Hey There, Sweetie...

Suffering in AZ.1 said: Not worth talking about.  Obama was wrong.  He apologized.  Enough said.

I'm with Nancy...

Political correctness covers a multitude of "sins".  These include sexism as one narrow region of the full spectrum.  Political correctness has run amok and anytime it can be savaged or demonstrated to be lunacy, then it is a good day.  Down in this part of the world, the term "sweetie" is a term of endearment and usually emanates from the mouth of ladies more often than gentlemen.  There is nothing wrong with the term... on that you are correct.  It is the media blowing up over the use of the term that got Nancy to write about it and on that she is also correct.  Obama wasn't wrong for apologizing if he offended anybody, but anybody who was offended is an idiot.  If Obama was wrong about anything by using the term, it would be if he had used it condescendingly, which I wouldn't put past him.  So for him to apologize makes him a wussy... not exactly what I look for in the president of the USA.

FeedFwd said:

I'm with Nancy...

Political correctness covers a multitude of "sins".  These include sexism as one narrow region of the full spectrum.  Political correctness has run amok and anytime it can be savaged or demonstrated to be lunacy, then it is a good day.  Down in this part of the world, the term "sweetie" is a term of endearment and usually emanates from the mouth of ladies more often than gentlemen.  There is nothing wrong with the term... on that you are correct.  It is the media blowing up over the use of the term that got Nancy to write about it and on that she is also correct.  Obama wasn't wrong for apologizing if he offended anybody, but anybody who was offended is an idiot.  If Obama was wrong about anything by using the term, it would be if he had used it condescendingly, which I wouldn't put past him.  So for him to apologize makes him a wussy... not exactly what I look for in the president of the USA.

Where I come from calling a young woman you don't know sweetie is condescending in and of itself.  Where I come from it is a term you use with family and children, not with adults in the business field or on national television when you are playing a role.

There is something wrong with the term sweetie.  It offends some people.

I am not an idiot for being offended.

Apologizing makes him smart, not a wussy. 

Don't politicize something that is simply sexist.  Obama probably calls his young daughers "sweetie" and it was a slip of the tongue. 

The media made it political. 

(CM) Jim from Texas said: OK, my turn.  IMO calling a female reporter you don't know "sweetie" (especially while on camera) is condescending, the same as if someone called me "honkey"!  All such things come under the umbrella of "just don't go there" (I use that phrase because I puke at the term politically correct)!

Thank you for taking a turn.  If you can't hear me I'm clapping!

Everyone is rushing to be offended. What's up with that? Me thinks we all need to get a life. Here we are, again, talking about an irrelevant issue foisted upon us by the grievance mongers in the liberal media. We're better than that.

IMHO: The use of the word sweetie, or any other term, is an INDIVIDUAL choice, consequences and all.  By what right do the PC police have to tell us what to say or not to say. Is there a rule book out there I haven't seen?

To each his/her own, Nancy!  So no use arguing, but what if a gay reporter had been there and Obama cut him off by calling him a fruit?  Is there a line?

And, if it's so irrelevant, why did you write an article and post a thread about it?  Hmmmmmmmm ..........

(CM) Jim from Texas said:

To each his/her own, Nancy!  So no use arguing, but what if a gay reporter had been there and Obama cut him off by calling him a fruit?  Is there a line?

And, if it's so irrelevant, why did you write an article and post a thread about it?  Hmmmmmmmm ..........

Then Obama would have taken the consequences... His choice.

However much the liberals want to level the playing field, its just not possible to shield everyone's feelings. Life isn't fair. Grownups and conservatives accept this and deal with it - not waste their time trying to change the behaviour of others.

When you are born God gives you a bucket full of words.

As time goes on we take them out and use them.

One day we put our hand in the bucket and there are no more.

Then we die.

I've got to be very careful.

My wife does not mind being called sweetie.

Greg and Blaze --

What is wrong with you two?  Do you think and read before you post?

Greg -- no one said you can't call your wife sweetie.  She's your wife.  You can call her hot stuff or mangy dog, whatever you want. 

