Financially, if a company is "in the black", then that organization has positive cash flow and is fiscally sound - however many Black families are closer to "being in the red".
"Black Holes" represent an inescapable situation where all is absorbed into a pit of nothingness. Black people have as of yet found the former term derogatory, though the latter has been been deemed racially antagonistic - though it has astral origins in its etymology.
Not all Black people understand the physics behind this term, nor do Black people grasp that the term is racially neutral. Thus, the background story behind a greeting card fiasco that could have easily been avoided:
A graduation card sold at local stores has been pulled from shelves after a civil rights group raised concerns about the content. The group claims the card’s micro-speaker plays a greeting that’s racist.Though no clear cut evidence exists to link "Black holes" to "Black ho's" - save this story - some Black people found substantial acoustic proof to castigate this greeting card for being undeniably offensive to Black women:It is a graduation greeting from Hallmark that says, “Hey world, we are officially putting you on notice.”
Members of the Los Angeles NAACP did take notice. As characters known as “Hoops” and “Yoyo” banter on, African American leaders hear offensive language.
“And you black holes, you are so ominous. Watch your back,” the card vocalizes.
“That was very demeaning to African American women. When it made reference to African American women as whores and at the end, it says ‘watch your back,’” said Leon Jenkins of the Los Angeles NAACP.
The greeting card is an incredibly uplifting device used to brighten a relative, spouse or friends day usually marking an important anniversary, birthday, graduation or to show condolences for an unfortunate event in that persons life. A greeting card brings mirth to the receiver, for they become aware of how important they are to the sender.When Hallmark was reached by phone, they said the card is all a misunderstanding. The card's theme is the solar system and emphasizes the power of the grad to take over the universe, even energy-absorbing black holes.
The card company says the card speaks about the power the grad will wield.
"The intent here is to say that this graduate is not afraid of anything," explained Hallmark spokesman Steve Doyal.
But that's not what some people heard.
"You hear the 'r' in there. 'Whores,' not, 'holes.' The 'r' is in there," said Minnie Hatley of the Los Angeles NAACP.
Hallmark sent Eyewitness News a transcript of what the card says, but Hatley says that the actual audio raises questions.
"It sounds like a group of children laughing and joking about blackness, again," said another NAACP member.
Hallmark is now notifying all of its stores to pull the card. Walgreens and CVS are doing the same.
Though Black people loath and fear registered mail, a greeting card is a welcome addition to their mailbox, preferably if it comes from the Mahogany line of Hallmark cards designed exclusively for Black people:
Of course, the Mahogany line makes perfect fiscal sense as tailoring a greeting card to 13 percent of the population is sure to help any companies bottom line and keep it "in the Black". Hallmark is to be congratulated for this economically wise endeavor that no doubt brings positive results to the balance sheets of the company, and demeaned for daring to put out a greeting card that utilized the racial insensitive phrase "Black hole".
The Mahogany brand from Hallmark provides the most extensive offering of cards available for African-American consumers. The top five markets for Mahogany card sales (in retail dollars) are: 1) Washington, DC, 2) New York, 3) Chicago, 4) Philadelphia, 5) Atlanta. By 2013, African Americans will account for nearly 13 percent of the U.S. population and 9 percent of the U.S. buying power. (Sources: U.S. Census Bureau and University of Georgia’s Selig Center for Economic Growth 2008 Multicultural Economy report) Hallmark began offering cards relevant for African Americans in the 1960s and introduced the Mahogany line in 1987. Product Features
- Mahogany features nearly 1,000 everyday and seasonal cards to help African Americans honor their relationships in innovative, compelling and culturally-relevant ways. The line features cards appropriate for both adults and children.
- Mahogany offers cards for several seasons – Valentine's Day, Easter, Mother's Day, Father's Day, graduation, Christmas and Kwanzaa – as well as a full range of everyday occasions, such as birthday, thinking of you, get well, wedding, anniversary, sympathy and more. The line also includes Christmas boxed cards.
- Sentiments range from religious to humorous and poetic to casual.
- Mahogany Cards with Sound play favorite songs by the original artists, such as "Rapper's Delight" by Sugar Hill Gang, "Shining Star" by Earth Wind and Fire, "I'm Every Woman" by Chaka Khan, and "Brick House" by the Commodores.
- The line also includes 99-cent value cards for occasions such as thinking of you, get well, friendship and thank you.
- A variety of Mahogany e-cards with animation and sound are available at Hallmark.com.
Product History
Hallmark has been creating cards that speak to African-American culture since the 1960s. The company first introduced the Mahogany name in 1987 as a 16-card promotion. Mahogany became a year-round brand offering both everyday and seasonal cards in 1991.
Through the years, Mahogany has collaborated with well-known African-American figures. The brand also partnered with the U.S. Postal Service in 1999 to celebrate the accomplishments of African Americans in history through the Legacy of Greatness cards that coordinated with the collectible postage stamps of the same name.
In 2007, the Mahogany team created a limited-edition, six-card collection celebrating 20 years of providing culturally rich product in the greeting card industry. In addition, the website www.mahoganyhallmark.com was launched in 2007.
In 2009, Mahogany introduced everyday Cards with Sound to the line. A new humor zone in stores with larger displays was also added.
Sadly, sales of the Mahogany line fall exponentially around Father's Day.
Greeting cards are forbidden from using the visage of Mein Obama, lest they desire to be declared racially charged:
Stuff Black People Don't Like includes regular greeting cards, for cards not exclusively designed for Black people will axiomatically include racially insensitive pictures or parlance used exclusively by racists.Presidents are fair game for satire. Lord knows George W. Bush inspired his share of vicious humor. So did Nixon and Clinton.
Most presidents are lampooned for what they’ve DONE. It’s rare to see them mocked for who they ARE. Roosevelt was in a wheelchair. Kennedy was a Catholic. Barack Obama is Black. Start making fun of something that’s integral to someone’s being, and you’re on shaky ground.
We’ve already seen our share of racist anti-Obama humor — the “can you really call it the White House” t-shirts, the over-the-line cartoons, the “Barack The Magic Negro” songs.
Enter Hoboken, New Jersey greeting card company “Noble Works,” who are selling their new line of Obama-themed greeting cards. The cards seem geared not towards Obama fans, but Obama haters. “St. Obama The Chosen One,” reads one card. “This is my Mount Rushmore Pose,” says another. And while some of these cards play on the tension between the existence of a sitting Black president and continued racism (like: “Sorry I’m Late. I Couldn’t Get A Cab”), others may be borderline: (”President: Now Available In Black”).
Some white Americans continue to struggle with how to properly conduct themselves in a multi-cultural society, which means that we’re going to continue to get humor like this for a while — not really all that funny, not really all that free of racism.
Black holes? Only a racist would conjure such a disparaging term, which sounds perniciously like Black ho's. And you planets, watch your back!
