Author Topic: OKC announcer suspended 1 game for offensive comment  (Read 16022 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Re: OKC announcer suspended 1 game for offensive comment
« Reply #30 on: April 13, 2018, 07:51:02 PM »

Offline rocknrollforyoursoul

  • Satch Sanders
  • *********
  • Posts: 9666
  • Tommy Points: 324
So a phrase that is meant to imply someone must be delirious based on their actions, as people who picked cotton tended to become delirious from heat stroke, is somehow racist?

I am continually astounded by how people can make something about race when race has nothing to do with it.

Welcome to 21st-century America, where nearly every situation has an Al Sharpton type waiting to play the race card.
"There are two kinds of people: those who say to God, 'Thy will be done,' and those to whom God says, 'All right, then, have it your way.'"

"You don't have a soul. You are a Soul. You have a body."

— C.S. Lewis

Re: OKC announcer suspended 1 game for offensive comment
« Reply #31 on: April 13, 2018, 07:51:46 PM »

Offline jambr380

  • K.C. Jones
  • *************
  • Posts: 13002
  • Tommy Points: 1756
  • Everybody knows what's best for you
I always thought of it as an old sayingaused as a substitute for swearing and never considered it racist. I guess it must be of southern origin and probably started as a slight to slaves. Still, over 300 years later, does it really mean the same thing?

this is kinda where im at.  Ive heard the phrase a ton of times over the years whether it be someone saying it or hearing it on tv.  Its one of those things you just never think of the meaning behind it, its just a saying people have said
Yeah, I am pretty sure the first time I heard it was on television, like a Bugs Bunny cartoon or an old western movie or something like that.

Yeah, TP - totally Bugs Bunny. I was coming on here to write exactly the same thing.

This is the type of situation that makes conservatives hate liberals even more. I get being PC, but this seems like the stretchiest of stretches.

Re: OKC announcer suspended 1 game for offensive comment
« Reply #32 on: April 13, 2018, 08:09:05 PM »

Offline KGs Knee

  • Frank Ramsey
  • ************
  • Posts: 12749
  • Tommy Points: 1544
So a phrase that is meant to imply someone must be delirious based on their actions, as people who picked cotton tended to become delirious from heat stroke, is somehow racist?

I am continually astounded by how people can make something about race when race has nothing to do with it.
Please provide us with the source for this interpretation. Thank you.

https://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/cotton-picking.html

The phrase "out of you cotton-picking mind" is directly related to the mental condition one is susceptible to due to the harsh conditions of picking cotton.  It's a phrase that predates slavery.  It has no racist beginnings.  It has never been used solely in reference to any particular race.

The phrase "keep your cotton-picking hands off me" most certainly is intended to be racist, as it's meant to imply the cotton-picking black slaves were degenerates who couldn't be trusted.

Other uses of cotton-picking are generally meant as substitutes for various swear words meant to convey a point of emphasis.

Re: OKC announcer suspended 1 game for offensive comment
« Reply #33 on: April 13, 2018, 08:33:27 PM »

Offline Rosco917

  • Paul Silas
  • ******
  • Posts: 6108
  • Tommy Points: 559
So a phrase that is meant to imply someone must be delirious based on their actions, as people who picked cotton tended to become delirious from heat stroke, is somehow racist?

I am continually astounded by how people can make something about race when race has nothing to do with it.

Welcome to 21st-century America, where nearly every situation has an Al Sharpton type waiting to play the race card.


Absolutely agree, very sad.

No wonder why this Countries number one export is hate. 

Re: OKC announcer suspended 1 game for offensive comment
« Reply #34 on: April 13, 2018, 08:35:05 PM »

Offline ChillyWilly

  • Bill Walton
  • *
  • Posts: 1373
  • Tommy Points: 619
Sticks and stones can break my bones but words will never hurt me.
ok fine

Re: OKC announcer suspended 1 game for offensive comment
« Reply #35 on: April 13, 2018, 08:43:43 PM »

Offline Jiri Welsch

  • Jim Loscutoff
  • **
  • Posts: 2935
  • Tommy Points: 349
In our country’s historical memory, who used to pick cotton? Was it primarily slaves that were forcibly removed from their families, physically beaten and intimidated, brutalized psychologically and largely not given the opportunity to receive an education?

