[MrB]

Ya know... it didn’t occur to me at first that “cotton pickin’” is inherently racist, it’s used as a minor epithet so much that it has lost its underlying meaning.

[ClearCase_guy]

it didn’t occur to me at first that “cotton pickin’” is inherently racist

For some folks, saying "That's a pretty cloud" can be inherently racist -- that's how they view the world.

[houeto]

Ya know... it didn’t occur to me at first that “cotton pickin’” is inherently racist, it’s used as a minor epithet so much that it has lost its underlying meaning.

Seeing as how my white grandmother and white grandfather both picked cotton, I'd say race ain't got nuthin' to do with it. Scrooo 'em.

[Maverick68]

bump

[Syncro]

You have your terms a little mixed up.

...the term 'cotton-picking' originated in the southern states of the USA, where it is usually pronounced cotton-pickin'. It began life in the late 1700s and differs from the 19th century Dixie term, 'cottonpicker', in that the latter was derogatory and racist, whereas 'cotton-picking' referred directly to the difficulty and harshness of gathering the crop.

From Here

[Old Professer]

I don’t know if he was the first to use it, but Tennessee Ernie Ford sure did popularize “cotton-pickin.’”