Apologize - Yes Or No? (The Golliwog Doll Affair)

We live in sensitive times it seems. And "mistakes" are easily made. The question then is do you apologize or not. Is an 1972 Topps baseball cards a Ouija board of strength, or weakness or neither of them?

Before yesterday I didn't know what a "Golliwog" was. It appears to be ... a character of Munsters model literature created by Florence Kate Upton in the late 19th century, inspired by a blackface minstrel doll which Upton had as a child in America. (1)

Whether it is a coincidence or not, but a British newspaper reported twice an incident where vintage men's magazines little dolls was involved.

The first one, yesterday, is about Carol Thatcher who was sacked by the BBC because she refused to apologize for using the word "golliwog".

A few pages later I noticed a similar story about the queen, a portrait of the doll was printed on the page. The queen on the other hand issued an apology after it was revealed that an official gift shop at her Sandringham estate was selling these dolls.

... the term ... was used both as a reference to the children's toy and as a generic, racist term for blacks.(1) That is the sensitive side of the story.

When I think of Thatcher's' daughter I immediately imagine an "iron daughter." Perhaps this is a prejudgment which it is, and I wonder whether this (iron) characteristic is the cause of her omitting an apology. Is an apology a sign of weakness?

I don't think so. Obviously the Queen doesn't feel weak but she is aware of the times we live in. And currently any insinuation can be read as an (racial) attack. When reading the story of Carol it reads like a racist's remark.

Besides this the question remains should one apologize and when?

The question is about valuing the truth in a technical discussion whether she did or did not mean to offend someone. But, beyond the technical truth lies a more commercial truth where it is not only important how a message is send, but how it is received instead.

In that case the BBC management can only be right in sacking their reporter.

An apology is not a sign of weakness but a necessity in human interaction. In case of doubt (which is a sign of weakness): use it!

(1) - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golliwogg

2009 Hans Bool