What the fuck is so cute about child rape...?

[bliss_eternal]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Black-Americana-MAGNET-Pregnant-Girl-Ship-FREE_W0QQitemZ230116787861QQihZ013QQcategoryZ29459QQcmdZViewItem

A friend e-mailed me about this woman's ebay store and I've spent the better part of an hour alerting ebay on some of her offensive items. But this one, well this one made me see red. After reading this woman's "about me" page and how she thinks this is all so quaint and cute and....bleh... :puke:

I get that there is a facet of our population that thinks Black Americana crap is just oh so cute. I get that they can't let go of their glory days, when they could point and laugh at all the darkies with their entertaining, ignorant antics. :sarcasm::eyes:

But THIS...this "americana" took me to a whole other level of pissed off.

Yes, I've reported it to ebay as beyond offensive and I would love it if others did the same. I don't give a damn if this individual sets up their own little corner of cyber space to sell such items. But I'm NOT OK with seeing it on ebay. Sorry. Not a website that promptly snatches up and refuses to allow people to sell Nazi paraphenelia and other such items. I'm just not ok with this on any level.

:mad::grr:

[mrreowwr_kittty]

1. WTF is with all the positive comments the site is getting!

Not one calling it the racist crap that it is. The magnet about the pregnant girl is just heinous.

[bliss_eternal]

2. It's so blatant...I'm stunned.

I was alerting on it, VERY time consuming process btw.

I can't believe this horrible person is making MONEY off of the suffering of others. I googled ebay's phone number, I plan to call them monday about this. If you're interested in voicing your opinion on this, let me know. :mad::grr::mad:

There's another one with a black child hanging from a fence with a "cute caption." Totally drawing the comparison to lynching.

[mrreowwr_kittty]

3. Send it to the media

Here's DU's media list. http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_oet&address=358x1903

[bliss_eternal]

5. Awesome...!

Thank YOU! :hi:

:yourock:

I've alerted on EVERY single item in her store I deemed inappropriate. (Exhausting)...

I also sent an e-mail to ebay customer service. In my e-mail I told them that if they didn't remove every racially and sexually disparaging item from her auctions and ban her from selling any in the future, I would call for an ebay boycott through all of the organizations I belong to. I went on to say I would make sure such a boycott was covered in the media and all over the blogosphere--which includes several racialand women's equality organizations. That in light of the recent Imus mess, this probably wouldn't bode well for ebay.

I'll give them a chance to address me and this before I do a media blast.
They've been warned.

[politicat]

10. How do you alert?

Not big on the ebay.

[bliss_eternal]

11. There's a link

...at the bottom of every auction listing that says, "report this auction." That's how one would start the process.

Unfortunately, ebay doesn't provide much in the way of speaking to live people and offering feedback...for anything. :eyes:

Besides alerting on her auctions, I called ebay and left messages. Someone returned my call to tell me that his dept. didn't deal with such issues (the operatore transferred me to his area by mistake). But he did offer to forward my feedback and concerns. (((sigh)) So I shared with him what upset me, and why.

But I got the sense that would probably be the end of it.

Given that, I'm done giving ebay my business. I won't shop or sell there anymore, and will encourage others to do the same. If by some miracle I hear back that they are suspending these specific auctions in the future, I may reconsider. But at this point, game over.

[ismnotwasm]

4. It's extremely offensive

Not cute. In fact, pretty damn scary. I'm kind of what the fuck about this one, who in hell thinks something like that is cute or funny? And why did it take only you to see that? Just looking at the thing turns my stomach. I don't "do" Ebay, so I don't know the culture, but that is some very sick shit.

I don't know why anyone would want an "Aunt Jemima" cup either. Or collect racist and/or in the case of Aunt Jemima, sexist, memorabilia.

(I have on old metal piggy bank that was my grandmothers. It's a black man sitting on a bale of something (cotton?) hands in his pocket. He's wearing a hat, suit and tie. He has a wide, but not distorted grin, with lips painted red for contrast I suppose.
At first glance, it doesn't appear OVERTLY racist. However it's from the 30's or 40's, and you know those old ads--they depict the black male as lazy, ignorant, inarticulate, always in happy service to whites. It's in no way an attractive, or "cute" piece. I'm sure it's "collectible". It belongs in a History of Racism Museum, not Ebay.)

