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Racist GOP Rep. Calls Obama 'Boy'

dailykos.com — Looks like the GOP is getting an early start on racist name-calling. Trying to denigrate Obama, GOP Rep. Geoff Davis says of Obama: 'That boy's finger does not need to be on the button.'

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  • mikiturner, on 04/15/2008, -32/+275I'll just point out that Rep. Davis is 49 years old; Obama is 46.
    • rz8472, on 04/15/2008, -17/+82Which also means that Mr. Davis picked up his racist thinking AFTER the whole Civil Rights Movement of the 60s. Unless he was 5 years old, glued to the TV, and screaming, "those damn ****ers want to move into our neighborhoods!"
      • moocow1452, on 04/15/2008, -1/+20Well, my little brother was addicted to Spongebob at 5, so you probably aren't too far off the mark.
        • nospinhere, on 04/15/2008, -4/+8Warning: The Content in this Article May be InaccurateReaders have reported that this story contains information that may not be accurate.
          • didiman, on 04/15/2008, -5/+4It's from dailykos, are they ever accurate?
          • lamiaconfitor, on 04/15/2008, -5/+2Good job copying and pasting! I wonder, you you highlight and then right click, or do you use hotkeys?
      • cawpin, on 04/15/2008, -30/+13The last time I checked "boy" was a gender, not a race. My friends use boy just as you probably use buddy, dude or guy.
        • Eezyville, on 04/15/2008, -8/+35"Boy" was often used as a derogatory term for african-american males before and after the civil rights movement. Its a way of talking down on us without calling us the N-word. When you refer to someone as a "boy" you are showing that you treat them as a child who is incapable of making rational decisions or do grown-up things and you are thus disrespecting their intelligence and maturity.
          • JeffD, on 04/15/2008, -25/+11Its also a way as referring to males younger than you. It might still be derogatory, it does suggest that you're unexperienced, but it is definitely not a racial slur.
          • erikwithaknotac, on 04/15/2008, -12/+5Fetch me my whip.....boy..
          • dfsjdkflasjk, on 04/15/2008, -19/+9Calling a guy "boy" is degrading, yes, but "boy" is not a racist term in the slightest sense. Perhaps a group of Obama followers will figure out a way to consider "guy" when another politician refers to Barack as "that guy" as a racist term as well.
          • foofightrs777, on 04/15/2008, -7/+21"boy" is not a racist term. In this context however it is.

            FUN FOR HOME: Walk up to the nearest black adult male you see and say "What ya doin', boy?" I'm sure he will respond quite pleasantly to you!

            Bonus points: If you're white and have/fake a Southern accent.


            And if you thought to yourself, "that's rascist" Well, it is. I'm not quite sure why some people don't get that.
          • plaboon, on 04/15/2008, -16/+5Wow if you think this is racist you probably think Obama's pastor is a freakin skin head. If you exchange the word "white" with "black" in his sermons he sounds like a Klan member.

            Bonus Points: Any white person try and walk through an all black neighborhood and if the worst thing you get called is "Boy" then thank your lucky stars!

            Let's stop the double standards people... I know this site is crazy pro Obama but this is ridiculous... PS I'm not for Hillary or McCain - RON PAUL 2008
          • jaznova, on 04/15/2008, -4/+2We'll see more of these misstatements and code words in the general discussion, for the purposes of mobilizing the republican base.
          • cdahlkvist, on 04/15/2008, -5/+6So, in essense, when white males in the south refer to themselves as "Good Ol' Boys" they are call themselves derogatory racist terms?

            Interesting.

            So when Obama refers to a white person as a "man" I guess he is using it in a derogatory sense...."the man that has been keeping the black man down."

            You people read into things way too much.
        • Hillsfar, on 04/15/2008, -3/+11Are you that ignorant? To be a White Southern male only 3 years older saying it of a Black man, to be a U.S. Representative saying it of a U.S. Senator, to be using the word in a condescending/negative/attcking tone (as opposed to a positive tone that could only be used between two friends)... All of that plays into it. No wonder Geoff Davis personally hand-delivered a letter and tried to contact Obama by phone to apologize!
          http://nylatinojournal.com/home/images/stories/i-a ...
      • AmericanB4Black, on 09/17/2008, -0/+0Barack OBama crying racism again. What kind of racial history do the Dems have? Find out: http://www.opinionjournal.com/extra/?id=110011033
    • whoreable, on 04/15/2008, -13/+20Thanks for posting this. I was about to look it up. I am not too surprised he is from Kentucky.
      • Tuxbunta, on 04/15/2008, -0/+2Oh, so California doesn't have racists? Hmm. Seriously, you do know that the black people across the US are migrating to the South right. In large numbers. Guess things weren't so cozy in your part of these woods. Read the economist sometime.
      • AmericanB4Black, on 09/17/2008, -0/+0Barack OBama crying racism again. What kind of racial history do the Dems have? Find out: http://www.opinionjournal.com/extra/?id=110011033
    • whoreable, on 04/15/2008, -16/+75Also Obama was first elected in 1996 and this clown was just elected in 2004.
      • zacharytelschow, on 04/15/2008, -3/+2Obama was a state senator in 1996, not a US senator. If you're going to post facts, please make sure they are correct.
        • Orbitrix, on 04/16/2008, -1/+1lol what?
        • kittnerrules, on 04/16/2008, -0/+1Says he was "first elected in 1996," not "first elected to the Senate in 1996."
      • JakobVirgil, on 04/18/2008, -0/+1the comment does not specify which senate If you're going to post comments, please make sure they are correct.
    • DRINKxREDxBULL, on 04/15/2008, -72/+29So "boy" is a racial slur word now? This absurdity is just a preview of months to come when the Democrats get more and more desperate. If using a common word like "boy" is a racial slur in April, just using his name, along with just about any other word will be deemed 'racist' by the thought police by June.
      • DeathJux, on 04/15/2008, -21/+66Setting aside the fact that "boy" has traditionally been used as a racially-charged term, long ago, what other reason do you have for a man four years Obama's senior calling him "boy?"

        I would suggest using your brain instead of letting your mouth froth speak for you.
        • se1zure, on 04/15/2008, -35/+11or perhaps he was using in thise sense:
          -a friendly informal reference to a grown man

          Just because obama is black doesn't mean it was a racist remark. Seeing the remark as racist shows that you are the one who is racist. Now is he had said "*****" which has only one significant meaning in that context, that would be different, but he said BOY.
          • Drahkar, on 04/15/2008, -4/+17The Realm of Politics is not informal and when the comments are negative ones coming from someone in a rival party you can hardly call it friendly. It think its safe to read a little into the comment when he calls Obama boy.
          • krebcycle, on 04/15/2008, -4/+10If anyone called me "boy" either when speaking to or about me I would be offended, and I'm white. If I was black, I would be tempted to beat the living ***** out of them.
        • babylonian, on 04/15/2008, -11/+8Because Obama represents to a lot of politicans and Americans a youthfulness that is raerly seen in politics these days?

          Even if Obama isn't technically much younger than this guy, he's certainly perceived as being young, hence the "boy" comment.

          The man apologized. What more do you want?
          • krebcycle, on 04/15/2008, -6/+8i want him out of politics, he's a racist *****
          • herecomes, on 04/15/2008, -4/+6Plus he looks like he should be on a sex offender registry.
        • DRINKxREDxBULL, on 04/15/2008, -17/+6So now its official: anytime that anyone says anything that is not praising Obama, they will be labeled a racist.

          I have to the liberal thought police some credit though, I thought this was going to come sooner.
      • MisterFreeze, on 04/15/2008, -12/+33boy NOUN Offensive A male servant, such as a valet.
        • kidcodea, on 04/15/2008, -14/+2i thought he wanted to be the people's valet?
        • heliox, on 04/15/2008, -17/+8Way to be selective...

          Informal. a grown man, esp. when referred to familiarly: He liked to play poker with the boys.
          http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/boy
          • herecomes, on 04/15/2008, -3/+9I think that MisterFreeze chose the applicable definition.
        • tj111, on 04/15/2008, -5/+11@heliox, way to be selective...
          Disparaging and Offensive. a man considered by the speaker to be inferior in race, nationality, or occupational status. (from your link)
          • heliox, on 04/15/2008, -3/+1The op already posted that definition.
      • BoneheadFarker, on 04/15/2008, -21/+2I'll digg you simply because I say it, but it's more of a general insult rather then directed at any single race. Though this guy probably was referring to race...
        • thcobbs, on 04/15/2008, -8/+7Great, the democratic party.... true home of the though police.
          • krebcycle, on 04/15/2008, -5/+5asshatting again as usual
          • thcobbs, on 04/15/2008, -2/+2"Though this guy probably was referring"

            Seems a lot like deciding what someone ELSE's thoughts are to me.
          • BoneheadFarker, on 04/15/2008, -1/+0Uh...guys...I'm Canadian. We don't have quite the same racial relation problems that Americans, especially Southern Americans, seem to have. The only reason I assume he's refering to race is due to where he's from.

