[Campaign '08] So, are the Barack Obama sock monkeys marketed by David J. and Elizabeth A. Lawson of West Jordan racist or just cuddly? [Update: The Mr. T sock monkey at right is not the sock monkey in question.]They're causing quite a stir in the blogosphere. (Ulp. Excuse me. That word "blogosphere" always makes me throw up a little.)
But the answer all depends on the Lawsons, doesn't it? They'd be crazy to fess up and unlikely to anyway, since bigots in Utah tend to have that "kinder, gentler" form of passive-aggressive "Golly, it's really too bad Heavenly Father made you people inferior, isn't it?" bullshit racism.
And, if it's some kind of reverse-psychology "wind up the liberals and watch their guilt instincts kick in!" trick, it won't pay to invest too much emotional energy in it anyway.
Evidence That the Sock Monkeys Might Be Racist:
- They're from Utah. Duh.
- They're from West Jordan. Duh.
- A Park City real-estate agent named David J. Lawson donated money to the Mitt Romney campaign. If this turns out to be the same David J. Lawson as the one selling sock monkeys, bzzt! Gotcha!
- If there are any Democrats in West Jordan, they have too much white guilt to do something like this.
- Republicans are incapable of subtle irony.
- The Website reads that the monkey stays "true to his root," an obvious reference to reconstruction-era "lock up the womenfolk!" stereotypes.
- It also reads "Fall in love with your chosen candidate all over again" [emphasis added], not "our chosen candidate," as it would if the authors were Obama fans.
Evidence That the Sock Monkeys Are Just Cuddly:
- The Lawsons say so.
- Sock monkeys are adorable.
- So are Democrats.
- So what could be more cuddly than a Democratic sock monkey?
My money's on racism, but split 50-50 on "ignorance" and "malice" as motives. (Brandon Burt)
Who cares? Seriously?
ReplyDeleteSo some fat (probably), white (surely), middle-class (likely) Mormon (It's West Jordan, folks) makes a sock puppet that reminds one of Mr. T and calls it a Barack doll.
Who gives a shit?
They won't make any money on this stupid thing. After the dust settles (if the rediculous, offended whities let it) they'll have dozens of the ugly things sitting around their house, blocking cherished views of their Jesus pictures, framed doilies and toll paintings.
They've created their own hell with this thing!
And, they've given me an idea........how well do you think Prophet Monsen sock puppets would sell around temple square?
I didn't open the link provided before I commented, so I didn't notice that this sock thing actually looks like Obama! Wow! I'll bet these guys make one helluva scrap book!
ReplyDeleteYes, well, Hayduke, be that as it may ...
ReplyDeleteThe point is, are the sock monkeys racist or not? What do the readers think?
I'm curious.
Also, anybody knows the Lawsons, I'd love to hear from them? (Brandon Burt)
Brandon,
ReplyDeleteI think that probably the people that created the puppet are racist, but I think that the only people you'll find that are offended over this thing are white.
I'm a whitie, but I am going to assume that blacks have endured far worse.
As for the puppet, it holds no power. It's a small minded gag created by small minded people for other small minded people to enjoy.
It does not look like they are making monkey dolls of other candidates or white people. I am sorry, given the racist conotation of the word 'monkey' it is at worst racist, at best terribly naive.
ReplyDeleteThe word "Monkey" has no racist conotation, Sock Puppet. A monkey is a monkey. But Porch monkey? That there's a different matter!
ReplyDeleteWhy don't we make a nice little plush doll that looks like a Saltine Cracker, put McCains ugly mug on there, kit one hand with a bible and the other with a whip and we'll market that, just to even up sides?
I like the Saltine idea but you have been in Utah way too long if you dont know the term monkey is racist Hayduke.
ReplyDeleteCome on, Spredux. I already said that I think the creators of this thing are racists. But so what? Is complaining about some stupid gimmick like this going to make them or their buyers non-racist? Hell no, it won't. It'll only generate sales for them. They are loving this attention!
