# 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:** 4
**Author:** ![Khan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3ab097/32.png) [@Khan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khan)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352/61 "2003-02-11T20:07:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Legomancer \* > \*\*For the record the “n-word” verson of the rhyme is featured in the movie _Pulp Fiction_ when Zed is picking whether Ving Rhames or Bruse Willis will go first. \*\* Yeah, I grew up with the tiger version, so when I saw that I thought Zed used “nigger” in place of “tiger” because he was trying to belittle Marcellus Wallace. I was 18 when I saw Pulp Fiction for the first time, too. And the stewardess is 22? Christ, she’s barely a year older than me! …so how DOES the “one potato, two potato” thing go, anyway? ---
**Author:** ![Juniper200](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@Juniper200](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Juniper200)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352/62 "2003-02-11T20:16:21Z")
Data point: I’m 22 years old and from the upper Midwest. While I learned and exclusively used the “tiger” version, I was certainly aware of the “nigger” version. **Czechmaster:** One potato, two potato, three potato, four Five potato six potato, seven potato, more. All of the kids stand in a circle and put their fists in the “pot.” One of the kids starts the rhyme, tapping a fist with each “potato.” The kid who gets tapped on “more” takes his fist out and the process is repeated until there are two kids left. Then the chant changes to: My mother told me to pick the best one, you dirty old dish rag…you. And the kid tapped on “you” is it. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352/63 "2003-02-11T20:18:51Z")
Each person puts out both fists. One person counts off fists while reciting “One potato, two potato, three potato, four, five potato, six potato, seven potato more.” The fist tapped on “more” is out and the counter goes on. Last fist in is the winner/first at bat/whatever. Which I suppose could be construed as discrimninatory toward the one-handed among us. Personally I think the plaintiffs ought to be awarded a giant bag of brazil nuts. ---
**Author:** ![c\_goat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@c\_goat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/c_goat)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352/64 "2003-02-11T20:18:52Z")
FTR, I never heard the racist version either. I always heard the tiger one. As a side note, from my many travels on Southwest airlines, I think they encourage this sort of cutesy behavior and bad puns. Here’s some examples: - After returning from Las Vegas, the flight attendant sand the following, to the tune of Barney’s “I love you” song: _We love you You love us We’re much faster than the bus We hope you enjoyed our hospitality Marry one of us, you’ll fly for free_ - After we once had a rough landing, they came on and said “The pilot would like to apologize for the rough landing and let you know it wasn’t his fault, it was the asphalt”. If anything, they should be sued for bad humor, not racism. ---
**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:** [February 11, 2003, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352/65 "2003-02-11T20:21:38Z")
I grew up in Australia, and the version i remeber from my youth is the “nigger” version. I can only guess that this was somehow considered acceptable because: a) Australia has (or at least had) very few African and African-American immigrants b) the term was only very rarely used to describe Australian Aborigines (and is never used nowdays). There were a bunch of other derogatory terms, which are thankfully falling out of use, that people would use to insult Australia’s first inhabitants. Thus, the term didn’t carry the immense historical weight that it does in the United States, with all the oppression and discrimination that went with it. What i can’t remember, however, is exactly where i learned the verse - at school? at home? (i can’t imagine my mother ever using such a word). It’s a mystery to me. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Carnage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/max_carnage/32/12775_2.png) [@Max\_Carnage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Carnage)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352/66 "2003-02-11T20:32:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Otto \* > \*\* > Personally I think the plaintiffs ought to be awarded a giant bag of brazil nuts. \*\* Very sneaky, **Otto**. I figured that too was a southern thing, but judging from your location, it must be a little more wide spread than that. ---
**Author:** ![Juniper200](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@Juniper200](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Juniper200)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352/67 "2003-02-11T20:40:31Z")
Max: I heard that usage from my mom’s relatives in southwest Indiana, so I think it’s used by dipshits everywhere. ---
**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:** [February 11, 2003, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352/68 "2003-02-11T20:41:29Z")
Can you be sued for bringing a copy of Agatha Christie’s _Ten Little Indians_ on the plane (bearing in mind the original title)? ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352/69 "2003-02-11T20:45:00Z")
::raises hand:: I can honestly say I had never remebered hearing the “n” version in my life until I read this in the news. I had forgotten about **Pulp Fiction** version until I read this thread - I just assumed they were being deliberately racist in that scene. I’m just waiting for the update that says the flight attendant lost her job over this bullshit. Perhaps this can all be settled with a friendly game of billiards. Defensive style. ::d&r:: ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352/70 "2003-02-11T20:47:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Archergal \* > \*\*I learned (small town Georgia, late 50’s or early 60’s) “catch a \*monkey[/] by his toe.” I’ve never heard the “tiger” version before today. Interesting…_Sigh_… \*\* I also learned the “monkey” version in the late 50’s - early 60’s, just outside of Philadelphia, PA. I wasn’t aware of the racist version until adulthood. How many of you learned “Ching ching Chinee-man sittin’ on a fence, tryin’ to make a dollar out of fifteen cents”? There’s no denying the racism in that one. But, I’m ashamed to say, as a (white) child I was completely oblivious to it even though I was aware of and hated racism against blacks. ---
**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:** [February 11, 2003, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352/71 "2003-02-11T21:20:50Z")
Memo to Southwest Airlines - when you want passengers to sit down, use a version of _Jambalaya_ instead: Goodbye Joe, Me (we) gotta go, Me oh my oh, Me gotta go Pole the pirogue (fly the jet) Down the bayou My Yvonne, The sweetest one, (sit your ass down) Me oh my oh, Son of a gun, We’ll have big fun On the bayou (that’ll be $7 for the sandwich) ---
