Wal Mart discounts black Barbie

Wal-Mart's intercom system is easy to hijack. I worked in a supercenter for two years and we had numerous hijacks of the system. This could have easily been at the hands of a rowdy customer or employee.

I want to thank you for posting this though. This shows evidence to support the claim of racism, which is exactly what my comments were intended to address.

lots and lots and lots of people. probably for fudgicles too

Don't forget that the majority of those snobby people are white so they want the WHITE dolls..

snobs? at walmart? have you ever been in one of those places? snob is NOT a word I'd think of to describe these freaks.

It would be like ignoring the elephant in the room.

only 9 dollars? i haven't seen a ticket price under 11 bucks here in seattle.

thank you

do you know what sku number is? it is the identifier for that particular item being sold. what you said just made no sense.

Thank you for that!

Every child I ever bought dolls and/or toys for was given the "opposite" of what was expected. Hence, my own caucasian (ugly word) child had a black doll. Girls got more boy-like toys, and vice versa. Girls wore any colors BUT pink, and boys wore lots of wonderful colors.

When I was about 15 or so, I found another old shoebox filled with black-and-white photos. There was one with two rows of standing nursery school-aged children, and all were black except the one blonde in the front row. It took me quite a while to realize that was MY white face sticking out of an otherwise all-Black graduation ceremony! My parents were SO effing cool!

It's only on sale because it wasn't selling as much as the others. If anything doesn't sell it eventually goes on sale. That's the way it goes in retail. You have to quit thinking everything is racists when it is just treating everyone equal which is what black people fought so hard to have. Martin Luther King wanted quality for all and that is what you got.

Could not have been said better.
In fact, it should be inscribed in stone.
Even though handed every option, they still won't volunteer to save them selfs.

thaaank youuuu

i was about halfway through typing the same thing until current froze and reloaded onto your post, and i said thank god i dont have to type this all out!

well said, couldn't say it any better

i agree and disagree, butt the key to solving racism isn't ignoring it as if its a thing of the past. Thats where most people miss the mark, we should try to cure the cause of racism which inherently lies in poverty, and perception. We foster racism by allowing people to slip into poverty, and with this we develop a perception of those people. As a result of our history some those people are of non anglo/celtic (english) descent became poor, while ironically most of those in poverty are actually of anglican descent. However we statically perceive the people of other origins to be more dangerous to society, why is this the case? This is the question where we can begin a true examination, its a complex question that ultimately will lead to more questions. Not an easy task, but its ours to solve if we're willing...

On a side note I was in denmark discussing american culture with friends and a guy at a bar asked why are so many black people in jail in america? I answered "so the politicians don't have to talk about poverty to the people". Let that one simmer for minute.

oh yea my friend if anyone is to go back to Africa, that would be all of us. I think anthropology should be a required class to young children because I really do hate to hear things like this.

you are completely ridiculous and need to be careful with some of the crap you're saying along with the bullshit generalizations you make. sometimes the intentions of racism can be quite obvious with the lack of evidence.

Your comment stuck out in my inbox, Eri_Soulja. While I typically appreciate an opposing perspective, what I will point out to you is that the evidence supporting my view is all around. What I have to say is far from the "crap" you refer to it as.

Contrary to whatever education you have received, racism is a subject in the vein of politics and religion in the USA. We all have an opinion on the matter, and those opinions differ greatly. In the event that racism is blatant, or if there is evidence to support a racist motion, I stand fervently against it. But I will not tolerate an assumption of racism by a so-called "minority" in order to gain public sympathy and support for racial interests. Segregation lives on today because those who were once segregated feel they are owed something for their trouble. Ten more black-rights groups would not make up for what this small sector of black Americans are deluding themselves into believing they are entitled.

To wake up and view the "racism" individuals like yourself may claim happens on a daily basis, without providing substantial evidence to support the claim, shows a severe lack of respect and consideration not only for every American, but for those Americans who made unprecedented strides and sacrificed their lives and livelihood to secure equality for minorities in this country. To perpetuate the idea that racism still runs strong is equivalent to slapping your own ancestry. To expect reparations for suffering you, personally, have never endured at the hands of this society or government is anti-American and, per many other nations around the world, a form of treason.

