The Divided States Of America

I have to ask because we have finally gotten to a point (in this racially hyper-sensitive society) where we can not even say the word "black" without being accused of racism.

A special meeting about Dallas County traffic tickets turned tense and bizarre this afternoon.

County commissioners were discussing problems with the central collections office that is used to process traffic ticket payments and handle other paperwork normally done by the JP Courts.

Commissioner Kenneth Mayfield, who is white, said it seemed that central collections "has become a black hole" because paperwork reportedly has become lost in the office.

Commissioner John Wiley Price, who is black, interrupted him with a loud "Excuse me!" He then corrected his colleague, saying the office has become a "white hole."

That prompted Judge Thomas Jones, who is black, to demand an apology from Mayfield for his racially insensitive analogy.

Mayfield shot back that it was a figure of speech and a science term. A black hole, according to Webster's, is perhaps "the invisible remains of a collapsed star, with an intense gravitational field from which neither light nor matter can escape."

Video of the exchange can be found here. Does this mean that we are no longer able to say someone is "back in black" or "black tie affair" or perhaps movies can no longer "fade to black". According to the aggrieved Councilman - even "devil's food" is offensive! Memo to Jazz Shaw....no more posting on the criticisms of CERN.

Are we finally to the point where political correctness has gone too far?