This toy makes me angry

[Beene]

Maybe I am overreacting, but I really have a problem with this african safari toy. I hate that two lily white people are being chaffeured through Africa by a black man while what? destroying the animals' natural habitat?

http://www.nubiusorganics.com/ImagiP...set-P1774.aspx

who makes this garbage? What next? A plantation with slaves?

[ChristaN]

Not being African American myself, I probably wouldn't have picked up on it as quickly, but your post does make sense. And, it is worthwhile for white children to be taught better things than that as well b/c I bet that's the main group of kids whose parents wouldn't think to be offended and would purchase something like that for their animal loving preschoolers. I'd send a comment to the site, but try to word it in a manner that sounds calm so they don't just dismiss you as an extremist.

[ilanaRose]

Sorry to say, but not everything is always, consciously or unconsciously, about race. A lot of people who visit africa are foreigners (many of whom are white) who go on safaris (because it's a popular tourist thing to do)....and many of those who drive the jeeps are black because Africa has a lot of black people and one of the available jobs is to drive a jeep on safaris... I think you're making this out to be more than it is... chauffered? how about, someone has a job (albeit bad for the environment, but a job IS a job). Yes, they could have put two brown people or 1 brown 1 black, or 1 brown 1 white, person in the jeep, but honestly, I doubt they gave it that much thought...must everything be so politically correct? I find myself not wanting to buy my son every multi-cultural toy that exists because that in and of itself might make him form some complex about race...just my opinion...this is coming from a multicultural african/mexican/european family...

[Altair]

it rubs me the wrong way, to put it mildly.

[mountainsunshine]

ITA that was my first thought. He looks happy to have that job too.I mean as happy as a little wooden man gets

Originally Posted by ilanaRose

Sorry to say, but not everything is always, consciously or unconsciously, about race. A lot of people who visit africa are foreigners (many of whom are white) who go on safaris (because it's a popular tourist thing to do)....and many of those who drive the jeeps are black because Africa has a lot of black people and one of the available jobs is to drive a jeep on safaris... I think you're making this out to be more than it is... chauffered? how about, someone has a job (albeit bad for the environment, but a job IS a job). Yes, they could have put two brown people or 1 brown 1 black, or 1 brown 1 white, person in the jeep, but honestly, I doubt they gave it that much thought...must everything be so politically correct? I find myself not wanting to buy my son every multi-cultural toy that exists because that in and of itself might make him form some complex about race...just my opinion...this is coming from a multicultural african/mexican/european family...

[bajamergrrl]

Originally Posted by Beene

Maybe I am overreacting, but I really have a problem with this african safari toy. I hate that two lily white people are being chaffeured through Africa by a black man while what? destroying the animals' natural habitat?

http://www.nubiusorganics.com/ImagiP...set-P1774.aspx

who makes this garbage? What next? A plantation with slaves?

It rubs me the wrong way too.

[ihugtrees]

I showed this to my husband (he is unsure of his background but assumes he is Middle Eastern from his appearance) and he immediately picked up on it.

It is a big deal. Racism is not about politically correct-ness. It's about the fact that our children, wherever they go, will constantly be reminded that they aren't white, that they aren't the majority. It's about the fact that people in movies, books, magazines, on the radio, and yes, even their toys...very few of those people look like them. That is something a white person will never experience here in the US, and yet its something that people of all races and ethnicities other than caucasian are aware of every day. And when their toys DO show someone of another race, someone who looks more like them, it is in this sort of capacity? I'm sorry, but I have a problem with that.

[dziwozony]

i don't think you're overreacting. the toy makers could have made them all one race or some random wooden colour & they specifically chose a black driver with white passengers. i would never buy a toy like that (& we are a white family).

[Addy's Mom]

Originally Posted by ilanaRose

Sorry to say, but not everything is always, consciously or unconsciously, about race. A lot of people who visit africa are foreigners (many of whom are white) who go on safaris (because it's a popular tourist thing to do)....and many of those who drive the jeeps are black because Africa has a lot of black people and one of the available jobs is to drive a jeep on safaris... I think you're making this out to be more than it is... chauffered? how about, someone has a job (albeit bad for the environment, but a job IS a job). Yes, they could have put two brown people or 1 brown 1 black, or 1 brown 1 white, person in the jeep, but honestly, I doubt they gave it that much thought...must everything be so politically correct? I find myself not wanting to buy my son every multi-cultural toy that exists because that in and of itself might make him form some complex about race...just my opinion...this is coming from a multicultural african/mexican/european family...

I understand your POV. Likely there was no bad intent. But it is odd the two passengers are blond, when blonds are the tiniest of minorities on the planet.

[sapphire_chan]

A "safari" that small, and I'm going with it actually being a family group driving their own car. It's sad for them that the dd took after her mother so much, probably get a lot of questions about who her real dad is and her father probably gets mean looks when they go out alone together.

And now people who usually know better assume he's some sort of chauffeur. Poor guy just can't catch a break.

More seriously, the passengers appear to be loosely based of the owner of the company who produced the toy: http://www.imagiplay.com/about.php

And the driver can't be white because using a white African for that role would ignore all the black Africans who were there first.

