He just isn't smart. As Biden said in a speech yesterday, I don't think he was even trying to be mean or offensive with what he said about PTSD. He's just so dumb and so out of touch and in his own world that he doesn't have a clue how ridiculous he sounds. He's clueless.Originally Posted by 50PoundHead
goldfly (10-05-2016)
I'm convinced Trump has no desire to win this thing
BedellBrave (10-06-2016)
That the OED includes it without a rare or obsolete tag to me signifies that the most comprehensive dictionary of our language feels it still has currency.
While you may be right that its denigratory aspect arises "from the fact that it sounds like a racial slur", I think that correspondence is aided by the context from which the principal definition arose (plantation south stories, recorded by a white man, in a tone some today feel patronizing to the African Americans depicted therein).
I actually haven't read that book; I had Sula in mind when I mentioned Morrison. But it comes up as an epithet, or with racially-charged connotations, in other of her works, and certainly she was very aware of its racial implications when questioned about the 1981 title:
(I'd also add I think Morrison can be quite subtle, when she wants to be, but that's neither here nor there at the moment.)"I use that old story because, despite its funny, happy ending, it used to frighten me. The story has a tar baby in it which is used by a white man to catch a rabbit. Tar Baby is also a name, like "******," that white people call black children, black girls, as I recall…. At one time, a tar pit was a holy place, at least an important place, because tar was used to build things…. It held together things like Moses' little boat and the pyramids. For me, the tar baby came to mean the black woman who can hold things together."
Not that often, any more. But I had plenty of those kind of extended relatives in Santa Rosa county—the kind with a special name for Brazil nuts, too—which is doubtless where my first exposure arose. Meanwhile, as I said, I've never read the Br'er Rabbit stories (though I'm a lot more familiar with them after this little discussion).
I'm still going to hold with "somewhat different species" of confusion, here, because niggardly comes from a totally different, entirely unrelated milieu; the only point of confusion is homophony. Meanwhile, "tar baby"—even in its meaning of "sticky situation"—was forged in a crucible of American slavery, so I think it's more natural that it accrued layers of racial charge over the past century-plus.
But hey: we may be closer here than we think. Even if the two confusions "mirror" each other, all I'm really saying is that taking offense at "tar baby" is at least somewhat more justifiable, because of historical context and a much more established history of pejorative usage. And either way, if you're on old white politician, it might be better to just find a synonym—it's not like English isn't rotten with them.
Gourds are inherently hateful.
Last edited by jpx7; 10-04-2016 at 12:35 PM.
"For all his tattooings he was on the whole a clean, comely looking cannibal."
I think he just has no idea how.
makes fun of people for mispronouncing Nevada
immediately himself starts to mispronounce Nevada
can't make that up
"For there is always light, if only we are brave enough to see it. If only we are brave enough to be it." Amanda Gorman
"When Fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross"
Count me as one who hadn't known that "tar baby" was heard by some as a racial slur. White privilege I suppose. I'll need to bear that in mind, because I often use that and "don't throw me into the briar patch."
I know it sounds all conspiratorial, but I wouldn't be shocked to find out that Trump and the Clintons were in cahoots.
donald's ego is way too big for that
When Obama lost that 1st debate in 2012 to Romney, he acknowledged it and said he didn't prepare enough and came back really strong in the last two. Kicked Romney's ass.
The 2nd best thing to come from don getting thrashed in the debate was everyone telling him how great he did. which in his mind means he has no reason to change. and i'm sure his "internal polls" aren't showing his chances diminishing, so keep it up for sunday, don!
“I’ve gotta use some tic tacs, just in case I start kissing her,” Trump says.“You know I’m automatically attracted to beautiful -- I just start kissing them. It’s like a magnet. Just kiss. I don’t even wait.”
“And when you’re a star they let you do it,” Trump says. “You can do anything.”
“Grab them by the p---y,” Trump says. “You can do anything.”
"For there is always light, if only we are brave enough to see it. If only we are brave enough to be it." Amanda Gorman
"When Fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross"
$100 that 'pussy' is used at some point, by someone on Sunday night.
Sorry Meta, you didn't know, but I really like how you two can have a conversation and understand how the word affected us when we were kids. We were called that a lot and it was because of black-face reference. Since whites back then avoided the n-word as much as possible they substituted tar-baby or porch-monkey in its stead. But I feel bad now that you did not realize that real life experiences and being called that can do harm on little kids.
I did my share of ridiculing whites growing up and worse towards mixed-kids. Now I realized that the mix girls back then would be hot looking today but our race on prejudice crept in us pure blacks (I am not - just a mutt like Obama or probably more so), because we have darker skin and they weren't allowed in our society or white society even. This was the price we paid in the 70's just growing up and learning from those before us. We thought we were innocent and only did what our surroundings taught us. 40 years later and having mix kids, Karma made me wake up.
I wonder what happened to a few of those mix girls I grew up with but did not want to be caught with them.
Hillary better be careful not to go too far on Trump. Pubs could start calling for Pence to replace Trump.
thank you weso1!
Trump is disgusting. Our first "October surprise." Funny how things like this tend to show up.
And Trump will stay in the race as an indy.
No wonder the trump tape leaked today. Another big friday document dump by the FBI. Some bad emails from Hillary in there.
thank you weso1!
It's worth pointing out though that Bill Clinton actually did the things Trump brags about so any time Hillary presses this issue, that's going to be hanging out there.
Can we restart this election?
Chopping With The Braves And Rolling With The Tide
BedellBrave (10-08-2016)
No. This is the election this ignorant country deserves. Maybe now we will begin the process of bettering ourselves.
I guess there's always something hanging out with those guys.
The tape speaks for itself. My guess is Hillary plays "go to the head of the class" again and sticks to issues.
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