Outrage as Lego describe new toy character as a 'back-of-the-bus window licker'

[KShine]

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=newssearch&cd=2&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCgQ-AsoAzABahUKEwiK_IeF_4XGAhWBYK0KHfknALA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailymail.co.uk%2Fnews%2Farticle-3117888%2FOutrage-Lego-new-toy-character-bus-window-licker.html&ei=p6F4VcqMDoHBtQX5z4CACw&usg=AFQjCNENehrQfYCBs4d9C3NeQjK8eNX9sg

Back of the bus Window-Licker - I had never heard that term before.

Edited June 10, 2015 by KShine

[supergman]

Amazing how sensitive people are...society has become ridiculous.  To me, it reminds me of the kids in the back of the bus who'd do things they weren't supposed to....but I'm sure others consider this a racist remark.

[dcdfan]

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=newssearch&cd=2&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCgQ-AsoAzABahUKEwiK_IeF_4XGAhWBYK0KHfknALA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailymail.co.uk%2Fnews%2Farticle-3117888%2FOutrage-Lego-new-toy-character-bus-window-licker.html&ei=p6F4VcqMDoHBtQX5z4CACw&usg=AFQjCNENehrQfYCBs4d9C3NeQjK8eNX9sg

Back of the bus Window-Licker - I had never heard that term before.

​Wow! I had never heard of it either but apparently it is a thing...

[MartinP]

I have never heard of this term before.

[Val-E]

I heard this term used in that context when I was younger - it´s a little unfortunate that Lego thought it would be appropriate to use in their marketing.

[KShine]

While not many of us seem to have heard of it - it was easy to find the meaning of the term (which is pretty offensive).

Oversensitive or not - it was a pretty stupid thing for LEGO to let slip by. Plus, the one who wrote it for them must have known what it meant. 

[maestro]

Never heard that phrase before in any context

[terrymc4677]

I've heard it before, but in reference to someone who rides the "short bus" and is mentally challenged. Race has nothing to do with it.

[Ed Mack]

I always thought the cool kids sat at the back of the bus....

 

[BrickLegacy]

As an uncle to a nephew with Down Syndrome (age 1), I'm glad they decided to remove this.

[IMDeus]

Sounds like someone used a term that they didn't understand. Ok, fine, remove the term and move on. OBVIOUSLY they were not TRYING to offend anyone.

[Frank Brickowski]

I always thought the cool kids sat at the back of the bus....

Being at the back of the bus is obviously just one component. The defining detail is what you're doing with your tongue while sitting there. Seems to make a big difference.

[KShine]

Sounds like someone used a term that they didn't understand. Ok, fine, remove the term and move on. OBVIOUSLY they were not TRYING to offend anyone.

​I don't see how someone could use a fairly obscure term like this, unless the did know what it meant. 

[Ed Mack]

I see it as a buying opportunity.

[KShine]

I see it as a buying opportunity.

Question though - If you try to sell your "Back-Of-The Bus Window Licker" on eBay, would it get removed?

[Ed Mack]

Call it what you want...I would buy a few extra.  You never know how LEGO will react.  

[10230]

I've never heard the term before, but if it is indeed that offensive, it was a bad move. It got corrected. There very likely no intend here. Life goes on.

What I don't get is offended people that, instead of contacting Lego directly and have it removed more or less discretely, go out into the public and try to make a fuss. Is that necessary? Is that really the worst you can complain about? You must have a happy life then.

[thoroakenfelder]

I've never heard the term before, but if it is indeed that offensive, it was a bad move. It got corrected. There very likely no intend here. Life goes on.

What I don't get is offended people that, instead of contacting Lego directly and have it removed more or less discretely, go out into the public and try to make a fuss. Is that necessary? Is that really the worst you can complain about? You must have a happy life then.

​Some people just are not happy unless they are causing a big fuss and making "the man" look bad.

[MartinP]

What I don't get is offended people that, instead of contacting Lego directly and have it removed more or less discretely, go out into the public and try to make a fuss. Is that necessary? Is that really the worst you can complain about? You must have a happy life then.

​When people are mad and furious about something, the last thing that they think of is directly complaining to Lego. They will complain to everyone else, and then Lego will find out from the other people. I have seen this happen a lot of times.

[@rtisan]

Never heard of this term either, but, that said, Lego`s marketing/PR department should do better research. They are at fault for using a term they obviously did not understand, and that is frankly irresponsible. Honest mistakes happen, which this no doubt was, but, it is their job to avoid things like this from happening, by doing better research. 

Now that they removed it, people should probably recognize it as an error in judgement and leave it alone. 

[holleman67]

Why do people find every reason to get offended? Move on with your life

[10230]

​When people are mad and furious about something, the last thing that they think of is directly complaining to Lego. They will complain to everyone else, and then Lego will find out from the other people. I have seen this happen a lot of times.

​Yes. And what did they accomplish? That a lot of people know a bad phrase they didn't know before. Great work.

[JimboJet]

So when the article said it was voted the third most offensive term I was naturally curious what the others were. If you are also curious here's the link to the poll. Interesting results. 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/ouch/play/worst-words-vote.shtml

[Locutus001]

So when the article said it was voted the third most offensive term I was naturally curious what the others were. If you are also curious here's the link to the poll. Interesting results. 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/ouch/play/worst-words-vote.shtml

​Woa woa woa!!!

There are some quite strong terms there! Hope the forum can handle them and they will not all be seen as *****

1. Retard - 19.6% (404 votes)
2. Spastic - 18% (373 votes)
3. Window-licker - 17%(350 votes)
4. Mong - 13.4%(276 votes)
5. Special - 10.2% (210 votes)
6. Brave - 7.9% (163 votes)
7. Cripple - 5.5% (113 votes)
8. Handicapped - 2.5% (52 votes)
9. Wheelchair-bound - 2% (42 votes)

So next time you call somebody brave, keep in mind that it has been voted the 6th most offensive word in 2003!

 

The problem with language ist that it starts out descriptive (neutral) and then becomes something else.

Fat people are FAT... that's purely descriptive... but they don't feel good about themselves if you call them FAT (maybe they should change something then...) so they are strong people... or whatever more positive sounding words people came up with.

 

Some words I can understand... but common... Handicapped?! What's wrong with that one? Wheelchair-bound??? Special...

 

I can understand how the term window-licker might be offensive though

 

By the way: Since I'm not a native english speaker (you might say I'm a little bit handicapped here myself...)... maybe I cannot understand some things but: when has "Wheelchair-bound!" ever been used as offensive term by itself?

Edited June 11, 2015 by Locutus001

[BigStuP]

This article was in the Daily Mail in the UK

Therefore "Outrage" means one person was ever so slightly offended by it but didn't mind too much.