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Tonya
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Tonya
Post Number: 165
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, August 03, 2006 - 02:06 am: | 
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Seattle Man Sells His 'Blackness' On eBay
July 19, 2006
By John Sharify
SEATTLE - Like so many of us, Daniel Atkinson buys things on eBay. "I've bought instruments, electronics, books, plenty of books," he said.
Buying and selling. That's what eBay is all about. Jerry Garcia's toilet for sale. A fire station in Stanwood for sale. A woman's virginity?
"A girl tried to sell her virginity and they took that one off really quick," says Atkinson.
You can try selling anything. "There was a fellow who sold his soul a year or two ago," says Atkinson.
Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't. Just ask Atkinson, a University of Washington graduate student. He offered his 'blackness' for sale to make a point.
Ebay's response? "They said it was deemed hateful and discriminatory," says Atkinson. Ebay pulled the listing, citing its usage terms that state "sellers may not list items that promote or glorify hatred, violence, or racial intolerance."
Atkinson, 32, says he was trying to do the opposite.
"I want people to be aware that racism is pervasive," he said.
His sale of blackness, his perspective for sale was meant to get people thinking about racism.
"On the surface, it's still there. It's still alive." Atkinson says you can see racism on eBay. You can buy memorabilia items like "Ten little niggers," he says looking at the web site "Nigger loves his possum."
"Type in the word 'coon,' type in the word 'pimp.' Pimp body detergent. No more rubbish smellies. Pimp tee shirts," Atkinson continues.
His point? These items for sale, these images, these racist words: "affect the way the world views me," says Atkinson.
But for now you can't buy Daniel Atkinson's blackness on eBay. The company says that the offer is offensive.
But Atkinson might still be looking for a buyer. "They would get a copy of my master's thesis which says the more things change, the more they stay the same."
http://www.komotv.com/stories/44509.htm |
Abm
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Abm
Post Number: 5672
Registered: 04-2004
Rating: 
Votes: 1 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, August 03, 2006 - 02:15 am: |
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Babe,
White foks buy "Blackness" for a penny on the dollar a MILLION times a day, with Hip-Hop music and culture currently only being the most popular vintage of such.
Still. I wish Ebay had the stones to allow some bidding. |
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