[bliss_eternal]

6. I've seen items like that...

...I've seen people around cyberspace collecting them. Some seem to be racists wanting a little piece of their history. :eyes: I've also seen some people of color collecting them so they can go donate them to historical museums (tolerance, race, etc.).

This is from ebay's Banned items rules page:

Racially or Ethnically Offensive Historical Items and Reproductions

Accordingly, listings that are racially or ethnically offensive are not permitted on eBay. eBay and its community of users will not tolerate such material.

Occasionally, there may be listings of antiques or historical pieces (often referred to as ’Black Americana‘) that, while unacceptable in today's society, are relics of an era where racially inappropriate and insensitive products were widely available. While these items are offensive to eBay and its community, eBay recognizes that such historical items find their way into museums and private collections, and serve as important tools for education about the past.

eBay permits such listings of historical pieces, but at the request of community members, eBay will not permit listings of racial or ethnically inappropriate reproductions.

Further, when selling potentially offensive yet true historical pieces, sellers must ensure that the language in their listings shows appropriate sensitivity to those in the community that might view it. For example, sellers may not use offensive words and phrases such as ’J**‘ or ’N*****‘ in the title or description of their listing, even if that word is part of the proper name or trademark of the item. Sellers may, however, display an image of such historical items within their listing even if the offensive word is plainly visible within the historical item.

************************************************************************************************************************************

I'm hoping that the little mention in bold above is enough to get that crap pulled. But I'm prepared to make a huge fuss and stink over this. Not only is this woman making money off of other's suffering, ebay gets a cut of what she makes, too. Who knows how much of this shit she's sold in her time there?

[BlueIris]

7. Appalling.

I have no words. I'm gonna go shower now. I'll get to complaining after I have made myself feel clean again.

[mzteris]

8. Holy crap!

I can't believe this sh*t!! Thanks for letting us know about it. It's racist AND just omfg just f'ing sick!

What do you report it under? I'm shaking so much I can't see straight. Who, how, what, do I say to EBAY to get this SH*T off of there?!?!

[bliss_eternal]

9. Well, I've got a few options for you...

Option number one:

E-mail customer service. I get the sense isn't the most effective means to getting things done.I e-mailed them after posting about this, yesterday. I haven't heard back yet, but maybe no one is around on the weekend to take such reports... :shrug:

http://cgi1.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?MfcISAPICommand=InlineSelfHelpWebform&wftype=2004&rcode=GS%25A00416&subject=About%20Customer%20Support&bcrumb=+Home+%3E+Help+Topics+%3E%A0New+to+eBay%A0%3E%A0Getting+Help%A0%3E%A0About+Customer+Support&instruction=&ex

Option number two:
I found this through google. I will be calling them tomorrow first thing (to ask if they are out of their minds allowing this crap to be sold on their site):

888-749-3229
800-322-9266
Cust. service
"
6:30a-5:30p
M-F (Pacific)

Seems they are on Pacific standard time, so if you plan to call, make sure it's within west coast time zone time.

If you know ANYONE else that would be upset by this and wouldn't mind lending some time to making a phone call to complain, PLEASE ask them to do so. Thank YOU!

I was so upset by this yesterday, I couldn't even think straight. :grr::mad:

[wicket]

12. Sick sick SICK!!!!

I'm contacting ebay RIGHT FUCKING NOW!!!!! :grr: :grr: :grr:

[bliss_eternal]

13. Thank you...

for taking the time to do so! :hi::hug:

[bliss_eternal]

14. Perhaps some of her auctions are being scrutinized...

...when I click on the link I provided in the op, it says this person has several of these deplorable items for sale--but no auctions up currently.

:shrug:

I don't know if I should feel hopeful, or if this person is just taking some days off before listing more auctions. :eyes:

(((sigh)))

[Morgana LaFey]

15. Well, it's all still there -- and just as offensive as ever

Truly ugly.

Does anyone have any way to get this to Sharpton and his organization? I also think this should be cross-posted to the Racism forum and probably GD as well. I'd LOVE to see DUers take this down.

