Blockbuster giving away "Gringo" voodoo dolls ahead of soccer match.

Something I find very interesting (and is more reflective on the OP than anyone else) is that those who cry racism at such minor things are often projecting their own racism on others.

Lets examine this case in particular. Despite the word Gringo not referring to whites specifically in any way, Cio88 was immediately up in arms against blockbuster for a racist attack against his race. Although I might have understood if he produced a show of unity among all Americans, he was only offended for white America, caring nothing for blacks, Asians, Native Americans or any other 'race'.

Good one Cio88.

Just simple marketing to get the game exposed and to also make profits from the sale to the huge mexican fanbase.
Nothing racist here. It's like our cartoons that depict the taco bell dog, speedy gonzales, etc.

Not only has our country made racist cartoons, we have promoted and sold them all around the world.
Now when another country does it.....it's all about complaining and crying.

In glorious spain they have this cartoon in a local newspaper of a fat white man who eats burgers everyday, if this cartoon was shown here it would cause outrage and all that. We can make fun of everyone, but when they make fun of us...we start getting mad.

Is Blockbuster here in the US going to offer Mexican dolls with similar instructions?

If not, major racism issue.

I think that this should be the headlines on all the US major newspapers today.

'' '' ''

reply to post by thebeast2012


I'm not mad. I am a 'gringo', and I think it's pretty funny.

And Cio88, you have yet to show how this was directed specifically at whites, which is the crux of your argument.

Until you do that, you're just blowing steam and making a fool of yourself.

Gringo definition - a Latin American (disparaging) term for foreigners (especially Americans and Englishmen)

Just imagine the outrage if you used any of the words that would disparage people by race, nationality or gender.


Then try to give the dolls away with any of those terms on the back.

It is clearly racism. Blockbuster should be ashamed.

reply to post by Wildbob77



Racism, clearly.....

If this were a texas blockbuster, and the jerseys said "bnr"(i won't spell it out but i think you know what the word is), would that be cool? It really isn't racist, it is just a "fun" term...cheech and chong used it, must be comedy. Personally, i think all "racist" terms are silly. They are just words, anyone allowing themselves to be that upset about words is too thin skinned. However, people can't have it both ways. If you are going to get mad at being called names, don't turn around and call someone else a name and play innocent. The intention of these words is to belittle or harm others, whether it works or not is up to the person at the receiving end.

reply to post by Hellish-D

Racism, clearly.....

Why are all the dolls white and not multi-colored than? Like I've said a few times now, I don't even care if its directed at white people. Its a derogatory word used to describe certain kinds of people. Its unacceptable from a world wide company like blockbuster and if this were focused on any other racial group, it would be unacceptable.

[edit on 11-2-2009 by Cio88]

Originally posted by Mynaeris
reply to post by Hellish-D

 

You make a valid point , whenever I go cycling there is always some Mexican dude calling out "Hey White Girl you wanna man?"

They have never said "Hey Gringa you wanna man".

Sorry, but in places that I've lived, like the SF Bay Area, they do call whites "gringo" and "gringa" - and it's not meant to be taken nicely. It was very much the same as calling one of them a "wetback", which of course we are not allowed to say.

How and why are you defending or minimizing this? Are you hispanic?

So we, unified as Americans should be offended, right? Or again, is this specific to white Americans as the OP stated?

Originally posted by centurion1211
Are you hispanic?

Irrelevant to the discussion.

Originally posted by Hellish-D
So we, unified as Americans should be offended, right? Or again, is this specific to white Americans as the OP stated?

Again, so why are all the dolls white? Where is the black gringo doll?

reply to post by Cio88


In the box marked n*****

You only have one example of the doll (from the original article). Do you have evidence that they didn't produce multicultural dolls?

reply to post by Hellish-D

You only have one example of the doll (from the original article). Do you have evidence that they didn't produce multicultural dolls?

Google the story, there are multiple pictures. All of them, white.

Again, the specific color of the doll isn't relevant since any number of factors could have gone into the production.
1) excessive cost of production of multiethnic dolls
2) time of production and available materials
3) popularity of a specific doll with regards to bottom-line profits

The issue at hand is the word 'gringo' which isn't specific to white people.

If you want to segment yourself from the American population by claiming the word is only offensive to white people, feel free.

You might want to take into account that, as gringo refers to blacks as well, by comparison, gringo is a relatively innocuous word, when compared to n*****, honkey, redneck, coon, chink, slope and the many other slurs available.

reply to post by Hellish-D


If you have to assume so much to defend an action, it might not be worth defending in the first place. I think someone didn't think through their decision, and now people are calling them on it.
I mean blockbuster not you.
edited for clarity

[edit on 11-2-2009 by g raj]

Originally posted by Hellish-D

Originally posted by Cio88


This is an amazing example of the double standard involving race in this country and around the world. Here we have a major US corporation giving away voodoo dolls that have a racial term for white people on the back.

Gringo is not a racial term for white. Gringo is a Latin American reference for foreigner, usually American, but often used to as a reference for any non-Spanish speaking foreigner.

All of your subsequent points are moot.

[edit on 11-2-2009 by Hellish-D]

Wrong - unless you and everyone else also see no problem with Blockbuster stores in the U.S. giving away little tan colored voodoo dolls with the word "wetback" or "spic" on the back.

Level playing field. Deny hypocrisy.



[edit on 2/11/2009 by centurion1211]

The word gringo is only as offensive to Americans as the term wetback is to Latinos. No big deal.

reply to post by g raj


Just pointing out the obvious. I'm not defending the act in any way. I'm calling the OP on the fact that it is not specific towards whites, it's an innocuous word, and that he himself is segmenting his race from the remaining American population, leading me to believe that he has more racial prejudice, distrust or hatred than anyone at Blockbuster.