How can this be a mistake?

#3
#3
Definitely a bad choice of words . . . So bad in fact that it makes me lean toward it being a poorly chosen metaphor off the top of his head. It's hard to believe anyone would be that overt.
 
#4
#4
do you really not know the story of Br'er Rabbit?
 
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#6
#6
family friends of ours had a cocker spaniel named "Tar Baby". Never even crossed my mind it was racist
 
#8
#8
Going back and reading the comment again, the metaphor actually makes sense. It's just a term that some get touchy about.

Reminds me of a few years ago when a politician got in hot water for using the word "niggardly".
 
#9
#9
Tar baby is a term for a "sticky situation". This is getting stupid and petty. It seems like you cant ever say anything without someone gettting their feelings hurt.
 
#10
#10
BearCat204 said:
Tar baby is a term for a "sticky situation". This is getting stupid and petty. It seems like you cant ever say anything without someone gettting their feelings hurt.
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If LG can contrive a racial implication anywhere, you know its coming.
Posted via VolNation Mobile
 
#12
#12
Caution- racist picture below

3392885.jpg
 
#13
#13
If I put "Tar Baby" as my details, will I get a suspension? I am "obviously" being racist
 
#15
#15
I am curious if LG will ever come back and explain how this is racist
 
#17
#17
I really don't know what to say to those of you who are asking how the term is racist. I've lived in the South all my life (if you call Florida part of "the South") and it is simply a well known racial epithet. Its basically one rung below the n word, really.

Those of you saying you did not know that -- I don't know if you are being serious or if the phrase had become so toxic and you are so young that it had not been used before, or exactly what the issue is.

But its truly recognized universally to be racial.

As to the comment that it is used to "refer to a sticky situation," um, no, He might have been thinking that -- I can't say. But you can call a situation "tarry" or "sticky." Calling the president a "tar baby" is either a racial angle coming out that he didn't mean to, or he's just a complete idiot.
 
#18
#18
I can see how it would be misconstrued. I don't think he was being racist - just a poor choice of words.
 
#19
#19
I'll try another response:

I heard this but the reporting is so unclear to me on what happened.

Whoever said it, I just want to roll my eyes. Its just politics and maneuvering.
 
#20
#20
lawgator1 said:
I really don't know what to say to those of you who are asking how the term is racist. I've lived in the South all my life (if you call Florida part of "the South") and it is simply a well known racial epithet. Its basically one rung below the n word, really.

Those of you saying you did not know that -- I don't know if you are being serious or if the phrase had become so toxic and you are so young that it had not been used before, or exactly what the issue is.

But its truly recognized universally to be racial.

As to the comment that it is used to "refer to a sticky situation," um, no, He might have been thinking that -- I can't say. But you can call a situation "tarry" or "sticky." Calling the president a "tar baby" is either a racial angle coming out that he didn't mean to, or he's just a complete idiot.
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FWIW, the top definition of tar baby on urban dictionary is as follows:

A dummy made of tar, which cannot be struck without getting oneself hopelessly stuck to it--from the story "Mr. Rabbit and Mr. Fox" by Joe Harris, as told by his fictional narrator, Uncle Remus.

Tar baby has become short hand for a situation better avoided than confronted.
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The racial epithet definition is 2nd with 2/3 as many votes. It seems the word has 2 meanings. Kind of like "cracker".

Urban Dictionary: tar baby
 
#21
#21
lawgator1 said:
I really don't know what to say to those of you who are asking how the term is racist. I've lived in the South all my life (if you call Florida part of "the South") and it is simply a well known racial epithet. Its basically one rung below the n word, really.

Those of you saying you did not know that -- I don't know if you are being serious or if the phrase had become so toxic and you are so young that it had not been used before, or exactly what the issue is.

But its truly recognized universally to be racial.

As to the comment that it is used to "refer to a sticky situation," um, no, He might have been thinking that -- I can't say. But you can call a situation "tarry" or "sticky." Calling the president a "tar baby" is either a racial angle coming out that he didn't mean to, or he's just a complete idiot.
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So you not sure what he was thinking, but you know thats what he meant?
 
#22
#22
BeecherVol said:
So you not sure what he was thinking, but you know thats what he meant?
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No. I'm saying that from my perspective it is so clearly inappropriate that I struggle understanding how he made the mistake.

Clearly, there are others who do not view it as racial. But I truly believe that even if you don't you ought to realize that enough people do that calling a black person a tar baby is incredibly dumb.
 
#23
#23
Maybe all of the Uncle Remus stories should be taken out of the libraries and burned on the courthouse steps.
 
#24
#24
lawgator1 said:
No. I'm saying that from my perspective it is so clearly inappropriate that I struggle understanding how he made the mistake.

Clearly, there are others who do not view it as racial. But I truly believe that even if you don't you ought to realize that enough people do that calling a black person a tar baby is incredibly dumb.
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From my perspective he shouldn't have said it because it's clear that to many people, everything is about racism. I don't know why he would've said it if he knew that it would be construed that way, which in my mind means he would've clearly had an incentive not to say it. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt.
 
#25
#25
hmanvolfan said:
Maybe all of the Uncle Remus stories should be taken out of the libraries and burned on the courthouse steps.
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You know Disney destroyed The Song of the South from its vault? You can get it from Chinese pirates still.
 
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