Store’s lawn jockeys are very disturbing
To the Editor:
A Floridian friend, who recently arrived in Maggie Valley, called me Sunday morning to alert me to a sight she found disturbing. The display of approximately 20 “lawn jockeys” outside Sutton and Sons’ antique store is in full view, right next to Dellwood Road.
The finishing touch on the display is a small black child eating a large piece of watermelon.
I hope this prompts all white people to have a John Lewis moment and “create good trouble!”
At the very least, please do not to patronize this establishment (money speaks) but consider calling or writing to them to express your outrage about this racist scene.
To all Christians, I’m going to ask, “What would Jesus do?”
Per Wikipedia, “Historically, black jockeys depicting racist caricatures of African Americans were commonplace. Several styles have been produced, with the most prolific being a shorter version commonly known as ‘Jocko’ and a taller version known as ‘cavalier spirit.’ The ‘cavalier spirit’ design usually depicts the left arm raised and uses the likeness of a Caucasian young man, lacking the minstrelsy features of its Jocko counterpart.”
Jan Jacobson
Waynesville