**Author:** ![leander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bcef8e/32.png) [@leander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leander)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352/72 "2003-02-11T21:27:40Z")
Oddly, the judge agreed with the plaintiffs that it could be viewed as racist. > [@](#): > > “The court agrees with plaintiffs that because of its history, the phrase `eenie, meenie, minie, moe’ could reasonably be viewed as objectively racist and offensive,” [U.S. District Judge Kathryn] Vratil wrote. That, IMHO, is a bit over the line, esp. considering the context. I do, however, think that if it truly offends people, Southwest should instruct its employees to stop using the rhyme. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352/73 "2003-02-11T21:53:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jackmannii \* > \*\*Can you be sued for bringing a copy of Agatha Christie’s _Ten Little Indians_ on the plane (bearing in mind the original title)? \*\* In this day and age I wouldn’t be surprised. ---
**Author:** ![sperfur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9adbd/32.png) [@sperfur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sperfur)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352/74 "2003-02-11T22:09:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sauron \* > \*\*Let’s not go overboard with political correctness. > > “The pot calling the kettle black” refers to cast-iron cooking implements, both of which were black in color. Hence, the pot is criticizing the kettle for sharing the same trait (in this case, color) the pot does. There’s no racial overtones to it at all. \*\* The racial overtone comes from the idea that there is something wrong with being black. The pot is black, the kettle is black. Why would one _call_ the other black if there wasn’t something wrong with _being_ black? I think my version shows just how silly this is. What’s _wrong_ with being a cooking utensil? Nothing. Just as there’s nothing wrong with being black. Its something that you _are_. So, yeah, I think ‘the pot calling the kettle black’ really is insulting. I also think changing the offensive term points this out in a lighthearted way. Perhaps I’m wrong. Anyone else offended by this phrase? Also, I wish to apologize to any ‘Jimmys’ I may have offended. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352/75 "2003-02-11T22:14:47Z")
> [@](#): > > “It was like I was too dumb to find a seat,” Fuller said. Sawyer said fellow passengers snickered at the rhyme, which made her feel alienated. Yes you were to fucking dumb to find a seat. How hard is it? That and I really really don’t think anyone was snickering at you because you are black but it’s because you’re fucking stupid. Next time learn to find the damn seat and **sit the hell down**. I think I’m gonna cry now. ---
**Author:** ![Mothchunks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@Mothchunks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mothchunks)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352/76 "2003-02-11T22:24:58Z")
I learned it as “Eenie, meenie, miney, moe catch a heterosexually challenged drill sergeant with a lisp by the toe.” The meter works better with tiger. ---
**Author:** ![Sauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Sauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sauron)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352/77 "2003-02-11T22:33:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by sperfur \* > \*\*The racial overtone comes from the idea that there is something wrong with being black. The pot is black, the kettle is black. Why would one _call_ the other black if there wasn’t something wrong with _being_ black? … So, yeah, I think ‘the pot calling the kettle black’ really is insulting. _What_? You’ve got to be kidding. As you’re pointing out, there’s no difference if the pot had called the kettle black, a cooking utensil, iron, or Shirley. I think focusing on “black” is an attempt at creating racial overtones where they don’t exist. It just so happens that the descriptive term “black” rolls off the tongue easier than either of the others (although personally I’d lobby to change the word to “Shirley” just for the humor factor). The point of the phrase isn’t to imply that there’s something wrong with being black; it’s that the pot is being either disengenuous or wilfully ignorant. It’s a bastardized version of the Biblical injunction to “remove the beam from thine own eye before criticizing the mote in thy neighbor’s eye.” **Olentzero** : It’s entirely possible the utensils were blackened from their use in the fire. The cast-iron skillets and other cookware I’ve seen recently are black straight from the manufacturer, but that could be an effort to recapture that “well-used” look of earlier ironmongery. ---
**Author:** ![Sauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Sauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sauron)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352/78 "2003-02-11T22:34:29Z")
Crud. I forgot to preview. ---
**Author:** ![Purd\_Werfect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47c2d/32.png) [@Purd\_Werfect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purd_Werfect)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352/79 "2003-02-11T22:55:00Z")
I’m assuming that they’ll find a more palatable refrain such as: “Fee Fi Fo Fum, Find a place for your bum.” Of course, this will only be used after it’s been ascertained that there are no giants, Englishmen, men named Jack (or women named Jackie), people with a highly pronounced sense of smell, and no hemophiliacs aboard. In regards to the subthread, I flew Southwest once and probably won’t again. This was due to one of the boarding attendants joking over the intercom about one of their flights arriving successfully without crashing into the tarmac. I’m a fan of humor, but joking about plane crashes to people about to board and people about to meet those arriving just didn’t seem all that humorous. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352/80 "2003-02-11T23:15:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by sperfur \* > The racial overtone comes from the idea that there is something wrong with being black. The pot is black, the kettle is black. Why would one _call_ the other black if there wasn’t something wrong with _being_ black? > > I think my version shows just how silly this is. What’s _wrong_ with being a cooking utensil? Nothing. Just as there’s nothing wrong with being black. Its something that you _are_. > > So, yeah, I think ‘the pot calling the kettle black’ really is insulting. I also think changing the offensive term points this out in a lighthearted way. Perhaps I’m wrong. Anyone else offended by this phrase? Nope, not at all. Perhaps, however, we should use “the rose calling the carnation red” (assuming both were red). Seasoned cast-iron cookware is naturally black. I’ve never heard any inferiority infered. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352.md?page=5)