# 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:** 8
**Author:** ![zoogirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b9bd4f/32.png) [@zoogirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoogirl)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2003, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352/141 "2003-02-16T22:52:13Z")
I was raised here in the south-west corner of Canada, late Sixties, early Seventies. I hate to say it but I think I knew the “n” version before the “tigger”. We also called Brazil nuts “n-toes” and jelly babies “n-babies”. I don’t remember actually knowing a Black person until Highschool. She was the only one there, too. My kids learned “tigger.” We had the Chinese-Japanese thing too. Our version involved pulling up one eyelid, pulling down the other and saying “My mother was Chinese, my father was Japanese and I’m a mixed up kid!” We also had a Sambo’s resturaunt just up Kingsway. I remember it well because I barfed strawberry waffle in their bathroom. I was about ten and there was just more waffle than stomach! I wouldn’t say “N—” now if someone put a gun to my head. I’ve got to agree the whole PC thing is getting totally out of hand, though. The big thing around here this year was avoiding the word “Christmas”. The provincial government wanted to put up a “Holiday Tree” in front of the Legislature buildings in Victoria, a number of stores forbade their employee’s from wishing customers “Merry Christmas” and schools had “Winterfest” or Holiday" parties. The interesting thing is, most of the protests against this crap came from our large population of non-Christian residents. They seemed to almost universally feel that Christians have a perfect right to call our holiday by it’s proper name. The goverment finally backed down, btw. On another note, I had a look at an original copy of Robert Louis Stevens book of poems for the very young. Whatta shock! Talk about racist! I’m always shocked by 'ol Dame Agatha too. Product of their time, I guess, but still a jolt. ---
**Author:** ![easy\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/eb8c5e/32.png) [@easy\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/easy_e)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2003, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352/142 "2003-02-17T02:21:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by sperfur \* > \*\* A person I used to work with was suspended for five days for using the phrase ‘I’m free, white and 21’. \*\* Maybe I’m incredibly naive, or maybe I’m just incredibly insensitive, but am I the only one who thought this was maybe a bit of an overreaction? ---
**Author:** ![sperfur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9adbd/32.png) [@sperfur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sperfur)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2003, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352/143 "2003-02-17T05:27:29Z")
Personally, I thought firing the guy for saying ‘You’ve got to put a gun to their head to get them to do anything’ was a lot worse. ‘Free, white and 21’ is (IMO) widely recognized as a racist phrase. Of course, no one agreed with me that ‘the pot calling the kettle black’ was racist, so what do I know? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2003, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352/144 "2003-02-17T16:55:17Z")
We always did the “tiger” version. My grandmother, the dearest, sweetest woman on earth, was the one who accidentally taught us the "n\*\*\*\*r’ version when she played kick-the-can with us once. To give her credit, she immediately taught us another version - “Eeny meeny moanie Mike, Tuscalarie boney strike, Ompray vompray voo, Out goes you.” She also told me once that she referred to Brazil nuts using the same terms as **Otto** mentioned. I grew up in Wisconsin, so it may have been a regional thing. My grandmother did not have a mean or racist bone in her body - she just grew up in a different era. And she did her best to overcome it. It just seems to have slipped out, unmodified, from her youth when we put our feet in to pick who was going to be It. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Another\_Primate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Another\_Primate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Another_Primate)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2003, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352/145 "2003-02-17T18:17:34Z")
Eeny-meanie-miney-moe, Catch a **sailor** by the toe, If he hollers let him go Out goes Y-O-U, with a dirty dish rag in your eye. (Or if he hollers, make him pay Fifty dollars every day) ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2004, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352/146 "2004-07-02T18:27:41Z")
I sure hope I’m not pissing off the mods, but this is the second old thread I’ve revived today to give an update. [Here’s the AP story](http://www.belleville.com/mld/belleville/7765190.htm). The sisters who sued Southwest in this case lost. There’s your news update. But I also have to rant about Carol Fuller. Because that fucking idiot had the balls to say this after the jury verdict: "“If we had jurors of our peers then we would have won the case today, and we should have won the case today, with all the evidence shown,” she said. “It’s a shame that the jury pool we had to draw from did not have one black and not one minority,” she said. “Something has to be done to make sure there is justice in America for blacks.” Listen carefully Carol. You are a thin-skinned, stupid, obnoxious, racist piece of garbage who went out of her way to be offended and attempted to cause a woman to lose her livelihood so you could get some free money. You filed your dumbass friviolous lawsuit, wasted everyone’s time and money, and made yourself look like a complete idiot. Now, most people would cut their losses and go on their merry little way. But not you. You had to accuse the jurors, the judge, and the system of being racist. 'Cause the jury couldn’t possibly consider the case on the merits, right you ignorant bitch? Since the jury was white, they couldn’t possibly have considered the stupidity of your suit, and instead had to be racists who hate all black people? They had to rule against you because you’re black? Fuck that. And fuck you. ---