And I've read the woman's About Me page. I'm certainly not against her making money, but she's talented enough to find something else to paint. I'm quite sure. Shame on ebay for allowing this stuff this long. Shame on them.

[bliss_eternal]

17. Actually, some items are missing.

Which says to me that ebay did remove some of her listings, or tell her they were inappropriate for sale on ebay.
This category of black americana no longer has listings:

http://stores.ebay.com/MAMMY-MAGNETS-and-MORE_Black-Americana-Magnets_W0QQcolZ4QQdirZ1QQsclZ0QQtZkm

The link above was where she was auctioning the magnet of the pregnant child, among other items. :puke:
When you click on that category, it shows 0 listings. There were other horrible items in that category. Items like the pregnant child, that suggested violence of the pre and post slavery era. For example, I recall one with a young black male,hanging from a fence, with a "cutesy caption." :eyes: I saw it as a a lynching reference. I alerted on that entire category, each and every item individually. It was painful to do so, as I disliked looking at "merchandise."

I'm grateful to see ebay took some action and those listings are gone.

I agree that a great deal of what's left is offensive and racist. BUT I must admit what is there now doesn't hint at the violence against blacks (slaves) like some of the deleted items I recall alerting on. Some of the stuff that was deleted REALLY made me wonder what year it was. Some items had offensive language, like "coon" and "sambo" on the magnets. :eyes:

I encourage you to alert on anything that's left in her auctions that you have an issue with. If others share they find such items disturbing and why, they may be inclined to ban more of her auctions.

:hi:

[BlueIris]

18. I can't believe the magnets with the "coon" slur are still up.

Blech.

[bliss_eternal]

19. They're gone!

:woohoo:

[cally]

16. That's horrible

Have you considered sending the link to Oprah? She seems to view herself as a black leader and may choose to get involved.

If I can find my ebay login then I'll alert also.

[bliss_eternal]

20. Two more to call attention to...

Ebay seems to have alleviated her area dedicated to sambos (and such slurs), and the watermelon specific area is gone as well.
I'm thankful those categories were removed, I checked to make sure she didn't list any that were in those areas just under "black americana."

While looking, I found this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230132695915&ssPageName=MERC_VI_RSCC_Pr12_PcY_BIN_Stores_IT&refitem=230132696185&itemcount=12&refwidgetloc=active_view_item&usedrule1=StoreCatToStoreCat&refwidgettype=cross_promot_widget

While the above isn't AS awful as the one I shared prior, this uses
tarbaby, pickaninny, sambo characterization on the child--as well as putting him/her
in a degrading position. Not cool. :(

Here's another one seeming to advocate (and make light of)sexual violence against a child,
(and in a weird way also suggests bestiality). This shouldn't surprise me given the other antiquated racist images
this person was in possession of, but sadly it does. It's such an old, horrible and demeaning reference from slavery about blacks.
The ignorant, bigoted belief of some at the time was that slaves/blacks were less than human and as such they "had sex with animals."
:puke: This is just the first time I've seen it illustrated in a way.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Black-Americana-MAGNET-DONE-GOT-CAUGHT-Ship-FREE_W0QQitemZ230132696185QQihZ013QQcategoryZ29459QQcmdZViewItem

If you feel so inclined please alert on these, too.

Thanks!

bliss :)

[blonndee]

21. Shockingly ignorant, this seller. Read her "About Me" page:

Mammy Magnets and More!

Who Is Lorri Suzanne Williams?
Is she Cajun, Okie, Young, Old,
Black, White ... Purple with yellow polk-a-dots ... WHAT?

Hi Everyone!
These are some of the questions I have been asked.
Well I'm definitely not purple, and I don't have any dots! :-)
Actually, I am a 57 year old white lady, originally from Oklahoma City. I have lived in Louisiana most of my adult life until the death of my husband in 1993 when I moved back to Oklahoma. I feel as much Cajun as I do Okie, so I call myself a little of both.

<snip>

The black folk art paintings came about through my interest in Southern history. The scenes I paint reflect the way things were, but hopefully in a joyful way ... not dwelling on the past negatively, but promoting the feeling of love, families working and playing together, and enjoying life even though times were rough.

