Slave 4 U

[webofevil]

The London Feminist Network is outraged. It has sent out the following email:

We have been extremely concerned to discover that the national charity Kids, whose slogan is ‘Including Everybody’, is planning to hold a Slave Auction at a Halloween fundraising event tonight:

“The event is an exclusive fancy dress party where guests will enjoy an evening of drinking, dancing, and innovative fundraising activities including the Cauldron Lucky Dip, Raffle and Slave Auction.”

That any organisation should consider this an appropriate and acceptable activity at any time is beyond belief, but the fact that this event falls within Black History Month shows even greater insensitivity to the entire issue of slavery and its legacy in this country.

This event seems totally out of step with any ethos of inclusion of any sort. Please take urgent action on this issue.

EDIT: Victory!

Dear Sir or Madam,

I understand that you are planning a "Slave Auction" as part of your event - having only just heard about this I would ask that you reconsider this, in light of the insensitivity it displays to the black community - october is black history month, when the atrocities of slavery are highlighted - I am concerned that making light of slavery, one of the greatest crimes against humanity, sends the wrong message out, and will not encourage engagement from the black communities.

Yours Sincerely,
Denis Fernando
Co-ordinator
National Assembly Against Racism

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Mr Fernando

Thank you for your email. We understand the sensitivity regarding the term ‘Slave Auction’ that you have expressed. As a result an ‘Auction of Promises’ was held at last night's Halloween Party instead whereby individuals volunteered to provide an experience to the highest bidder. The auction also included two watches so moved away from the focus of bidding for individuals.

The information on the website will be removed and we apologies for any offensive caused.

Yours sincerely
Elizabeth Livesey-Haworth
Head of Events
Kids

Comments

[vivalabridgetta.livejournal.com]

Oh for God's sake.
This is why young women are scared of calling themselves feminists - it's as if the Outraged Daily Mail Readers and Politically Correctness brigades have formed an uneasy alliance to ruin feminism for us all.
And I thought they'd be criticising the witch-paraphernalia, referring to the misogyny of the Puritan witchhunting practises.
AAAARGH AAAARGH AAAARGH.

[strictlytrue.livejournal.com]

Perhaps it's just me, but the college I used to teach at had these, and I always found the idea pretty reprehensible. Of course, I gamely said nothing to anyone and just avoided it.

[webofevil.livejournal.com]

Slave auctions might be a bit tacky and belong in a similar category to "pass the balloon" games, but I put it to you, sir, that the fact that one is taking place during Black History Month matters not a sodding jot.

[strictlytrue.livejournal.com]

No - I suppose not. Although one of the reasons I used to feel deeply uncomfortable about the slave auctions at my college was the large number of black students present.

[pvcdiva.livejournal.com]

I remember feeling distinctly unease with Slave Auctions at Uni too...but dispite this can agree that the hysterical tone of the LFN doesn't help matters, poking fun so much more effective that shrill condemnation.

Last slave auction at So'ton Uni, a house of girls 'bought' a chap for the weekend and as well as making him do the washing up tied him up and immaced his entire body...poor bastard.

[webofevil.livejournal.com]

> tied him up and immaced his entire body

Nowhere in the small print for charity slave auctions is there anything that denies you your basic rights under the law. However much money was raised for charity, that's still assault.

[strictlytrue.livejournal.com]

I can't help feeling that none of this would have happened if they'd only called it a butler auction instead.

[psychonomy.livejournal.com]

that's still assault

Unless, of course, he really enjoyed having young female students smothering his balls with depilatory cream.

Just a thought.

[pvcdiva.livejournal.com]

As I remember he wasn't best chuffed...and of course were it reversed to be young male students doing same to a girl no doubt the police would have been called.

He got the piss ripped out of him at rugby practice IIRC, so was the humilation by his male peers that added insult to injury.

[suzanne219.livejournal.com]

*claps*

I hate them, for the same reason as Al.

And now I have "Slave" by Britney Spears going round my head, which is causing me more distress and offence than the auction.

[pipistrellus.livejournal.com]

Fvckwits.

[besskeloid.livejournal.com]

The idea of charity slave auctions is grotesque, but the LFN's mindlessly literal opposition to it is just plain berkish. I'm taking no sides.

If it's Black History Month, does that make today Black Wednesday?

[j4.livejournal.com]

Sheesh, they say up-front that it's an exclusive fancy dress party, surely that means it's okay to exclude people!

Also, talking of "up-front", is it just me or are the "O"s of "London" in that logo reminiscent of a full-frontal pair of particularly pneumatic tits?

... okay. Just me.

Re: If it's Black History Month, does that make today Black Wednesday?

[rhodri.livejournal.com]

No, you're right, they're extremely arousing.

Re: If it's Black History Month, does that make today Black Wednesday?

[webofevil.livejournal.com]

Actually that did strike me, but then the supernumerary nipple below made me suspect it was an unhappy accident on their part. In fact if it hasn't already blown up there's a fantastic venomous debate waiting to happen about that logo, with some subscribers claiming it's degrading while others maintain it's empowering (in fact it's 50 per cent extra empowering)...

Re: If it's Black History Month, does that make today Black Wednesday?

[j4.livejournal.com]

supernumerary nipple

They're clearly WITCHES! Burn them!

if it hasn't already blown up

And terrrists! Burn them again!

Re: If it's Black History Month, does that make today Black Wednesday?

[webofevil.livejournal.com]

> They're clearly WITCHES! Burn them!

> And terrrists! Burn them again!

Got US mid-term election fever, have we?

[lowlowprices.livejournal.com]

Please take urgent action on this issue.

Is a civil war urgent enough?

[pageantmalarkey.livejournal.com]

I was going to comment but this thread descended into dizzying fantasy images of Britney and now I am incredibly distracted. Having said that Charity Slave Auctions are the most disgusting thing ever.

NB Most American students I have met have been appalled that people have Cowboy and Indian parties over here.

[g0ldt00th.livejournal.com]

I don't think people should auction Charity Slaves, after all they're doing a good thing. Civil Service Slave Auctions on the other hand...

[rawrphotography.livejournal.com]

The way I see it is if they're too busy being auctioned off then they can't be stealing my parent's jobs.

The way I see it is down the barrel of a nine bore...


...my parents have no jobs.

[ex-cornfedpi814.livejournal.com]

So you can beat your slave but not your wife? Is that right?