            And to be quite honest, I'm more Liberal party with leanings towards the NDP and Green party. And since the American Democratic party is considered to be to the right of the Conservative party here, I think that translates into "Tree-hugging Socialist Anarchist" down there...
      • WasabiBomb, on 04/15/2008, -11/+37If Obama had said something even vaguely similar, just imagine the field day Fox News and the Clinton camp would have.
        I was raised in the South. I lived there for all of my life, until about three years ago. I've never referred to *anyone* as "boy". However, I've certainly heard it used by racist white folk (usually, sadly, some of my family). No matter what you want to call it, it's a condescending term.
        It's especially inappropriate if you're talking about a presidential candidate.
        • musicbear, on 04/15/2008, -5/+12Agreed! Living in the south, I can tell you the term 'boy' only means one thing - a racial slur against African American males... period. If that's no longer part of your experience... great... that's a good thing, but take it from people who have routinely heard this word being used... it's not nice, it's not intended to be nice and NO ONE says it "on accident". This is the same as another politician calling Obama the N word.
          • loquax, on 04/15/2008, -1/+3I live right in the heart of ol' dixie, and I can concur with the two of you that "Boy" and the connotations it pulls up are pretty damn offensive. However, I've heard it used non-offensively to refer to another adult. I recall a older guy referring to Don Siegelman when he said something like "That boy is in a heap of trouble." Usually if it is used offensively, it is said directly to the person you want to demean. If he had said this to Obama directly, I would say that would be more what you guys are saying.
            That being said, that GOP boy was sure dumber than a sack full o' rocks for even letting the word "Boy" appear anywhere in a talk about Obama.
            One last thing, using the term "Jew Boy" at anytime is a bad idea.
        • erikwithaknotac, on 04/15/2008, -2/+6That McCain, that boy shouldn't have his finger on the button...
      • IpecacNeat, on 04/15/2008, -5/+17I'm an Obama support, and I was going to dismiss this, but once I found out that this guy is only 3 years older AND was elected after Obama, it just pisses me off.
      • Ourcellardoor, on 04/15/2008, -4/+9Yes, it is a slur when used in this context. It was ruled to be so in a Supreme Court case, which was a unanimous decision (including ultraconservatives Alito and Scalia). So please get your head out of your ass.
      • BigMrWiggly, on 04/15/2008, -3/+2When i saw that comment i saw nothing racist. You liberals are really reaching. This is ridiculous.
    • nreynolds, on 04/15/2008, -34/+14honestly, i don't see what makes this comment so racist. stupid? yeah. do i agree? no. but he's talking about obama's age and experience (even though this guy apparently has less). Am I racist whenever I say "get over here, boy"? is it ok for me to say that about white people but not black people?

      i'll admit that the intent of the comment was to be condescending, but it doesn't sound racist to me (an 18 year old kid).
      • cadberry, on 04/15/2008, -4/+19the expression "man" was started by african americans a long time ago in response to white people calling them "boy" in order to degrade them.
        • nreynolds, on 04/15/2008, -16/+9so am i racist every time I say "man"? words only have these meanings because we let them.
          • Inquisition, on 04/15/2008, -0/+1Fortunately, for you, you were born well after the Civil Rights Movement, and you probably don't live in the south. You are lucky not to remember such derogatory terms, and how they were used. This doesn't alter the fact that when a white man from the south says "boy" when referring to a black man, it is a racial slur.
        • acetv, on 04/15/2008, -5/+3Whoosh!
        • rodelero2, on 04/15/2008, -4/+8no, you are not racist if you say either boy or man but you SOUND ***** racist when you call a black man a "boy" thats jim crow dude. read on your history.
      • 47f0, on 04/15/2008, -2/+3NReynolds, you've led a blessedly sheltered life, but... I am from the South, and trust me - when you call a black man "boy" there is only one intent - and it's not a good one.
      • BigMrWiggly, on 04/15/2008, -1/+2Don't use the word boy is highly offensive along with half of the English language. We just shouldn't speak to each other anymore.
    • senator32, on 04/15/2008, -17/+3Check out Davis's federal legislation here: http://www.statesurge.com/members/716
    • se1zure, on 04/15/2008, -35/+6Wow, the submitter of this article is just as idiodic at the republican. He was not being racist in any way. Am I racist every time I talk to a child?

      I think obama is the best canidate with a chance right now, but will everyone call me a racist if I call him stupid for some poor decision he makes down the line?

      • john2kx, on 04/15/2008, -5/+22Obama isn't a child.
        • se1zure, on 04/15/2008, -10/+6okay boy.
          oh snap, i must be racist now, because I called you boy, and you aren't a child~!!1
          • marthaphoebe, on 04/15/2008, -4/+10wow you just don't get it? if john2kx was black, you'd have a blacker eye now.
          • JoeVet, on 04/15/2008, -0/+3Yes, you are racist. You are just trying to hide the fact by claiming one of the other meanings of the word. Its no different than when you white supremacists use to claim that ***** is just a variation of negro and simply means black.
          • Bob711, on 04/15/2008, -2/+1So him calling john a boy is racist. But you assuming that if john was black his reaction would be to just go ahead and punch him isn't?
      • marthaphoebe, on 04/15/2008, -3/+8>but will everyone call me a racist if I call him stupid
        Probably not, but Davis didn't call him stupid.
      • herecomes, on 04/15/2008, -1/+3You call your son "that boy"? That's really warm.
    • GunnerMcGrath, on 04/15/2008, -10/+42The age thing is key here. My assumption when reading this was that this was a guy 20 years older than Obama, using "boy" as a term related to his age, not his race (for those of you who don't know, black people were referred to as "boy" a few decades ago no matter what the relative ages of the parties involved, and yes, it was a racial slur, albeit a softer one than the N word). the fact that this guy is only 3 years older proves that his apparent air of superiority towards Obama is based on race, not age.
      • se1zure, on 04/15/2008, -26/+9You have got to be kidding. Boy shows a lack of respect but not as a racist term. For example, the senior editor of a newspaper may say "Hey boy, you got those photos?" to a photographer who is only slightly younger than him.
        • TwistedSheep, on 04/15/2008, -5/+17You sound quite sure of yourself, but you really shouldn't be
          • crmypotato, on 04/15/2008, -12/+7and you sound like a prick.
          • se1zure, on 04/15/2008, -7/+5The fact that you would interpret the use of the word boy towards a black person any different that it's use towards a white person shows that you are racist, does it not?
        • ho0ber, on 04/15/2008, -4/+15I have never in my life seen a middle-aged man call another middle-aged man "boy" without the first man being a racist *****. "Boy" has been used as a deliberate derogatory term, and recognized as such, for decades upon decades.
        • barfooz, on 04/15/2008, -3/+10Maybe in the 1920s. Nowadays, you're just completely wrong. I don't have to be black to tell you that.
        • marthaphoebe, on 04/15/2008, -1/+9You must be of the newer generation or clueless about racial sensitivity.
          I hope the former, this gives us hope that words can eventually lose their negative connotations.
      • ChromeWalnut, on 04/15/2008, -13/+8it was a poor choice of words and nothing else; the use of boy was in reference to obama as "a boy who needs to keep his finger off the button"-likening him to a little boy who finds amusement in button-pressing..

        i'll admit it was a horrible choice of words, but they had no intent of racism
      • JeffD, on 04/15/2008, -10/+8No it doesn't, it only means that he was trying to demean him for being inexperienced.
    • parithes, on 04/15/2008, -34/+10Considering Obama is a racist it evens everything out.
      • exronin, on 04/15/2008, -2/+4So you are saying you are a racist then?
      • topgigmedia, on 04/15/2008, -3/+6Obama = Racist? huh?????????????? Retarded statement...
      • HYPEractive, on 04/15/2008, -2/+3so he hates half of himself?
    • lovelifenow, on 04/15/2008, -8/+1Barack Obama Is Friends With Superman http://avideditor.wordpress.com/2008/04/14/barack- ...
    • lennybird, on 04/15/2008, -10/+12What a ***** douche canoe. Look at him and his out-of-proportion, fake ass smile; God help us if Obama doesn't get elected. I did all I could as a minor - donate and spread the word.
      • Hillsfar, on 04/15/2008, -1/+1Find web forums. Post positive messages and truth to the attacks. :) I'll donate.
    • Asshate, on 04/15/2008, -6/+15Correction: "That BAD MOTHER *****'S finger does not need to be on the button."
      • herecomes, on 04/15/2008, -3/+6Yes, I think he simply misspoke. He really meant to say "That *****'s finger does not need to be on the button."
    • CommissarVlad, on 04/15/2008, -5/+14While it was easy to see through the bias in that blog, its obvious there is some racist sentiment in the comments that he made, and the real age difference really makes it a lot more clear. Thanks for the info, really did help.
    • Lavarock, on 04/15/2008, -3/+10Oh haha I was just about to say from the thumbnail that maybe the representative is really old and-- oh.. *****... I guess that is just racism.
      • herecomes, on 04/15/2008, -2/+3Even if he was really old, it would have been rude unless Obama was younger than 10. Any older and he should properly have been referred to as "young man".
    • RobotLeAwesome, on 04/15/2008, -13/+5In my experience the term "boy" has lost almost all racial connotations - people from/associated with the south call EVERYONE boy - he did the right thing in apologizing though, some people who've never left their northeastern state may have been horribly offended.
    • d03boy, on 04/15/2008, -10/+4Obama looks like he's 20 though. This rediculous and is not news. I don't care if you pulled it off of Google's metanews.
    • NoStoppingUs, on 04/15/2008, -13/+3ummmm. are you guys ***** KIDDING ME?

      now youre just getting desperate. must have been the poll that shows obama 20 points behind hillary. it's this same exact stupid ***** that will make him lose the election. shut the ***** up, you douchebags. this is getting so ***** annoying. i want obama to win because he'll really ***** things up, but you guys are making it tough.
    • thcobbs, on 04/15/2008, -7/+1Apparently, the person in question was actually QUESTIONING Obama's abilitiy to make a decision in a CRITICAL, HIGH STRESS moment in a theoretical US's future regarding nuclear weapons.

