Apparently this guy was the first person in the world to invent the retracting door for cats to get in and out of houses. The only issue was that for some reason, ‘M1nge Flaps’ never took off:
Oh, absolutely. No arguments from me. Just thought I'd point out why it's a bit of a shame. Of course if there was true equality and a lack of racism in the world none of these words would be offensive. I wonder if that will happen this century. Likely not. It might get worse if anything.
It’s probably fortunate that Marks and Spencer wasn’t named Spencer and Marks , you might get into problems ordering S&M products on line
That's my point........... did Barry object that she didn't want to be white anymore? So she chose black and he stayed black? The sooner folk stop been offended by absolute ****** the better. It's getting absolutely ridiculous. My son asked me a few years ago if it was ok to talk about black people?!? For me that's the sad thing....... no racist bone in my body and never have. It's proper sad times when this sort of debate crops up. Folk are scared to put their point of view across as they'll be branded racist. Me and my good 5 friends have a group chat. I said other day I was going to post a FB joke as an experiment. I usually post 3-4 a week. It wasn't racist, just a play on words and clever in my eyes. 3 likes....... I asked the lads and due to different reasons they all agreed it was funny and clever (not my joke I nicked it) but ALL said they didn't want to like it publicly because of what people would think of them. Sad and worrying times.
I agree, but I don't see a product being labelled with a racist slur (whatever the origin) as "absolute ******." It normalises a racist term, even if that is inadvertent.
I'll probably get pelters on here for it but I'm not arsed as i know me and my thoughts and values............ "I rang the vet's earlier for advice as my dog keeps barking at one neighbour" He said "muzzle him" I said "not sure but he's got a beard" ........... like I said. If anyone deems that racist have a serious word with yourself.
The problem with the OP opinion is that the cheese brand in question was never actually really named after Edward William Coon... Quote from an Australian guy: “I am seeing a lot of posts kicking around claiming Edward William Coon was the founder of Coon cheese here in Australia. That is simply false, he never met or had any interaction or ownership when Fred Walker went into partnership with James Kraft to manufacture and sell cheese. Edward Coon was retired and well out of the game by the time Fred Walker moved from Vegemite onto the Kraft Walker Cheese Co venture. I'd also point out after Edward Coon sold off his interests NOT one company including Kraft USA ever used his name as a brand again. They all renamed his factories and product. When Fred Walker launched his Kraft products into Australia, the brand Coon did not exist. The cheese was sold simply as Kraft Cheddar. It's a complete myth that Coon cheese has been sold in Australia since 1935. The media release at the time; "The recent registration of the Kraft-Walker Cheese Co. Pty. Ltd. marks entry into Australian business of an important American concern. The new Australian organisation will undertake manufacture of Kraft cheese and allied products for distribution throughout the Commonwealth and New Zealand. In addition it is expected that it will handle a considerable part of the trade now done with the East by the American and Canadian Kraft companies, with the probability of extension in other directions." Not once in Fred Walkers lifetime did he market Coon cheese, it never appears in his biographies or company history. The Coon trademark was not registered until 1949, Fred Walker died in 1935. Another dirty fact and rewrite of history is the claim Edward Coons original cheese was sold in a red wax wrapping and called Red Coon, this is totally false. The patent by Coon (1926) was for "producing a black, wax-coated cheese". Coon cheese is a uniquely Australian brand, and for all the wrong reasons and it is a nonsense to claim the brand honours Edward William Coon or his patented process, as by 1949 he and Fred Walker were both distant memories. No one would have had the faintest idea who either of them was. For a brand that is meant to be 85+ years old, I cannot find a single piece of advertising for it prior to the mid 1950's. The sad fact is coon cheese was a nickname given to the Kraft cheese sold in a black wax wrapping, and Kraft then decided they needed a way to identify the cheese to consumers in the late 50's with the advent of refrigeration now being present in homes and the cheese now being sold without the black wax wrapping due to cost-cutting by keeping it in-store refrigerators. Kraft knew the association people had, and decided to normalise the nickname into a brand name and that's why the trademark was then registered in 1949. This has nothing to do with Edward William Coon, his patent, legacy or his name. I grew up in Far North Qld, and have plenty of personal experience of how that word is used daily to insult and injure, to you and I, it may just be a "word" or a "cheese" but to a vast number of people, it's something far more sinister. It is the Australian equivalent of the derogatory "N" word, and I seriously doubt any reasonable person would be lining up and saying it's okay as a brand name let alone a brand icon. You know what if it's just a "word" to you, what does it matter if it gets changed? Why care? Will it stop your world turning if a word that hurts a vast number of people gets dropped from our everyday language? When I was a kid we had an iconic lolly brand called "Fags" and it got changed to "Fads" and no one blinked an eye. I don't see this as any different. Have a great day everyone...” With the addition that the cheese was originally sold in black wax, and the assertion that the name actually came from there, I’m not so sure there’s much of an argument to say it shouldn’t be changed. There’s clearly a need for it. Similarly, with the connotations of the use of auntie and uncle, Uncle Ben’s are right to consider their brand too. Though I doubt many are offended by the word Uncle or a picture of a black guy on their rice, it is a good opportunity from an ethical point of view to make a change and if nothing else it wouldn’t harm their brand to be seen to be doing things like that. So there is reason to change. Unlike when they changed Marathon’s and Opal Fruits to Snickers and Starburst, or Jif to Cif. Now that was pointless.
FWIW you come across as about as angry and insulting as daisy chains and butterflies to the point where the one and only time I have read an angry response from you I asked if you were OK out of genuine concern as it was so out of character.
In response to the OP, offence is in the eye of the beholder. I don't think it's wise or fair to tell someone they're not allowed to be offended, especially when it's something that affects them and doesn't affect you. Aka. racial issues.