Would some of you be offended if I called myself "Chocolate"?

[Catherine Vincent]

Apparently some people would be offended or maybe just jealous?:)

Galveston employees complain 'naughty elf' was offensive

07:44 AM CST on Friday, December 22, 2006

By Leigh Jones / Galveston County Daily News

GALVESTON -- City Manager Steve LeBlanc thought his appearance at the annual municipal Christmas party dressed in green tights might cause some long-term snickering around City Hall. But the talk around the water cooler the next day was all about his “naughty elf” skit and its racially charged, sexually suggestive ending. LeBlanc climbed on Santa’s lap at the end of the comedy performance that included several other staffers and asked for a “chocolate bunny.”

Santa, played by Galveston Economic Development Partnership President Jeff Sjostrom, granted his wish, and Galveston police Sgt. Annie Almendarez, an African-American, paraded out from the wings in a Playboy bunny-style outfit. LeBlanc believed his attempt at humor had gone over well — until the next day.

“Everyone seemed to enjoy it,” he said. “I even had several people tell me how funny they thought it was. It wasn’t until the next day that I received the complaints.” Two of Almendarez’s female colleagues at the police department, neither African-American, complained personally to the city manager about her skimpy outfit and the racial overtones. LeBlanc said he sincerely apologized for giving offense. “The intent was to entertain, never to offend anybody,” he said. “We try to be sensitive. I never intended to be racial. Looking back, I wish that part had not been done.”

While LeBlanc was responsible for writing the skit, Almendarez, who is head of the police department’s juvenile division, added the one word some found so offensive: “chocolate.” “It was my idea,” she said. “I’m sorry if I offended anyone by calling myself chocolate, but I am.” LeBlanc, Almendarez said, planned to ask for a bunny, but she suggested he make it a chocolate bunny. “He said, ‘Are you sure I’m not going to offend you?’” she said. “I said, ‘Hell no, it’s not going to offend me.’ So he said we should do it like that.”

Like LeBlanc, Almendarez said she thought the joke was well-received by the hundreds in the audience. “Eighty percent of the people that were there were civilian workers,” she said. “Seventy percent were black males that work in the garbage and street department. None of them said anything.
“If anyone was going to be offended, to me, it would have been the black males, not two white females.”
http://www.khou.com/news/local/stories/khou061222_ac_offensiveparty.340de399.html

[BushOut06]

1. Stupid, stupid, stupid - how could it not be considered offensive?

Just because the gal who added the "chocolate" term didn't find it offensive, did it not occur to them that other people might take offense to that? Especially after all the sexist & racist scandals that have hit the news over the past few years, I don't know why any civic leader in their right mind would do something like this.

[originalpckelly]

10. If the person who originated the joke is black...

then how the hell is it racist?

What, does she hate herself?

:shrug:

[BushOut06]

14. Not everyone sees things the same way

It might not be offensive to her, but many others could find it offensive to them. It just seems that while those involved in the skit might not have found it offensive, that they should have realized not everyone would feel the same way. If there's any doubt whether something might be considered offensive, it's probably best to just skip it. Why take the chance? Especially if you're a civic official! It's not like this was some private company's Christmas party.

[BoneDaddy]

2. It is all about your audience

It depends on your audience. If you have deep friendships with people where you can bust chops over race, gender, age etc, but to do it in a large venue shows some poor judgement to think EVERYONE will appreciate the humor.

I have friends who are pretty much from every race, color, creed and we have a rapport where we can do it, but to expect everyone to have that same response is a bit unrealistic.

I read the above post and thought it was hillarious, but that is me.

[Tyler Durden]

3. Only in Texas. No offense to any DU Texans.

10 years in Houston really soured me on Texas and most areas South of the Mason-Dixon line.

Houston is the world's capital for sexually and racially inappropriate jokes, followed by "HEY! Ain't you got no Sensa Humor?"

Did I ever tell the story of when I ALMOST met Bush at a "Taste of Houston" party in the mid 80's?

He was drunk and telling dirty jokes to a small but appreciative group of obviously very well to do and obviously conservative admirers. I declined to meet him.

[magellan]

4. Some are too sensitive

The joke wasn't meant in a derogatory way.

edited...jeez it's time for bed

[porphyrian]

5. People should be able to call themselves whatever the fuck they want.

Until you are calling other people names, it's nobody else's fucking business.

[teenagebambam]

6. Amen.

[necso]

7. I wouldn't.

Chocolate has pleasant connotations.

And if there are any unpleasant connotations associated with "chocolate", I'm unaware of them.

But as for others, well...

[johnnie]

8. I think some people complain just to complain

I know people would like everyone to not notice people's differences, but the truth is, all people are different and instead of trying to teach us to embrace our differences, many people would rather others to ignore each other and their individualities.

I don't understand where people get off telling others that they should be ashamed of their skin color. These two white women need to mind their own backyards.

I personally think that if we would start acknowledging each other's differences and embracing them, we would have a lot less of this kind of crap. No Cat_girl, I wouldn't be offended. I would leave that up to you, and if you were then I would support you on that.

[originalpckelly]

9. If the African American woman had a chance whether or not to participate...

Then I have no clue in hell why this is so bad. It's cute. He said he wanted a chocolate bunny, out comes a pretty chocolate bunny. It's a joke.

If she was a willing participant, then I think this probably is much ado about nothing.

[ProfessorGAC]

11. I Would Guess She Was Willing

Geez, she's a police Sgt. I would think in a town the size of Galveston, that would be a position of some clout. I doubt she has to anything she doesn't want to do! She's not a beat walking rookie.
The Professor

[originalpckelly]

12. When people are this "sensitive" they're probably covering up...

that they are racists. If someone really understood racism, then they wouldn't be doing this. If anything freepers will use it against people trying to actually stop real racism. (I.e. housing discrimination, employment, education, the list goes on and on in this fucked up nation.)

[philosophie_en_rose]

15. . . . in blackface . . . in slave chains . . . in a workplace . . . in a government office. . .

:shrug:

I'm not particularly offended by the term "chocolate," but simply finding someone to participate in something does not mean that it's okay.

[ProfessorGAC]

16. If It's OK With A Police Sergeant?

She wasn't some little underling that went along to go along. She is big heat in the police department. It's pretty obvious, therefore, that the intent was anything but malicious, or the big heat from the cop shop would have said no!

Given that, it's not a matter of "simply finding someone to participate." This is a smart, dedicated career woman, who is obviously clever enough to have risen through the ranks of a mid-size police department. I can't believe she "simply" participated. THe whole thing must have been couched in and intended with such fun that it made it okay.
THe Professor

[originalpckelly]

17. She's not just participating. She came up with the idea...

Unless you're trying to argue that she hates herself, I don't know how that's offensive.

[TlalocW]

13. It wouldn't offend me

But then I tell people my "street" name is, "White Chocolate."

TlalocW