      If you can't make a decision one way or another under a SIMULATION.... what the hell is one gonna do when they are in that SITUATION for real?
    • SeekaF, on 04/15/2008, -1/+4Obama looks a good 15 years younger.
    • mass922, on 04/15/2008, -11/+3I'll just point out that Rep. Davis is white; Obama is a Muslim *****.
      • TheLastFreeMan, on 04/15/2008, -1/+3Wait, don't digg him down, he meant "Muslim Digger"... you know..cus he digs....and... meh I tried...
      • aliengoods, on 04/15/2008, -1/+3Wow. I've never been so certain in my life that a report and block was deserved. Mass922, you're truly a douchebag for the ages.
    • cuco, on 04/15/2008, -0/+6well, "boy" isn't as racist as the n-word, but it still is insensitive to a degree. Lets be real, the most widely seen protest sign during the Civil Rights Movement was the "I AM a man" signs, and there was a reason behind that...

      http://nylatinojournal.com/home/images/stories/i-a ...

      for the "pics or it didn't happen" crowd
    • krautkamel, on 04/15/2008, -0/+0Clue the digg downs, but you may be blowing this out of proportion. To those of you that don't live in the south, "boy" is used by "good ole boys" to refer to most anyone. While some of you that aren't from the south might reference the term from it past use in history; I'd like to inform you its use is not necessarily a racial slur. I live in Tennessee and have heard many "good ole boys" use this as a term of to refer to friends, family, and anyone that they may be talking about. Much like that way people in the African-American community use the "n-word" to talk about themselves, friends, and family. While Respresentives use of the word "boy" on a national forum is of poor judgment, due to people such as yourselves ignorance to its slang, it is not necessarily a racist comment. Just a southern person's perspective on story for those of you that value such things.
      • Inquisition, on 04/15/2008, -0/+1Clue yourself in! I don't live in the south, but am ashamed that I have racist redneck relatives there. The use of the word "boy" does exist apart from racist denigration, but when being spoken by a "Good ol' boy" about a black man, it can only be interpreted as a racial slur.
    • AmericanB4Black, on 09/15/2008, -0/+0The Wall Street Journal says it's the Democrats who have the RACIST past. Read for yourself: http://www.opinionjournal.com/extra/?id=110011033
  • Irish953, on 04/15/2008, -60/+55Racist fool. Do the people of Kentucky deserve this idiot?
    • audiored, on 04/15/2008, -16/+19Americans deserve the government they have.
      • BrainInAJar, on 04/15/2008, -6/+20Does the rest of the world though?
      • Ajajadude, on 04/15/2008, -3/+12Hey, I did NOTHING to deserve this *****! Except maybe that one time at that ranch...
        • MacEnvy, on 04/15/2008, -2/+5Lake Winneminaukus summer camp, 1987. Oh yes, I remember you Alajadude. And your actions at the ranch still haunt my dreams.

          That poor duck.
          • MikeSD34, on 04/15/2008, -0/+7QUACKERS NOOOOOOO! :'(
          • Ajajadude, on 04/15/2008, -0/+1Hey, that duck was asking for it. Literally. Ok, I might've been on shrooms at the time and imagined the duck asking for it, but as far as I'm concerned, it was real.
      • Ravatar, on 04/15/2008, -0/+1Go ***** yourself, I didn't vote for this guy.
    • Persian5Life, on 04/15/2008, -4/+15they elected him did they not?
      • Payman25, on 04/15/2008, -6/+1***** you *****. And get that ridiculous lion off that map. We have already dealt with your kind. Just shut up and die now.
    • diggrnumber1, on 04/15/2008, -9/+17there's a lot of inbred cretons living in kentucky who are allowed to vote. my mom used to live there, and her high school was basically segregated into the retards and the smart kids (not forcefully - mostly because many of them were actually genetically idiots). but these guys will vote for whoever their racist pastors tell them to. it's not really their fault- they're just retarded. but it does prevent a big challenge to the democratic system.
      • thcobbs, on 04/15/2008, -3/+2I'm not even from Kentucky and I find your statement offensive, ignorant, arrogant, and just ***** dumb.

        People wonder why Southern American's just can't really get along with pricks like you.... I think you outlined it PERFECTLY. You are making a blanket, bigoted statement about a group of 4 MILLION of your fellow citizens. Talk about being a "creton".
        • diggrnumber1, on 04/15/2008, -1/+2blanket, bigoted?

          I said that it was "segregated" - at least back then it was. my mom told me stories about how she had to tutor some of these retards on the other side of the school, but it was essentially useless because they lacked the intellectual capacity to actually absorb the information. she was one of the few willing to even be in the same room as these guys.

          here are some other tidbits about kentucky:
          she had to wear a dress to school, and women were treated like second-class citizens (they were required to cover their legs, and they had to wear white gloves at dances (yes, this was a public school) kids on the bus threw food at the black kids as they passed them by while laughing (this was one of the ways to get into the "cool" crowd). her next door neighbor was a brain surgeon that was drunk all the time. his kid, rothrock (aka "rocky") was challenged to a fight by a scrawny idiot. to defend his honor, rocky agreed to the fight and fought him almost to the death, landing him in the hospital for weeks (his dad was perfectly fine with this. in fact, he cheered rocky on as he fought the kid in front of a crowd in his own backyard. it was a major event.) and because of his noble actions, rocky continued to be the coolest kid in school (he actually became even cooler). rocky's friend (or maybe it was rocky himself?) asked my mom out once, but she refused because he was a complete douchebag (as was his father).

          anyway, that was the way it was in Louisville, Kentucky about 35 years ago. now, maybe it has changed since then, but the change would have to be absolutely radical, as the whole system is inherently flawed.
          • zacktheman07, on 04/16/2008, -0/+0You know, There are places in Kentucky where this ignorant ***** doesn't happen. And I don't get why you blasted our pastors like that, I mean, look at Obama's. Oh, but wait, we shouldn't judge him because of that should we? Instead let's just judge the people of Kentucky. I haven't heard of one single racist pastor around my area, and I live in Kentucky. Besides, as if your pastors don't rape young children? By the way, our pastor's don't tell us who to vote for, they tell right from wrong, and being racist is considered wrong. You probably have never even been to Kentucky so don't judge. maybe your mom was 30 something years ago. Everyone is the same no matter where you go man. Stop being such a hater, otherwise your no better than the racists themselves.
    • Grossinm, on 04/15/2008, -1/+4Is that a rhetorical question?
    • BelatedHero, on 04/15/2008, -3/+10Kentucky sucks. Our legislature is full of complete morons. These guys elected to cut $20 million in funding to state universities instead of raising the cigarette tax to at least match the surrounding states. As a result tuition at my school, UK, will rise 9%. I ***** hate this state. Crap like this from Davis makes me even more embarrassed to live here.
      • walruspanzer, on 04/15/2008, -2/+1Naive one, my tuition has gone up at UK every year since I've been here, ~40% increase since 2003? I like cheap cigarettes, it helps our economy (stupid).
      • thcobbs, on 04/15/2008, -1/+1"elected to cut $20 million in funding to state universities instead of raising the cigarette tax to at least match the surrounding states"

        and just how much would that net you short term in taxes? Also, since cigarettes are a non-essential item, you'll actually be shooting yourself in the foot long term because you will force more people to quit smoking because they can't afford the price of cigarettes. And you want that money to fund your higher education schools?

        Talk about standing on the backs of the poor!
      • zacktheman07, on 04/16/2008, -0/+0Gee, thanks for betraying your own state. Go live in the NY Dark Alleys if your so embarrassed.
    • lordshank, on 04/15/2008, -0/+3@ Irish953 Don't look at me, I didn't elect that *****.

      To comment on diggrnumber1's remarkably eloquent assessment of Kentucky culture, yes there are a lot of ignorant people in the Bluegrass state, but the same can be said for most states in the union, as well as the other nations of the world. Let's be honest, it's easy for us to make judgments whilst we attack others from behind an LCD wall. I'll admit, I too am one to jump to conclusions from time to time, but everyone that I know, including myself, is vehemently opposed to racism and religion, and for that matter, most of what goes on in all levels of government. Perpetuating stereotypes is not the way to prove your point, unless your point is that you too are stereotypical and one sided, and quite honestly, as unenlightened as the rest.

