Baa Baa Black Sheep.?

Question

Is this in any way offensive?
I sung it as a child and I am not a racist. Kids are now made to sing 'white sheep'. Well excuse me, isn't THAT offensive too then?
THE WORLD HAS GONE MAD!!

Answer 1

I don't know that Baa Baa Black Sheep was intended to be offensive to minorities, but common sense would tell you why it would be. Why is it the black sheep that is so bad??? And, changing it to white sheep is kinda dumb too. I say, lets just not sing about sheep. Then there would be no problems at all.

Answer 2

But it does not pass judgement on this sheep - whether black or white - so how can it be offensive? It is merely a method of identification, like pointing out a person as 'the one with brown hair' or whatever (and let's face it, to a person not aquainted with many sheep, there are not many ways to tell them apart). Does anyone know of someone who has actually been offended by this nursery rhyme? It's daft! This over-political correctness is getting a bit much, but I suppose it may be hard to know where to draw the line. But baa baa black sheep? offensive? dear oh dear...

Answer 3

Thing is, does anyone who is black find it offensive? Or is it a bunch of white people making it into a big issue and causing all the fuss about nothing.
I sang it many times as a child and not once did I think of it as a racist slur. Even now all it brings to mind is a sheep that is black in colour. And it's not as if they don't exist.

And a question for *karasi*, where in the rhyme does is say that the black sheep is bad??

Answer 4

This is for Smiley: It was a Gollywog, not a Colly Wog.

And for Karasi: Have you even HEARD the nursery rhyme? Nowhere does it mention that the black sheep is bad, so don't go jumping to conclusions... it could be construed as racism to white people!

Answer 5

Wow. Never thought of it that way before.
Baa baa black sheep have you any wool? yes sir, yes sir, 3 bags full, one for my master, one for the dame, one for the little boy who lives down the lane.

I mean each to their own, I don't sweat the small stuff.

Answer 6

That is just pathetic, political correctness gone too far. Leave the nursery rhyme alone! More to the point, there is something seriously wrong with people who hear the colour black mentioned and immediately think of it in the context of human skin colour, rather than the intended context.

Answer 7

If it is reference to a black sheep or a black board or matt black paint I can't possibly see what it has to do with the colour of someones skin! Yes the world IS quite mad!

Answer 8

i dont think that this is offensive or racist
is the reason why they sing white sheep cause sheep are also known as white

i think childrens songs for one are horrifying to begin with
look at ring around the rosies
that song was cause of the plage back then they brined everyone with the dieases that had died and stuck these rosies that made the burning flesh smell better

humpty dumpty fell broke

jack and jill jack got hurt

rock a by baby the belt broke and the baby fell

what about the mother who had so many children who lived in a shoe she smack them and put them in bed lol

there all sick

Answer 9

Kids these days aren't allowed to grow up the way we were allowed to. There are do-gooders every step of the way, telling kids what they should/should not be doing - no conkers, no running around, no this/that. The world HAS gone mad, & maybe we should wave the Human Rights Act in their faces & tell them to get lost!!!

Answer 10

I am sure every person in the world has sung it and somebody found something offensive about it there is nothing offensive about it.