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who knew "tar baby" was an offensive term?


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From Wikipedia:

 

A tar baby is a form of a character from African folklore where "gum, wax, or other sticky material is used to trap a person." [1]

 

As an American colloquialism, a tar baby is a "sticky situation from which it is difficult to extract one's self".

 

In Southern black speech in the 19th century, the word "baby" referred to both a baby and a child's "doll." Thus, the expression "tar baby" meant a tar doll or tar mannequin. For an example of such a character in popular American culture see Br'er Rabbit.

 

Recently some groups have started to claim that the term may also carry a negative connotation, alleging that it has been used as a derogatory term for dark skinned people (such as African Americans in the United States or Maoris in New Zealand). [1] Another claim is that it can refer to an especially dark skinned black person.

 

Tar Baby is also a song on the Promise (album) album by Sade.

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This is the dumbest PC 'uproar' i've heard in a while. Obviously, in context of his speech, the word wasn't used to describe black people. Granted, in today's knee-jerk society, a poltician would have been wise to stay away from it anyhow.

 

Note to self, quit saying 'a chink in the armor' to describe a gap in a program at work.

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this is much less stupid than people raising a fuss about the use of hte word niggardly, the meaning of which is not intended to be rascist.

 

Tar baby is about the same as calling someone Aunt Jemima.

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Tar baby is about the same as calling someone Aunt Jemima.

 

In a speech Saturday, Romney, a Republican considering a run for president in 2008, acknowledged he took a big political risk in taking control of the project after a fatal tunnel ceiling collapse, but said inaction would have been even worse.

 

"The best thing politically would be to stay as far away from that Aunt Jemima as I can," he told a crowd of about 100 supporters in Ames, Iowa.

 

In the context of this speech, he wasn't referring to someone, but something to which another common definition of makes the use both applicable and non-derogatory.

 

202_chappelle_m4.jpg

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Did anyone see Tony Snow say that he didn't want to hug the tar baby in his first week as White House Press Secretary?

 

At the time it seemed derogatory but considering the definition above it probably is a saying that is probably a carry over from a long time ago that only really rich effete people in politics use.

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i think it's cool that the republicans are taking back tar baby. they're picking up where ed meecham left off in the late 80s trying to bring back "pickaninny".

 

yeah, this is the same thing. exactly how may alternate definitions of pickaninny are there again?

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now you're just being silly

 

chink 1 Pronunciation (chngk)

n.

A narrow opening, such as a crack or fissure.

tr.v. chinked, chink

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