      BTW, I do agree with your statement, just not the execution.
    • Kronk42583, on 04/15/2008, -7/+4ok maybe i missed something. obviously, the guy is an ***** for calling another grown man a boy. he may also have made stupid comments about obama's decision making ability. but where is the racism? don't get me wrong, i think the guy is a prick, but i didn't see racism there. "boy" may be condescending, but its not a racist insult.
      • krebcycle, on 04/15/2008, -3/+6boy has always been a racist insult, black men were called "boy" in the south by whites in order to establish superiority. how can so many people not know this?
        • zacktheman07, on 04/15/2008, -1/+0I can't believe people are getting so pissy over the word "boy". So if a Black man said the same thing, would we call him racist? I seriously doubt it. I'm no racist, and I see no racism in this comment. IT SEEMS ALOT OF PEOPLE ARE WAY TO OVER-SENSITIVE. So if I had a son and called him a little boy, I'm calling him a little black person? Besides, I think the only reason were electing Obama is because he's black. Nobody cares about what he can do, as long as he's different we don't give a *****. THUMBS UP FOR AMERICANS, EH? Downthumb me all you want Digg Users, I just love being downrated for telling the cold hard truth.
      • mojohandy, on 04/15/2008, -2/+2Oh yes it is...
    • cnot3, on 04/15/2008, -7/+4Since when does 'boy' mean black? Thats the first thing you think of when you picture Obama isn't it, that he's black? I think you're the racist, boy.
      • wacomwacoff, on 04/15/2008, -2/+4"Boy" means black when you're a white segregationist politician from Kentucky who's only three years older than Obama.
      • diggrnumber1, on 04/15/2008, -2/+5the guy's calling someone his own age "boy." it clearly doesn't have to do with obama's relative youth.
    • wacomwacoff, on 04/15/2008, -4/+2Remember that Kentucky's STATE SONG has references to "darkies" in it. Yeah, they deserve this guy, and I say that as someone who lived there for years.
      • pe5t1lence, on 04/15/2008, -0/+2Those were deleted, but it did have them previously.
    • argaen21, on 04/15/2008, -1/+1Kentucky is a racist *****, so of course they deserve him because he's one of them.
      • zacktheman07, on 04/16/2008, -0/+0Don't judge us, you stupid prick. Your such a stereotype. Therefore, you are technically a racist against Kentuckians. Hope your proud, BOY.
  • RichardGozinya, on 04/15/2008, -47/+36Wow, Geoff Davis is one ugly son of a bitch. Looks like a cross between a ROUS and something Dr. Seuss threw up.
    • DRINKxREDxBULL, on 04/15/2008, -18/+9So do all Obama supporters judge people based on how they look?
      • ferrariman60, on 04/15/2008, -5/+4Well, this guy didn't say anything about Obama. I don't think you need to be an Obama supporter to see that he's right. Is it uncalled for? Probably. Is it inaccurate? Nope.
      • se1zure, on 04/15/2008, -4/+2No, we aren't all ignorant like Richard Here.
    • dannyboy3020, on 04/15/2008, -7/+15Come on. No need to resort to that.
    • HappyScrappy, on 04/15/2008, -0/+4I don't believe they exist.
    • kayala, on 04/15/2008, -1/+4Dugg for The Princess Bride reference :D
    • herecomes, on 04/15/2008, -0/+2I thought he looks kind of like Mr. Rogers stoned on pot with those bleary eyes and *****-eating grin.
  • juliaruthdillon, on 04/15/2008, -40/+28good lord! more things for our country to be ashamed of.
    • DRINKxREDxBULL, on 04/15/2008, -15/+6Have heart, someday our country will progress the point when people don't simple words like "boy." You will know when that day has arrived because the thought police will not let you use any words to describe it.
    • AmericanB4Black, on 09/17/2008, -0/+0The Wall Street Journal says it's the Democrats who have the RACIST past. Read for yourself: http://www.opinionjournal.com/extra/?id=110011033
  • Keef69, on 04/15/2008, -47/+27more and more, i'm ashamed to call myself an American. what a loser!
    • carpespasm, on 04/15/2008, -9/+9I'm not quite to ashamed, but I know many people are embarrassed as hell because of things our leaders have done and some of the backward people like senator jackass here.
    • Ajajadude, on 04/15/2008, -6/+8I'm ashamed that these people represent Americans at some of the highest levels of government, let alone at all. I'm not ashamed to call myself American. Though, depending on how this next election goes, I may change my mind.
    • fossilnews, on 04/15/2008, -3/+10So you let what politicians say about other politicians affect your feelings about your country? Good luck with life, it's going to be a bumpy ride.
      • exronin, on 04/15/2008, -4/+3Just because you've turned apathetic doesn't mean the rest of us have.
        • ru1dt, on 04/15/2008, -2/+3is the shame spiral better than the apathetic circle?
          • exronin, on 04/15/2008, -0/+1shame? what does that even mean. Politicians should know whats better, if they don't it is peoples duty to fix that.
  • benintn, on 04/15/2008, -21/+74My favorite part of the story is that the esteemed congressman from Kentucky was born in Montreal, Quebec.
    • MacEnvy, on 04/15/2008, -3/+24See, isn't that just the way? These damn foreigners coming in and taking our jobs! Of course, maybe he was just doing a job Americans "won't do" - represent ourselves in government.
    • rhartman, on 04/15/2008, -2/+22Wow. As a Canadian, now it's my turn to be ashamed. Don't hold it against us a nation though, this kind of idiocy is universal.
      • heliox, on 04/15/2008, -12/+4Don't worry, digg is just anti-Amerika, anti-Israel and anti-Bush.
      • Rikkochet, on 04/15/2008, -1/+9Shh, we can spin this and blame it on the Quebecois.
      • johnboycanada, on 04/15/2008, -0/+0Wow, Kudos rhartman! First time I've ever heard that kind of level handedness from a Canadian when talking about Americans. I've been arguing for years that there are fools on both sides of the Niagara. Especially after America had elected (or not elected) this buffoon Mr. Bush.
    • travis1982, on 04/15/2008, -1/+3They took er jeeeeeewbs!!!!
    • LukasSmith, on 04/15/2008, -9/+8This article is just cultural misunderstanding. "Boy" is a common term used even between white men in the south. Now of course this is mostly used in small hick towns but if he meant it as a racist comment can't be simply assumed understanding that he is from Kentucky. Nobody understands people from Kentucky. Even I don't and I have family in Kentucky. There really is no reason to assume "Boy" was used in a racist manner unless your an obama propaganda machine like most liberal media.
      • RobotLeAwesome, on 04/15/2008, -6/+5agreed, it may have begun with racism, but really isn't held to it anymore - i've heard mid 20's southerners refer to George Bush as "Boy" ("that boy is really messing things up for us")
      • Hillsfar, on 04/15/2008, -3/+4Yes, commonly used when one White man refers to another White man as boy. But are you really that ignorant? To be a White Southern male only 3 years older saying it of a Black man, to be a U.S. Representative saying it of a U.S. Senator, to be using the word in a condescending/negative/attcking tone (as opposed to a positive tone that could only be used between two friends)... All of that plays into it. No wonder Geoff Davis personally hand-delivered a letter and tried to contact Obama by phone to apologize!
        http://nylatinojournal.com/home/images/stories/i-a ...
      • polymorphist, on 04/15/2008, -1/+2You guys really don't get it? Everyone knows only Obama is entitled to feel insulted, or at least his surrogates/followers feel that he should feel insulted.
    • shaka776, on 04/15/2008, -2/+5Look at it this way: He'll never be President.
    • JeffD, on 04/15/2008, -1/+3Well also being born in Montreal, I would have never guesses that "boy" had any racial implications whatsoever.
      • yellownumber5, on 04/15/2008, -1/+1guessed* ...typos happen don't they?
        'Boy' was/is a common derogatory term for blacks in the Southern US
    • JasonsLan, on 04/15/2008, -1/+3being born in Montreal means nothing, I happened to be born in Japan, because my father worked overseas.. doesn't mean that I'm Japanese.. its just the place I was born..
  • FemaCampBoy, on 04/15/2008, -94/+130i call white friends boy all the time. am i a racist against whites? i say "boy you understand me?" oh well, i guess we live in a world where this is worse than what manson's klan did to sharon tate.
    • maikai, on 04/15/2008, -28/+52This comment is offensive to African-Americans because of its use by Southern whites in the Jim Crow South to assert racial superiority. No one is making a comparison to any other atrocity, but to ignore it would be irresponsible. We all have to take a stand together about comments like these instead of saying essentially, "what's the big deal?". Everyone has to look out for one another...
      • Madrigalian, on 04/15/2008, -27/+42"This comment is offensive to African-Americans..."

        What comment/word isn't? Could someone please make a list. It's very hard for some of us to keep up with...

        ps. is nappy on the list? or just ho?
        • maikai, on 04/15/2008, -14/+9i'm not saying as a petition for everyone to walk on egg shells here. i'm expressing why it's a sensitive issue for some people. if it's impossible for you to conceive of the idea that the terminology has a negative connotation to a particular group then it's impossible to move beyond these sort of comments. i'm not out to 'black list' (excuse the pun) anyone. i don't think representative Davis should be demonized. in fact, i think that's counterproductive. we can't go out scouting to find everyone who makes an interpreted 'racist comment'; no one would be left after the hunt: white or black.

          i'm merely suggesting that a little solidarity is in order for the sake of reconciliation; that it should be discussed to foster better cultural understanding.

          also. if this is truly your view, i presume that you hold the same degree of grace toward people who might say things that are 'racist' against whites. if you hold to an ethic, i would think you would be consistent with it. is this the case?
          • Dewhead, on 04/15/2008, -7/+31This is crazy. Men call each other Boy all of the time especially in the south. Its like liberals spend their entire lives looking for every little slight-real or imagined. I guess Rev. Wright calling white people horrible hateful names is okay but calling Obama Boy is somehow the crime of the century.
          • maikai, on 04/15/2008, -8/+3do you think no one says any thing racist ever? on this very page comments include statements like "f*cking n*****s. A site user named 'Obammy' equated black culture with issues of crime. i'm not liberal, actually. i'm just trying to be reasonable.
            the only thing i'm saying is that we should recognize that things can be misinterpreted; we should try to understand why; we should work together to heal wounds rather than pour salt into them by saying 'you're delusional'.
            [as for Reverend Wright he's statements we not just about white people. They were about Americans. And as a proud and appreciative American (who is black and shares a painful history with other blacks) I too was offended by the comments.]
            I'm not saying this is the crime of the century. Representative Davis apologized, because he knows that it has a negative connotation. I AM saying this is a good opportunity to understand others rather than dismiss them. I would encourage you to take it for you're own personal benefit if for no other reason.
          • apac84, on 04/15/2008, -1/+0"I too was offended by the comments"

            Were you?


