But what about the blue lollipop?
I think this would be perceived differently had he only offered a red lollipop. It’s the weird matrix reference that makes it feel like he had intentions other than “celebrating” Juneteenth.
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Being deliberately racist isn’t an accident. It’s not an “oops.” Second worst to actually being a racist is trying to sweep racism like this under the rug by chocking it up to “cancel culture.”
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My opinion;
Racism is a thing because we keep making it a thing.
We have come to a confluence in society where general knowledge is that this behavior is unacceptable.
With that said; Why do we need to know and drag out the “Why they were disqualified”?
This is a thing, because we are perpetuating it.
Had a individual been disqualified for a different reason, would it get this type of backlash?
“Silly” is generous.
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Reading the quote of the “joke” I really don’t get it. And I mean, like even if someone is racist, why would they say that? I think I’m more perplexed by what he was trying to convey. It doesn’t sound like a joke and I don’t think someone who has hate in their heart would say that. I think it would be much more concrete and to the point. Was he drunk or trying to quote something? Stupid choice either way, but I don’t get it. I’m not American so I might be missing something.
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Sometimes a racist has to say something off the wall. It’s in their nature.
It’s like asking “why does a dog bark?”
Cos it’s a dog.
And Ben been doing a LOOOOOOT of barking over the years.
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I can’t say I’m surprised that the person arguing that we stop talking about racism has a Punisher symbol as their profile picture.
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Most racism is not overt slurs it’s subtle off comments and statements. It’s rarely a person being directly confrontational it’s more like a bunch small jabs over time.
This is why I suggest corporate inclusivity training. Apparently folks don’t understand what I assumed was common sense and it’s showing hard here…
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I appreciate your observation.
However, I don’t recall saying we shouldnt “talk” about racism. Or arguing to stop talking about it.
If we forget history, we are doomed to repeat it.
My comment was more about the reaction to the situation and enabling this endemic to keep going by empowering it.
A more interesting conversation could be had on how do we help, not chastise?
With everything in life, we should approach things with Grace. We are all influenced by our environments and experiences.
Your assumption of me and my avatar are probably not accurate.
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Hmmm … to the point of racism, I don’t think that Ben is an outright racist in terms of thinking whites are superior and actively disliking minorities. However, he has way too much of a track record of casually offending people on topics of race, apologizing and then DOING IT AGAIN.
My questions on this given that people keep saying that Ben “runs” YYF: How is he still employed at this point? Does he actually own the company to have not been terminated? He’s really demonstrated incredibly degrees of incompetence as a the head of an international business.
If he’s really just a brand manager and YYF keeps him yet again after this, then I really start to question the true values of the organization despite what it may say.
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Since I don’t buy factory products and my friends no longer work there I don’t care anymore. Maybe there will be changes maybe not. That’s life. There is plenty of normal people to give your money to. Jmtc.
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There are many things in life to approach with grace. Racism is not one of them
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Let’s figure out what a good racist joke is.
A good racist joke can point out a clear stereotype and either laugh at how ridiculous it is OR laugh at how true it actually is.
Or it can stare at an ignorant statement or situation and laugh directly at it.
Maybe it’s a pun. If your 12 years old, its funny how knee grow sounds like a poorly branded joint pain ointment. And it also sounds like something else.
If it’s a really good racist joke you can shout it out at a comedy show. And the minority you’re speaking about has paid you in advance to say it.
You don’t say it ‘under the table’ to that minority as you give them food at a family event.
But that’s just the start. You can’t say a punchline and just laugh on your own.
You gotta bring everyone else in on it.
Which means you actually need some taste.
When it comes to racist jokes, you don’t get to just twist symbolism like Ben did.
Handing a lollipop to a black dude at a yo-yo contest is not the right context to ask him if he’d like the ancestral blood flavoured candy.
At that point he might aswell just be handing out swastikas.
outright racism today isn’t even prejudice. It’s bullying, veiled in narcism. It says ONLY I MATTER.
And it’s far from ignorant. It’s very aware.
Repeated actions like Ben’s beg for recognition, it’s a witty line, even tho it’s been misused GROSSLY.
There’s zero responsibility at play. We’re in a world where our words travel across he globe instantly, have some responsibility for them.
Shoot first and ask questions later cannot be the norm
(Or speak first and apologise later).
Let’s be very clear, you can laugh at someone for their differences.
We give our friends crap all the time.
But not like this.
It’s disgraceful.
And repeated offences clearly show where someone’s heart is at.
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Not excusing either. More pointing out the underlying issue that he doesn’t seem to even care to adjust his behavior and shouldn’t be running an international business.
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Maybe Ben has Aspergers. 
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Hey! Just so you know, this term is actually no longer used and a lot of the Neurodivergent community specifically try to rid of this term for many reasons.
You can read more details on it here:
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Right. I get and appreciate where @yoyodoc is coming from, but that’s what I’m thinking. It might not be outright racism in the sense that he thinks his race is superior to others, but misusing stereotypes or racially sensitive things to make tasteless jokes is still a problem. It’s a problem that should definitely result in discipline; since he continues with such remarks and clearly isn’t being any more mindful, discipline in the form of bans (as we saw today) and termination of employment are appropriate, imo.
I’m not going to say I’ve never made a joke based on stereotypes - they exist because there’s a grain of truth to them. If we take ourselves so seriously we can’t laugh at a caricature of a culture, nationality, etc., then we are in trouble. But dredging up a history of suffering and injustice for the sake of a “joke” is going too far. We certainly shouldn’t forget the past, but we also shouldn’t make light of such serious matters.
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I’ve haven’t been too active on the forums because I have been busy but what the heck man. I don’t even understand how he could even think what he said was funny…
It’s such a weird statement. I don’t know how you can read it any other way than racist
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Im being 100% for real when I ask this…Do u think theres any chance that Ben has something mentally wrong with him? A condition or something? He owns one of the biggest yoyo companies in the world…Everyone knows him…so why would he walk up to Colin Beckford and say that? So crazy to me. Mind blowing even. Maybe hes just so out of touch with reality or has some kind of anti social type dissociative thing going on. Surely if someone had a past of the same type behavior they wouldn’t just keep repeating it…unless they were trying to sabotage themselves and ruin their career in the industry. Surely he would know that walking up to someone and saying something like that is equivalent to holding a torch to his career. Especially these days. Im not making excuses for him. I dont know him at all. Its just hard to fathom any sane person doing what he did. Anyone feel me on this? Ps…I just read my post and it sounds a lil like im saying i dont believe it happened. Just to he clear…I wholeheartedly believe it happened. I know it did.
P.s.s…I just came to the conclusion that something is wrong with the dude. He cannot possibly be all there.
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