We've seen our share of ignorant, borderline racist mudslinging throughout this campaign, so maybe this shouldn't really be all that surprising. Insulting, yes. But not exactly surprising.
A Republican House member Monday sent a letter of apology to Sen. Barack Obama, after calling him "boy" and comparing him to a "snake oil salesman" in attacking his national security credentials at a weekend fund-raising dinner in Kentucky.Here's the audio/video. Was Davis taken out of context? You tell me.
According to a Lexington Herald-Leader blog item, Rep. Geoff Davis, R-Ky., said Saturday that he had recently participated in a "highly classified, national security simulation" with Obama, and said that exercise showed that Obama can't be trusted to make difficult decisions.
"I'm going to tell you something: That boy's finger does not need to be on the button," Davis said. "He could not make a decision in that simulation that related to a nuclear threat to this country."
Well, if it looks like a "boy", sounds like a "boy", and walks like a "boy", then by golly, it just might be a racial slur.
Again, I've accepted this sorta crap as par for the course, and now that the Republicans are piling on, we should probably expect more of these attacks come the Fall. But make no mistake about it, racial politricks is as bipartisan a smear tactic as you'll find. This ain't about the GOP or the Dems. It's about common decency.
What's most surprising though, is how many whites don't even think this is a disrespectful statement, let alone racist. To wit, just reading the comments Milwaukee Journal Sentinel columnist Eugene Kane's always entertaining blog, many white folks just don't seem to get it. The link's below, go over there and prepare to have your mind blown. Or not.
Seriously, any white person who finds calling a black man three years his junior a "boy" acceptable is either completely ignorant to American history or just stuck on stupid. To his credit, Davis has apologized, but who the hell really cares at this point? He already told us all we need to know.
If only these folks had watched the seminal "But Mama, 'Boy' Is A White Racist Word!" episode of Good Times, they'd know better. Hell, even a preteen Michael Evans was hip to the game.
I don't have video of that episode handy (Thembi, where are you?), but here's a video montage of the Militant Midget gettin' down, just to end things on a happy note.
Question: Is calling a grown assed black man a "boy" racist, or merely garden-variety disrespect?
And the GOP wonders why it can't attract black voters [Raisin' Kane Blog - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]
GOP Congressman Apologizes for Calling Obama 'Boy' [ABC News]
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Hahahahahaha!!!! I LOVE the Good Times throwback. I'm gonna be saying that all day now...
Coming from the south, I think 'boy' in reference to a black man (or even a kid) is second only to 'nigger' in the level of historical and cultural foulness it carries with it.
The term has an interesting arc in its usage though:
From the slave days, it was exceptionally derogatory in usage but not inherently racist. That slowly changed until by the 1940s and 50s it because almost exclusively a racist insult. In the 60s, along with other terms, it was exposed as a true racial slur, and lost any alternate meaning in that context.
Later it came into more common usage again, in the south, for anyone to try and place themselves above the person they're addressing. In contexts other than white person talking to black, it drew from the racist baggage and used that dehumanizing overtone to tag the speaker's target with a lesser status.
Then with the rise of rap and hip hop, the term was co-opted by the subculture and divested of its racial baggage in some contexts (as they did with a lot of slang the 60's generation viewed as utterly taboo or carrying no positive meaning in any situation). Specifically when black men referred to their circles of friends ("these are my boys!") it became, in the course of a decade or so, a term of fellowship.
Since then it's migrated yet again into the wider culture, where it's mixed with the white context, still in limited use among older people, of implying a caste-like division, and become like many clearcut racial slurs, a question of who is saying it to whom, how old the speaker and the speaker's object are, what their perceived races are, in what context it's said, and with what intention.
In this case, it sounds that at minimum Rep. Davis wanted to denigrate Obama... but that was obvious from the rest of the quote. I think that the most conciliatory thing that could be said is that he wanted to make Obama sound young, inexperienced, and out of his depth. Interpreting the phrase as a clearcut intentional racial slur is a bit mharder to make stick... my sene is that it falls somewhere in the middle, and being from Kentucky, Davis ought to know better.
This isn't the basketball court, Representative, and you just insulted the man's ability to perform under pressure. It's not like you were making a wiseass remark about how much beer he can drink or something. Maybe it's OK in a familiar context, but you're gunning for him in a much more high-stakes game. The 'boy' shit is just not on.
LMAO @ the Good Times throwback. But I think white people may be under the impression that we are no longer offended by the phrases "boy" and "gal"(yes, in 2008 I have been called "gal"). I have ran into lots of white people who feel because we live in a modern time that we should no longer be offended by those words.
!
'gal' as a racial slur is entirely new to me... a weensy bit sexist, but I never thought of it as anything other than a 1920s-era slang, the feminine slang paired with 'guy'.
I have to admit I've never heard that word used with any racial connotation, not a single time. Maybe it's a regional thing?
Racist, hands down.