ReplyDeleteThe only thing they could have topped this puppet with would be an Obama tar baby. They'll read this and kick themselves for not thinking of it.
I know that if I were to walk up to some black dude and call him a monkey, he'd probably punch me.
I've been in Utah for far too long, that's true, but I've been around. This thing is rediculous and I refuse to give it any power by going all PC on it.
At the core, that's my point. Yes, it is racist, but, as always, it was created by small minded turds that enjoy getting a rise out of people.
I am incapable of subtle irony. but has anyone investigated making Barack memorabilia out of coins? Instead of "In God We Trust" it could say "Yes We Can" or "Change We Can Believe In". Instead of "E Pluribus Unum", "E Obamus Unum".
ReplyDeleteDoes monkay have a racist connotation? I think so. And I'm a Republican. In Europe, they grunt at black soccer players in some stadiums, and have been known to throw bananas at them. I vote for the "racist".
Then again, Curious W was always protrayed as a monkey...
This all just reminds me of the Reagan supporters at their convention when he was running against Mondale. Remember that? They had the "Where's the Beef" crap going on and the "Ghostbusters" shizit going on.
ReplyDeleteIt is amusing what the small-minded think is funny.
Didn't Plato have something to say about appearance over substance? The Republicans have certainly shown over the last 3 decades that they are all about appearance.
It is good to see that the mask has slipped and their true ugly face is fully exposed.
http://bp0.blogger.com/_A-bXyPL07Ww/R_uYewVYKyI/AAAAAAAAA7E/vGZivwW9UkU/s1600-h/27520racism-posters.jpg
ReplyDeleteThe real estate David Lawson isn't the same person.
ReplyDeleteFrom Kos, someone who heard back from the WRONG David J. Lawson:
ReplyDelete“I am writing to inform you that I am not in any way affiliated with
THESOCKOBAMA CO., LLC. According to the Utah Department of Commerce
website, the members of THESOCKOBAMA CO., LLC are David J. Lawson and
Elizabeth A. Lawson, both having an address of 8821 S. Deep Creek Drive in
West Jordan, Utah. While my name is also David J. Lawson, I am absolutely
not the David J. Lawson that is a member of THESOCKOBAMA CO., LLC and I have no connection to the address belonging to him.
I am a real estate agent working and residing in Park City, Utah with my
wife, Denise. My business website is http://www.davidjlawson.com. Unfortunately,
my name, identity and business website have been linked to THESOCKOBAMA CO., LLC. However, again, I assure you that I am in no way affiliated with
THESOCKOBAMA CO., LLC. Simply put, I unfortunately have the same name as one of the company’s members, and I am therefore being wrongfully linked to that company. Thank you for allowing me to address the confusion.”
The racist Lawson's:
David J. and Elizabeth A. Lawson
aka Elizabeth A Sluis
8821 Deep Creek Dr
West Jordan, UT 84088-3325
phone number unavailable
When it gets down to it you can claim anything to be "racist". So they made a sock monkey that looks like Barak Obama. Whoop-de-frigging-do. This country is way too hung up on if your black or white or some other color. You don't have to be white to be racist. In fact, I would say a great many of the people who claim they are not racist because they are not white are still racist. Obama went to a racist church for twenty years and nobody is calling him a racist.
ReplyDeleteSeriously, throwing a snit-fit over a sock monkey is too stupid to believe.
At least one commenter sees the bigger picture while, the majority give this post, replete with racist insinuation and innuendo, a pass.
ReplyDeletePersonally I don't care one way or another what perceived *racist* attributions a monkey may provide for the enhancement and amplification of racism, primarily due to the fact that I *don't sweat the small stuff*. It's a petty little sock puppet period.
What I do find disturbing is that there are thousands of people being duped by a team of professionals to elect one of the most under-qualified, uninformed, dangerous and outright anti-Americans our electoral process has ever witnessed.
The examples and links are out there aplenty. One excerpt from one link, regarding one the partners Barrack Hussein Obama has yet to throw under the bus with others (he never knew) goes as follows:
OBAMA'S MILITANT RACISM REVEALED
In her senior thesis at Princeton, Michele Obama, the wife of Barack Obama stated that America was a nation founded on "crime and hatred'. Moreover, she stated that whites in America were 'ineradicably racist'.
