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Utahns' Obama monkeys racist?

The creators of this Obama puppet actually claim they didn't mean to be racist. OK, that can be taken at least three ways.

First, maybe they're lying outright. They got caught red-handed and are trying to save face. Well--let's hear more evidence first.

Second, maybe they're racist deep-down but are in denial. Hm. Possible, but I'd rather an informed psychologist make that assessment after an interview. Again, more evidence.

Third, maybe they really didn't mean anything overtly racist. Yet they are so politically naive, awash in GOP/Dittohead dogma, and uninformed about the discourse of race that they haven't noticed that it's both unwise and indecent to offend and alienate Blacks and minorities--even by accident. Sad as it is, I'll have to go with that one, barring evidence otherwise.

So come on, people. How often must this happen before we learn? Get politically educated. Stop giving yourselves a PR problem because you can't see why a typical Black person would be offended by something you're saying or doing. Even better, get to know Black people and learn Humanity 101 first-hand.

P.S. I'm not a Democrat, "liberal," or likely Obama voter. Save your venom--or best of all, lose it.

I'm really tired of the racism issue that has constantly been an issue throughout the campaign. We need to leave race completely out of it, if we don't want race into it, i.e. first "black" president. We will not offend anybody if the "color" is left completely out. As for making fun of presidents or candidates for that matter, it has been going on for a long time. I have seen plenty of idiotic ceramic figures, drawings, etc. that could offend anyone.

I wouldn't insult an honest Democrat by confusing you for one. You're just one of the brainwashed political correctniks who are obsessed with race. With your obsession with race, it sounds like you're the real racist.

We will never heal the racial divide as long as there remain people like you who are obsessed with race. We are all supposed to be Americans FIRST. Or perhaps you don't understand what it means to be an American.

And who are you to tell me where to direct my "venom"?

OK, You were discovered by the non-sympathetic media, and now you can't handle the heat so you play stupid. You know and I know the monkey connection is racist. Just admit it and take the heat you're going to get anyway. No one in 2008, who has reached the level of an adult, with an IQ above 12, cannot make the connection between a black person and the racist animal/Mark of Cain/ideas.
I'm sad that we have individuals who will not accept personal responsibility for their actions, whether it's a Hollywood actor, a pop singer, or the guy next door.
I've heard that there may be some who are sympathetic to the horrible depiction's of black people living near Hayden Lake, Idaho, you indeed missed the mark in thinking you would find a crowd in Utah having the same hate, to buy your "doll".

Even if these purveyors of the Obama doll really aren't racists, they ought to move beyond ignorance and realize how they will be perceived in places around the country where racism is very active even today. The swastika is a Hindu symbol, but to suppose that strutting around with a swastika won't disturb someone is too naive to imagine. Ignorance, in my opinion, isn't a good defense against complaints of potential bigotry. By the way, each time I drink scotch to excess I "fall in love" with Ted Kennedy's indulgent life all over again.

I'll take door number 1. I've lived in Utah long enough to know what some of the people are like. Get ready for more right wing hate tactics from the party of family values and compassionate conservatism.

COME ON people!! Can we, for ONCE, get a life and use some common sense.

This is as bad as looking for Communists under every bed. If you'd quit LOOKING for racism as the first thing in everything that happens in life, youd find that racism isnt there and wasnt meant just like they didnt find Communists under ever bed .. BECAUSE THEY WERENT UNDER THE BED.

SHEESH .. what thin hypersensitive skins some people have developed.

I can find some sort of slight or offense in ANYTHING, including the sun coming up in the morning, IF I want to. But is that really how you want to live life? CHILL OUT.

Pure racism or extreme ignorance, still totally shameful.

I agree with you completely.

Obama monkeys racist? Yes, whether overtly racist, subconsciously racist, or naively racist. Doesn't matter.

You just don't make that comparison. Period.

An utterly stupid idea. The people who came up with it are going to be excoriated, and they should be!

As a native Utahn, I am totally embarrassed that somebody in this state would hatch this kind of hare-brained money-making scheme. But given our penchant for multi-level marketing and bilking one another through church-related kitsch, I am hardly surprised.

The blacks claim rasism on every issue - I say, get over it! It's obvious! It doesn't work anymore!

The true racist is Obama. Look at who he has aligned himself with for his entire life. Look up his history - He has always hated "whites" and up until his run for president, he has been very open and vocal about it.

