You`ve Got To Be Kidding

Village Vanguard Part 1

I’ve seen my fair share of unusual products, but today was a different story. While happily strolling through a Village Vanguard, Japan’s version of Spencer’s Gifts, I came across a package of band-aids. But folks, these aren’t for you. Unless of course you are black. Everyone, I’d like you to meet Ebon-Aide First-aid strips. The package proudly boasts their strong message claiming:
“At last, A protective strip that’s made in your shade!”
“Ebon-Aide is the bandage exclusively designed for people of color.”
“Ebon-Aide specially designed first-aid strips blend with skin tone to help conceal as you heal.”
It gets better as there are five colored people friendly shades with Coffee, Licorice, Mocha, Cinnamon, and Honey.

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Whooop, there it is!

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Back at ya!

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I’m just curious, did someone think that band-aids are for white people? Maybe I’m just that pale, but I know those strips are quite obvious on my skin. But honestly, if Ebon-Aide is a product useful to people of color, then I’m all for it. However, I’ve got a serious question to ask: WHERE ARE ALL THE PEOPLE OF COLOR TO PURCHASE THEM? I honestly don’t know of one black or Hispanic person who lives in Aomori-shi, a city of 300,000. I’m sure there are some, but come on, this is clearly not being sold for people of color.

And I couldn’t have been more convinced of this strange form of ‘mildly racist mockery’ then when I came across Little Black Sambo. Yep, you got it! Straight from the oppressive Jim Crow laws comes Little Black Sambo. There appears to be quite a nice selection of ‘merch’ with a series of books, toys, and a Little Black Sambo key chain. I honestly can’t determine if this is wrong, because I’m not sure where they are going with it, and I don’t exactly represent any particular race, including whitefolks.

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This doesn`t seem right.

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It`s not too early to put Little Black Sambo on your Christmas list.

If you`re craving more, there’s also “Black Love,” an incense sold at area stores with a loving black couple on the package cover. Needless to say, I feel kind of bad because of course I had to buy a pack of Ebon-Aides. If you are a person of color with a coffee shade and want to conceal while you heal, I got your back, or wherever the cut is!