Racism for kids

[Gob]

High street chain Argos has been accused of racism after selling black and Asian dolls for £10 less than the white version of the children's toy.






The store has been branded 'unacceptable' for pricing a white doll, called 'Maria', at £34.99 - £10 more than black doll 'Naima' and Asian doll 'Yang'. Mother-of-three Lisa O'Reilly, from South Killingholme, Lincolnshire, complained to the retailer after noticing the pricing difference while shopping for her two-year-old daughter Darcy. The 12-inch dolls, designed for children aged 18 months and above, are made my French firm Corolle Calin. They are described on the maker's site as having 'cuddly soft beanbag bodies, sleeping eyes and supple vinyl skin that is delicately scented with vanilla'.

Mrs O'Reilly, 32, condemned the pricing difference by Argos and said there's 'enough prejudice in the world already without battling against racist toys'.

She told The Sun's Emer Martin, Rob Pattinson and Sam Christie: 'It's unacceptable for children to think white is better or more desirable. 'It's wrong for our youngsters to grow up thinking non-white skin colours are worth less.' According to the newspaper, Argos has since sent an apology email to Ms O'Reilly which said: 'I am sorry to read that you are offended by the price difference between the Maria, Yang and Naima Corolle Calin Dolls and I can assure you that Argos would never intentionally upset or offend our customers in any way.' A spokesman for the store told MailOnline today that the mix-up was a 'genuine online pricing error'. In a statement, he said: 'As a responsible retailer, Argos strongly refutes any suggestion of discrimination with the pricing of the Corolle Calin dolls. 'A genuine online pricing error led to one of the dolls being advertised at an incorrect price. 'This error is being amended today and all three dolls are now priced at £24.99. 'We apologise for any confusion caused.'


However, as of 9am today the prices still varied on the retailer's website.

[liberty]

I am not much of an authority on economics, but I believe that a business that manages to stay in business is driven not by racism but by profit. If they have a item that doesn’t sell adequately they reduce the price until it does. My advice, don’t stock stuff you can’t move. Political correctness and profit are incompatible.

[rubato]

It is nearly certain that it was inadvertent.


Maybe a group of idle breast feeding advocates should go down and light a bonfire, threaten store employees, break some windows.


yrs,
rubato

[MajGenl.Meade]

"Maria" is suspiciously coffee colored. How come the Asian doll looks whiter

Does anyone think it was necessary to actually label them "white", "black" and "Asian"?

And why is it Asian and not "yellow"? Probably someone thought that might be a bit racist ahem hem as if (parentheses, two commas and three dots)

[Big RR]

Does anyone think it was necessary to actually label them "white", "black" and "Asian"?

No, but then that might be how the manufacturer chooses to brand and sell the dolls.

as for pricing, when my kids were the age for dolls, I do recall that the black and brown dolls often did not sell as well as the Caucasian white dolls and were usually reduced to move them. It might well have been the opposite in a store patronized by a predominantly black clientele, but I don't know.

And what this has to do with breastfeeding or the advocacy thereof is beyond me.

[MajGenl.Meade]

(It's his fixation Big RR - don't tell anyone) Every breast begins with a B

[Gob]

Maybe a group of idle breast feeding advocates should go down and light a bonfire, threaten store employees, break some windows.


yrs,
rubato

Now let's see you find an example of where breastfeeding advocates have done that.....

[Sue U]

Does anyone think it was necessary to actually label them "white", "black" and "Asian"?

No, but then that might be how the manufacturer chooses to brand and sell the dolls.

Those "price tags" were apparently added by the Daily Fail so it could alert its readers picture-viewers as to which dolls represented which "race." They are labeled only by the doll's "name" on the Argos web site.

And what this has to do with breastfeeding or the advocacy thereof is beyond me.

rubato was making a joke referencing an ongoing commentary on the relationship (if any) between leisure time and breastfeeding. Some posters have been poking fun at him over the issue, and he's making light of it here, bless his heart.

[MajGenl.Meade]

I guess they've got trouble out the Ying Yang now.... But what do you do with a problem like Maria?

Nothing should be done about "Naima" - although he's playing well for Barcelona these days...

[liberty]

(It's his fixation Big RR - don't tell anyone) Every breast begins with a B

I don’t know about you General, but I like female breast. My wife says……well…. never mind.

[rubato]

The fun thing is that it didn't matter in which direction the price varied; any significant differentiation would have a theory of racism invented to account for it.


yrs,
rubato

[Gob]

The fun thing is that it didn't matter in which direction the price varied; any significant differentiation would have a theory of racism invented to account for it.

Agreed.