**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 2, 2004, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352/147 "2004-07-02T19:19:40Z")
I think Carol needs to change her name to Fuller-Schitt. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2004, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352/148 "2004-07-02T19:42:10Z")
b. 1963, Texas. OWNED a copy of Little Black Sambo. Ate at the restaurant called Sambo’s, before it became Denny’s. Learned the N version of EMMM. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2004, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352/149 "2004-07-02T19:46:32Z")
Hmm. The flight attendant is from Texas. I have a hard time believing she was unaware of the N version. Kids in the schoolyard and all. But mabye I’m just irredeemably cynical. ---
**Author:** ![Spree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@Spree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spree)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2004, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352/150 "2004-07-02T19:56:15Z")
> [@lissener](#): > > Hmm. The flight attendant is from Texas. I have a hard time believing she was unaware of the N version. Kids in the schoolyard and all. But mabye I’m just irredeemably cynical. I’m from Texas (born here and lived here my entire life) and I sure never heard the N version until this lawsuit. And I’m 7 years older than the flight attendant. Just so’s you know. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2004, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352/151 "2004-07-02T20:06:42Z")
Well, there you have it. Surprises me though. I find it pretty hard to believe that such a usage was utterly, utterly wiped out, in Texas, in the 70s. Amazing. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2004, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352/152 "2004-07-02T20:14:58Z")
Aw, did da iddy biddy weftist’s cawicatuah bwow up? ---
**Author:** ![Spavined\_Gelding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@Spavined\_Gelding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spavined_Gelding)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2004, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352/153 "2004-07-02T20:31:23Z")
> [@](#): > > Aw, did da iddy biddy weftist’s cawicatuah bwow up? Is that just a gratuity, **Lib** , or do you have a point? ---
**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 2, 2004, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352/154 "2004-07-02T20:50:48Z")
> [@Spavined Gelding](#): > > Is that just a gratuity, **Lib** , or do you have a point? Spillover from [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=264062&page=1&pp=50), I’d say. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2004, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352/155 "2004-07-02T20:57:10Z")
> [@Spavined Gelding](#): > > Is that just a gratuity, **Lib** , or do you have a point? You and I agree about Kent State. We need not be enemies. ---
**Author:** ![Spree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@Spree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spree)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2004, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352/156 "2004-07-02T21:43:37Z")
> [@lissener](#): > > Well, there you have it. Surprises me though. I find it pretty hard to believe that such a usage was utterly, utterly wiped out, in Texas, in the 70s. Amazing. Eh - not utterly wiped out, by any means, I’m sure. Just not so common that you’d expect anyone/everyone in Texas to have heard it, you know? Although it may have been my upbringing. The one time (that I remember) my grandmother using the N word (I was about 8), my hick, small-town, country father put a stop to that language right quick. So I really didn’t grow up around that sentiment. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2004, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352/157 "2004-07-02T22:09:26Z")
> [@lissener](#): > > b. 1963, Texas. OWNED a copy of Little Black Sambo. Ate at the restaurant called Sambo’s, before it became Denny’s. Learned the N version of EMMM. Denny’s was always Denny’s. Sambo’s became The Hungry Tiger. The original Sambo’s is still called Sambo’s. The owners kept it when the rest were sold although they did sell even that place later. It’s right here in Santa Barbara. The founders were two guys named Sam and Bob, they combined their names to get the name of their restaurants. A few years ago, Bob’s grandson bought the place back. Haj ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2004, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352/158 "2004-07-02T22:15:14Z")
> [@Liberal](#): > > Aw, did da iddy biddy weftist’s cawicatuah bwow up? [Speaking completely objectively] What, literally, are you trying to say? I got “Aww, did the itty bitty leftist’s…” and then you lost me. ---
**Author:** ![cheddarsnax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@cheddarsnax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cheddarsnax)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2004, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352/159 "2004-07-02T22:18:54Z")
…caricature blow up? > [@Liberal](#): > > You and I agree about Kent State. We need not be enemies. Whaa? ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2004, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352/160 "2004-07-02T22:20:33Z")
> [@cheddarsnax](#): > > …caricature blow up? That’s what I was thinking but how does it fit in the context of this thread, or did I miss something? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-sued-for-eeny-meenie-miney-mo/154352.md?page=9)