October 26, 2016
The B’nai B’rith Anti-Defamation Commission (ADC), Australia’s leading organisation fighting anti-Semitism and hatred in all its forms, has called on a store in Geelong to stop selling Santa golliwog dolls after reports emerged that the item was selling out. Over the last few years, Australia Post removed golliwogs from their shops, and in 2016, the Advertising Standards board ordered a business in Victoria to withdraw its golliwog TV ad because the logo “humiliated and ridiculed”, and a hospital in Canberra removed golliwogs from its gift shop after receiving a torrent of complaints.
ADC Chairman, Dr Dvir Abramovich, issued the following statement:
“It is sad that there is a still market for these dolls. There is nothing fun, cute or funny about golliwogs which are commercial symbols of racism that are degrading, humiliating, and hurtful to so many people. We can’t ignore the troubling tradition of these dolls and that they perpetuate a destructive and derogatory stereotype. It is beyond insensitive and wrong for any company to make a profit from the sale of these objects, and their availability will only compound demeaning caricatures and attitudes that should be consigned to the dustbin of history. In a multicultural, tolerant society, we all have a role in sending a clear message that any items or images which represent intolerance and bigotry have no place in our community. As a national leader in fighting discrimination and bias, we call on all businesses to withdraw these dolls from their catalogue. We would also urge the store in Geelong to donate all proceeds from the sale of the dolls to an indigenous organisation or cause.”
The Anti-Defamation Commission, founded in 1979, is Australia’s leading civil rights organization fighting racism through educational programs that combat bigotry, prejudice and all forms of hatred.
For further information please contact Dr Dvir Abramovich on 0410 539 015
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