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Spider Jerusalem

(21,786 posts)

51. It's dismaying to see how many people are, apparently, incredibly ignorant.

Sun Mar 23, 2014, 06:07 PM

Mar 2014

Tar baby: A sticky situation from which one cannot easily extricate oneself. (This is the only context in which I've ever heard the term used, and it doesn't have any racist connotation.)

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Virginia lawmaker uses "tar baby" in speech about Medicaid debate [View all] TexasTowelie Mar 2014 OP

"....... insisting he used the term to indicate it's a sticky situation. " pangaia Mar 2014 #1

Because it is not a racist term joeglow3 Mar 2014 #7

actually it is...would you ever call a black person "tar baby" to his face? alp227 Mar 2014 #11

The "Racist interpretation" is stupid. nt Bonx Mar 2014 #16

Your "proof" that it is racist is a politician placating ignorant people calling it racist joeglow3 Mar 2014 #19

How could a person be a "sticky situation"? Nye Bevan Mar 2014 #28

There's an easy solution to the dilemma. Igel Mar 2014 #48

Brer Rabbit and the Tarbaby is an old folklore tale. HooptieWagon Mar 2014 #64

Everything is a racist term to those ..... oldhippie Mar 2014 #24

I did not grow up in the south, but rather out west. I did not know this term was racist Drahthaardogs Mar 2014 #58

I've never understood this one pscot Mar 2014 #2

I use the term "tar baby" for situations that are difficult to get away from once involved. Throd Mar 2014 #4

You must not have seen the Disney movie catbyte Mar 2014 #21

Song of the South; Long ago pscot Mar 2014 #42

That's my childhood recollection as well.I also read some of Joel Chandler Harris's stories as a kid Hekate Mar 2014 #52

Read Joel Chandler Harris, JimboBillyBubbaBob Mar 2014 #27

I guess screaming one more fucking time that the term is not racist would be a waste CBGLuthier Mar 2014 #3

Stupidity abounds B2G Mar 2014 #6

So You are now the authority on what is and is not racist? FreedRadical Mar 2014 #10

Yes. You have been unseated. B2G Mar 2014 #12

My skin begs to differ. FreedRadical Mar 2014 #15

I don't care if you're purple. B2G Mar 2014 #18

Thank you. That settles it then. FreedRadical Mar 2014 #30

Yeah, ya hear that from some anonymous poster on the net?.. Cha Mar 2014 #66

It is like the word "niggardly" FreeJoe Mar 2014 #33

I would say the current dictionary definition. Nye Bevan Mar 2014 #34

But the dictionary... FreeJoe Mar 2014 #37

All the more reason to nip the incorrect interpretation in the bud. Nye Bevan Mar 2014 #40

nope pscot Mar 2014 #43

We bow to the perceptions ..... oldhippie Mar 2014 #35

It works for the Republican Party Throd Mar 2014 #36

Apparently. oldhippie Mar 2014 #41

It isn't racist but elected officials shouldn't use it cthulu2016 Mar 2014 #5

Thespian? Doesn't that derive from some Greek muse? pscot Mar 2014 #9

And never mention the countries of Niger or Nigeria. Nye Bevan Mar 2014 #29

Not a racist term Politicalboi Mar 2014 #8

i'd disagree about "tar baby" being not a racist term, alp227 Mar 2014 #13

I agree. I was stunned when I came across this place in NC. adirondacker Mar 2014 #20

It's in SC B2G Mar 2014 #23

The origin of the "tar baby" concept is apparently African LittleBlue Mar 2014 #14

Anything is racist if you want it to be bad enough. Bonx Mar 2014 #17

are you sure you want to post this kind of claim on a progressive message board? alp227 Mar 2014 #22

+1 Jamaal510 Mar 2014 #25

Perhaps, but nobody knew that at the time. Igel Mar 2014 #46

Should words and phrases such as "tar baby" and "picnic" be avoided Nye Bevan Mar 2014 #26

I just learned something. TexasTowelie Mar 2014 #31

It doesn't pscot Mar 2014 #44

Maybe for you or I, TexasTowelie Mar 2014 #45

It didn't. Igel Mar 2014 #47

Not racist. RC Mar 2014 #32

That's where I learned the story of Tar-Baby, from Uncle Remus stories. I do not consider it an,,, northoftheborder Mar 2014 #54

Just like the PC crowd around here at one time. RC Mar 2014 #57

Isn't that from an Aesop's fable, or something? YarnAddict Mar 2014 #38

Br'er Rabbit. nt jazzimov Mar 2014 #49

"Tar baby" is a legitimate but widely misunderstood term TroglodyteScholar Mar 2014 #39

I'm much more offended by Corporate Terry McAuliffe Ron Green Mar 2014 #50

+1 HooptieWagon Mar 2014 #65

It's dismaying to see how many people are, apparently, incredibly ignorant. Spider Jerusalem Mar 2014 #51

Damn Disney Warpy Mar 2014 #53

I think you may have the situation reversed - I think it was used by some in the South hedgehog Mar 2014 #61

Have you ever tried to get pine tar off your hands? Warpy Mar 2014 #62

Loved Uncle Remus libodem Mar 2014 #55

Look up The Story of Little Babaji for an update of Helen Bannerman's lost classic Hekate Mar 2014 #59

I've been on a current reading run libodem Mar 2014 #67

Brer Rabbit is the direct descendent of the Trickster Hero Anansi, from West Africa Hekate Mar 2014 #56

No offense taken. TexasTowelie Mar 2014 #63

Some of the responses, though... Hekate Mar 2014 #68

Sad that he felt that he had to apologise, and shame on the people who condemned him. Donald Ian Rankin Mar 2014 #60