Tech official resigns over slur, school says (referred to NO evacuees in Greenville as "yard apes")

Greenville News ^ | 9-15-2005 | Ben Szobody

[I Drive Too Fast]

Would that have been OK, if it was a rabbit farm in the Amazon?

[Labyrinthos]

Totally stupid. I don't like the term "yard apes" and I never used it to refer to my kids, but it is not a racial reference. It simply means kids, as in "rug rats."

I've never heard of the phrase "yard apes" before reading the title to this thread, but the first thing that came to mind was that it is a derogatory reference to Black people along the lines of "jungle bunny" and "tar baby." The rationalizations that I'm seeing from some people -- that the phrase "yard ape" is not a racial thing -- reminds me of Sheets Byrd trying to explain his use of the "N" word on the Senate floor.

I wish blacks would stop thinking that every reference to apes or monkeys refers to them. It doesn't; the only people who seem to believe it does are blacks.

I'm sure Howard Cosell would agree with you if he were alive today.

[Shalom Israel]

Last time I heard yard monkey, it meant the guy driving the short truck hauling semi-trailers around the docking yard.....and he was white.

I worked for a systems' integrator that did lots of work in steel mills. We referred to crane operators, etc., as "mill monkeys". Luckily, I'm pretty sure most of them were white--it never occurred to me that it could have cost our jobs if they were black...

[don-o]

No way to defend this. None. Good on whoever fired her.

End of discussion.

[ScreamingFist]

>A black girl from England once called me a "cheeky monkey".

I think that translates to "you pig" in America.....

[justshutupandtakeit]

She was not speaking of children but young adults but don't let that impede your defense of the stupid.

[Publius6961]

Seig Heil!!

[Hank Rearden]

That you consider it offensive in your little universe does not necessarily make it offensive in other countries or even other states.

I didn't say I found it offensive - hell, I don't care what silly terminology dopey Southerners use.

But in a ridiculous PC government environment where "niggardly" will get you fired, she must be awfully damn stupid to express herself that way in an official capacity.

[Publius6961]

I apologize; by all means, proceed with your provincial PC lynching...

I'll just go get some popcorn.

[dfwgator]

Consevative blacks are often seen as race traitors, they're fair game for any derogatory comment and lefties will not sound a peep in protest. The double standard is sickening!

Case in point.

[FireTrack]

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0023551/

Hey, what about the Ape Man????

[Publius6961]

But in a ridiculous PC government environment where "niggardly" will get you fired, she must be awfully damn stupid to express herself that way in an official capacity.

Has it occured to you that up til now it was not a problem in any way?
Why would she wake up one morning and decide, gee I think I won't use that phrase today?

Suppose "Monkey Wrench" were suddenly branded with the big "R". Will you remember never ever to use the phrase again?

[livius]

You're right. Sorry - same Latin root. Nothing to do with color in either case.

[justshutupandtakeit]

I am not lynching anyone merely trying for some accuracy.
It is possible she meant to say "outstanding young men with sterling characters" as I expect to hear her defenders claim.

[don-o]

Thank you. Would you like another?

lol!

I read about half the thread and a bunch of lame comments. Point is, we may speak with family and friends one way. In public discourse, there is a different way we should be speaking.

Civil society and all that. Gotta go. I'll check the thread later.

[livius]

Feminists and "black activists" are about equally ignorant. Every time they say one of these stupid things, I (being a woman) cringe. I'm sure there are a lot of black folks out there cringing every time these jokers open their mouths, too.

[Black Tooth]

Excuse me for being ignorant here, but what is an "anklebiters"?

[Revolting cat!]

The depressing thing about this and similar incidents is that there are plenty of so-called conservatives, like Don Ho ('h' silent) above and others here, who have gone native and support such insanity. The death of common sense indeed! Aloha Oe and Kumbaya!

[mjtobias]

Too bad she resigned.

[L98Fiero]

Excuse me for being ignorant here, but what is an "anklebiters"?

It's what people without kids call ther people's kids. ;)