Racist, no doubt about it
- http://www.anythingblack.net
Once again we go bowling for racism and we hit a pin. I've heard as many white people refer to their sons or other men as boys as black people do. Its the year 2008 ok? As spool32 said "Interpreting the phrase as a clearcut intentional racial slur is a bit harder to make stick" Too bad we dont worry about how bad we treat each other, while worrying about white people.
@ spool32, I totally agree. There is an underlying tone to that word when used in reference to Black men, in the context of Black people, so on and so forth.
Born and raised in the South, I'd be remiss if I didn't state that I take certain offense to being called "gal" or "girl" by crusty, old white women. It's the same damn thing.
Some people, especially those in politics or entertainment still ignore how important it is to be aware of what you're saying. It's hard to speak and not offend someone. Sometimes it's blatent, other times it's hidden. But once you're aware that you've offended others a sincere apology is warrented...but for some it'll never be enough. But our history shows that the use of 'boy' is just not acceptable for most people under any circumstance!
@ madame z
right...that "girl" thing is a trip. i was at the doctor a few weeks back and the doc (not my regular doctor) is from south africa (white south african). his assisting nurse was a sista and when he called for her, he yelled "girly." i gave him the side eye, like WTF, are you serious?!
A word like "boy" or "gal" calls into question the context in which it was said. I'm 100% convinced that this was said in a totally racist manner.
Only about 85%-90% convinced.
Aside from his partisan predilections, this Representative's prejeudices clearly came through. If someone saw this as a racial slur, I don't think they'd be fishing that far. The place was ripe for it to be seen as such.
Everything aside, Geoff Davis needs to go somewhere and saddown. What thought process would allow for such capricious rants to be said by someone who amounts to being your colleague in Congress? I mean come on now--bringing up Tony Rezko?!?! For what it's worth, if you're not from Chicago, I'd suggest all others to keep their mouths shut about Chicago politics.
Prejudice or not, AB, you're right: the fact that he allowed himself to let the words "boy" pass the barrier of his lips clearly shows us where he stands related to history and to our current racial situation in the present.
I have never heard that "gal" is a racist term... I think that people in my generation that live in the midwest have no idea that this word has any negative connotation as it means girl or woman according to merriam--webster. I think of musicals when I hear it and they are referring to women always.... I think people should listen to the context of the sentece or situation before they decide something is derogatory!
My girlfriend and I call each other "Boyfriend" and Girlfriend" as terms of endearment. It may be different than most of you who use honey, sweetie, and dear, but that's what we call each other and it's our own. It has evolved into "Boy" and "Girl" although we still call each other "Boyfriend" and Girlfriend" too.
These terms of endearment came into our vocabulary from the hip hop pronunciation of the word girlfriend and boyfriend commonly used in the early 90's. Yes, we've been together that long.
Long story short, my father despises my girlfriend’s use of the word "Boy" (I put it in caps because she uses it as a personal name and not as a description). My father does not see it this way. He's over 60 and knows about the derogatory use of the word "boy". I think it bothers him so much because he is a bit prejudice as many older folks are.
The thing is, my peers in California have no knowledge of the history of the negative racial use of "boy". The only thing that sometimes comes to mind to an under 40 year old Californian when they hear the word boy is a Southerner speaking his/her slang in a southern draw. Looking back, I had always thought that it was used by an elder when speaking to a adolescent in the South, but I never knew it was a racial slur and directed to blacks. In fact, I had always thought of it as a white man speaking improper English to his white son. To be honest, this notion may be ingrained into my psyche due to a derogatory stereotype prevalent in California that the South is made up of non-educated white “hillbillies” who speak incorrectly. Of course I know this is not true and I don’t believe it, but it’s a common sterotype that is joked about sometimes.
Although my girlfriend and I won’t change our terms of endearment for political correctness, I will be more aware of the use of the word boy (although it seems to me to be outdated). However, one should not fault the other or be insulted if the person using the word did not have the intent nor the knowledge of the negative racial use of the word boy. Language and words evolve over time. In fact anthropologists study this language evolution and as many of you know, the Websters Dictionary adds new words all the time, many with roots in pop culture.
What I instinctually heard when Rep. Geoff Davis called Obama a boy was that he was trying to say that Obama is inexperienced and young. I'm an Obama supporter, but let's face it, he is a bit new to the arena and he is young for a politician.
Now that I see that Rep. Geoff Davis is from a southern state, perhaps it was a racial statement (although not definitive). I say this because as I have learned in this dialog, the South was the birthplace of the derogatory use of the word boy.
Personally, I don't want to bring racial issues up when Obama has a great chance at wining the Presidency. The reason is that I hope he can win without the issue of racism being apparent. That would mean so much to me as an American. This will tell me that America has moved far along and is able to rise above racism. Don't get me wrong, I know for a fact that racism is alive an well, but it's great to know that at least the Democratic party and hopefully all of America is able to pick a President irregardless of his/her race.
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