I didn’t expect there to be a huge debate about multiple venues in this country selling golliwog dolls and having them on display this year, but that is what’s happening right now. Life sure creeps up on you fast hey?

Featured Image VIA 

We all heard last week about the pub that had their golliwog dolls confiscated by police after a complaint from a member of the public, but now the owner of The Old Manor Cafe in Norfolk has also been forced to justify why he’s been selling the dolls at his establishment. He reckons he’s been selling them as souvenirs for years and that he’s managed to shift hundreds of them in this time period, but he was recently called out by punters who found the practice ‘morally unacceptable’.

Here’s what he had to say about the matter:

For starters, they’re called gollies. But it’s okay for people to complain about them. It is their right.

They’re not the only novelty item I stock, as I’ve also got a bunch of Betty Boop and Great Yarmouth Fisherman figurines.

People aren’t complaining about the other things I have on display. They’re not seeing the whole picture.

I sold 12 of them to a black bloke from Brixton, and he superglued them all to his dashboard.

He loved them.

Yeah I don’t think you can say that something isn’t inherently racist because of a sample size of one guy saying that it isn’t, but I suppose it’s a nice try. I’m just still not really sure why people get so possessive and crazy over these things, as surely it would just be easier not to sell them/display them because they’re upsetting everyone? Is it really making their lives so much better by going against the popular narrative?

The other part of all this that’s really surprising is just how many golli dolls still seem to be in circulation. Weren’t they all banned years ago? Who is making them/how have all the old ones managed to stay intact for so long?

Really bizarre, strange situation and not one that I ever really thought would be revisited. Wish everyone would just give it a rest though. Again, does it really mean so much to these people selling them? Why are  they suddenly reappearing after years in the wilderness when everyone knows they’re racist because they’ve been banned for decades? What is going on in this country?

For more of the same, check out people questioning how ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ is still played on the radio given its racist lyrics. Good question to be honest.