[Jackies Ladybug]

haha, thats awesome sapphire! i had neighbors like that actually. the mom was white and was pregnant when she met her (black) husband. they got married before the little girl was born and he was written in as father on her birth certificate.
they indeed did get a lot of grief from strangers, especially on the first day of school when he would walk down to pick her up. (daughter is same age as me, we went to same school)
i bet this is exactly what it would look like if they rented a jeep for a safari in africa!

[EdnaMarie]

LOL SC!

On the one hand, I think that the driver had to be black. I mean... it's Africa, right? The indigenous people are all shades of brown to very dark brown.

But the people in the car? That is irritating. A mix of colors would have been much less offensive, and I do think it is mildly offensive. OTOH, as some pointed out, there are white people who go to Africa, and they do have African chauffeurs (it being Africa and all), and they look like that, and there's nothing wrong with tourism in Africa, is there?

[fresh_veggie]

DH and I lived in Mozambique for several years. I don't find this toy offensive. This "chauffeur" is HAPPY to have his job as a safari guide. He would give his testicles to keep it, because he makes more than 95% of the local African population. He could be cutting sugar cane all day every day for $30 a month...because there is no minimum wage or workers protection in Africa, thanks to the local Africans who run the government. That "chauffeur" could go and be a logger for the Chinese in Africa - even better! He'd make $25 a month for the one of the hardest and most dangerous jobs around. And those lily white people (plus all the other people who go on tours, like Middle Easterners and Asians) going on the safari are the only ones contributing to his current pay anyway, because you don't see the native Africans going on safaris. Plus they're likely to tip him very well, a hundred dollars or more per trip. It's his JOB, and it is a good one.

I see how children could get the wrong idea from this toy, seeing white people chauffeured by a black man, I don't deny that. But if kids know that these are tourists visiting the African man in his home, Africa, it would make more sense to them.

I personally don't like safaris, especially because of the animal cruelty involved sometimes (we don't eat meat). There really isn't a huge amount of environmental damage.. in Kruger Park for example, you just drive the jeep out into a huge open range. No harm done.

[claddaghmom]

I think the concept is worthwhile for an older child. My siblings (5yo and up) would understand that the people are white b/c they are visiting Africa, where many people are black skinned. I think my 11yo brother even did a school assignment on vitamin D and dark skin.

But, the kids who play with this set are probably toddlers...so I don't get why they are different colors at all and thus is bothers me. I feel the company's issues coming through the toy...I don't want to buy someone elses issue. I want a nice toy for my toddler.

[cappuccinosmom]

But it is odd the two passengers are blond, when blonds are the tiniest of minorities on the planet.

Sure, but not really in the context of safari's in Africa, yk? Who goes on Safaris? Mostly white folk. Probably even a number of blonds.

I tend to agree with what fresh-veggie said.

Although, my husband did get to go to a nature reserve in Ethiopia once, and was "chauffered" by a white missionary. Only, he didn't see it as "chauffering" (in the derogatory sense) any more than he would if he were the one driving. Whoever has a car, drives. Whoever has a car, is lucky and can make a really good living. He'd say "If foreigners want to spend money to look at animals in my country, they'd be welcome to ride in my car and pay me, no problem".

[ticklemegreen]

I didn't think of him as a chauffer, he's a tour guide. It's an African Safari. Most people in Africa are black. I think you're looking too far into this.

[Cetan Luta]

I totally understand where you are coming from. We are mixed American Indian, and it is practically impossible to find AI toys that aren't supremely stereotypical. They don't seem offensive to most people, but when you are a minority, you tend to look at the harmfulness of stereotypes in whole different ways. It will be nice when there are more multiracial toys available to kids that help them to be proud of their heritage, or understand someone else's better, rather than perpetuating (usually outdated) stereotypes.

[Happeesupermom]

It seems to me that you're possibly reading too much into this.

I agree with PPs who have pointed out that, in Africa, it would be "normal" to see a black driver and white people on Safari.

If you feel the need to explain it to your children, I'm sure you can see the wisdom in explaining the truth and reason about how things really are. If the play set came with a purple- and green- and blue-skinned people, you would have to explain that people really don't have purple or green or blue skin in reality. No?

If it really bothers you, don't buy the toy.

Just my 2 cents.

[Jane91]

After being on safari in Botswana, my experience is that @85% of the visitors are european tourists. Remainder American with no Africans (of any color) as visitors.

Being a guide is NOT being a chauffeur -- these are people who are experienced and knowledgable about the intricate wildlife around them. Park ranger is a much better equivalent. In fact, I believe guiding was traditionally a "white" job (and I have heard generally remains so in South Africa), so black guides are in fact progress.

I believe photo safaris do assist in preserving local wildlife as hunting is prohibited on all the concessions we visited, and if you pick your company wisely, can be an economic benefit to citizens.

I will admit, when we first arrived there was a bit of an uncomfortable feeling being white while all the service providers (cooks, staff, etc.) were black -- that sort of plantation thing someone mentioned. But I thought -- if I were in Japan or India having a similar experience, would I be uncomfortable that all the staff was Japanese or Indian?

[readytobedone]

OP, i don't think you're overreacting.

i'm white and find it creepy as hell.