My collection of Mammy magnets began with this one magnet.
For anyone like me who loves to eat but is always fighting those extra pounds, you can't help but smile. As more and more magnets were created, the collection grew into a very large variety of different mammies and sayings. (If you click on her picture, you can see the entire collection).

Mammy has become like a real person to me with a distinct personality.
She's loving and caring, cute and funny ... full of wisdom and common sense ... a woman to be respected. But she's not a floor mat for anyone!
She seems to get by with saying the things that we all might think,
but would normally keep to ourselves! :-)

Along with the Mammy magnet collection, I have also created a large variety of other Black Americana magnets. Magnets have also been made from Vintage Post Cards, Antique Labels, Cigar Labels, Celebrities, Animals .... and the list goes on.

<snip>


Thanks so much for visiting my "About Me" page!
Feel free to email me anytime!
I love to meet people and make new friends.
~Lorri~

http://cgi3.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewUserPage&userid=cajunokie

[lizerdbits]

22. They way things were in a joyful way?!?!

Oh, the good old days when non whites couldn't vote, red lining, etc. :puke:

[bliss_eternal]

23. This seller seems to especially enjoy child abuse imagery...

For example:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Black-Americana-MAGNET-DONE-GOT-CAUGHT-Ship-FREE_W0QQitemZ230132696185QQihZ013QQcategoryZ29459QQcmdZViewItem

Yet another remnant of the good old days, when some people had their "place" in society--no matter how demeaning, dehumanizing or disturbing. :eyes:

I'll join you with this sentiment :puke:

[xmas74]

24. My cousin collects the old ceramics

from the thirties and forties but not these reproductions. (I didn't say she had taste-just said she collected it.) Even she has recently made complaints about a few products she had found on ebay, saying they just weren't right. (paraphrasing because you don't want to know what she really said.)

If she can find some of these items offensive then everyone should find them as such.

[bliss_eternal]

25. I didn't realize the items were so popular...

I had heard that some people collected these pieces for historical value. I understand that some collectors donate such items to museums focused on the historical relevance. I'd also heard of some purchasing such items to destroy them. lol.

I found this article last night, which speaks of this issue (with ebay) from a few years ago. It also mentions a few collectors, such as Oprah and Spike Lee. :shrug: Who knew...?

http://www.ferris.edu/jimcrow/links/newslist/floridian/

from article:

To many people, some of these objects are offensive reminders of a racist past. But others argue that the objects are part of history and worthy of preservation, that they serve as important reminders of that racist past.

Many collectors of black memorabilia are black (estimates range from 50 to 80 percent); well-known collectors include Oprah Winfrey, Bill Cosby and Spike Lee. Lee made extensive use of black memorabilia in his 2000 movie Bamboozled, about a 21st century minstrel show that becomes a hit TV series.

Some of the items traded are clearly, cruelly racist, such as a postcard with a picture of a black baby being eaten by an alligator with the caption "Gator bait in Florida!" Some evoke painful chapters of American history but contain important information, such as the records of slave sales. Others, such as memorabilia from Negro League baseball, signify the achievements of black people despite racism.

------------------------snip------------------------------------

David Pilgrim, a professor of sociology at Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Mich., has been grappling with the significance of black memorabilia most of his life. As a young black man, he began buying objects such as Aunt Jemima figurines in order to destroy them.

In 1994 Pilgrim founded the Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia at Ferris State as a way of preserving the more than 4,000 artifacts he had collected (many of them purchased on eBay). He wanted to put them into a context that would ensure they would be used to teach about and prevent racism, not perpetuate it.

Pilgrim's work has made him a veteran of online auctions and knowledgeable about collectors of black memorabilia and their motivations.

"There are 50,000 to 100,000 people who buy" black memorabilia, he says. "They're black and white. I'd say there are five categories. There are people who speculate, who hope to make money from the items. There are those who are nostalgic for the good old days, whatever those were.

"There are liberation buyers, who want to take the stuff out of circulation. There are people like myself who want to use it to educate. And there are those who say, 'It's my First Amendment right to buy the weirdest, dumbest thing I can buy.' " Pilgrim says that the use of the n-word in titles in online auction descriptions isn't a problem. Other items contain the word as part of their design or brand name, such as cans of N---head brand oysters from an old Baltimore company or early 20th century prints of a group of black children about to go swimming, with a caption reading "Last one in's a n---."