I first asked myself, if they did a George Bush sock monkey, would I think that was funny? Undoubtably--so by that standard I figured that I can't really consider the Obama sock monkey racist. Then I looked and it and thought, Jesus, something is wrong with that. The rational argument in my head says it should be okay, but my visual/emotional reaction just says there is something wrong. Maybe it's the tail.
ReplyDeleteHasn't Utah suffered enough bad publicity with Jeff and company to tolerate such ugly actions of this West Jordan couple? This needs to be systematically condemned publicly. I was born in Utah. My family helped settle Utah. This is an embarrassment to my clan. Show civility. Show respect. Show compassion.
ReplyDeleteYes, this is racist, ignorant behaviour. It is despicable. And it is wrong. Read Uncle Tom's Cabin for heaven sake.
Postscript: a doll is a toy. Toys are for children. What do you suppose is being taught the children of our country with this "toy"?
ReplyDeleteDon't compare this with Bush. The difference is that he is white and the senator is African-American. That is the difference and to make money off this would be racists. If you knew history you would have never made this. If you do, sell it shame on you.
ReplyDeleteOn a personal note, the sock monkey is the symbol of my hometown which originally made the sock monkey, Nelson Knitting Co, Rockford Illinois. We are proud of it and it was never intended to be used in this hateful way. Do not dishonor us with raciism. If you are talented, you will find a respectable way to make money but not this please.
Also your website should directly apologize to the Obama family. Shame on you.
This is ridiculous. This is a lot of sound and fury signifying nothing. Obama is not a victim. Do not diminish the man's accomplishments by saying that something as cute as this is racist.
ReplyDeleteSo people aren't able to have a monkey as a toy. By your standard, Curious George is racist. Littlest Pet Shop monkeys are racist. King Kong toys are racist. The movies, Congo, Tarzan, Gorillas in the Mist and the whole Planet of the Apes series are racist.
I've seen homemade sock monkeys for years. Tony Millionaire's Sock Monkey comics are awesome! That they are making Sock Monkeys in the likeness of entertainment and political figures is a smart marketing idea for those with the talent for making sock monkeys.
Did the creator of the Obama sock monkey say, "I made an Obama Sock Monkey because Obama is half black and I think black and half-black people look like monkeys"? He didn't say or imply anything of the sort. There are some hypersensitive Obama supporters who are actively looking for anything that can possibly be inferred as racist so they can get on the news about it to keep Obamas name in the news and the public eye as a victim so that Obama can get enough sympathy votes to win.
Get a life Brandon Burt. Stop trying to make a mountain out of a mole hill.
I think the sock puppet of Obama is not racist at all. In fact, the company needs to another doll to the collection; one of Buttars with pull string included. Pul it and you get his imfamous line, "This baby is black. It's a dark and ugy thing." Enough said?
ReplyDeleteHoly Toledo, here comes a real Obama toy!
ReplyDeleteCaptain Obama is the first Barack Obama Superhero Toy!
Captain Obama is the one toy to lead them all!
http://www.CaptainObama.com
Captain Obama is a superhero with extraordinary powers and unprecedented idealism dedicated to hope, freedom, and change for the American people.
Captain Obama fights crooked businessmen and politicians, demolishes run-down tenements, keeps a moral code of conduct and protects the American way.
This toy has just been revealed at San Diego Comic Con 2008 and is sold exclusively at ImagineGate Toys. http://www.ImagineGate.com
Hello all you haters out there, just wanted to let you know that we are still selling monkies and the more upset the public becomes with Obamas policies the more monkies we sell!Keep up the good work.
ReplyDeleteTheSock Obama Co.
I don't see what's the relationship between monkeys and Obama. Racism rules the world and it wants black people in the worst way.
ReplyDeleteWho gives a rat's behind? What if it was made and mailed from Harlem???
ReplyDelete