Oh, it was?

But yeah, “cotton picking” just is talking about picking cotton! No racial undertones or connotations! Just some cotton picking. And because slavery was outlawed over a century ago, it doesn’t matter whether the phrase harkens back to a historical moment in which human beings were treated as less than human.

Seriously though, sometimes I really think the “Boston is intolerant” narrative is overblown and then I read the comments on this forum. Just because you aren’t personally offended doesn’t mean it somehow meets the standards of acceptability.

Re: OKC announcer suspended 1 game for offensive comment
« Reply #36 on: April 13, 2018, 08:56:17 PM »

Online tazzmaniac

  • Don Nelson
  • ********
  • Posts: 8113
  • Tommy Points: 549
In our country’s historical memory, who used to pick cotton? Was it primarily slaves that were forcibly removed from their families, physically beaten and intimidated, brutalized psychologically and largely not given the opportunity to receive an education?

Oh, it was?

But yeah, “cotton picking” just is talking about picking cotton! No racial undertones or connotations! Just some cotton picking. And because slavery was outlawed over a century ago, it doesn’t matter whether the phrase harkens back to a historical moment in which human beings were treated as less than human.

Seriously though, sometimes I really think the “Boston is intolerant” narrative is overblown and then I read the comments on this forum. Just because you aren’t personally offended doesn’t mean it somehow meets the standards of acceptability.
Except that the phrase has nothing to do with any of that as has been mentioned in a number of posts already. 

Re: OKC announcer suspended 1 game for offensive comment
« Reply #37 on: April 13, 2018, 08:57:43 PM »

Offline feckless

  • Bill Walton
  • *
  • Posts: 1202
  • Tommy Points: 93
In our country’s historical memory, who used to pick cotton? Was it primarily slaves that were forcibly removed from their families, physically beaten and intimidated, brutalized psychologically and largely not given the opportunity to receive an education?

Oh, it was?

But yeah, “cotton picking” just is talking about picking cotton! No racial undertones or connotations! Just some cotton picking. And because slavery was outlawed over a century ago, it doesn’t matter whether the phrase harkens back to a historical moment in which human beings were treated as less than human.

Seriously though, sometimes I really think the “Boston is intolerant” narrative is overblown and then I read the comments on this forum. Just because you aren’t personally offended doesn’t mean it somehow meets the standards of acceptability.

Tommy point!

Cotton was predominantly picked by slaves, seen as a slave function and the common sense derivation of out of your cotton picking mind or get your cotton picking hands off references biases and attitudes towards slaves and blacks. 

Whether people associated the phrase with the racist intent, due to it's common usage I think is a legitimate debate.  But we now should think about it and instead of coming up with absurd interpretations admit that we were wrong and have now been enlightened.
Days up and down they come, like rain on a conga drum, forget most, remember some, don't turn none away.   Townes Van Zandt

Re: OKC announcer suspended 1 game for offensive comment
« Reply #38 on: April 13, 2018, 08:59:16 PM »

Offline feckless

  • Bill Walton
  • *
  • Posts: 1202
  • Tommy Points: 93
In our country’s historical memory, who used to pick cotton? Was it primarily slaves that were forcibly removed from their families, physically beaten and intimidated, brutalized psychologically and largely not given the opportunity to receive an education?

Oh, it was?

But yeah, “cotton picking” just is talking about picking cotton! No racial undertones or connotations! Just some cotton picking. And because slavery was outlawed over a century ago, it doesn’t matter whether the phrase harkens back to a historical moment in which human beings were treated as less than human.

Seriously though, sometimes I really think the “Boston is intolerant” narrative is overblown and then I read the comments on this forum. Just because you aren’t personally offended doesn’t mean it somehow meets the standards of acceptability.
Except that the phrase has nothing to do with any of that as has been mentioned in a number of posts already.