My advice to you: Live your life to the fullest and stop expecting a handout for your hardships. Billions of people worldwide live with constant oppression by their government and the society they live in, you do not.

The more often you expect disrespect, the more you perpetuate it by disrespecting others. There is nothing wrong with wanting better for minorities in America, but to achieve it with baseless assumptions is futile.

My best wishes for your future. Live happily.

-Joshua

You're right, Philcat. This small group of black Americans--other minorities do it too!--live through the assumption that they are "owed" for what they perceive to be a racist sentiment. It is not the Caucasian man's responsibility to educate black Americans, and it will not be his responsibility to bring them success in their lifetime.

Now, that comment may have been horribly out-of-line, but it does strike a sense of reality in some people. Consider that if there had been no Civil Rights Movement, or that there had been no progress made during one, discriminatory ideals would have just as much, if not more power than they did several decades ago.

Poverty should be the subject, not the targeting of black Americans. In order to resolve poverty, the line between rich and poor must become finer. The notion that poverty breeds racism is fairly inadequate though. Racism is an attack or a perceived attack-- completely mental and can be changed by changing a thought pattern. Poverty is a condition of living; you cannot "think" yourself into riches.

What poverty does breed is criminal activity, which would explain why so many black Americans are in jail. Considering that the majority of Americans living at or under the poverty line are black, crime rates will be high. The general perception that black people are "troublemakers" or "miscreants" is unfounded. Today, most children are "troublemakers" or "miscreants" due to poor parenting, which is due to society's popular ideal that children should not be spanked or punished. We do not say that only the black kids are raised without proper values, do we?

A couple years ago, Kanye West made a comment on live television, claiming George W. Bush did not "care about black people". His comment radiated the misconception that only black people are affected by poverty, or that poverty only happens to black Americans. There is zero evidence to support drawing such a conclusion; furthermore, Kanye West is not impoverished but still assumes a racist sentiment on poverty. Maybe the cure for racism is not to cure poverty, considering how many prominent black Americans with money still hold that ideal?

Racism is a frame of mind. It is no different than living with depression. The only exception is that you cannot take an anti-racism pill. Dissolve the thought pattern and so goes the thought.

"The significant problems we face in life can not be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them." - Einstein

-Joshua

oh i am living very happily and do not expect a damn thing from this country but yet i still see ridiculous things happening all around me and although this issue on black barbies may not be racist you ignorantly claim that racism does not run strong in our society. you need to wake up and get your head out of your ass.
like i said, racist intentions are obvious with the lack of evidence.

Ha. I would rewrite at least one part of it, but that is just me. :)

what about an asian model...do they have one? or native american? or...etc.?

The news story is the outrageous teeming racism that Walmart has for black people by discounting the "Theresa" Barbie. Basically, this is one more thing that black people perpetuate as a "racist sentiment". That's the news; there's little more to it.

that just made me feel so sad. Is this what our society has come to? Their not even out of childhood and already know what stereotypes society puts on people. Things can never change until we change.

Keep coming back. It works if you work it. :-)

No, it is not the same. You fail to realize that a condom with a black wrapper is far different from a black doll. No one idolizes a condom, cultural perceptions of beauty are not modeled after condoms, and little girls do not dream of becoming black condoms. The differences are overwhelming, yes they are both consumer products with 'colors', but the cultural and societal values associated with the two are far from similar, terrible analogy.

"ethical, wtf are you talking about?", I said they are not required to be ethical. With corporations dominating consumerism (Wal-Mart), I think they should be ethical. That is only my opinion, I think a little detective work will allow you to find it implied in my post and the context of the story, if I did not elaborate enough originally I apologize.

How do I interpret this as being unethical? Look at other posts, I think I would agree with Ricky84's post "I have a..." about why dolls can have negative effects, again I think because the corporations control these dolls they should have at least a responsibility to minimize these effects.

I hope that satisfied your concerns, again I apologize for not elaborating, allowing you to jump to conclusions (that I am doing something equally as dumb as complaining for...), and 'amaze' yourself.

Strictly from an economic viewpoint, in capitalism prices are not lowered to make things "more affordable", they are lowered (something along the lines of) because it is not profitable to sell at the higher price. I feel, at least on this point, most here would agree with me.