        • caramba420, on 04/15/2008, -12/+10Quick rule of thumb. If you can imagine Klan members saying it to a black man shortly before they murder him, it's probably offensive.
          • charlie55, on 04/15/2008, -2/+12but i can imagine them saying anything. i have a vivid imagination.
          • Speed, on 04/15/2008, -0/+2I didn't know bitch was a racial slur.
      • vault, on 04/15/2008, -14/+31People say 'boy' all the time, what're you all getting upset over?

        "Good 'ol boys"
        "He's my boy"
        "Boy, liberals sure are hypersensitive."
        "Our boys" referring to the soldiers

        etc.
        • maikai, on 04/15/2008, -9/+4this is a very good point. i understand exactly what you're saying. do you understand what i'm saying? i'm personally not upset by what he said. but i understand why it is iffy in some people's minds. this is not to demonize Rep. Davis, though. i'm just trying to provoke thought.

          i did the same thing when obama supporters didn't understand why the 'bitter' remarks were offensive. i explained how the interpretation could be hurtful to people...
        • maikai, on 04/15/2008, -10/+5Think of it like PTSD. When a soldier comes back from war and hears a loud explosion, it triggers memories of his war trauma.
          For African-Americans this comment is triggers memories of a Jim Crow South. If Davis had said it in person in a context that was social there would not be the same image. He said it in Obama's absence in a disparaging sense.
          It might not have been his intent. I don't think he's racist. I think you have to try to understand the other side of the coin though
          • vault, on 04/15/2008, -2/+5I get what you're saying, but there is a huge difference between the word 'boy' and a loud explosion. The word 'boy' is said every day in millions of different contexts, yet hearing a loud explosion is quite rare. It's a little odd to be upset by the word 'boy' no matter how it was once used...yet being upset over a loud explosion is not odd at all.

            If this congressman had made a racial slur, then yes I would absolutely understand and condemn it. Even if he had- jokingly or not- referred to a black stereotype. I'd condemn that as well. But the word 'boy'? Come on.

            Also, Obama was never a victim of the Jim Crow South as a fortysomething from Hawaii.
          • txchica, on 04/15/2008, -0/+3I get your point, but I hope you understand that most of us have grown up in an integrated world, as a military brat and ex military member, I've never lived in a segregated environment and when I see people looking for racism it upsets me. None of my black friends remember a Jim Crow South, and find most of these semantics games hilarious. This entire conversation is based on the use of the word "boy", how ridiculous is that. It's time we looked forward and stopped looking for "buzz" words that may or may not indicate a racial connotation.
            I've found that if you look hard enough, you will find something to offend you. As a white female living in a majority Hispanic community I've heard plenty of things that could be construed as racist, but I prefer to believe that's not how they meant it and let it go, and that's what I suggest we do here, let it go, we have much bigger things to worry about than in what context the word 'boy' was used.
        • cadberry, on 04/15/2008, -3/+4its about the context of the comment. "our boys" is affectionate, "boy, they sure are hypersensitive" is used in a totally different manner, its no longer the noun.
        • rangermatt, on 04/15/2008, -5/+11Can you imagine Hillary saying "I wouldn't trust that George W. Bush boy with anything!"? Of course not - no one ever refers to fellow politicians as "that boy." Except here, to the first ever serious African-American presidential candidate. Completely harmless? Right.
          • vault, on 04/15/2008, -0/+6Her husband said, "Those boys have been getting tough on Hillary."

            http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/13/us/politics/13cl ...

            So was that Bill Clinton pointing out sexism (hah) or was it just simply the way he speaks? Some of you are reading way into this.
          • ssn697, on 04/15/2008, -3/+3Not reading into this, IMO. Dana White says "good luck boys" to a group of fighters. A college coach says "my boys play hard". You don't say "that boy doesn't belong in the White House" without meaning.

            I am the last person to really give a ***** about this, generally speaking. I have been called much worse. But it isn't as innocent as some here are trying to pretend.
        • rz8472, on 04/15/2008, -2/+1The "Good Ol' Boys" is actually a term some people use when referring to members of the KKK. Think of the context.
      • sassip, on 04/15/2008, -6/+1Yeah, just like calling a righty a zealot? Wonder why that one stings?
      • JasonsLan, on 04/15/2008, -3/+4sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.. (guess that saying was only meant for whites, blacks should take offense to any and all words)
      • plimpton777, on 04/15/2008, -0/+3For realz, when I start getting offended by someone calling someone else "boy," that's the day I hang up my bat-belt. You all SRSLY have to stop being so sensitive. McCain will PWND Obama if he was as girl-mannish as you all are.
        Seriously, you guys are more upset over this issue than the fact that we just got proof that Bush signed off on torture. INTERNATIONAL WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL, ANYONE?!
      • boogie606, on 04/15/2008, -1/+1bite me...
    • gravityboard, on 04/15/2008, -15/+42I'm beginning to suspect you missed the point of the article...

      You're suggesting that WHAT you say is the only factor in determining a racist comment, but that completely disregards intent/HOW you say it. The oh-so-honorable representative of Kentucky quite clearly intended it to be derogatory and condescending so yes, it was pretty racist.

      ...And almost as ignorant as your dated reference to something that - excuse me... what the ***** does charlie manson have to do with this again?
      • Gamer2k4, on 04/15/2008, -2/+8Isn't it more racist to assume this is about race than it is to make a derogatory comment about your opponent? So what if he's black? No one would have said this senator was racist against whites if he made the same comment about most other democrats...
        • ssn697, on 04/15/2008, -4/+3So show us where he called a White Senator "boy". Should be simple, right?
      • se1zure, on 04/15/2008, -6/+10"The oh-so-honorable representative of Kentucky quite clearly intended it to be derogatory and condescending so yes, it was pretty racist."

        So anything I say that is derogatory and condescending to an African American is a racist statement?
        • JeffD, on 04/15/2008, -2/+4I guess a bunch of the idiots here on digg seem to think so.
        • gravityboard, on 04/15/2008, -2/+5When something has racist connotations (using a common slang term for black slaves: "boy") but there's that inkling of doubt as to whether it was an accident or intentionally provocative, the way in which it is said is certainly significant.
          To respond to your question, if what you're saying to an African American is derogatory because you're somehow implying inferiority (which "boy" certainly does) SPECIFICALLY because of race, it is a racist statement. I think "So anything I say that is derogatory and condescending to an African American is a racist statement?" is a provocative and cheap attempt to score debating points. No rational person would argue that to be the case and I obviously wasn't suggesting that with my original comment.
    • sullyz0r, on 04/15/2008, -17/+60Senator Obama is a SENATOR. It is a position of respect, and regardless of his race, the use of "boy" for a respected official is totally inappropriate.
      • natenovs, on 04/15/2008, -12/+10no one deserve respect because of the office they hold.
        • cuco, on 04/15/2008, -5/+2Right on! ***** BUSH!
        • sullyz0r, on 04/15/2008, -3/+4As an elected official and representative of the United States, both people and country? Yeah, ***** that. What dignity do either of those two entities have anyway?

        • Ourcellardoor, on 04/15/2008, -1/+1Or the grammar that they choose to ignore?
      • plimpton777, on 04/15/2008, -0/+3OREALLY? Cuz there's a number of Senators, oh, say, 100 of 'em that I don't respect at all and would call them ALL boys and girls!
      • leahcim, on 04/15/2008, -0/+3I'll remember this the next time I read here on Digg someone calling Bush any number of derogatory names.
    • plimpton777, on 04/15/2008, -14/+28This is kind of a stretch, it's not like he said "That *****'s finger does not belong on the button." THEN, yeah I can see the justification for "Racist GOP etc."
      I'm from Philadelphia, and when I was in Baltimore once, I called a co-worker at a restaurant "boy"--in Philly, the slang actually makes it sound like "bull," as in, "wassup, bull," etc. From where I'm from, it's common. That guy got PISSED.
      So, yeah, i can understand the southern sensitivity to the word "boy," but I really don't think it was used here in quite a slam-dunk racist context. In my mind, this is quite a stretch and it's just further evidence of the "victimization complex" that the right-wingers claim the liberals tend to overexhibit. You guys really love to claim "racist" at every turn.
      PS--I am voting FOR Obama, so don't cry "racist, racist."
      • ssn697, on 04/15/2008, -4/+6Again I say, then show us where he called a white Senator boy. Must be easy, since he uses it all the time as a colloquial...
        • plimpton777, on 04/15/2008, -3/+4Yeah, the burden of proof is on ME, since I don't want to join the McCarthyite, label-'em-all racist bandwagon. Get a grip, dude.
      • ssn697, on 04/15/2008, -3/+5I guess several of you misunderstood. I didn't say Digg me down to avoid the issue, I asked for someone to show where he said the same to someone other than Obama. Why so difficult?
        • plimpton777, on 04/15/2008, -4/+2Are you high? i didn't respond to your comment; I responded to FemaCampBoy. Another thing, don't fukkin condescend to me, man, I'll smack your Bard ass across the commons to the registrar's office.
          • ssn697, on 04/15/2008, -3/+2let loose the pigeons, if you feel froggy. Buy yourself a cup of shut the ***** up on your way. Pull your skirt back up before you drip all over...
          • ssn697, on 04/15/2008, -3/+2oh, and when exactly did you grow the balls to think you count as "several of you". Learn to ***** read. You are always welcome to come up here to Montana and make your point though. Open invitation, nancy...
        • plimpton777, on 04/15/2008, -2/+2Internet tough guy in the house wants to play frogger and can't keep track of where he needs to comment. You heard me, BOY!
        • plimpton777, on 04/15/2008, -1/+2You're in Montana? Sheesh I'm sorry man. I dont' want to add insult to injury. Good luck with that Montana thing.
      • motorhead9999, on 04/15/2008, -1/+1Racist! racist!
    • MacSuxWindozSux, on 04/15/2008, -9/+4I want Obama to win, I'm glad Hillary IS going to lose. And it satisfies me very much knowing that that she knows she can't win.
      ***** McCain.

