Posted on 08/30/2013 5:45:12 PM PDT by massmike
A leading human rights group has called on Dunkin' Donuts to withdraw a "bizarre and racist" advertisement for chocolate doughnuts in Thailand that shows a smiling woman with bright pink lips in blackface makeup.
Human Rights Watch said it was shocked to see an American brand name running an advertising campaign that would draw "howls of outrage" if released in the United States.
The CEO for Dunkin' Donuts in Thailand dismissed the criticism as "paranoid American thinking." "It's absolutely ridiculous," said CEO Nadim Salhani. "We're not allowed to use black to promote our doughnuts? I don't get it. What's the big fuss? What if the product was white and I painted someone white, would that be racist?"
Salhani said that the Thai franchise of Dunkin' Donuts operates independently of the American operation and that doughnut sales have increased about 50 percent since the campaign was launched around two weeks ago, which he attributed to curiosity about the new advertisements. "Not everybody in the world is paranoid about racism," said Salhani.
(Excerpt) Read more at bostonherald.com ...
Hmmm, Thai women and donuts?
These are a few of my favorite things....
Everyday we put up with feral black attacks on other races, and half-witted mutts complain about this silly stuff.
It’s time to start dealing with the real racism, the kind that is hurting innocent people. Let the whiners shut up.
They’ve apparently never seen the ads on Thai TV for skin lightener, where the kid bumps into the lady with the dark skin and recoils in horror.
that isn’t racist.
of course when you hold a worldview that believes racism is everywhere, that’s where you’ll find it.
Yeah but Jemima is in a lot better mood in the mornings than Missy Donut Ho.
I have two very old Aunt Jemima syrup bottles that keep I filled with other kinds of syrup. Never explained the significance of them to the youngest grandson until he noticed that there were no Aunt Jemima bottles in the syrup section at the store and commented on it. We had quite a discussion about the matter.
Aunt Jemima has always been welcome at our breakfast table when we are having pancakes or waffles.
I well remember when she graced the pancake mix boxes. Even now when I see her smiling face it conjures up a stack of golden brown pancakes with butter and maple syrup oozing down the side.
...a "bizarre and racist" advertisement for chocolate doughnuts in Thailand that shows a smiling woman with bright pink lips in blackface makeup.Both sides of this fake controversy really put the "nuts" in doughnuts.
Nadim Sahami is my New Hero.
Sorry racism in SE Asia is unacceptable and actually damages the development of those countries since it overtly marginalizes a huge part of their population. This is about fairness, something conservatives used to care about. And yes, you can’t get hired for many jobs there if you are dark.
“Sorry racism in SE Asia is unacceptable and actually damages the development of those countries since it overtly marginalizes a huge part of their population. This is about fairness, something conservatives used to care about. And yes, you can’t get hired for many jobs there if you are dark.”
“Unacceptable” is one of those breathlessly indignant “panties in a bunch” kind of words used by perpetually indignant people which really expresses a kind of impotence, because it falsely suggests that the indignant opiner has a say in the matter. Like when the impotent clueless mayor of my town says that some recent spate of murders is “unacceptable”. When something’s been shoved in your face time after time and you haven’t done anything about it, because you can’t do anything about, you have by G_d accepted it.
Inexcusable or deplorable would have been better words which I expect would express a meaning you don’t disagree with.
As for racism in SE Asia, this thread was about Thailand which is not the same thing as SE Asia. And I know a thing or two about development in Thailand, having watched it develop for the past 25 years. Mrs. Flash’s family has gone from drab gray concrete walls and concrete floors in the shophouse with flourescent lights and fans and no telephone or TV when I first met them to nice tiled walls and floors, better lighting,Air conditioning, and flat screen Cable tv, and everyone has a cell phone. Some of the “kids” [Mrs. Flash’s younger sisters] have jobs with actual career paths.
In the late 70s they didn’t even have cooking gas or electricity or running water. It was charcoal and kerosene lamps and water stored in giant jars. There’s a photo about five feet from me showing Mrs. Flash at age 10, and her brothers and sisters and cousins, all of whom I know, and it looks like a CARE advertisement. Mrs. Flash’s mom used to do the laundry in a ditch. If racism has damaged Thailand’s development they’re doing a fair job of hiding the damage.
The fact is that no one in Thailand gives a rat’s patoot what some farang thinks about how they run their country, and it’s really none of the farangs’ business. Thailand is a hierarchical country but to say a huge percentage of the population is “marginalized” is wrong, unless you have a peculiar definition of “marginalized”.
And some of those “darlies” are my nieces and nephews whose Mom is Lao. Even Flash Jr. 2.0 has a bit of a permanent semi-tan, unlike Flash 1.0 who is more yellow like his Mom.
And don’t think that white people get the average Thai’s heart to go all a flutter either.
You are correct. A black guy from america would be laughed at if he applied to teach english at even the worst and most desperate schools. They would calmly tell him to his face "we can't hire you because your skin is black." When was the last time you heard that in the USA? If you want to see classic racism, the sort that lives in the imagination of liberals -- which is judging people based entirely on skin tone and color -- come to Thailand. Skin color is the primary obsession of every Thai, be they rich, poor, whatever. For example, it's not uncommon to find a morbidly obese Thai woman moaning about how her life is miserable because her skin is too dark.
I think Ronald McDonald, and his sesame seed buns, might give some input on that.
I still think the franchise might me more fun if they renamed their stores, Drunkin' Doughnuts. *Grins!
If racism has damaged Thailand’s development they’re doing a fair job of hiding the damage.
For some reason, when I read your comment it seemed to be sung to the tune of “sweet child of mine.”
Let’s send them Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton and Oprah Winfrey. It’s quite a sacrifice but I’m willing to accept it.
It’s probably intentional.
I always preferred Aunt Jemima syrup and pancake mix to any other brand. And I still buy them today.
If a billboard ad is erected in some foreign jungle forest, does it provoke any outrage in America?
“The neighbors are doing the most AWFUL things in their living room!”
Investigating officer: “Are their curtains open?”
“No, but if you stand on a chair and use binoculars you can see EVERYTHING IN PLAIN SIGHT!!!”
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