Is anyone else sick of how sensitive black people are?

Question

I mean, John McCain uses the phrase "tar baby" to describe a sticky situation and now he's shaking in his boots that someone like Al Sharpton will brand him a racist. I'll bet Obama could have said the same thing without causing a stir. People shouldn't be so easily offended. This is America and you shouldn't be trembling in your boots every time you phrase something in a manner that others might not choose to. Come on, black people, quit holding everyone hostage to the race card!

Munya - I doubt very many black people that were born after 1965 that have had any of those experiences either. No one is saying that the historical record is one to be proud of - but, frankly, that is past us and it's time that everyone is simply treated equally. The sensitivity is not justified (in my opinion).

What the phrase actually means - and where it comes from:

"The tar baby is a form of a character widespread in African folklore. In various folktales, gum, wax, or other sticky material is used to trap a person.

The folktale achieved currency in the United States in written form in one of Joel Chandler Harris's Uncle Remus stories, a collection of stories based on African-American folklore, narrated by the fictional Uncle Remus, a former slave. In the story "Tar-Baby," the character Brer Fox makes a doll out of tar, which he places by the road to entrap his enemy Brer Rabbit. Brer Rabbit talks to the doll, and when it doesn't answer, he hits it, and gets stuck in the tar. The more he struggles with it, the more he is entangled in it.

This story has led to the figurative use of tar baby in the sense 'an inextricable problem or situation', sometimes with the nuance 'something used to entrap a person'.

I acknowledge that some people have used it in the past to make derogatory references to black people, but that is not how most white people use it (or, in my experience, have ever used it).

Lori - I am not advocating going out of your way to offend anyone. I don't think McCain would have used the phrase at all if he even remotely thought it was offensive to black people - that's political suicide.

Answer 1

AMEN! And not just blacks, Gay's and lesbians, Latinos, everyone who cries discrimination at the least bit of adversity in their life.

Answer 2

I hate to break it to you, but black people aren't the only ones who find the phrase "tar baby" offensive. What is the matter with simply calling it a "sticky situation"? Everyone can understand what it means, and it is no more than the truth, so it is inoffensive. Can you agree that the phrase was used in the past as a deliberate slur against blacks? When it was used, it was meant to be offensive. What is wrong with asking people to refrain from offensive language? Do you cuss in front of your grandmother? Do you sometimes "slip", and call a cop a "Pig"?

Everyone is sensitive. It is just a matter of degree. This isn't a matter of political correctness, it is a matter of courtesy. Suppose someone referred to you as "boy"? Or your wife as a "broad"? The point is, civility starts with controlling the tongue. McCains choice of metaphor was not only in bad taste, but showed thoughtlessness, which is not a trait one hopes to see in a leader. You may choose to use careless language and offensive epithets at home, but I'll bet you show a little more control at work.

Answer 3

First and foremost sir. I have to respect your opinion. BUT....as an African American woman, I feel that you can not possibly categorize all African American people as being "sensitive." In my mind, I am thinking where did he hear that term and how was it used when he heard it. It is all about the meaning. Obama would have caused a stir just as well as John McCain. Just because Obama is a "black" man, that doesn't mean that African American people wouldn't feel some since of shame from that term being used. This could very well be on the same level as that racist guy from Seinfeld. But, I hope you don't have any kids!!! Because if so, you are going to mess up their fragile little minds. I will put you at the top of my prayer list.
Good Day To You

Answer 4

I totally and completley agree with you, I think they play the race card up to the fullest extent. He uses an expression to describe a situation but because tarbaby was black now its a derrogatory remark towards blacks...How? We are not allowed as caucasian people in this country to voice our opinion without offending the african americans, but if they want to bash us, then its okay because they "deserve payback from 100s of years ago" so this poor guy who says nothing racist still gets slammed because of their sensitivity!!! wake up they let their children and eachother come right out and call each other nigge** but watch out if he says Tar Baby

Answer 5

completely unwell of all of it if it replaced into no longer all overrated plenty 0.5 the themes does not exist occasion of this stupidity... i replaced right into a witness to a incident the place a guy replaced into going to break a (black/colored/african and so on ect do no longer prefer to be accused of being racist as i'm completely no longer ) men face in with a hammer after he beat the crap out of him and as he replaced into approximately to try this he called him a black bastard he replaced into arrested and rightly so yet i replaced into horrified to examine no longer because of the fact he replaced into going to kill him or because of the fact he beat him up yet because of the fact he called him a black bastard no expenses have been offered against him for his violet behaviour however the racist fact went precise as much as the intense commissioner to work out in the event that they might do him for racial abuse now im sorry yet in temper all of us say issues we would remorseful approximately no longer propose yet im particular he might have called him different names at that factor if he have been white/ irish / turkish / american or the rest

Answer 6

I'm sick of how sensitive all americans are. We should dedicate one day a month where instead of saying "hi" when you're greeting someone you have to say "f you" or something similar.

We need to thicken our skins.

Answer 7

Careful dude, they're hot at playing the 'race-card' even on here.
A she-boon got my a/c suspended earlier today..

Edit:
My dear, how do you bear all this oppression & victimisation?
My heart truly bleeds for you...
(See following reply)

Answer 8

if you were african american for at least fifteen years you would be sensitve too. yall just dont understand

Answer 9

ride on tell it like it is. for a free country the freedom of speech and thought are gone if you are white.

Answer 10

yeah the same thing can happen to a white person but when something happens to a black person they call it discrimination.