h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

...I have to mention some innacuracies in the Entry. Not mere opinions - I would clearly be unwise to make such objections about an Entry which is, one presumes, happy to provoke - but fairly obvious errors of fact.


"it's an offence to sell them in the UK. Warning!! you can get the sack for even mentioning someone looks like one."

1) It is not illegal to to sell golliwogs in the UK. If you think otherwise, please quote either statute or case law.

2) Please quote at least one instance of anyone having been sacked for mentioning that someone looks like a golliwog. Ever.

There was indeed a fairly public case of a freelance television presenter who caused great offence to her colleagues by making an insensitive comparison between a golliwog and a professional tennis player which was immediately interpreted as racist by all within earshot. After she had refused repeated opportunities to explain herself it was thought that it would be damaging to the production team to continue to purchase her services. But this incident obviously doesn't fit the decription of someone 'being sacked for mentioning someone looks like [a golliwog]' Presumably you have someone else in mind?

"PC Brigade stops Queen making a mint"

Please describe the exact circumstances whereby a 'PC Brigade' (and please name the specific organisation) was involved in the decision to remove golliwogs from the Sandringham shop.

My previous understanding of the decision was that it had been taken independently in the light of public controversy. It did not follow action or complaint from any particular pressure group.

It is conceivable that 'PC Brigade' can be read above as 'those particular members of the general public who regard golliwogs as offensive'. This is, as recent events have shown, not a particular brigade but a settled majority. Further, the change in attitude was not changed by the action of pressure groups but arose gradually out of a general revulsion at the use of 'Golliwog' as a term of abuse used routinely to humiliate and intimidate black people. If you want to blame anyone for the removal of Golliwogs, blame those racists who spoiled things for everyone. Arguably, the sub-head could read: 'Racist thugs and dimwitted celeb stop Queen and anyone else making a mint.'

Either way, the sub-head is ambiguous as well as being unecessarily emotive.

You could of read the peer revew thread http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/F48874?thread=6462749 but ive done wot i can Noth�r

Well I'd be happy bto add this to the main thread...but that one deals with the minutiae of spelling, etc.

A more fundamental criticism is that it's a glaring ommission not to give greater coverage to the social history of golliwogs. Perhaps *the* most significant thing about them is the way they've become totemic of racism because of the way they were used to taunt black people.