young kids that can read, may feel hurt since most likely they will not get the point that it's supposed to be only a joke. The card fell way short of being funny, and was just plain mean. The mother was being protective, as mother's will do. The retail store's manager who allowed those cards to be bought & stacked on the slelves is the one responsible for the insensitivity, & should be educated in common sense!

Cars, I totally agree with you.

And I'm sorry to digress but I just had to say I LOVED your slelves! :wah:

It's like saying they're special Christmas shelves! :wah:

Sorry but I just HAD to comment . . . that was SOOOOOO cute! :-4

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dubs, I totally agree with you too.

This reminds me of a comment I made here aeons ago about children being adopted and no-one wanting the red-headed lad! I was appalled!

Titian hair is the most BEAUTIFUL hair! It contains a myriad of colours, not just red. Red-headed children are beautiful and they have beautiful hair and beautiful eyes too. We should all email Tesco and complain about them! Useless idiots!

Another thing I hate about Tesco is that they only have the heating on when the customers are in. The heating goes off at night and the night time staff have to work in below zero conditions right now, all night long. Tesco don't even provide hot food or drinks for them! Cheapskate b*stards!

OK, rant over for now.

Skylark · Post by **Skylark** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 5:38 am

cars;1274033 wrote: Personally IMO it is offensive. As tender young kids that can read, may feel hurt since most likely they will not get the point that it's supposed to be only a joke. The card fell way short of being funny, and was just plain mean. The mother was being protective, as mother's will do. The retail store's manager who allowed those cards to be bought & stacked on the slelves is the one responsible for the insensitivity, & should be educated in common sense!

I read that the cards were only taken down in the store concerned, they are still on sale all over the U.K.

Rapunzel · Post by **Rapunzel** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 8:03 am

Skylark;1274119 wrote: I read that the cards were only taken down in the store concerned, they are still on sale all over the U.K.

Ginger joke card removed from Tesco shelves

4:30am Thursday 17th December 2009

A CHRISTMAS card which pokes fun at children with ginger hair has been taken off the shelves at Tesco.

The greeting card – made by Quitting Hollywood based in Paycocke Road, Basildon – shows a red-headed boy sitting on Santa’s lap with the words: “Santa loves all kids. Even ginger ones.

Outraged mum Davinia Phillips, 30, whose three daughters are ginger, said she found the card offensive.

As a result Tesco bosses immediately removed them from supermarkets across the UK. Mrs Phillips said: “I just thought ‘What is so funny about that?’ I didn’t really get the joke.

David Nieberg, spokesman for Tesco, said: “We sell a large range of Christmas cards. It is never our intention to offend any customer and we are sorry if this card caused any upset.

“Our greeting cards are placed on our shelves by a supplier who also supplies other retailers with this card.

“As soon as we heard about the card causing offence we removed it.

Ginger joke card removed from Tesco shelves (From Basildon Recorder)