Sun, 27 May 2012
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A German company’s new line of frozen fried chicken called Obama-Fingers is sparking outrage on both sides of the Atlantic and inspiring a new debate on racist stereotypes.
There are other instances of German products being named in a way that wouldn’t fit with sensitivities that exist in American culture. Hartmann cites the example of the popular German dessert that arose in the early 20th century, the Schokokuss or Schaumkuss. The Schokokuss, made out of sweet, white filling coated in chocolate with a waffle bottom, was traditionally called a Negerkuss (Negro kiss) -- although many manufacturers ultimately avoided marketing it under that name. Average German consumers tend to brush off the darker implications of such labeling. “It’s a sign of reconciliation,” said Stefan Baumann, who works in executive sales, of the Obama-Fingers. “We would have never named something after Bush. But we love Obama.”
Given this spirit of goodwill, Germans like Kelly are still hopeful about changing German attitudes toward race, identity and stereotypes.
“This is our time especially in countries like Germany where we don’t have [a lot of racial awareness] to strike – to make the mainstream aware that Germany has a black history too,” said Kelly. “The most important thing for me is to be able to tell my kids that they can do anything. [With Obama,] we finally have a world idol.”
As for the fate of Obama-Fingers, perhaps the true disciples of Obamamania will note the irony of a company marketing frozen fried chicken under the banner of a man who champions healthy, locally-produced food – and stick to buying expensive arugula.
Jessica Dorrance/ ARA / Expatica
© Associated Reporters Abroad
Head photo credit: This undated handout image released by Russian advertising agency Voskhod on 20 March 2009 shows a smiling, cartoonish black man flashing a V-for-Victory sign in front of the US capital building, along with the Russian slogan: "Everyone's talking about it: dark inside white!" Obama ice cream, anyone? Chocolate-vanilla ice cream is one of several Russian products being marketed using America's first black president, even as critics call the ads racist. AFP PHOTO / HO / VOSKHOD
This is SO BULLSHIT !! Doesn't surprise me one bit to see how with our world economic turmoil (Germany as well), some folks will reach to a new low in trying to make a Euro profit. The French caught hell in the USA when folks banned French Fries in some stores. Maybe it's time that they banned anything that ends with a "wurst" or "kraut" !
Germany is not the only country who is ignorant and racist...In Holland we have negro kisses, black schools and zwarte Pete and that is just off the top of my head... When are europeans gonna get it and when will it become unacceptable? A better questions is why is this acceptable at all???
Dont become radical like the fanatics who react to publications or cartoons published in a newspaper. If a company wants to make profit on Obamas name, we should not conclude that it is racial stereotyping. The owner of Sarotti chocolates made a lot of money by using the black label on the various brands of chocolates that dates back to 1903. What about charities who keep on advertising for funds using images of black
children suffering from hunger and disease as a means of sustaining
their own existence but nobody tries to tax them for money laundrying.
I dont believe that the owners of this company wanted to stereotype
President Obama racially and if their product has a value and taste as
the name it carries why bother to boycott a new product.
Just read through this piece of quotation from an unknown Aborigin from
Australia whose idiom below explains the Colour issue:
"Dear White Fella, Couple things you should know--
When I born, I black
When I grow up, I black
When I go in sun, I black
When I cold, I black
When I scared, I black
And when I die-I still black
You White Fella,
When you born, you pink
When you grow up, you white
When you go in sun, you red
When you cold, you blue
When you scared, you yellow
When you sick, you green
And when you die-you grey.
And you have the cheek
To call me coloured?"
And I call it like it is... the fact is why did they not know better??? Prejudice is common like rain here.
I'm with you on this one Voodoo Doll. I see this as just another anti-Obama "salvo round" from Germany. Ok, I know there are many here in Germany that do respect him more then they did "Wild Bush Jr." Still wondering to this day on why President Obama (when he was running for Prez) was not permitted to give his speech at the Brandenburg gate in Berlin... HHuummhhh. Wondering why ??
I have to agree with Peeper, I am british living in Germany, and yes i think sometimes racisim here can be different to that in the UK, but they haven't had the migrants that Britain have experienced over the past 60 years. I don't think this company has any bad intentions, I believe they as many others are jumping on merchandising the Obama name and the historical moment of the first black presdent in a western society.
Sorry but Germany has been doing business for a long time internationaly and I beg to differ with you turtle, the migrants you speak of ar bountiful. The USA has a huge presence in Germany with it's miliary alone. There is a very large interntional community in Germany. But when it comes to business and how long Germany has been doing international business they should know better and I think they do.
Being an expat is also about the challenge not to transfer political cleavages from the social setting you are used to to the place you live now. What does this mean for this case? If this new chicken wings product had been designed with a racist implication, it would have been necassary that the company knew about the associated of chicken wings with afro americans. As this connection is generally unknown in Germany, it doesn't speak for a racist attitude. It is an US point of view, as neither in France nor in Spain blacks are associated with chicken wings. I don't want to deny racism in Germany. Indeed it exists, in particular against Africans and Afro-Germans, but the racist clichés that feed this racism are partly different from those in the US. Ignoring this fact prevents you from understand the specific racism(s) in Germany.
