# Airline sued for "eeny meenie miney mo" **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 11, 2003, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352 "2003-02-11T15:10:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![rfgdxm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c0e974/32.png) [@rfgdxm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rfgdxm)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2004, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352/181 "2004-07-03T19:06:28Z")
I find this interesting: [http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&q="Eenie%2C+meenie%2C+minie%2C+moe"](http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&q=%22Eenie%2C+meenie%2C+minie%2C+moe%22) Take a look at the first 2 listed on that SERP. Both are lyrics to songs containing the phrase recorded by _black_ musicians. From that I have to conclude that not all blacks consider that phrase offensive when the N word isn’t used along with it. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2004, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352/183 "2004-07-03T22:56:52Z")
I doubt your post will be purged. And so long as you conduct yourself according to the rules of the board, you won’t be banned. I’ve never seen anyone banned for a point of view. I think you’re wrong about most of what you say, but if you clean up the language and make an actual point, you can open a thread in Great Debates and see how your defense holds up. ---
**Author:** ![1010011010](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/ea666f/32.png) [@1010011010](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/1010011010)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2004, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352/184 "2004-07-03T23:56:19Z")
I was in Texas until I was five, in Florida for about a year and a half, then lived in Tennessee… I first heard the “nigger version” some time in TN. I was far more fond of “pick a number” for making arbitrary choices as a child. Reminds me of [this.](http://www.shadowuniv.com/excerpts-wb1.html) ---
**Author:** ![WaryEri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ea666f/32.png) [@WaryEri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WaryEri)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2004, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352/185 "2004-07-04T01:04:39Z")
I learned the tiger version as a kid, used it faithfully until some neighbour boys used the other version in front of me when I was 6 or 7, _still_ had no idea what it meant but assumed I’d been the one saying it wrong. Fortunately, the next time I recited the rhyme was in front of my mother, who made it quite clear that the “correction” I’d made was wrong and hurtful. I had no idea what the word meant until I said it in front of her and she explained why I should never say it again. 15 years ago in Nfld, for what it’s worth ( which probably ain’t much, Newfoundland not being much of a hotbed of racial tension). ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2004, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352/186 "2004-07-04T01:15:32Z")
Big Fat White Placaters - Band Name! It is always refreshing to see a new poster who hates _everybody_. > [@The Real Straight Dupe](#): > > They snap there gum loudly… Wait, I’m not supposed to invoke poor grammar. Sorry. But why are the “typical white American” children “disingenuous”? Nevermind, I’ve got to go out and cover the vegetable seedlings. There’s a storm front coming through. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2004, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352/187 "2004-07-04T01:21:48Z")
> [@The Real Straight Dupe](#): > > For those of you that agree with me but won’t say it here: I am glad I could speak for all of you on this message board who know this is the truth but are to oblivious or to cowardly to say so. > > . Perhaps you will find more support over at Stormfront? ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2004, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352/188 "2004-07-04T04:21:07Z")
> [@The Real Straight Dupe](#): > > ``` > I know some of you morons will argue against this post because reputation and message board status is more important to you than these issues....poor dumb son-of-a-bitches. But please don't respond with an attack on my grammar or punctuation just because you're a moron who knows nothing, is afraid to think and would rather duck scary issues by arguing crappy grammar. > > ``` Wow…just wow. You really showed us. I am completely humbled. Thank you for shining the light of truth on my unworthy, tiny mind. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2004, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352/189 "2004-07-04T05:27:09Z")
> [@The Real Straight Dupe](#): > > This post will be purged soon, of course…must keep this board devoid of real truth; and keep the language neat and tidy. Actually, virtually no posts are ever purged from this board, and those that are usually violate some rule regarding the use of copyrighted material, or fall under potential legal problem areas such as slander or libel. Stupidity like yours is usually left firmly in place for the general amusement of passers-by. ---
