U.K. Company Releases ‘Racist’ Cleaning Products?

I am not sure what to say about this. Some things should just not be happening in 2012. Period. Anywhere. Who was the brilliant person that came up with this?? There is no way that this does not have some racial element to it. I don't care about the "Punk" or the "Beehive". I bet it is not as offensive as the "Diva". This is just crazy!!!

U.K. dish-cleaning products company Paladone is being called “racist,” after releasing a line of ’70s-inspired products for their sponge line, according to the Daily Mail.

Coining the sponges “Disco,” “Beehive,”  “Punk,” and “Diva,” a spokesperson for Paladone says, “Our range of four washing up sponges are designed to make an everyday chore like washing up more fun.” Each of the sponges has a brillo pad Afro and even caricatures soul icon Diana Ross.

To Unite Against Fascism (UAF), an organization that sees itself as a counter to the growing levels of racism and fascism throughout the U.K., the sponges harken back to what we would call Stateside “Jim Crow memorabilia.” UAF General Secretary Weyman Bennet says:

What are we going to have next, toilet brushes like that? This is not appropriate for the 21st century to show images like that. It reinforces negative stereotypes and ideas. Although it’s aimed at being humorous, sometimes it’s not funny. We’ve spent 40 years removing racist imagery out of general politics, removing golly wogs, removing Black and Qhite minstrels, and it would be a shame if it crept back in.”

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