Wal Mart should be condemned for far worse than a dumbass move like this.
It seems like they can't get through a fiscal quarter without breaking the law.
Meanwhile they endorse child labor and sweatshops.

i know right? who cares lol

oh my god! someone else on current who doesn't just throw out knee jerk charges of racism! There may be some hope for this site after all!

"Mommy, can I have $3.00?"

That about sums it up.

I agree. Actually I think it really only shows that black folks have enough sense NOT to buy this type of shit for their kids.

In regards to supply and demand, I'm happy to see possibility of black girls rejecting Barbie. I suppose the null hypothesis to that is that black girls desire white Barbie. But that defies logic.
The obvious symbolism isn't lacking.... so Wal-Mart does deserve a "Fuck You"... but hey, if you shop at Wal-Mart you too deserve a "Fuck You" too.

But barbie is still a way better role model than those prostitute dolls, Bratz. They encourage dressing like a hooker, spelling things wrong, and using insults as compliments.

I have to concur with ya; Barbie subtly encourages girls to be pwetty; bratz are disgustingly overt in their marketing trashy, dumb bitches. .

true, i guess : /
their own parents might be a better role model, well in a perfect world I guess...

They both suck

Just because you aren't offended doesn't mean others aren't and shouldn't be.

so please explain to me why you are offended.

I didn't say I was personally offended.
But, you obviously have never felt like you were a 2nd class citizen.
I know it may hurt your brain to stretch you imagination, but picture yourself in a former slave economic society where you are the decedent of one of those slaves, and legally as a black person, you were once considered less than human, and some still treat you as such. Today, the powerful and former slave masters are predominantly white and racism impacts your everyday life. You walk by the toy isle and see that your version of Barbie is worth less than the white, dominant race, Barbie. You can't help but feel kicked down a notch.

Yes, I understand supply and demand etc... but the world isn't that simple. And to pretend racism doesn't exist is delusional. In a perfect world a black person would have no problem buying a white doll and viceversa.... in a perfect world.
To deny social constructs is to deny society itself. Just because economics is colorblind doesn't mean society isn't. It doesn't matter if it was intentional or not, Wal-Mart is dumb for having not considered this. A $4B a year profit company should have better PR.

Apparently you were offended, because now you sound an awful lot like my old hysterically liberal race and politics professor I had back at Long Beach State. Take a hop off that high horse for a second and consider that there is more to this world than white and black, and as someone of mixed races I've grown up my entire life without anything so much as a census box to identify my makeup, let alone entire tv channels, political action groups or barbie dolls. The whole black man as repressed second class citizen was all well and true in the 60s, but get with the times! There are a whole bunch of equally (if not more so) disenfranchised ethnicities in America who have much bigger problems than discount barbies at walmart. Bullshit like this article is why so many liberals have a hard time being taken seriously, because everything is racist. Everything is sexist. Capitalism is killing us blah blah blah. The race and class crowd would do much better if it were smarter picking its battles when it came to umbrage.

Just because some canned "liberal" may deem something racist doesn't mean it can't be taken that way. That's quite ignorant otherwise.
Your mockery of morals is a typical "blame the victim" mentality that is poisoning our country. When did altruism become a bad thing? Oh I guess in post 80's brain-washed neoliberal society.

"There are a whole bunch of equally (if not more so) disenfranchised ethnicities [sic] in America who have much bigger problems than discount barbies at walmart."

No shit... the argument I posed was that someone can take this in a demeaning way... not that this was a conscious malicious act with an implied message. It's racially intensive Wal-Mart pinching pennies. Implied or not, there is a message that can be deciphered through learned symbolic interaction.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symbolic_interactionism

"Everything is sexist"
???? Off topic.

"The whole black man as repressed second class citizen was all well and true in the 60s, but get with the times"

...and that everyone is why the civil rights movement died.
Look at the majority of racial demographic of poor in urban areas. Yeah... racial segregation is over.
Look at charter schools and the racial demographics of individual schools... get with the times.
Watch your local news tonight, what will the skin color be of the of the criminal o' the day?

You seem to think I'm some fair-weather stereotypical Obama supporting trendy liberal douche. Whatever makes you feel better, but even if I was, are the points I make not valid? Ideas shouldn't lose their validity just because you don't agree.