      But... Reading the transcript (which was heavily edited) doesn't exactly tell me if this Senator is racist. On paper, it just looks like a stupid republican playing the party game undermining the opposition. If there was an audio recording, and some more of the transcript I'd have a better idea.

      Are Black people worth as much as white people? Are we equal? I hope so.
      So, calling someone "boy", just that, "boy", isn't racist just because a person is black.

      For all I know the guy spent the whole day calling people son, boy, girl, woman.
      He might even think he's way way older than Obama.

      I'm open to the idea that he's a ***** racist, it wouldn't surprise me... but part of getting rid of racism is not judging or treating people based on their race.
    • pinehead, on 04/15/2008, -8/+1I say woman all the time. Am i a racist if its not to someone thats actually a woman?
    • gryphon50, on 04/15/2008, -9/+9you say you call your friends "boy." Is Obama this guy's friend? It doesn't sound like it from the comment.
    • mrgreg, on 04/15/2008, -9/+11Yeah, I seriously can't see how this is racist. Demeaning? of course...but racist? Sounds like another radical minority-backed attempt to play the race card.
      • ssn697, on 04/15/2008, -3/+4That is because you have never been on the other side of the term...
        • ThugThrasher, on 04/15/2008, -1/+4I HAVE been on the other side of the term.
          I've had people YOUNGER than me call me 'boy' before. But, do you know what? I bet it wasn't because I was black...because I'm not.
          Now, I don't know enough about this guy to know whether he meant it as racist or if he maybe uses the term in general...but I don't think most of you do, either.
          The word 'boy' isn't necessarily racist, it depends on WHO it comes from and WHAT they mean by it. I call people 'boy' or 'girl' or 'kid' that are my age or younger all the time...so hopefully when I call black people 'boy' (which I do, because blacks are people, too, so I don't change the way I talk just cuz of the color of their skin) they don't take offense, or at least if they were to take offense,t hey would approach me about it and I could explain why I said it and they could explain why they were offended and we would all learn something.
          • ssn697, on 04/15/2008, -1/+4ok, so tell me how calling a US Senator "boy" fits in. I said earlier, call a team "my boys", call fighters "those boys". I hear that a lot at my gym. At 45, no one in my gym calls me boy though...

            I DON'T here anyone calling a US Senator boy. Show me some other examples. Happy to be proven wrong.
          • mrgreg, on 04/15/2008, -0/+1So age is what determines whether saying "Boy" is racist or not?

            Like I said, it's demeaning and wrong, but racist? Come on.
    • Rambeezle, on 04/15/2008, -6/+0De-nigrate Obama? he wishes
    • ptFoe, on 04/15/2008, -2/+4it is all about history you knob
    • SkinnerBox, on 04/15/2008, -2/+5This is in the same vien as comments like "Why don't we have a WHITE history month!" or "Why can't our school have a WHITE student's club?" First of all, all "White" means is, "not a minority" otherwise we would say irish or german or sctoch, etc. Can you see why having a club to celebrate that you are not a minority is a little insensitve?
      As for your comments, no, you are not racist against whites, dumbass. "Boy" is not used as a deragatory term against whites. In fact, there are few deragatory terms for whites that stick, becuase we know that we are on top of society. That is why it is so easy for us to say, "Well I don't care if they call me a racial slur, it's all in good fun! They shouldn't care either."
      "Boy" has been used since slavery by whites to remind blacks that they are considered less than a full human adult. As a representative from Kentucky, this guy is VERY aware of that, and he knows that Obama is aware of that, and he knows that his racist constituants are aware of that. He is being a racist, flat out.
      I am a big proponent of not becoming so angry about the racism of the past that we can't get past it, but to say that this is not racist is ignorant.
    • epmc, on 04/15/2008, -5/+5Overreact much?

      I thought I liked Obama, but digg and the Obamanauts are making me dislike him more and more. This is really turning into some sort of cult of personality.

      Commence digg down.
    • thehawk23, on 04/15/2008, -1/+3For all those who don't think this is racist, let me put this into more context.
      From MLK's Letter from Birmingham Jail:

      "Perhaps it is easy for those who have never felt the stinging darts of segregation to say, "Wait." But when you have seen vicious mobs lynch your mothers and fathers at will and drown your sisters and brothers at whim; when you have seen hate filled policemen curse, kick and even kill your black brothers and sisters; when you see the vast majority of your twenty million Negro brothers smothering in an airtight cage of poverty in the midst of an affluent society; when you suddenly find your tongue twisted and your speech stammering as you seek to explain to your six year old daughter why she can't go to the public amusement park that has just been advertised on television, and see tears welling up in her eyes when she is told that Funtown is closed to colored children, and see ominous clouds of inferiority beginning to form in her little mental sky, and see her beginning to distort her personality by developing an unconscious bitterness toward white people; when you have to concoct an answer for a five year old son who is asking: "Daddy, why do white people treat colored people so mean?"; when you take a cross county drive and find it necessary to sleep night after night in the uncomfortable corners of your automobile because no motel will accept you; when you are humiliated day in and day out by nagging signs reading "white" and "colored"; WHEN YOUR FIRST NAME BECOMES "*****", YOUR MIDDLE NAME BECOMES "BOY" (HOWEVER OLD YOU ARE) AND YOUR LAST NAME BECOMES "JOHN", and your wife and mother are never given the respected title "Mrs."; when you are harried by day and haunted by night by the fact that you are a Negro, living constantly at tiptoe stance, never quite knowing what to expect next, and are plagued with inner fears and outer resentments; when you are forever fighting a degenerating sense of "nobodiness"--then you will understand why we find it difficult to wait."

      I seriously doubt that anyone will challenge that MLK didn't know what racism was. I hope that it helps to contextualize why these statements are seen as "racially charged"
    • AmericanB4Black, on 09/17/2008, -0/+0The Wall Street Journal says it's the Democrats who have the RACIST past. Read for yourself: http://www.opinionjournal.com/extra/?id=110011033
  • insyyte, on 04/15/2008, -45/+32The virus of hatred and bigotry is the filth in republicans blood.
    • R0am3r, on 04/15/2008, -9/+8Ahem....Senator Byrd.
      • Adamlite, on 04/15/2008, -1/+2And that guy is third in line for presidential succession. Excellent counterexample.
    • roho76, on 04/15/2008, -5/+3I was just gonna say...hello the Democrats.
    • exronin, on 04/15/2008, -2/+4Please, if it was up to the republicans women and minorities would have never gotten full rights and become full citizens or the right to vote. Get over yourself.
    • AmericanB4Black, on 09/17/2008, -0/+0The Wall Street Journal says it's the Democrats who have the RACIST past. Read for yourself: http://www.opinionjournal.com/extra/?id=110011033
  • AvinashTyagi, on 04/15/2008, -19/+7He just did Obama a favor, Obama can just point to the remarks and say how easy it is for someone to misspeak in reagrds to his clinging comment about PA
  • washington30, on 04/15/2008, -26/+52FemaCampBoy ,

    The problem is Obama is not his friend and he is a grown man. Most real men don't like to be called a boy. The only way we can prove it was racist is to listen to the next conversation this senator has with a fellow senator and see if he calls him a boy. I DOUBT IT!
    • DeathJux, on 04/15/2008, -0/+10I was going to say "Learn how to use Reply," but other than writing his username at the beginning of your comment, the rest could easily be a comment anywhere in the thread, considering the original story.
    • kolinkoolface2, on 04/15/2008, -1/+4pretty sure they say that a lot in the south. So now it's not ok to call anyone above the age of 18 a boy?
      • cadberry, on 04/15/2008, -1/+2i guess i don't live deep south enough, i've never heard it before. but again, think of the context and the fact that they are SENATORS. they aren't a bunch of guys or buddies hanging out.
        • JeffD, on 04/15/2008, -0/+1Which means its derogatory, suggesting that hes inexperienced like a young boy (which is a criticism I've heard used agains Obama quite a lot regardless of its truth). Just because its derogatory, doesn't make it racist.
    • JonGalt, on 04/15/2008, -0/+1Calling someone 'boy' is hardly racist you result of a jerkoff session. If you think that black people have ownership of about 40-50 different words generally associated with black culture and racism, its very likely, YOU ARE THE RACIST.

