Good For You Ann, Why Should You Apologize, It Was The Name For A Very Popular Toy.

[anotheoldgit]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7780539/Brexit-Party-candidate-former-Tory-MP-Ann-Widdecombe-refuses-apologise-golliwog-WhatsApp.html

[Old_Geezer]

No reason at all. But you know how society is full of easily offended snowflakes these days. I understand one finds loads on social media.

[Ken4155]

Big deal. Who gives a fog's fart?

[wolf63]

If she was in charge of the country we wouldn't be in the chaotic mess that we find ourselves in.

She is straight-talking and fierce.

Some of her views on subjects such as abortion or homosexuality being curable are controversial but they are her views.

[pastafreak]

While I don't care for golliwogs, or her views that reflect her Catholicism, I agree with her on this. Her answer seemed straight forward enough.

[Mamyalynne]

Referring to a toy using the name of that toy - no apology required.

Context is all.

[TheDevil]

It goes to show how some MP's aren't up to current social standards. Not racist but certainty shows her inability to conform to the times.

[Sqad]

A golliwog is a rag doll and if that is what Ann threw away, then it was a golliwog.
No apology needed.

[naomi24]

Good for her! I like gollywogs. I think they're jolly.

[ducksie]

Was onl saying to sis the other day, how twisted words have become lately, we played with golliwogs, I don't believe Ann was being rist in this cotext and I don't think she should apologise, the world's gone hypersensitive

[ducksie]

some buttons stuck in my keyboard, sorry

[andy-hughes]

Ms. Widdicombe is someone who will doubtless tell anyone who will listen that she 'believes in straight talking'.

That is actually an excuse for speaking without thinking, not considering the effects your words may have on others, and then not caring anyway.

It has its fans among the general pubic, but so does fox hunting - thinking something is OK does not automatically make it so.

Yes golliwogs were popular toys in the past - but putting children up chimneys and into factory machinery and denying women votes and imprisoning homosexuals and sending teenagers to war and so on and so on and so on - all thing we used to do as a society, and we don't do them anymore because times have moved on.

A refusal to accept that terms used generations ago are no longer acceptable smacks of ignorance and arrogance, and to refuse to acknowledge mis-speaking simply increases the offering of those two character traits as acceptable.

It's not acceptable simply because Ms. Widdicombe thinks and says it is - we are more caring and considerate than that.

Ms. Widdicombe is an educated erudite person, she is absolutely capable of making her point without recourse to offensive language, and sitting on her high horse scoffing at people who don't agree with her crass insensitivity diminishes her as a politician, and as a person.

[Cloverjo]

Oh for god’s sake. She didn’t call anyone a golliwog, she was talking about a toy. I’m not usually one to say “It’s political correctness gone mad” but this is crazy.
My granny gave me a golliwog when I was young. Am I not allowed to mention that ever again?

[THELOONYCORBYN]

"Not racist but certainty shows her inability to conform to the times."

rubbish..it means she wont kow tow to people like you that think she should "conform" to appease the church of the constantly offended...

[Mamyalynne]

Interesting viewpoint Andy, you liken it to mentioning 'sending children up chimneys' and yet you state that too.

Are we never to refer to things that we now may view as archaic and outdated?

[naomi24]

AH, that is your opinion but it isn't mine so can ‘we’ please stop with the ‘we’. You don’t speak for me.

[andy-hughes]

Cliverjo - // My granny gave me a golliwog when I was young. Am I not allowed to mention that ever again? //

Let's not confuse restriction of free speech with expecting a degree of courtesy and consideration when using speech.

The right to free speech comes with the responsibility not to mis-use it - as the age-old point has it, free speech does not entitle you falsely to shout 'Fire!' in a crowded theatre.

[Theland]

The marmalade was nice.

[andy-hughes]

Naomi - // AH, that is your opinion but it isn't mine so can ‘we’ please stop with the ‘we’. You don’t speak for me. //

I am using the term 'we' as shorthand for 'society at large' and anyone reading that post, and not looking to nitpick, will understand that perfectly well.

I think any regular here would know that I would never in my wildest dreams imagine that I speak for you!!!

[Cloverjo]

That’s totally different, Andy.

[Old_Geezer]

But it does entitle you fairly refer to a gollywog in a WhatsApp message.