I haven't one ounce of sympathy for him. Bush has done a real lousy job. But, if Obama gets elected, our country is going to fall hard!

Re: Political Naivete - you left out - The sock monkey isn't the first merchandise to compare Obama to a monkey. The I, Me, My politically correct thought police generation, that wants it spelled out for them all the time, because they have no common sense between their ears, need to wake up and smell their energy drink's and anything else that has caffeine in it to. After all, we allow Evolution to be tought in public schools, and through Evolution, a product of such development; something evolved, change in the genetic composition of a population during successive generations, as a result of natural selection acting on the genetic variation among individuals, and resulting in the development of new species, it's not this, it's only a sock stupid. That a West Jordan company is selling a sock monkey, modeled after black presidential candidate Barack Obama contends the idea wasn't racially motivated. It's only a sock.

They claim they didn't intend it to be a racist issue. Maybe they should back that up and stop selling the items. Too bad money is more of a motivator than sensitivity.

To be balanced, they need to come out with a McCane puppet and maybe a Hillary one, too. That would show this isn't totally racially motivated.

I am Republican. I am white. I even listen to Rush Limbaugh (when I can). I am really, really surprised and offended by this "toy".

I am surprised that especially in this day and age that someone would not think that this was offensive or would even conceive of this.

To the owners of this website, for the good of the state of Utah, replace your website front page with an apology. Then take your remaining stock of sock puppets to the closest landfill.

This toy smears the state of Utah. I used to live in Utah, now I live in Texas and I really hope that none of my coworkers hear about this. The state of Utah is symbolically interchangeable with my faith and THIS DOLL RUNS COUNTER TO THE DEEPEST HELD TENETS OF MY FAITH. The toy is antithetical to respect, kindness, and love.

I don't like Obama. I don't think he would make a good president. But this paints a bad picture. Shame on you.

"'In essence, it's pure racism at its extreme,' Williams said. 'I hope it does not reflect Utah's values as a people.'"

Whether "pure racism" or not, I'd say it is an example of "pure stupidity".

My biggest problem with such idiotic characterizations is not however close to "pure racism" they might be. Rather, it is the clear indication of the kind of sophomoric reasoning (stretching to use that word) required to actually consider it clever, or even meaningful.

As for racism itself, it seems a fairly obvious act of hypocrisy for the representative of an organization as overtly racist as the NAACP to question the possible racism of an entire state based on something as singular as this.

Barack Obama’s strongly liberal, socialistic and pro-abortion policy stances are show-stoppers for me. But, if nothing else, I hope the candidacy of the first first-generation multi-racial person in history will act as a step toward the day when the absurd and outmoded notion of race itself will be abolished. But it will take the dissolution of organizations like the NAACP, KKK, Arian Nation, La Rasa, etc. to convince me that we have made significant progress.

As a white, conservative, LDS male in Gilbert, AZ, I'm appalled at this act.

A. It's just dumb. Everyone knows that any association between monkies and people of color is extremely offensive. Once, Chick Hearn of Lakers' broadcasting fame innocently commented after a black player hung on the rim after dunking, "He'll get a technical for hanging on that rim like monkey." He really meant no offense at all. But a lot was taken and he apologized profusely for it. Everyone knows. Everyone.

2. It's irresponsible. Utah and the Church have enough problems shaking the racist image. Purging the racist image, I guess is the more accurate statement.

No excuse. Just a blatantly dumb and irresponsible act, regardless of whether it was racially motivated.

If your white, your a racist.
Got it now.

If this doll had depicted McCain there would have been no problem with it by anyone. But because it depicts obama everyone is up in arms. If it had been McCain, obama and the naacp would thought it was funny.

These (idiots/naive/cunning) people didn't create a "sock money" for EACH candidate.

No, they singled out Obama to make fun of...and even worse, it isn't even a typical sock monkey. Go look! It's a cartoonish, 1920s-style "n-word" thing.

If it's supposed to be like Obama, LOOK at Obama -- and see that he actually is a darker-skinned version of his white grandfather.

If someone had made fun of Obama's BIG EARS or LONG CHIN (things HE makes fun of himself), no one would be saying a thing.

It's the "piccaninny" representative by (frankly) stupid people that's created an uproar.

And you know what, folks. No one will ever convince me that it's not what these people intended. They are getting the publicity they wanted. And they know their target Utah audience very well.

I'm going to try and get me one of these Obama toy's. It might be worth something 2 or 3 decades from now.