  • motbob, on 04/15/2008, -8/+78He apologized... here
    http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0408/Davis_ ...
    • kitebro, on 04/15/2008, -23/+2So f**king what?
      • TheSwashbuckler, on 04/15/2008, -0/+2You've never made a mistake you needed to apologize for?
        • heliox, on 04/15/2008, -1/+2I don't think he said anything that required an apology.
      • se1zure, on 04/15/2008, -0/+2So ***** what?

        omg i'm magic, i can bypass the curse fil.... oh wait.
    • Chomprel, on 04/15/2008, -2/+0From the linked article:
      "The letter makes no reference to the substance of Davis's remarks, that Obama's behavior in a classified exercise had convinced Davis the Illinois Senator is unready to b president."

      lol he IS unrdy 2 b prez.
    • cadberry, on 04/15/2008, -4/+4he still thought it and meant it, apologies only count for so much, it would have been politically unwise to not apologize.
      • cheezintern, on 04/15/2008, -2/+2He probably still does think it and mean it. He had to give some sort of apology so he can point out in the future that he apologized. Politicians talk for a living, he knew exactly what he was saying.
    • OddManRush, on 04/15/2008, -4/+3But if calling Obama 'boy' isn't racist like so many are expressing here on Digg, then why is Davis apologizing?
      • JeffD, on 04/15/2008, -1/+6Because its easier and better politics than having a bunch of idoit presumptuous reactionaries pissed at him?
    • exronin, on 04/15/2008, -2/+3hahahha from that webpage: "was it on a KKK letterhead?"
    • Swarms, on 04/15/2008, -4/+3This is going to be a huge problem with Obama if he wins the presidency. You have probably 30%+ who are racist, and you have 70% who see racism in everything that anyone says. You can't disagree with Obama without cherry picking the words you use, or else you're a bigot.
    • JonGalt, on 04/15/2008, -1/+1he should never have apologized.
  • chicofaraby, on 04/15/2008, -23/+14The GOP appears to be worried that's it's base won't show up in November. I expect more of these "slips" to occur as November nears. If they can't motivate the racist vote they usually get, the race may not be close enough for the Dieblod effect to work.
    • boombye, on 04/15/2008, -2/+2people who don't know they're racist, even when they are, don't like being told they are, because the word hurts their feelings..

      hell, i know some racists people who've told me that whenever accused of racism, just try to convince others that the person calling you the word is the real racist, thereby making their points invalid or some crap like that.

      more people are afraid of being labeled a racist than they are of actually being a racist, they rather live with being a racist in secret rather than just admit they are when accused of being one, because they don't want to be branded for life and ostracized.
  • kitebro, on 04/15/2008, -24/+9This is just the tip of the right-wing iceberg. They are the party for the rich, stupid and/or bigoted. Any thinking person would leave that party. If this pinhead gets re-elected, his constituents would have to be as pig-ignorant as he is.
    • MrWhite7, on 04/15/2008, -1/+10ah, the football-team mentality. Couple that with absolutes and we have ourselves a fool.
  • SmellyFingers, on 04/15/2008, -11/+11Oh lordy, lordy...look who's 40!
    ...both of them!
  • moolaismyfriend, on 04/15/2008, -38/+30A republican who is a Bible thumping racist? NOOOO

    Let me guess he has a wide stance too.
    • chicofaraby, on 04/15/2008, -3/+7"A republican who is a Bible thumping racist?"

      Named Jeff Davis. Go figure.
  • tomgsmyth, on 04/15/2008, -13/+124He wrote a sincere apology and delivered it by hand... im not defending the remarks, but at least he reassesed himself as any self aware, free thinking person should do. please dont let this make front page with out putting up an article showing the rest of the story that would be as bad as the media sources that alot of us are disgusted by.
    • synaesthesia, on 04/15/2008, -0/+17I think in the spirit of the Obama campaign (and as they have done in the past when questionable apologies for offensive remarks have been given) its best to accept the apology at face value and move on to the real issues.
    • plimpton777, on 04/15/2008, -1/+2If anything, he should apologize for sharing information from a CLASSIFIED military exercise. Screw the race card, did he break any laws?!
    • roho76, on 04/15/2008, -3/+2It doesn't negate the fact that he said what he said. He should not open his mouth in the first place with out thinking about what he is saying. It was blatantly rude and he knew it. So his apology serves little merit.
    • fluxion, on 04/15/2008, -0/+1its a bit hypocritical to jump on this...

      i mean...he may or not be racist, but this kind of exaggerating of people's comments is one of the major things i despise about hillary and the repubs. and to perpetuate it in the face of a serious apology/explanation, is akin to what they did to obama with the rev. wright and "bitter" stuff.

      just let it die guys, if the repubs take claims of racism as badly as we (well, i, at least) do regarding claims about obama being a racist, then we're just fueling the flames by perpetuating this kind of attack
  • HenvY, on 04/15/2008, -31/+124I honestly can't believe the hypocrisy here if this makes it to popular. While it was a stupid comment, there was obviously no racist intention, and even if there was it's far less offensive than what the digg comments section gets littered with WHENEVER an article appears focusing on a black person. Shame on you, digg.
    • tomgsmyth, on 04/15/2008, -8/+3let's not bundle all diggers together now
      • se1zure, on 04/15/2008, -0/+4Kind of like how 99% of diggers bundle republicans together?
    • DeathJux, on 04/15/2008, -4/+2Also, political figures by their very nature have to be careful about the words they choose, as little things make a huge difference to the mainstream media and public.

      Digg comments, on the other hand, are a seething cesspool of brilliance and filth, which no one but Diggers care about.
    • stinkymonkey, on 04/15/2008, -7/+2I agree, the guy obviously wasn't trying to be racist, but he is an *****. Lets all relax and take a deep breath.
      • SkinnerBox, on 04/15/2008, -2/+1He WAS trying to be racist. Unless he wasn't and it just comes naturally to him.
    • exronin, on 04/15/2008, -6/+1excuses.
    • exronin, on 04/15/2008, -6/+3'boy' has very strong racist connotations. look it up, digging me down wont make your racism ok.
    • SkinnerBox, on 04/15/2008, -4/+2People who comment on Digg are not U.S. representatives.
    • breezytrees, on 04/15/2008, -3/+3**I am voting for obama** now read this you ***** obama lunatics.

      it's not stupid. Obama is a boy. He's been senator for a little over 3 years. He's only introduced 3 bills. No lobbyists are in his pocket. He He's just a newbie (aka "boy") who's kicking ass.

      ***** you ***** ***** who think this guy is racist. This is what I ***** hate. People who disagree with obama are instantly labelled racist by devout obama followers. We're not ***** racist. I voted and still will vote for him. Just because I disagree with his healthcare policy and affirmative action does not make me racist.

      ***** you obama fan boys who dugg this article up. You are the god damn racist ones.

      "UH OH WHITE MAN DOESN'T LIKE BLACK PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE HE'S RACIST"

      go to ***** hell. All of you. I cannot describe how ***** angry i am right now

      maybe i'll calm down after this buzz i have from that bottle of wine fades. ***** you allasdfhjaoiera
      • unearth, on 04/15/2008, -2/+1"People who disagree with obama are instantly labelled racist by devout obama followers."

        No, people who make racist comments are labeled as racist. This story is about a guy who called Obama "boy," not someone who said "I disagree with his policies," and I sincerely doubt that anyone has ever called you a racist for disagreeing with his health care plan. Just to settle a bet, link me to it.

        But yeah, affirmative action is *****, and morons will call you us racist for saying that. It's VERY possible to support affirmative action and not be a moron, but only a moron will call you racist for a policy disagreement.
        • breezytrees, on 04/15/2008, -0/+1In person. not online. Called racist for not agreeing with obama's pro-affirmative action lean. He was a moron. Just like the morons who interpret davis' comment as racist.

          I could give a ***** about obamas race, but apparently our country does. The fact that he's black is a huge ***** deal. The race card is dropped left and right and those that speak out against him are labelled racist. For example: This digg article. White man calls Obama "boy," which is instantly perceived as racist.

          "Boy," **can** be interpreted as a racist comment.... if you are semi-racist yourelf. e.g. you view white people as inherently racist. e.g. white man calling black man "boy" is inherently a racist comment and cannot possibly mean anything else, even though there are other more likely meanings

          "Boy" can also, and usually is, interpreted as the more literal definition of "young" and "immature." Which is exactly what sums up obama politically. He's been a senator for 3 measly years. He's introduced 3 measly bills in his entire lifetime. To his peers, Obama is very much young, immature, and a boy politically speaking. He's brand ***** new to the game, and he's going to be our next president. Obviously other politicians will be envious of this fact. Hence, they will call him on it. which is what is going on right here right now. There is no racism here. Any politician who is dumb enough to make a blatantly racist comment towards obama is instantly skewered. His or her political career is instantly in the ***** forever. Look at whats her name, that racist bitch who headed hillary's campaign. She'll never get out of the hole she dugg herself. THAT was an example of racism. This however is not. This is just racist obama fanboys interpreting something that is so obviously not racist as racist.

