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September 20th, 2011
10:58 PM ET
The RidicuList: Redhead haters
Editor's Note: After a sperm bank turns away redheaded donors, CNN's Anderson Cooper puts "ginger haters" on the RidicuList.
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Filed under: The RidicuList |
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Whatever happened to wanting a healthy baby?
I was fine with being a redhead until watching this! Anderson hates redheads!
As a fiery strawberry blonde mom of 3 handsome gingers, thanks for your piece, Anderson! Boo! to the ginger-haters!
Wow. Way to tell people not to make fun of redheads... by making fun of redheads. Using a negative South Park clip as an example, for crying out loud... They could have added Washington, Jefferson, Jackson, Van Buren, and Churchill to Ron Howard, by the way, as you could have when you were basically only able to come up with cartoon characters and comedians. Hey! I just realized you left out Red Skelton! Thanks very much for reassuring redheads that there are people out there that actually like us in spite of the natural tendency to the contrary and that someday when we're old we won't have to have red hair anymore. I can hardly wait. (Sorry if I seem a little angry here. You know how redheads are.) Actually, I believe your heart was in the right place in putting that sperm bank thing on the Ridiculist. One of those redheads around your office (or somebody!) should have told you that you were crossing into pretty insensitive territory with the remainder of the report.
Thanks Anderson:) I grew up a redhead with freckles in Hungary and people made my life miserable. Today my hair is darker and I die it blond, my freckles are gone and get many compliments, but I still resent people for what they did to me when I was a child and a young girl.
And how about Queen Elizabeth I of England (1533-1603) - arguably England's greatest ruler ever?
The whole Ginger bashing thing may date from the time when the Irish Americans were as discriminated against as African Americans, or not more so. The Irish were stereotyped as either drunks, or "Papists", slaves to the Pope. There are periods in American history when help wanted signs frequently said "NINA" (No Irish Need Apply) or "No Irish or Blacks". Of course, this all goes back to England's occupation of Ireland starting in Twelfth Century, and the lack of success at eliminating Ireland unique culture and bringing it into the Empire. The Irish were some of the first slaves in the United States. England, with Act for the Settlement of Ireland in 1652 caused upwards to 100,000 Irish, men, women and children to be sold into slavery in North America and the West Indies.
So something is being joked about today actually has it roots in the history of hatred and slavery. And to many Irish today who know their history, Ginger Bashing is no laughing matter.
I have a beautiful redheaded daughter who is 29. She is funny, outrageous, and a total viking. Don't pay any attention to these redhead haters.......they're just jealous for what they can't and never will be. Ha!
Redheads, gotta love 'em. Queen Elizabeth I comes to mind; and Eric the Red, discoverer of Iceland and Greenland, his son Leif Ericson, who founded a colony in North America; and of course the Vikings who sailed up the Moscow River to found Russia (land of the red hair).
Also a couple of red haired girls in my past who will remain nameless.