CRANSTON, R.I. (AP) — A Cranston mother of a daughter with dwarfism has persuaded a Minnesota food company to drop the word "midget" from a line of pickles.
The Providence Journal reports (http://bit.ly/qYXi8C ) that Chelley Martinka, who says she has craved pickles, said she was incensed when she saw jars of what Cains brand calls kosher dill midgets at a supermarket.
The mother of 10-month-old Adelaide, who has dwarfism, thought she would smash the jars. Instead, she took pictures and blogged.
Gedney Foods in Chaska, Minn., which produces pickles and food lines by Del Monte and Cains, says it will change its labels and stop using the word "midget."
The company did not return calls from the newspaper. It confirmed its decision, but said it does not want media attention or recognition for doing what's right.
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Information from: The Providence Journal, http://www.providencejournal.com
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.



Comments (29)
Add commentmidget pickles
Are you fricken serious? The name midget pickles was here long before your daughter was a gleem in anyone's eyes. Oh God have you contacted the company that makes 'midget' tootsie rolls? It's just like the indians not wanting any teams called braves! Fricken move on! So if someone's child is born with elephantitis, should we kill all the elephants? Get a grip! Seriously...focus on loving your child.
midget pickles
only meant to post that comment once. sorry
When did midget become a
When did midget become a derogatory term?
I sure hope she feels better.
Yes, we must watch out for the midget tootsie rolls.
I think Gedney caved a bit too soon on this one but,
who knows what the cost of the forthcoming lawsuit
would be. Anyone care to email them about taking away
the midget name? No, I thought not. That's why these
cases get settled .
Maybe the tootsie roll fight will move us.
When did midget become a derogatory term?
Probably when they got the right to vote , welfare or another government paid lifestyle and joined the Democrat Party.
Stars:
"It's just like the indians not wanting any teams called braves!"
I wouldn't go quite as far as to compare these two topics. In my opinion, it's apples to oranges.
I don't think the word 'midget' has always been offensive, but as we've seen with other words, about every 10 years there is a new, politically correct version of the word. They might mean the exact same thing, but for whatever reason the old word becomes the offensive one. It's dumb and I don't get it.
I'm sure the pickle company was using the term "Midget Pickles" long before the term was deemed offensive and I think they caved in a bit early. We can all think of others examples of words that fall into this category.
As for the derogatory team names, I fall on the other side of that debate, and we can pick another time and place for that.
Gedney midget pickles
As usual, some people want to rewrite the dictionary. Midget means "small" person or thing. Aren't pickles things?
What is termed bullying today is the same behavior that was called "teasing" in the past. The experience of this prepares you for the the real world which isn't alway kind. You just have to consider the source and move on. Let's whine our way through life.
OK-no more dark chocolate? No
OK-no more dark chocolate? No more red or yellow roses, polish pickles or sausage, oriental food, eskimo patties, redman chew, canadian bacon or Ho Hos? Get real-what else??????
Dwarf pickles?
Dwarf pickles?
How about size challenged
How about size challenged pickles? Like the size of the brains in our pc society?
because
Because I am "vertically challenged" I don't want to see anything labeled short or shorty. We could go on and on and on...
Dills murdered while
very young. A councilor's phone number on every jar.
Or "Minor consumption cukes that got pickled at a young and tender age."
I've never understood...
...how the term midget came to be known as a derogatory term. It was originally a medical term to describe a person who was under 4' 10" but who was otherwise normally proportioned. Dwarfs were never properly been described as midgets.
It's not the size
It's not the size of the pickle that matters as much as how you use it.
Even a size challenged pickle can be very satisfying!
SMTN
Aitken
SMTN
LOL, now that was good :) :) :)
ditto smtn
In my opinion, that is the best thing you have written here.
I think that is humor that we can all enjoy.
Thank you.
I wonder what I
Will be labeled because I have strongly disliked pickles all my life?? In the trash they go.
OFB
The ACLU will probably come after you. There is no room in our society for pickle haters! :)
LOL Dean
You are probably right.
midget pickles
I will now add Gedney pickles to my list of things not to buy for not having the cajones to stand up to this idiot women.
SPS , short pickle syndrome.
SPS , short pickle syndrome. :D
OFB
Tell me you like cucumbers tho. Pickles are just cucumbers that had their life shortened.
Hein
Absolutely not!! Ish I like to drive my ATV through those patches.
Boycott Nisswa ...
... they just held a "little" Miss Nisswa competition !! SHAME !!
I want John ward ...
... to author a bill creating a "save the Gedney midgets" license plate.
http://brainerddispatch.com/news/2013-02-19/special-cause-license-plates...
Amazing how the rest of
Amazing how the rest of society has to cow tow to a very few. Just like the kids who are peanut intolerant, that control the other 99 per cent. I would think that the very few could learn to adapt to the world.
sweet midget pickles renamed "little people" pickles
dwarfs and little people are upset and rightly so. in the interest of political correctness, Classic Pickles has renamed their sweet midget gherkin pickles to be "Little People Pickles."
press release here: classicpickles