I read those other supposed interpretations and say Hooey!
Days up and down they come, like rain on a conga drum, forget most, remember some, don't turn none away.   Townes Van Zandt

Re: OKC announcer suspended 1 game for offensive comment
« Reply #39 on: April 13, 2018, 09:03:10 PM »

Online tazzmaniac

  • Don Nelson
  • ********
  • Posts: 8113
  • Tommy Points: 549
In our country’s historical memory, who used to pick cotton? Was it primarily slaves that were forcibly removed from their families, physically beaten and intimidated, brutalized psychologically and largely not given the opportunity to receive an education?

Oh, it was?

But yeah, “cotton picking” just is talking about picking cotton! No racial undertones or connotations! Just some cotton picking. And because slavery was outlawed over a century ago, it doesn’t matter whether the phrase harkens back to a historical moment in which human beings were treated as less than human.

Seriously though, sometimes I really think the “Boston is intolerant” narrative is overblown and then I read the comments on this forum. Just because you aren’t personally offended doesn’t mean it somehow meets the standards of acceptability.
Except that the phrase has nothing to do with any of that as has been mentioned in a number of posts already.

I read those other supposed interpretations and say Hooey!
Nothing interpretive about it.  Its about actual usage versus PC delusion. 

Re: OKC announcer suspended 1 game for offensive comment
« Reply #40 on: April 13, 2018, 09:06:35 PM »

Offline Jiri Welsch

  • Jim Loscutoff
  • **
  • Posts: 2935
  • Tommy Points: 349
In our country’s historical memory, who used to pick cotton? Was it primarily slaves that were forcibly removed from their families, physically beaten and intimidated, brutalized psychologically and largely not given the opportunity to receive an education?

Oh, it was?

But yeah, “cotton picking” just is talking about picking cotton! No racial undertones or connotations! Just some cotton picking. And because slavery was outlawed over a century ago, it doesn’t matter whether the phrase harkens back to a historical moment in which human beings were treated as less than human.

Seriously though, sometimes I really think the “Boston is intolerant” narrative is overblown and then I read the comments on this forum. Just because you aren’t personally offended doesn’t mean it somehow meets the standards of acceptability.
Except that the phrase has nothing to do with any of that as has been mentioned in a number of posts already.

I read those other supposed interpretations and say Hooey!

The idea that locating the origin of a phrase means interpretation is static is simply incorrect. Look at the word “gay” for instance. Language and culture are dynamic, and therefore the origin of a phrase sometimes doesn’t tell the whole story.

If you asked a common American, “what do you think when you hear ‘cotton picking’?” the vast majority would answer slavery. Obstinately ignoring this, and maintaining that personally not taking issue means no one should take issue with the phrase just shows a lack of empathy IMO.
« Last Edit: April 13, 2018, 09:41:12 PM by Jiri Welsch »

Re: OKC announcer suspended 1 game for offensive comment
« Reply #41 on: April 13, 2018, 09:19:29 PM »

Offline feckless

  • Bill Walton
  • *
  • Posts: 1202
  • Tommy Points: 93
In our country’s historical memory, who used to pick cotton? Was it primarily slaves that were forcibly removed from their families, physically beaten and intimidated, brutalized psychologically and largely not given the opportunity to receive an education?

Oh, it was?

But yeah, “cotton picking” just is talking about picking cotton! No racial undertones or connotations! Just some cotton picking. And because slavery was outlawed over a century ago, it doesn’t matter whether the phrase harkens back to a historical moment in which human beings were treated as less than human.

Seriously though, sometimes I really think the “Boston is intolerant” narrative is overblown and then I read the comments on this forum. Just because you aren’t personally offended doesn’t mean it somehow meets the standards of acceptability.
Except that the phrase has nothing to do with any of that as has been mentioned in a number of posts already.

I read those other supposed interpretations and say Hooey!
Nothing interpretive about it.  Its about actual usage versus PC delusion.

Baseless Hooey!

Read what you are talking about of course cotton picking means to pick cotton but it morphed into a racist derogatory reference.

