A coalition of blacl women is hauling Hallmark Cards into the court of public opinion over graduation cards they say calls African American women “black whores.”
Planning a press conference on Friday morning in Los Angeles, Respect Me — a coalition of black women and civil rights groups including the NAACP, Mothers in Action, Brotherhood Crusade, the National Council of Negro Women and others — will demand an apology from Hallmark to black women for the allegedly demeaning cards.
As the characters of the graduation greeting card banter on in their high-pitch voices, members of the NAACP say they hear one of them utter “you black whores” and other stereotypical language.
“That was very demeaning to African American women,” says Leon Jenkins of the LA chapter of the NAACP, “that they would make reference to black women as whores and at the end it says “watch your back.”
Reach by phone, Hallmark claims the entire episode is a misunderstanding. They go on to explain that the theme is the solar system and that one of the characters said “you black holes,” not “black whores.” The cards had been on shelves without complain for the past three years, Hallmark execs told reporters.
However, Hallmark has begun pulling the cards in question from its shelves in CVS and Walgreen stores after the Los Angeles NAACP discovered the cards. They graduation cards have also been sold in the Chicago region, the Respect Me organization says.
Others have said they listened to the Hallmark card and did not hear “black whores” as the NAACP claims.
Listen to the link and tell us what you hear.
abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/local/los_angeles&id=7475737
Is the NAACP correct, or are they out of line? –terry shropshire
