NBR: Is this offensive?

Seattle_JiLLn · June 2011

OK. I need serious answers on this one. Ben has a bear from Build A Bear. It is black. Ben named him "Blackie" since he has no creativity in naming animals. He has another bear named "Blue Bear" and a duck called "Duckie" and a dog called "Doggie". I never thought twice about Blackie. But my sister thought that was a horribly offensive, racist name. Now clearly, I would never call an African American person "Blackie" - THAT would be offensive and racist and just stupid. But a stuffed black bear? Is that a bad thing? Should I try to get him to change his name? He's had this bear for at least 2 years. WWYD?

kristalovesjared · June 2011

He's just a kid. I don't find it offensive. When I was growing up we had a cat named "Blackie" and never had anyone think we were racist. Well... that I know of.

I think your sister is overreacting on this one!

xosheenaox · June 2011

I don't think it's offensive.

Maddimom · June 2011

I think it is fine. I also think your sister is overreacting on this one! He is young he has no clue about what blackie could mean.

IkesHawaiian06 · June 2011

He's what, four? It's totally normal for him to call a bear that's black "blackie". I think your sister is overreacting.

Seattle_JiLLn · June 2011

Yeah he's four. And he has had this bear for 2 years. So he named him when he was TWO. It's not like he's even really out and about with this bear telling people his name or anytihng... Although he did bring him to school for a teddy bear picnic last week.

JRS72206 · June 2011

Maddimom:
I think it is fine. I also think your sister is overreacting on this one! He is young he has no clue about what blackie could mean.

This exactly.

MrsEditorJax · June 2011

I think your sister is overreacting; he's four; he has no clue about the negative connotation of the word. Kids are just "creative" like that with names.

MSTie24 · June 2011

Your sister is reading wayyyyyy too much into this.

This reminds me of a story about my dad's older brother. When he was small, maybe 4 or so (so the mid 1940's) the family traveled by train often due to my granddad's Army career, where many of the RR porters were African-American. Someone asked Sandy what he wanted to be when he grew up and he said "a colored porter!" He thought they had the greatest life, getting to travel the country on locomotives, and it didn't even occur to him that his skin color was different and that he couldn't be a "colored porter" too. Children don't see things the way adults do...I wish that innocence and impartiality to skin tone (and other things) stayed on.

kaskade · June 2011

Seriously? Yes, your sister is off on this one. He's a kid.

StellaZ · June 2011

Not at all. In this day and age to deter him from the name is more racist to me. Reminds me of a funny story DH just told me. When he was about 4 he had a Teddy bear named "Brown Bear". He was out with his parents and saw an African American baby (for the first time) and he got so excited he screamed, you guessed it... "Brown Bear!!"

Seattle_JiLLn · June 2011

Yeah, Ben described his teacher (who is Indian) and one of his classmates (who is Asian) as "chocolate" once when he was telling me about all of the people in his class.

I actually thought it was cute... he was just being descriptive. And wouldn't it be lovely to all have "flavors"??

Ciaram22 · June 2011

Your sister is definitely overreacting.

MrsEditorJax · June 2011

Seattle_JiLLn:
Yeah, Ben described his teacher (who is Indian) and one of his classmates (who is Asian) as "chocolate" once when he was telling me about all of the people in his class. I actually thought it was cute... he was just being descriptive. And wouldn't it be lovely to all have "flavors"??

As a chocolate woman myself (though I am generally prefer caramel macciatto), I don't get offended by anything 4-year-olds say.

Well, unless they were to bring my stretch marks into it. But that has nothing to do with being Indian. It has everything to do with cheesecake. Oh yeah, and that whole baby thing.

keri1013 · June 2011

Ditto everyone else, not a big deal at all.

IdahoGirl · June 2011

MrsEditorJax:

Seattle_JiLLn:
Yeah, Ben described his teacher (who is Indian) and one of his classmates (who is Asian) as "chocolate" once when he was telling me about all of the people in his class. I actually thought it was cute... he was just being descriptive. And wouldn't it be lovely to all have "flavors"??

As a chocolate woman myself (though I am generally prefer caramel macciatto), I don't get offended by anything 4-year-olds say.

Well, unless they were to bring my stretch marks into it. But that has nothing to do with being Indian. It has everything to do with cheesecake. Oh yeah, and that whole baby thing.

Add in some extra carmel sauce and I think I'd have a girl crush.

And to the point of the post. For pete's sake....am I supposed to refer to clothing that's black as my sweater of all colors? We can't use the word black anymore for it's descriptive nature of the color "black"? Eiyiyi.

breebree13 · June 2011

This post had me literally loling. I don't think it's offensive at all! I guess I have the naming skills of a 4 year old since I call this that my Mom got Connor his white monkey. It is what it is right?!

ChubbyCheekiesMom · June 2011

Your child is not racist he doesn't even know what that means. So how in the WORLD would that be offensive? You sister needs to take a chill pill because her reaction is the exact thing that is going to teach B about racism. My goodness, black bears are called that because they are black...and that is why your brilliant 2 year old named him Blackie.