the horror.

"I didn't think it was racist at the time, but now we know better."

The term snowflake gets abused on these boards and elsewhere.

The sentence above by the Prime Minister of Canada is why.

Not because he means it. He may or may not.

But because he feels compelled to say it.

ok. I always wondered why it got abused in here. Now I know.

When I hear it or say it, I am talking about people who get offended too easily.

Trudeau performed in a stage skit. The theme was Arabian Nights and his costume included dark skin makeup on his face.

I think it's fair to assume that the costume was intended in good taste, with no malice towards people of color.

Yet, here we are a decade later and he feels compelled to apologize profusely.

For something that was racist in neither content nor context on the day it occurred.

Something that can not possibly truly offend any sane and reasonable person.

I'm not saying it's not offensive because I deem it so.

I"m saying it's not offensive because it simply isn't.

As a kid I loved Italian and Polish jokes.

In 4th or 5th grade in the book-mobile (remember those?) I bought a small book that was half Italian Jokes and Half Polish. You actually flipped the book over to read one side or the other.

If my parents have an estate sale and that paperback turns up with my name in it, would I have to apologize for it? Because let's face it, most of those jokes are far more offensive than a costume intended in good faith.

So yeah.

Trudeau is apologizing because of the snowflakes.

YMMV

It all boils down to blame canada.

"I'm not saying it's not offensive because I deem it so. But I'm going to deem it not offensive anyway".

Hear ye! Hear ye! Fat old white male has decreed this incident of black-face "not offensive!" and any offended by it as "snowflakes" so let it be written!

She had anguish in her voice....don't know if it was manufactured, but easy to imagine it that way....also easy to imagine a half-azzed 'reporter' wanting to sound all worked up.....that someone could be made of such pure evil so as to mock an entire sub-continent of people....what a **** joke....

Someone somewhere is going through every **** yearbook of every **** politician from village rat catcher to the president....it's insane

I mean, I'd leave out the "fat" part. But other than that you're spot on.

If at some point in the future it is considered to be offensive, I refuse to apologize.

Meanwhile, Victor will be on hands and knees begging for mercy.

And TW will be looking for more peanut butter.

You know. While he's down there.

Tell me how this costume in 2001 for a themed party is offensive in 2019.

I'm still looking for that joke book.

Some gems in there.

not really old either.

does anyone actually know the origin of snowflake use other than the literal definition?

not really close to how it is used now...

did you look Upper U.S?

Why? I'm not personally offended by it, it's not my responsibility to prove it's offensive. I just think it's hilarious that you think your assessment of whether an instance of blackface is offensive or not, and whether those offended by it are "snowflakes" is the height of absurdity.

(and I'm leaving the fat statement in there... I'm playing the cbid odds)

I'm assuming he's over 35.... that's old.

snowflake is the most ironic word in the early 21st century....

The same people who started using it to disparage anyone who was bothered by their "edgelord" statements turned out to be the biggest snowflakes of them all...

Well I'll be damned. This is the most interesting older use of the term I've ever seen:

https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/the-less-lovely-side-of-snowflake 

I did not expect that. Did you know that frank?