To be honest, the product doesn't offend or surprise. The creators of the knit monkey were making use of a tired, typically off-the-mark racist symbol, plus they operated out of West Jordan, home of state Sen. Chris-I'm-not-a-bigot-I-just-act-that-way-Buttars. The Sock Obama people were even one step behind the national racist souvenir agenda.
The biggest issue here is the response of the creators of The Sock
Obama's to the controversy. In a letter to New York Magazine, the
company credited the doll's creation to making "a casual and
affectionate observation one night," while excusing the toy's offensive
undertone as "an element of naivete on our part."
Although the claim of the makers' friendly epiphany (Oh look, that
black man looks just like a crocheted ape with giant red lips, how
sweet!) is ridiculous, the idea that these people were willing to
defend their actions by asserting their own ignorance is even more so.
No matter their intentions, the makers of the toy created a product with racially offensive implications. People should no longer feel ignorance is somehow more acceptable than deliberate bigotry, and those observing such behaviors should treat both with equal distaste. The ignorant and maleficent often find themselves creating the same monsters-the only difference lies in each side's planning skills.