          Anyway... one reason why i'm partial to obama is that he is exactly what davis described him as: a boy. he's a political newbie. An average joe. He's not familiar with nuclear weapons and how to use them.... as davis stated in the quote. But more than that, he's not a political thoroughbred racehorse like hillary or mccain both of whom have roots dugg so deep with lobbyists its downright scary.
      • exronin, on 04/15/2008, -0/+1It's hard for any white person to see what kind of racism any minority goes through growing up in this country.
    • BabyWookie, on 04/16/2008, -0/+1You probably don't get it, because you are British. If you even came to this country, walked up to my black friend and said: "Do you know what time it is, boy?", you would get your ass beat.
  • Falldog, on 04/15/2008, -16/+72Mountain out of a molehill!
    • iLemon, on 04/15/2008, -0/+2I was beginning to think there was something I missed. I could maybe begin to see the need for a mountain if it was McCain or one of his staff that said this. I never heard of Geoff Davis before today. I will probably never hear about anything he does for the rest of his life after today.
    • Fatality, on 04/15/2008, -1/+1Racist!
    • exronin, on 04/15/2008, -2/+2yes because if people would just accept being called a boy and accept words filled with racism everything would be okay. Ignorance is not bliss for everyone.
  • Lutremi, on 04/15/2008, -38/+112"Boy"? I live in south VA and honestly, older folks would call younger ones this despite their color. I see nothing wrong with the comment, and if anyone does, that might be just a little oversensitive.
    • maikai, on 04/15/2008, -12/+2I understand where you're coming from. Let me try to explain. Think of it like PTSD. When a soldier comes back from war and hears a loud explosion, it triggers memories of his war trauma.
      For African-Americans this comment is offensive because of its use by Southern whites in the Jim Crow South to assert racial superiority.
      I wouldn't make too big a deal about it, but to ignore it would be irresponsible. We all have to take a stand together about comments like these instead of saying essentially, "what's the big deal?". Everyone has to look out for one another... This is why Davis apologized profusely, because he understands the implications. No apology would have been necessary for the 'snake oil salesmen' remark. But the 'boy' issue is very culturally sensitive.
      • vault, on 04/15/2008, -1/+14You make a good point, maikai. I wish we could all be as racially sensitive as the pastor of the church Obama attended for over 20 years.

        You know, because it's a touchy subject and we need to think about how others feel when we speak.
      • apackofmonkeys, on 04/15/2008, -0/+3As someone who grew up in the south.... you have no idea what you're talking about. Blacks call each other boy, whites call each other boy, the only people left who were truly affected by racial divide are 60+ now. The last two full-grown generations haven't been involved in any more racially-charged situations than the north, so don't claim PTSD and flashbacks by proxy for people who don't have any connection to it. The only people who ascribe any racially divisive meaning to words (besides the n-word) are the northerners. The n-word was the only slur I ever learned about while growing up in Louisiana, because NOBODY CARES about "boy" or watermelons on one side, and "honky" or "whitey" on the other side. I didn't learn all these until I moved north. So don't talk like you know a single thing about the south.
        • maikai, on 04/15/2008, -4/+0last i checked i was south of the mason dixon line right along with you. i wasn't making generalizations. i was speaking of possibilities.

          to vault. thanks for your sarcasm? i wasn't being ingenuine. i was one who allied myself with individuals who might be offended by obama's 'bitter' remark when others were telling me 'what's the big deal?'. so no, i don't ascribe to double standards. but please, don't presume to know me or my experience either, monkey pack
    • chicofaraby, on 04/15/2008, -10/+2"I see nothing wrong with the comment,"

      So what? It's not about whether you are offended.
    • sullyz0r, on 04/15/2008, -8/+7Except, you know, that he's a senator.
    • x0rcist, on 04/15/2008, -13/+14And what about the fact that Davis is 49 and Obama is 46?

      Maybe if Davis was 67 and Obama was... 10.
      • breezytrees, on 04/15/2008, -1/+4he's not referring to age. He's referring to the fact that obama is a boy in his political lifetime, and by all means, this is more than ***** true.

        Obama has introduced a meaningless laughable 3 bills total in his political lifetime. While the general public (well maybe just me) doesn't give a ***** about how many bills a politician has put forward, every other senator does.

        Regardless, this article does bring up something scary. The only thing that worries me about this obama presidency is the fact that anyone who disagrees with him is instantly labelled a racist by devout followers. Hell, I ***** disagree with him when it comes to health-care, and his views on affirmative action. Does that make me a racist even though I voted for him? No, but I have been called that because of that ***** fact. ***** *****. ***** you OP (not you xocist, but mikiturner)
    • RansomHoldiay, on 04/15/2008, -6/+7yeah man, in the 50s and 60s it was extremely common for whites to refer to black males as 'boy.' whether or not it means that where you live, that was a racial insult at one point.
      • se1zure, on 04/15/2008, -2/+4OMG, at one point in time it was offensive to say something, lets get worked up about it!
      • Cyclophile, on 04/15/2008, -1/+2"Mormon" used to be an insult too... at one point in time.

        Hmmmm....
      • breezytrees, on 04/15/2008, -0/+2again, it has nothign to do with his age...

        Obama is a boy politically speaking, and this is what he's referring to. Obama has only introduced 3 bills total in his lifetime, and been a senator for just over 3 ***** years. That makes him a "boy.' Other politicians look at him as a "boy" and rightfully so, because he is just a ***** kid and does not know his way around the block politically speaking. We, the american public, well maybe just I... Well we don't care about this fact and actually like it. At least i do. I like the fact that obama is a boy politically speaking. I'm tired of ***** politicans. I just want a normal dude who doesn't have a thousand lobbyists in his (or hers) back pocket

        No, I am not an obama hater. I voted/will vote again for him. I'm just clearing it up for all you ***** dumb *****.

        God damn. If there's one thing I hate about this possible obama presidency..... is that everyone that disagrees with him is labelled a "racist" by devout obama followers.
    • Telionis, on 04/15/2008, -5/+15EXACTLY. That is a very common expression in the south. It does not imply anything about race or even age. I've heard kids talk about their fathers that way. It simply replaces "dude" or "bro". If he said, "that dude shouldn't have his finger on the red button" would that be racist?

      I think you guys have seen too many movies portraying racist hicks... they always start trouble with something ignorant like "hey boy, you lost boy, we don't like your kind 'round here, etc..." - I can understand how people from the north or west would infer that "boy" is a specific insult for African Americans, but it simply is not.

      Maikai, I think you are wrong with this regard. Certainly, specifically racist words should be frowned upon, but you cannot expect an entire region to change their nondescript colloquial expressions simply because someone might be reminded of past transgressions. I'm sure that racist bullies used "buddy" also, are you saying we can't use that word anymore? Are you saying that the entire South should stop using "boy" or are you saying that they should take special care to only use it to refer to whites???
      • maikai, on 04/15/2008, -1/+0thanks for your comment. i wasn't suggesting that people change their colloquial expressions. i did offer an explanation to how people might view it through a racial lens. i didn't even say this is how i view it.
        all i'm asking is for someone to say, 'yea. i see how someone could think that.' and then use the insight as a means of communication with people who might be upset about this. as in 'i know you might be feeling that davis was invoking jim crow rhetoric, but this is a different time. davis grew up in quebec and isn't even familiar with that use of the phrase. so while i understand while you might be upset, this is seriously a misunderstanding'.
        instead what i'm receiving is that even this perspective is impossible. i think communication becomes a lost cause if people aren't open to others' perspectives, even if they feel they are misguided. you can't come to reconciliation if you aren't even willing to give people the minimal ground of their own context. that's all i'm saying.

        and to be honest. all this negative feedback has sort of put me on the defensive on an issue that didn't even bother me that much to begin with. what does bother me is other people's reactions to it. i.e. using this as some kind of proof that republicans are bad or using it to prove that liberals and blacks only care about finding nonexistent racism. it's very frustrating and is a huge road block to any reasonable conversation.
        thanks though, Telionis for your tone and your question. :) it was much more respectful and very much appreciated after an onslaught of acerbic commentary.
        • WanderlustX2, on 04/17/2008, -0/+1This is older and won't be seen but I think that's part of the problem with the country at this point. EVERYONE need to move past things that happened in earlier generations and live our lives in the present or we're always going to have this kind of situation. I'm not saying forget what happened or ignore the past, we only learn from mistakes but we need to stop living as though it's the past.

          We can bend over backwards to make things as racial-friendly as possible but we're never going to achieve a balance if we allow ourselves to be over sensitive to situations like this or the Lebron James Vanity cover. Everyone needs to make a commitment to stop over-analyzing every situation and immediately throwing out that it's a racial situation.
      • maikai, on 04/15/2008, -0/+1also. for the sake of clarity, when i initially saw it i 'dugg' the article. reading it, i decided to 'undigg' because i examined my motivations and decided it didn't 1) fit with my principles or 2) my view of what's important for Americans to know to make informed campaign decisions. i stayed to comment, however when i saw some legitimate questions (as well as some hateful remarks) of some people. i wasn't quite expecting such a powerful response. i never put out commentary that was biased. i was just trying to illustrate the spectrum of outlooks on this to show people that it's not always as simple as it seems. people however found it necessary to digg me down for some reason...
    • thedragon4453, on 04/15/2008, -4/+10IMHO, we are all becoming hyper-sensitive. Our overly PC culture only serves to foster racial problems. Its just like the episode of south park. As soon as we stop making everything about race, racial tension will go away. Unfortunately, I don't see that happening soon.
      • ILikePants, on 04/15/2008, -0/+1Unfortunately, the "ignore racism and it will go away" technique has never worked for anyone. Hell, the "ignore race and racism will go away" technique ALSO doesn't work.
    • exronin, on 04/15/2008, -6/+4Just because you are desensitized to racism....
    • xDynaBlade, on 04/15/2008, -1/+6Where I'm from, nobody calls anybody "boy" unless they're not from around here. So, it's used basically only by racist *****.
      • krautkamel, on 04/15/2008, -0/+0Where are you from? I don't use the term, but I'm not so close-minded as to use a generalization that declares a group different from myself "racist *****". That would be how the entire issue began...
    • AmericanB4Black, on 09/17/2008, -0/+0Black men, in general, are overly sensitive to being call "boy". The disdain, in my generation (43 yrs), for being called boy comes from fathers and grandfathers who were called boy by white men, white women and even white children. Of course, it was used to make the black man understand that the white person believed that they were superior to the black man, at any age.