Blaze -- same thing.  You can call someone sweetie.  Don't you understand what you're reading? 

How long has it been since either of you have been in the workplace?  Have you ever been a young, pretty, vulnerable woman in say the judicial system surrounded by lawyers, mostly men, and responsibilities that if poorly done could cause a mistrial or a misunderstanding?  

The young are often treated condenscendingly because they're young, naive and inexperienced.  Yes, surprise, surprise, there are  people, often men, wo will take advantage of that if they can.  And yes, women are often treated condescendingly because they're women. 

Now put that young woman in the workplace and the word "sweetie" can have many different meanings.   It can be used to put a young woman down and make her feel stupid or childish,  or to seduce her, depending on who says it and in what context and in what surroundings.  Young women walk through a mine field of signals from men and they have to be able to sort them out.

Yes, Greg, "sweetie" IS AN ENDEAERMENT.  Why would you want to use an endearment with someone you just met and don't know?  Now that I've told you how it can be misconstrued and that its meaning is open for interpretation, WHY WOULD YOU TAKE THE CHANCE OF USING IT ON A STRANGER AND POSSIBLY OFFENDING HER?  Why would you want to call everyone the "special, " intimate, loving name you call your wife? 

"Sweetie, let me help you with those books."  (From a woman you know in the middle of your office)

"Sweetie, let me help you with those books"  (From a man you barely know, in a dimly lit closet, as his arm slides down your back and his breath is hot on your ear because he's so close.  You already know he has a bad reputation and that he seldom takes no for an answer yet he's a co-worker and you have an armload of books that have to be put away.  You really don't want his hands on you. His "sweetie" intimates a special relationship you don't want.

Calling a young woman sweetie while she is in the middle of her professional duties and on national television is putting her in the same category you put your wife or children in.  It frames her as a child, not to be taken seriously, or someone you are very, very, close to.  Neither is right or professional.   

I don't care if you're from the Deep South or the South Pole, use some common sense.  What is acceptable or commonly used in your neck of the woods is not acceptable everywhere. 

But -- because you don't seem to get it -- call your wife and your children or those close to you "sweetie" as much as you want.   Don't try to make this a big deal.  This really, really isn't worth talking about and it has nothing to do with being PC.  It has everything to do with being sensitive and professional in the workplace, especially a large office.

And remember, there are those close personal relatioinships between say secretary and boss where "sweetie" is acceptable.  On the other hand, there are those women who will take "sweetie" farther than intended and claim a special relationship that isn't there.  Do you really want to get into such a situation?  Do you see the pitfalls?  

For Obama it was probably a slip of the tongue because of his young daughters but it wasn't professional and it made the reporter feel "less than" so he shouldn't have used it but he did apologize, acknowledging that SWEETIE was not appropriate in that instance.

Now go ahead and jump all over me.   

I'm usin' my words on another thread.

Greg Badger said:

I'm usin' my words on another thread.

I'm sorry to hear that because this was just getting interesting.  We haven't even addressed the woman in the workplace who loves to be called sweetie, darlin' , babe or anything else that sets her apart.  She loves sexual tension in the workplace because she feels she can use it to her advantage.

You've met her.  Every man has.  She probably dresses provocatively, flirts, and likes to join in the off-color jokes because it makes her feel like one of the boys, but better.  She's a woman and she needs constant affirmation, through your attention, that she is pretty and smart and desirable.

I could go on but like I've said, you've met her before.   

Suffering in AZ.1 said:

Greg Badger said:

I'm usin' my words on another thread.

 

I'm sorry to hear that because this was just getting interesting.  We haven't even addressed the woman in the workplace who loves to be called sweetie, darlin' , babe or anything else that sets her apart.  She loves sexual tension in the workplace because she feels she can use it to her advantage.

You've met her.  Every man has.  She probably dresses provocatively, flirts, and likes to join in the off-color jokes because it makes her feel like one of the boys, but better.  She's a woman and she needs constant affirmation, through your attention, that she is pretty and smart and desirable.

I could go on but like I've said, you've met her before.   

(CM) Jim from Texas said: