Removed item "offensive" double-standard

[chrisfab45]

Hi,

I've been an eBay member for about 2 decades, in good standing.  I mostly buy, on eBay, but sometimes I sell items.  I recently listed a very old, vintage matchbook that most-accurately can be categorized as; 'Black Americana'.  The matchbook was an advertisement for a no-longer-existing restaurant. 

I didn't create this matchbook.  Whoever did, is -now, long-gone.

On the matchbook's front cover, there was a drawing of an African male's face, with an exaggerated facial feature.  The matchsticks, inside of the matchbook, had drawings of African males' faces. 

I placed the matchbook onto eBay, as an auction.

The auction took-off -fast, with multiple bids, within just a few days.

This past day, however; eBay removed that matchbook listing, claiming that the listing violated an eBay policy, regarding offensive, racist items, along with items that perpetuate stereotypes.

As racist-looking as that matchbook may be perceived, that matchbook is -still, a part of American History.  What is eBay doing, then, passing moral judgment onto me by removing my listing for the reasons that they stated, which insinuate that my intent was to perpetuate racism, or stereotypes, and that the intent of the bidders, was racism? 

Whatever happened to; 'If we don't learn from history, we're bound to repeat it'? 

If that statement is true, then why is history being erased?

I'm an Italian Catholic.  Maybe I'm "offended" by 'Mafia' movie memorabilia, that eBay allows to be sold on their site.  I could say that those items are perpetuating a stereotype of Italians being Mafia mobsters. 

What about the 'My Buddy Jesus' items that eBay allows to be sold on their site?  My being Catholic, I'm offended by that. 

eBay also allows Atheist tee-shirts to be sold on their site, which mock people of faith.  I'm offended by that.

Does eBay want to go down this road?  It's a slippery slope, because there will always be 'someone' who is offended by 'something', regardless of how many items eBay tries to ban.

In my opinion, eBay, you've folded like a house of cards, caving-in to political pressure.  'That' offends me.  Editing of free speech offends me. 

Erasing history offends me.  Double standards offend me.

Do you care?  Apparently, no.

[dbfolks166mt]

Or more to the point human nature. 

[dbfolks166mt]

In reality eBay's definition and policy is THEIR personal interpretation. It just happens to be their site so their personal interpretation carries the day. 

[dbfolks166mt]

Yea why are we stereotyped as "boomers" ?? 🤣

[bonjourami]

I would hope an image that ridicules and humiliates a minority would be offensive in the eyes of all beholders...but, knowing some people, maybe not.

[dbfolks166mt]

Curious if you find Martin Luther King to be offensive. I take offense to his I have a dream speech which is in and of itself sexist to some degree. While the speech is not gender specific there are heavy overtones of male singularity, use of words like man, him, son's are found to be offensive to some of the female population. It is also focused solely on the American segment of the world. 

[dbfolks166mt]

The decks of cards we already have. I sold several of them on eBay. 

[dbfolks166mt]

Herein lies part of the problem with removing too much history. People have forgotten WHY the Civil War was fought. It was fought to "preserve the union" and for no other reason. To quote Lincoln's letter to Horace Greeley during the heart of the Civil War

"I would save the Union. I would save it the shortest way under the Constitution. The sooner the national authority can be restored; the nearer the Union will be "the Union as it was." If there be those who would not save the Union, unless they could at the same time save slavery, I do not agree with them. If there be those who would not save the Union unless they could at the same time destroy slavery, I do not agree with them. My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or to destroy slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone I would also do that. What I do about slavery, and the colored race, I do because I believe it helps to save the Union; and what I forbear, I forbear because I do not believe it would help to save the Union. I shall do less whenever I shall believe what I am doing hurts the cause, and I shall do more whenever I shall believe doing more will help the cause. I shall try to correct errors when shown to be errors; and I shall adopt new views so fast as they shall appear to be true views. I have here stated my purpose according to my view of official duty; and I intend no modification of my oft-expressed personal wish that all men every where could be free."

[simba6]

History that is not PC is evil banned thought.  VERBOTEN  !   We must purge the old books of the past.  Only then can the "new normal" be accepted by the masses.

[dbfolks166mt]

Not really all that hollow, it's based on YOUR opinion. What is offensive to you may be art to others. I find it amazing that the matchsticks themselves had drawings on them and would have liked to have seen the item. People find Gone with the Wind to be offensive I believe it was one of the greatest movies ever done. 

[gizmos_and_gadgets_4_you]

" their constitutional right to decide how people use their site."

I wasn't aware there was a section in the constitution that addresses online auction sites. Apparently you have a newer version. Must be the one the left has been proposing.

Ebay can set rules. But it certainly has Nothing to do with the constitution. What they are doing is the same as every other major corporation, kowtowing to the mobs by signaling their virtue. Plain and simple.

[dbfolks166mt]

Again that is YOUR opinion of what "ridicules and humiliates", is based on your optic. Unless you personally knew the artist or producer you have NO idea of their intent. 

[gizmos_and_gadgets_4_you]

So, if someone were selling a T-shirt with a white guy with a cracker head, would it be banned as something with racist overtones? Or does that train only go one way on ebay?

[gizmos_and_gadgets_4_you]

It's one thing to not be in the crosshairs. It's another to virtue signal and suck up to the rhetoric.

[dbfolks166mt]

Every dollar that is made in this world comes at the expense of some person, group or thing. So why is this any different. You are one that finds it racist, offensive and dehumanizing but that is your opinion, or did you know the artist personally and know what his/her intent was??

[dbfolks166mt]

Yes only then can we be in a situation where we have no history to learn from and are forced to repeat it. Face it the human race is part of the animal kingdom and we are predators which is why our eyes point forward. Our nature is to compete and survive and that can only be done at the expense of others or other things.