The bottom line of my argument is that whomever made this decision to make-down the doll is a moron, because like it or not, this can be taken as racist. It's called common sense in an imperfect world.

**If you respond, please stop putting words in my mouth

This attitude propagates further racism. I grew up largely devoid of racial impressions until I got to high school and college's PC bullshit.

Growing up devoid of racial differences (especially when you're of western euro heritage) isn't uncommon at all. In fact most of the people I've personally had this discussion with say the same thing.

True, different races is a social construct, but is ignorance bliss when you avoid unpleasant ideals? Feeling of racism isn't PC bullshit, calling something "PC bullshit" devalues the social problem it addresses.
Racism is indeed stupid and based on fear and ignorance, but just because you ignore something doesn't make it better.
Racism exists, like it or not. Feeling of inferiority due to skin color exists, like it or not.
People who receive the burden of racism would not agree with you. You're living in a fool's paradise.

So because I think that Walmart was justified in lowering the price of an under-performing toy, I am lacking in morals in altruism? Your attack on my background and character are curious considering your sensitivity to anyone questioning your point of view. In a way, you are only proving my point here with a typical liberal knee jerk over-reaction to perceived affronts to equality. Don't fret there friend, the right is just as bad with their angry white populist thing they have going on right now. But my point remains the same; People need to pick and choose when they get offended a little more wisely. Its like the boy who cried wolf; Call "racism" enough times and no one is going to listen to you, even if and when it is justified (and yes, there is still plenty of racism this world. I'm half Arab man, I know all about it) Yes, someone can take this barbie doll issue in a demeaning way, but so can someone be offended by just about anything these days. And making a stink about it doesn't necessarily help. Look at Sarah Palin. She's a walking umbrage machine. Does her constant grandstanding further any of her causes (other than getting herself on the news?) Nope. If something is blatantly racist, then yes, call it out, but don't get stuck in the trap of viewing the world through racism (or classism, or sexism) colored glasses. If you look hard enough, you'll see discrimination in just about every nook and cranny of your daily life, and by that time you will be something far worse than a trendy liberal douche.

So... we're in agreement? It would seem the only POV where we differ is that I don't so much of a choice to control these feelings.
I agree, the race card is pulled a bit too often, a crutch, so when something like this happens it get drowned out by all the borderline racist, which is sad, and not what those like Dr. King had in mind. However, racism and the US's racist past still effect society today, there's no denying that.

I thought your argument was that this is an econ issue, and an econ issue alone. All I was saying is that if I were black, I would understand the econ behind the situation, but I think I would still be a bit offended. Offended only because nobody at wal-mart cared to notice.
But like I said above. Fuck wal-mart (for thousands of reasons and) for not noticing the potential PR problem, and fuck you if you shop at wal-mart. You vote with your dollars in this race to the bottom world, if you vote for wal-mart you vote for the deconstruction of worker's right and people's freedoms.

I don't constantly view the world through racist and sexist (however, there's a lot of it) eyes, but classist is pretty much impossible, it's constantly in your face everyday.

No, my point was that this IS an economic issue, and that to take offense is to overplay the race card. I never said there is no racism, I just said in this instance its a big stretch to say that wal-mart is being racist. Obviously anyone can see the unintended racial disparity, but thats the case with a million different things in our daily lives. Economics is a color blind beast, so sometimes when race specific items won't sell as well as others, we have no one to blame but the consumer. To say Walmart is being racist is no different than saying movie theaters are racist whenever a minority centered movie tanks and is pulled from the screens.

p.s. Hating on Walmart is one of the most classist things a person can do. A lot of people need Walmart. If you have the disposable income to shop at boutique or mom and pop stores, then by all means do so, but for many people, it is not some giant beast out to destroy their neighborhoods, but a means to adequately provide for their family on a modest income. Sure, they've done some shitty things to their employees, but thats why we have the department of Labor. They are supposed to remedy those types of problems and prevent them from recurring in the future.

Also, as an independent touring musician, Walmart is one of the few stores that is ok with touring bands parking in their lots overnight. I for one am grateful we have so many Walmarts in our country. We've avoided quite a few sketchy venue parking lots and parking tickets that way.