**Author:** ![Audrey\_Levins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Audrey\_Levins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Audrey_Levins)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2004, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352/190 "2004-07-04T05:50:14Z")
Another native South Texan, 26 years old, who never heard the “real” version of EMMM until several years ago when it came up in a conversation a lot like this thread. We always said “tigger,” though. Not “tiger.” I guess b/c it rhymes better with the original version. Like most rhymes, the reasoning behind it, or lack thereof, was rarely explored. Speaking of bigoted children’s games/rhymes, though, Mr. Levins says he remembers playing “Smear the Queer” on the playground. (He’s 34.) Basically it was a boys’ version of tag, where you tried to catch whoever was “it,” but then you also beat the crap out of them because they were “queer.” He says he had no idea what “queer” even meant. All he knew was that he didn’t want to be it, b/c it’s no fun getting your ass kicked. Anybody else ever heard of this? It was news to me. I do remember walking hand-in-hand in first grade with my best friend and being called “gay,” but it took me several more years to discover what it meant. And no one else has mentioned the most bizarre hand-clap “patty cake” rhyme I remember from my years on the black-top at school. All the girls in my elementary classes knew it but I have no idea where it came from or what the hell it means. We loved it; you started out doing the accompanying hand-interaction really slowly, and then you said it/did it over and over again, faster and faster, until you or your partner screwed up. _Bo-bo, ski watton-totton, eh eh, eh eh boom boom boom, Inni mini watton-totton, Bo-bo ski watton-totton, Bo-bo ski watton-totton Boom, zoom._ That’s my rough phonic version of it b/c obviously none of those words exist. (Different schools had slightly different versions of it; you always knew those girls “were new at your school.”) If nobody else remembers it I’m just going to chalk it up to the heat of South Texas summers. Hmm. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2004, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352/191 "2004-07-04T18:41:01Z")
> [@Liberal](#): > > I doubt your post will be purged. And so long as you conduct yourself according to the rules of the board, you won’t be banned. Unless, of course, **The Dupe** is a sock. ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2004, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352/192 "2004-07-04T18:42:52Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Nevermind, I’ve got to go out and cover the vegetable seedlings. There’s a storm front coming through. You are a sly fellow . . . 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Mort\_Furd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Mort\_Furd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mort_Furd)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2004, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352/193 "2004-07-04T18:47:33Z")
Ya’ll all seem to have heard only a shortened, cleaned up version of EMMM. As a kid growing up in south Louisiana in the mid to late 70’s, the version I most often heard went like this: Eenie meenie meinie mo Catch a nigger by his toe If he hollers make him pay Fifty dollars every day. My mommie told me to go to the store and pick the very best one and you are not it. The one we used most often (my friends and family) was the potato one, but I heard the other often enough at school - as well as the tigger and tiger versions. I also shudder to think what kind of reaction some of the other things I heard as a kid would get today. Consider this one that was often used to complain about a teacher: Glory, glory hallelujah, the teacher hit me with a ruler. I met her at the gate with a loaded 38 and she ain’t my teacher no more. Scary shit, I’m tellin’ ya. We also played “smear the queer” in Little Rock, Arkansas. It seems to have been a little different, though. We played it as a version of “all against all football.” The “queer” was the guy with the football, and everybody else tried to tackle him. He had the option to throw the ball to someone else, and whoever he threw it to HAD to catch it. If he didn’t, the other guys would make fun of him - too wimpy to catch a ball, etc. It took a tough guy to hold onto the ball and stagger towards a touch down with six or seven other kids trying to bring him down. Great green gobs of greasy grimey gopher guts, eyeballs rolling down the street. Too bad I don’t have my spoon so that I can eat, but I’ve got my straw. SSLLLUUUUURRRRRPPPP! ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2004, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352/194 "2004-07-04T21:00:39Z")