Pilgrim has bought thousands of such items for the museum and knows a great deal about their authenticity. "Some people say these things are part of history," he says, and he agrees that they can teach us about the past.

The genuine artifacts are one thing, he says, but there is a profound difference between them and objects that use the old racist imagery on new goods. The real thing may be history; the fakes feed racism
-------------------snip-----------------------------------

[xmas74]

26. She's the only person I know who collects them.

But even she has a problem w/ the fakes.

[bliss_eternal]

27. Collectors,...

...and those w/an understanding of the merchandise, seem to feel that the fakes are even more repellent than the originals. :scared:

I guess the people that make such items (copies, fakes, etc.), really let their bigotry flags fly high. :eyes:
Using the seller I refer to in my op as an example, it gets rather scary--the stuff they seem to think is "adorable."

[xmas74]

28. She doesn't think it's adorable

but does find it to be quite interesting.

I've always wondered why she collected and had it out on display for everyone, including her child, to see. (Her child is biracial.) I don't know if they goal is to be upfront or what but I've always found it odd that she was such a collector.

[bliss_eternal]

29. Oh, I didn't mean her...

I'm sorry if it seemed I was implying that. I meant this awful woman (that I refer to in the op). She labeled an auction featuring a pregnant CHILD in a watermelon patch as adorable. :puke: That's seems so sick.

Some of the people mentioned as sellers in the article I linked to, also label their auctions that way..."adorable." :scared:

I share the opinion that it's an "interesting" hobby, particularly for people of color. I have a friend that collects the mammy cookie jars. She has said she doesn't want her kids to forget the history of the race in this country--which is part of why she collects them.

:hi:

btw, just think I found a new person to place on ignore. :eyes: (regarding our conversation on that). A blatantly clueless person. (((sigh)))

[xmas74]

30. I know you didn't mean her

but I've always been curious as to why she would collect and place it out so openly. She's a blend of Western European (rather pale, like I am) and her ex is African-American.

I just wonder what message she thinks it gives her child? Or does she think about the message at all? Either way, it's an interesting hobby and she claims that they will appreciate and be worth ever so much more before her child graduates. (We have years before that happens.)



(And it stinks that lately our ignore buttons seem to be getting a workout. I really thought this was supposed to be a progressive site!)

[bliss_eternal]

31. Hmmmm....

...I think I see what you mean. That IS interesting. I would wonder about that message, too.

I sincerely wonder if any of those items will ever increase in value. I wonder because I don't know what value they have now, know what I mean? :shrug:

(on ignore: apparently some think THEIR progressive issues carry more weight than OTHERS progressive issues. :eyes: So they leap frog into threads about issues that affect us all as a society--racism, sexism, homophobia--and throw their hat in the ring, with "....but look at US, We people that wear blue socks on our heads by choice--we're discriminated against toooooo!") Seeing people diminish the valid concerns of others that way, makes my blood boil.)

:banghead:

[xmas74]

32. Depending on who made the ceramics,

yes they will increase in value. There is quite a market out there for some products (not just the ones we're talking about but ceramics in general from certain eras.)

It's an odd message but I never know what to think w/ her. She means well but...


(And I hate that crap w/ the whole issues bit. I've noticed that women's issues seem to be mocked the most by those kind of posters.)

[bliss_eternal]

33. Oh! Is it kind of like...

...those ceramic eggs? Stuff like that? I've seen people go nuts for those. Wow! I was blown away when I saw some of those Hummel pieces (ceramics) being sold on a shopping network. Ladies were calling in, saying their limited edition pieces had skyrocketed in worth.:wow:

I'm SO clueless about that stuff.
LOL!

[xmas74]

34. More like the cookie jars, salt and pepper shakers,

crap like that.

I don't collect things like that-I hate dusting. But I do know that if it has the right stamp (from the company that produced it-not just any old crap) it is valuable.

[bliss_eternal]

35. Me, too...

(don't care for dust catchers). But thanks for cluing me in. I get it now! :hi:

[xmas74]

36. Certain manufactorers made

quality products. That is what is collectable now-all the other is crap.

And you are quite welcome!