I’ve seen people paint them all white, like you would a statue outside, but it depends on the mold. Some have obvious features mimicking race, which is really just as bad. I would wrap it in an old blanket and take it to an antiques dealer/flea market. Maybe you can replace it with one of these:
It’s an odd situation, but I think the plan is now to move it into the basement. She doesn’t want to sell it (she could use the money) but her husband has aspergers and decided he likes it. I don’t know her husband well (we started as co-workers) so can’t say if he understands 100% of the situation. She doesn’t want to upset FIL because he spent quite a bit getting it custom made but not at all an appropriate gift and she’s mortified.
Basement is a good place for it. We have close friends that are black as well as our Goddaughter so we would never have one on our property. I know there a is a dubious story floating around about “Jocko”, but if I have to explain why something MIGHT not be racist, (personally, I think it is) than it isn’t worth it. Especially, with children.
2 Likes
I was going to suggest smashing it and saying it had an unfortunate accident but if the husband likes it the basement is a good option. Could they throw a blanket over it in the mean time? Or get a rattle can and paint it?
1 Like
Use a dolly to move it wherever you want to hide it.
You can paint it’s face, but it would be hard to alter features.
Ours was courtesy of customers when we were training race horses.
They were in NYC shopping, saw it and brought it all the way here as a present. It was made in the 1960’s.
It has a white face, not black face features or colors.
It is painted with our stable colors and logo.
It used to sit in the middle of the barn courtyard.
Looked nice with a lamp on it’s stretched out hand.
Since hearing there is also a blackface one and controversial, we don’t have it in the front any more.
It sits in a corner of a sun room for now.
Ours is solid metal and heavy, we had to use a dolly to move it.
HA! This year DH and I went to friend’s and essentially no gifts were exchanged. The discussion came up as we watched the kids open their gifts. Someone asked what DH had gotten me. I paused… no gifts were exchanged but he proudly said “Oh, she got some great gifts from me this year!” I was stumped, unsure what he had gotten me.
He proudly proclaimed the new washer, dryer and fridge were my super expensive gifts! I wasn’t feeling it and told him that the basic appliances weren’t exactly on the top of my list for what defines ‘gifts’. He still doesn’t get it. Whatever. I do love my new washer/ dryer set though. And the fact that hoss can finally come home and live with me is the icing on the cake.
In all fairness, this year I bought him a novelty toilet brush. So I guess we’re even 
2 Likes
I found a couple custom yard jockey places online but I don’t think any of them made ones with the racist facial features. I hope that there isn’t any company still doing that, frankly.
I think the one Bluey described, holding a lantern, could be quite classy looking.
That’s racist. Even paint won’t save that one.
5 Likes
On top of all this, her mom is dying of cancer so this was the last thing she needed to worry about!!
I suggested the basement, others have suggested just smashing it. :no: I get the FIL meant well, but even he had to of known what he was doing.
1 Like
Yeah there’s no painting that. I’d smash it and blame it on the garbage truck :winkgrin:
1 Like
We’ve all offered to smash it and say it was probably someone who took offense since they’re in a predominantly black neighborhood. Like honestly, what was he thinking? He sold them the house!!
1 Like
I would wait until the husband goes somewhere for a few hours, and call a hauling service to haul it away, and take it to the salvage yard. The husband should realize that having a racist statue is insulting to anyone who sees it. I’m white, and I would be offended also. Then tell the husband someone stole it off the lawn. If the father in law is so clueless that he replaces it, keep the junk haulers on speed dial.
Or grow a backbone, and tell husband and father in law to get that thing off my property. I wouldn’t have that thing in my basement or on my property, and the husband’s issues don’t enter into it. If the FIL wants it, he can have it on his property.
3 Likes
One story was that those jockeys with the lantern were a signal for the Underground Railroad that if lighted, that house was a safe place to go for help, if not lighted, the vigilantes were watching and not safe to stay around there.
When solar lanterns came out, we put one of those on ours and it was a nice yard light at night.
That was until the last few years, when we heard they were not PC to have around any more, so we put ours away even if ours was a white jockey.
I sure would not keep that one around and make it clear to everyone why in a nice but firm way.
Educate, but don’t alienate.
2 Likes
My husband is very smart and knows better. He waits until I mention something I like around Christmas then throws the money at me. I just made a casual mention about some breeches on sale at SmartPak and suddenly he was forcing me to buy 2 pairs, plus anything else up to $200 for Christmas.
He hasn’t messed up a horse gift yet - even the jewelry and artwork he has chosen has been spot on every time.
2 Likes
I was horrified after you said that it was in blackface, and even more so after you posted the picture. Your friend has won the thread… but lost the in-law lottery.
I’m all for recycling things but that abhorrent thing needs to meet a dumpster.
3 Likes
It’s so crazy to me because they way she talked about them was so different!! And then he surprises her with this, while her mother is dying of cancer, so the last thing on her mind is how to get rid of this thing but she’s horrified over it.
If your friend lives in the mid-Atlantic I am volunteering to drive over and help remove this monstrosity.
5 Likes
that’s nice of you… meanwhile, hopefully someone can chuck a tarp or black plastic bag over it.
Oh my dear lord in heaven. Whatever company is making that atrocity at this point in time should be closed down. I was indeed thinking of the pic Bluey posted being something much more classy and socially acceptable. How can anyone think that thing is appropriate?
Is it possible the FIL might also have a wee touch of Aspergers and actually doesn’t realize how racist it is? Maybe he sees it and thinks it looks like the one Bluey posted?
And I think she definitely wins the thread. Even the mohair thong can’t beat that.
2 Likes
I wondered why people were objecting to those so much until I saw that ugly one posted.
That one definitely needs to be trashed.
Since there is such controversy anyway, maybe best not to display any of those is best.
1 Like
