Dep't. of Amplification, Scatological Obscenity Desk

We recently mentioned former AgSec (& current moldering corpse) Earl Butz ,indicating in our mention that we weren't sure whether or not he'd said "nigger." Well, thanks to Gustavo Arellano, in today's regional wrapper of fish, we find out that ol' Earl said "coloreds."

Other newspapers, on the other hand, had fewer qualms about Butz's insult. The New York Times, America's epitome of a too-genteel newspaper, wrote in its obituary, "Mr. Butz made a remark in which he described blacks as 'coloreds' who wanted only three things -- satisfying sex, loose shoes and a warm bathroom -- desires that Mr. Butz listed in obscene and scatological terms." Doesn't quite capture the flavor of the original, but it's closer. Reuters used a description similar to the New York Times' measured take, as did Butz's home state daily, the Indianapolis Star. None of them printed Butz's full joke, but their approach makes them veritable George Carlins to the Los Angeles Times' Jeff Foxworthy.

(For the obscene & scatological terms, click the "Earl Butz" link above. Just Another Blog™ is much closer to Carlin than to Foxworthy, we say modestly.) What a paragon of tolerance the Sec'y. was, & shame on us for thinking he'd have used an awful term like "nigger." Our sincerest apologies to the late Secretary Butz & all of his family & friends. (Heh-heh, we said "Butz.")