"It can come as as little surprise that the term 'cotton-picking' originated in the southern states of the USA, where it is usually pronounced cotton-pickin'. It began life in the late 1700s and differs from the 19th century Dixie term, 'cottonpicker', in that the latter was derogatory and racist, whereas 'cotton-picking' referred directly to the difficulty and harshness of gathering the crop. This didn't extend to the specific expression 'keep your cotton-picking hands off of me'. This no doubt alludes to the horny, calloused (and usually black) hands that picked cotton. "
https://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/cotton-picking.html
« Last Edit: April 13, 2018, 09:34:37 PM by feckless »
Days up and down they come, like rain on a conga drum, forget most, remember some, don't turn none away.   Townes Van Zandt

Re: OKC announcer suspended 1 game for offensive comment
« Reply #42 on: April 13, 2018, 09:46:38 PM »

Offline green_bballers13

  • NCE
  • Jim Loscutoff
  • **
  • Posts: 2948
  • Tommy Points: 320
Not a good thing to say, especially on TV. It can be interpreted a couple of ways. One interpretation is that he has been playing out of his mind without any negative bias or prejudice. The other side is that it sounds pretty racist. You can choose which way you want to view it. The issue is that the reward of being able to make such a comment isn't worth the risk that a bunch of people now think you're a dink.

Re: OKC announcer suspended 1 game for offensive comment
« Reply #43 on: April 13, 2018, 10:09:58 PM »

Offline tarheelsxxiii

  • Don Nelson
  • ********
  • Posts: 8593
  • Tommy Points: 1389
I always thought of it as an old saying used as a substitute for swearing and never considered it racist. I guess it must be of southern origin and probably started as a slight to slaves. Still, over 300 years later, does it really mean the same thing?
it might to people whose ancestors were slaves just over 150 years ago.
Did some research. Apparently the saying "No can do" was a way to mock Asians in America during the mid 1800s. Does that saying really mean what it was started as? What about "Sold down the river"? which nowadays has a completely different meaning than that first used?

I am a pretty liberal guy and think highly of being politically correct. But is this going too far when meanings of sayings completely change their meaning hundreds of years later? I think maybe so.
Are you onboard with the expression “tar baby”?

But more to the point,who gets to declare the acceptability of such phrases that emerge from a time of rancid racism?

If you call somebody a tar baby, you’re racist.

If you refer to a situation as a tar baby, you were probably read Br’er Rabbit as a kid.

C'mon guys.  A little sensitivity for our other users, please?!  (just kidding)   :)
The Tarstradamus Group, LLC

Re: OKC announcer suspended 1 game for offensive comment
« Reply #44 on: April 13, 2018, 10:28:49 PM »

Online Roy H.

  • Forums Manager
  • James Naismith
  • *********************************
  • Posts: 58537
  • Tommy Points: -25636
  • Bo Knows: Joe Don't Know Diddley
I always thought of it as an old saying used as a substitute for swearing and never considered it racist. I guess it must be of southern origin and probably started as a slight to slaves. Still, over 300 years later, does it really mean the same thing?
it might to people whose ancestors were slaves just over 150 years ago.
Did some research. Apparently the saying "No can do" was a way to mock Asians in America during the mid 1800s. Does that saying really mean what it was started as? What about "Sold down the river"? which nowadays has a completely different meaning than that first used?

I am a pretty liberal guy and think highly of being politically correct. But is this going too far when meanings of sayings completely change their meaning hundreds of years later? I think maybe so.
Are you onboard with the expression “tar baby”?

But more to the point,who gets to declare the acceptability of such phrases that emerge from a time of rancid racism?

If you call somebody a tar baby, you’re racist.

If you refer to a situation as a tar baby, you were probably read Br’er Rabbit as a kid.

C'mon guys.  A little sensitivity for our other users, please?!  (just kidding)   :)

I’ve gotta say, I have no idea what a Tar Heel is.


I'M THE SILVERBACK GORILLA IN THIS MOTHER——— AND DON'T NONE OF YA'LL EVER FORGET IT!@ 34 minutes