A counter-example: It might be considered to be PC in US discourse to call people caucasian in order to avoid the term "white". Alas, the term goes back to a darwinist and racist theory created some 100 years ago by a German scholar. Using these so-called "Kopfvermesser" theories ("head-measurer", due to the praxis of measuring the size of humans' heads in order to figure out "superior races") is considered to be very racist in Germany, but still you don't call every US citizen a racist who uses this term.
I don't disagree with your points Jean but in business, using an American politcal figure you should do your research...There is a responisbility.
This political correct agitation makes me wanna puke!
Yes, I like my Negerkuss furthermore and read "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" uncensored!
P.S.: The USA will be the first country worldwide with a successful black chief of state. Maybe. Good luck.
Donnerlall,
An African American Head of State.. not a black chief of state. Please write it correctly or not at all. Thank you.
This is SO BULLSHIT !! Doesn't surprise me one bit to see how with our world economic turmoil (Germany as well), some folks will reach to a new low in trying to make a Euro profit. The French caught hell in the USA when folks banned French Fries in some stores. Maybe it's time that they banned anything that ends with a "wurst" or "kraut" !
Germany is not the only country who is ignorant and racist...In Holland we have negro kisses, black schools and zwarte Pete and that is just off the top of my head... When are europeans gonna get it and when will it become unacceptable? A better questions is why is this acceptable at all???
Dont become radical like the fanatics who react to publications or cartoons published in a newspaper. If a company wants to make profit on Obamas name, we should not conclude that it is racial stereotyping. The owner of Sarotti chocolates made a lot of money by using the black label on the various brands of chocolates that dates back to 1903. What about charities who keep on advertising for funds using images of black
children suffering from hunger and disease as a means of sustaining
their own existence but nobody tries to tax them for money laundrying.
I dont believe that the owners of this company wanted to stereotype
President Obama racially and if their product has a value and taste as
the name it carries why bother to boycott a new product.
Just read through this piece of quotation from an unknown Aborigin from
Australia whose idiom below explains the Colour issue:
"Dear White Fella, Couple things you should know--
When I born, I black
When I grow up, I black
When I go in sun, I black
When I cold, I black
When I scared, I black
And when I die-I still black
You White Fella,
When you born, you pink
When you grow up, you white
When you go in sun, you red
When you cold, you blue
When you scared, you yellow
When you sick, you green
And when you die-you grey.
And you have the cheek
To call me coloured?"
And I call it like it is... the fact is why did they not know better??? Prejudice is common like rain here.
I'm with you on this one Voodoo Doll. I see this as just another anti-Obama "salvo round" from Germany. Ok, I know there are many here in Germany that do respect him more then they did "Wild Bush Jr." Still wondering to this day on why President Obama (when he was running for Prez) was not permitted to give his speech at the Brandenburg gate in Berlin... HHuummhhh. Wondering why ??
I have to agree with Peeper, I am british living in Germany, and yes i think sometimes racisim here can be different to that in the UK, but they haven't had the migrants that Britain have experienced over the past 60 years. I don't think this company has any bad intentions, I believe they as many others are jumping on merchandising the Obama name and the historical moment of the first black presdent in a western society.
Sorry but Germany has been doing business for a long time internationaly and I beg to differ with you turtle, the migrants you speak of ar bountiful. The USA has a huge presence in Germany with it's miliary alone. There is a very large interntional community in Germany. But when it comes to business and how long Germany has been doing international business they should know better and I think they do.
Being an expat is also about the challenge not to transfer political cleavages from the social setting you are used to to the place you live now. What does this mean for this case? If this new chicken wings product had been designed with a racist implication, it would have been necassary that the company knew about the associated of chicken wings with afro americans. As this connection is generally unknown in Germany, it doesn't speak for a racist attitude. It is an US point of view, as neither in France nor in Spain blacks are associated with chicken wings. I don't want to deny racism in Germany. Indeed it exists, in particular against Africans and Afro-Germans, but the racist clichés that feed this racism are partly different from those in the US. Ignoring this fact prevents you from understand the specific racism(s) in Germany.
A counter-example: It might be considered to be PC in US discourse to call people caucasian in order to avoid the term "white". Alas, the term goes back to a darwinist and racist theory created some 100 years ago by a German scholar. Using these so-called "Kopfvermesser" theories ("head-measurer", due to the praxis of measuring the size of humans' heads in order to figure out "superior races") is considered to be very racist in Germany, but still you don't call every US citizen a racist who uses this term.
I don't disagree with your points Jean but in business, using an American politcal figure you should do your research...There is a responisbility.
This political correct agitation makes me wanna puke!
Yes, I like my Negerkuss furthermore and read "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" uncensored!
P.S.: The USA will be the first country worldwide with a successful black chief of state. Maybe. Good luck.
Donnerlall,
An African American Head of State.. not a black chief of state. Please write it correctly or not at all. Thank you.
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