a thaumaturgical compendium

First, Limbaugh airs a comparison of Obama to Curious George, then a T-shirt depicting the same, and now this: a sock monkey version of a black presidential candidate. Race is being openly discussed for the first time in a long time, and with it, we should expect some real ignorance to show up, and racism that has been hanging out in back rooms to be placed out in public.

I wrote the following email to Rob Bishop, president of Binkley Custom Products, who hosts the site, and presumably produces the doll.

Dear Mr. Bishop,

I am writing regarding “The Sock Obama” that your company produces and sells. Although the site purports to be in support of Mr. Obama, I find it difficult to believe that you can be unaware of the long history of associating African-Americans with monkeys as a way of demeaning them. It is, in short, a racist depiction of a candidate for president.

I am writing in the hope that you have offered this product unaware of that long history, or deceived by whomever asked you to produce it. I hope, and expect, that you will remove the product now that you have been made aware of the racist statement you are making.

Sincerely,

Alex Halavais

Update: Both of the email addresses I have for Rob Bishop are bouncing, so I’ll have to send snail mail.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, June 11th, 2008 at 3:33 pm and is filed under Obama, Politics.