Claims of a “racist” Hallmark greeting card may be a mistake



A coalition of civil rights groups will ask greeting-card giant Hallmark for a public apology today, after discovering an apparently “racist” card being sold in major pharmacies in Los Angeles. The card, which plays audio when opened, calls its receiver a “Black ho” according to the Los Angeles NAACP. The cards were found at a Los Angeles Walgreen’s and a local CVS, and the NAACP has been informed that the cards are also being sold in the Chicago area. Requests were made to Hallmark, CVS and Walgreen to pull the cards from store shelves, with the Walgreen store complying.

This morning, the RESPECT ME coalition, which includes the NAACP, Mothers In Action, Brotherhood Crusade and the National Council of Negro Women, will demand that Hallmark publicly apologizes to Black women for the greeting card.

However, could the allegations be a case of simple misunderstanding? View the card and listen to its contents here:

Author’s note: In my personal opinion, it would seem that the card says “black hole” rather than “Black ho.” After all, this would make much more sense in context. Here’s my rendition of what the card says:

Voice 1: This graduate is going to run the world, run the universe, and run everything after that, whatever that is.
Voice 2: Yeah, you black hole.
Voice 1: You’re so ominous!
Voice 1 and 2: Congratulations!
Voice 1: …. taking over the world.
Voice 2: Any planets? Watch your back.

What’s your interpretation? Leave your thoughts in the comments box below.

Comments

  1. Um, wow. It is so obvious to me that “black hole” is what is said, that frankly I can hardly believe a “coalition” of groups, let alone one, is rallying around this. A simple reading of context clues (interplanetary theme anyone?) tells you that one interpretation makes absolute sense, the other makes none.

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