_Posted by Lib:_ > [@](#): > > Aw, did da iddy biddy weftist’s cawicatuah bwow up? _And a bit later…_ > [@](#): > > I do not dislike, nor do I mock, everyone on the left. There are leftists who are greatly to be admired. Like yourself, for example. But those who have presumed that everyone in Texas is a bigot and are surprised to learn otherwise are not in your esteemed company. Then why did you specify “weftist” in your mocking? Explain, please, because I’d hate to be left thinking that you’re just full of shit. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2004, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352/195 "2004-07-04T21:39:00Z")
> [@Jeff Olsen](#): > > Unless, of course, The Dupe is a sock. But that would be against the rules. > [@Baldwin](#): > > Then why did you specify “weftist” in your mocking? I made a point of his leftism because he routinely takes the posture of a leftist and mocks my libertarianism. It is something between him and me. Your taking offense would be inappropriate. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2004, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352/196 "2004-07-04T23:00:38Z")
> [@Audrey Levins](#): > > Speaking of bigoted children’s games/rhymes, though, Mr. Levins says he remembers playing “Smear the Queer” on the playground. (He’s 34.) Basically it was a boys’ version of tag, where you tried to catch whoever was “it,” but then you also beat the crap out of them because they were “queer.” He says he had no idea what “queer” even meant. All he knew was that he didn’t want to be it, b/c it’s no fun getting your ass kicked. > > Anybody else ever heard of this? It was news to me. We played this all the time when I was a kid and even back then I knew the difference between queer = gay and queer = different. In smear the queer, the “queer” was the only guy that had the ball, therefore he was different; queer. It had nothing to do with homosexuality. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2004, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352/197 "2004-07-04T23:34:33Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > In smear the queer, the “queer” was the only guy that had the ball, therefore he was different; queer. It had nothing to do with homosexuality. Our version of that game was charmingly called “Bag the fag.” ---
**Author:** ![Atticus\_Finch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ec9cab/32.png) [@Atticus\_Finch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atticus_Finch)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2004, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352/198 "2004-07-05T00:04:15Z")
> [@auntie em](#): > > Yeah, yeah, I know–but then how do you explain Little Black Sambo? Sambo was supposedly Indian. Thus the tigers and the references to ghee. Indians were often considered to be ‘black’ in those days. The way that Sambo is drawn (in the version I had as a kid, anyway) IS a stereotypical black caricature, but I suppose that arose from a misunderstanding by the illustrator, or the illustrator just not giving a damn about accuracy. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2004, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352/199 "2004-07-05T09:57:39Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > It would behoove you to remember that many of us on the left also support freedom of speech and oppose frivolous lawsuits like this, believing that this sort of stupidity detracts from real inequities and draws attention from real cases of racism. Furthermore, in this very thread, quite a few of the people who have strongly criticized the complainants in this case have been people of the left. For you and others concerned about left/right classifications and caricatures, your absence from the thread below is conspicuous. > **["...and no fag waiters."](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=264873)** > > Well, this is the latest gem to drop from my brother-in-law’s lips like venom from a cobra. I have never been to a family gathering where this racist, bigoted asshole hasn’t had something equally unpleasant to say about anyone who ain’t him. No... > [@Chefguy](#): > > What a sorry, right wing, neo-nazi fuckwad this guy is. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2004, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352/200 "2004-07-05T14:16:24Z")
> [@Liberal](#): > > For you and others concerned about left/right classifications and caricatures, your absence from the thread below is conspicuous. > > [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=264873](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=264873) What, am i supposed to trawl the Boards now looking for misuse of political classifications? If your point is that the term “right wing” is not synonymous with “neo-nazi,” “racist,” or “bigoted,” then i agree with you. But, given that you’ve obviously visited the thread, why did _you_ not point out the taxonomic problems with **Chefguy** ’s post? Had i stumbled across the thread myself, i might have done so. But i am not, on principle, going to march over there and do it just to satisfy your apparent desire that i demonstrate ideological consistency. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2004, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352/204 "2004-07-05T23:32:08Z")
> [@Dupe](#): > > It’s a laugh how everyone assumes I’m white. Who said you’re white? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352.md?page=11)