Follow-Up on Grandmother that Misspells Kid Names

[Anonymous]

So now we have opened the presents that included the misspelled names. She got my mixed race children only monkey-themed outfits and toys. I only wish I were kidding but am posting here instead of venting to anyone in the world. Don't worry, I just thanked her profusely and smiled sweetly, but my DH was pretty peeved.

[Anonymous]

Lol

[Anonymous]

My alarm bells wouldn't be ringing at this. Monkeys are a pretty common theme for kid gifts. Curious George, Julius, etc.

[Anonymous]

My lily white children also got monkey things from an aunt and uncle.
You're really only bolstering the case for the misspellings to be a simple mistake and that you are looking for trouble!

Step away from the computer

[Anonymous]

Dude, if you want to call her a racist, then grow a set and call her one. Stop tossing out reasons you hope will inspire US to call her one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My lily white children also got monkey things from an aunt and uncle.
You're really only bolstering the case for the misspellings to be a simple mistake and that you are looking for trouble!

Step away from the computer

NO here. You're kidding, right? Monkeys for lily white children = ok. Monkeys for black, mixed,or Hispanic kids = offensive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dude, if you want to call her a racist, then grow a set and call her one. Stop tossing out reasons you hope will inspire US to call her one.

OP here. Don't think she's racist at all. As indicated in my first post, I vacillate between whether she is thoughtless or trying to make passive-aggressive digs. I'm inclined to think the former, and DH is inclined to think the latter. In any event, I actually find it kind of amusing at this point,

[Anonymous]

What kind of monkeys?

We're not white. Mixed race AA. My kids have so many sock monkey things. They keep getting them as presents. I'd never think THAT was racially motivated.

[Anonymous]

I wear a sock monkey hat.

[Anonymous]

I think this is a huge stretch unless you know that her intention was to be cruel.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My lily white children also got monkey things from an aunt and uncle.
You're really only bolstering the case for the misspellings to be a simple mistake and that you are looking for trouble!

Step away from the computer

NO here. You're kidding, right? Monkeys for lily white children = ok. Monkeys for black, mixed,or Hispanic kids = offensive.

Oh, come on. That's ridiculous. It's only "offensive" if that's the meaning the gift giver meant to convey.

Do we really have to be offended by every freaking thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My lily white children also got monkey things from an aunt and uncle.
You're really only bolstering the case for the misspellings to be a simple mistake and that you are looking for trouble!

Step away from the computer

NO here. You're kidding, right? Monkeys for lily white children = ok. Monkeys for black, mixed,or Hispanic kids = offensive.

Oh, come on. That's ridiculous. It's only "offensive" if that's the meaning the gift giver meant to convey.

Do we really have to be offended by every freaking thing.

Fun - let's simultaneously minimize long-standing racist imagery and the fact that no one is calling the person in question racist.

http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2012/07/12/whites-blacks-apes-in-the-great-chain-of-being/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So now we have opened the presents that included the misspelled names. She got my mixed race children only monkey-themed outfits and toys. I only wish I were kidding but am posting here instead of venting to anyone in the world. Don't worry, I just thanked her profusely and smiled sweetly, but my DH was pretty peeved.

Return EVERYTHING! Tell her it doesn't fit or the kids hate Monkeys (scared of them) or something. That was ugly and petty. I really hope you are making this up.

[Anonymous]

The misspelling of names I would find absolutely annoying. The monkey thing-- I'm a well-educated liberal, generally sensitive about these things, and it would never cross my mind that getting a monkey present could ever be construed as racist/unthoughtful. Sure, that could be a failing on my part (or the definition of white privilege) but it also makes me wonder if she's similarly clueless.

[Anonymous]

Wow op you really really like the drama. Do you think your daddy will pay attention to you now?