A tar baby is metaphorically any "sticky situation"^[1] that is only aggravated by efforts to solve it. According to American plantation folklore a tar baby is a human figure made of tar that was used as a trap by Br'er Fox to capture Br'er Rabbit. In one tale, Br'er Fox and Br'er Bear construct a lump of tar and put clothing on it. When Br'er Rabbit comes along he ad dresses the tar "baby" amiably, but receives no response. Br'er Rabbit becomes offended by what he perceives as Tar Baby's lack of manners, kicks it, and in doing so becomes stuck. Now that Br'er Rabbit is stuck, Fox ponders how to dispose of him. The helpless, but cunning, Br'er Rabbit pleads, "Please don't throw me in the briar patch," prompting Fox to do exactly that. As rabbits are at home in thickets, the resourceful Br'er Rabbit escapes. Using the phrases "please don't throw me in the briar patch" and "tar baby" to refer to the idea of "a problem that gets worse the more one struggles against it" became part of the wider culture of the United States in the mid-20th century. The story was originally published in Harper's Weekly by Robert Roosevelt; years later Joel Chandler Harris wrote of the tar baby in his Uncle Remus stories. A similar tale from African folklore in Ghana has the trickster Anansi in the role of Br'er Rabbit. Brer Fox is a fictional character from the Uncle Remus folktales adapted and compiled by Joel Chandler Harris. ... Brer Rabbit is a fictional character, the hero of the Uncle Remus stories derived from African American folktales of the Southern United States. ... Brer Bear is a fictional character from the Uncle Remus folktales adapted and compiled by Joel Chandler Harris. ... Harpers Weekly Inauguration Number 1897 Harpers Weekly (A Journal of Civilization) was an American political magazine published by Harper & Brothers from 1857 until 1916. ... Robert Roosevelt (1829-1906) was the uncle of President Theodore Roosevelt and the grand uncle of Eleanor Roosevelt. ... Joel Chandler Harris Joel Chandler Harris Joel Chandler Harris (December 8, 1848 - July 3, 1908) was an American journalist from Georgia, best known for his collection of Uncle Remus stories: Uncle Remus: His Songs and Sayings (1881), Nights with Uncle Remus (1883), Uncle Remus and His Friends (1892), and Uncle... Uncle Remus was a fictional character, the title character and fictional narrator of a collection of African American folktales adapted and compiled by Joel Chandler Harris, published in book form from 1881. ... A world map showing the continent of Africa. ... Anansi is one of the most important gods of West African lore. ...

Controversial usage

Though the term's provenance arose in African folklore, some now consider "tar baby" to have negative connotations revolving around pejorative images of African-Americans.^[2]. Specific reasons why the term developed negative racial aspects are difficult to identify. In recent years, several Republicans who have publicly used the term have encountered some controversy, mocking, and censure from African-American civil rights leaders, members of the popular daily media, and other politicians:

• Tony Snow used the term, "I don't want to hug the tar baby of trying to comment on the program" in one of his first briefings as White House Press Secretary.^[3] Snow's use of the term was lampooned by some in the media.^[4] None of the 48 White House reporters present for the statement censured Snow for his remarks, but one did ask him to clarify what he meant by the term.^[5]

• Mitt Romney, Republican Governor of Massachusetts, speaking in Ames, Iowa on 29 July 2006, early in his run for the U.S. presidency, used the term in reference to his decision, in light of recent safety issues, to assume oversight of the Big Dig: "The best thing for me to do politically is stay away from the Big Dig—just get as far away from that tar baby as I possibly can." ^[6] Leading black figures within the Republican and Democratic parties expressed dismay at what they perceived to be Romney's lack of sensitivity.^[7] Romney later apologized for the remarks through his staff.^[8]

• On March 16, 2007, Republican U.S. Senator from Arizona John McCain used the term when answering a question at a town hall meeting in Iowa during his campaign for the U.S. presidency ("For me to stand here and ... say I'm going to declare divorces invalid because of someone who feels they weren't treated fairly in court, we are getting into a tar baby of enormous proportions and I don't know how you get out of that").^[9]

A Boston Herald columnist, Virginia Buckingham, has argued that hypocrisy exists, as earlier usages by Democrats have often escaped public censure: ^[10] Tony Snow Robert Anthony Tony Snow (born June 1, 1955) is the White House Press Secretary for the George W. Bush administration. ... The NSA warrantless surveillance controversy concerns eavesdropping by the United States National Security Agency (NSA) without court oversight. ... The White House Press Secretary is a senior White House official with a rank one step below Presidential Cabinet level. ... Willard Mitt Romney, usually known as Mitt, (born March 12, 1947) was the 70th Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, elected in 2002. ... The Republican Party is a one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States; the other being the Democratic Party. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... Bales of hay on a farm near Ames, Iowa. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... July 29 is the 210th day (211th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 155 days remaining. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... The presidential seal was first used by President Hayes in 1880 and last modified in 1959 by adding the 50th star for Hawaii. ... Metropolitan Highway System Big Dig is the unofficial name of the Central Artery/Tunnel Project (CA/T), a megaproject which rerouted the Central Artery (Interstate 93), the chief controlled-access highway through the heart of Boston, Massachusetts, into a 3. ... The Republican Party is a one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States; the other being the Democratic Party. ... The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States; the other being the Republican Party. ... March 16 is the 75th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (76th in leap years). ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the Anno Domini (common) era. ... The Republican Party is a one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States; the other being the Democratic Party. ... Seal of the U.S. Senate Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures State Courts Counties, Cities, and Towns Other countries Politics Portal      Senate composition following 2006 elections The United States Senate is... Official language(s) English Capital Phoenix Largest city Phoenix Area  Ranked 6th  - Total 113,998 sq mi (295,254 km²)  - Width 310 miles (500 km)  - Length 400 miles (645 km)  - % water 0. ... For McCains grandfather and father, see John S. McCain, Sr. ... Town Hall Meeting is a concept which originated in New England when everybody in the town showed up to speak their piece and then vote on an issue. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The presidential seal was first used by President Hayes in 1880 and last modified in 1959 by adding the 50th star for Hawaii. ... The Boston Herald is a tabloid newspaper (not to be confused with tabloid press periodicals), the smaller of the two big dailies in Boston, Massachusetts, with a daily circulation of 230,543 in September 2005. ...

• John F. Kerry, Democratic U.S. Senator from Massachusetts, speaking of his staff's advice to not pursue an investigation into American POW/MIA's from the Vietnam War, was quoted on 10 August 1992: "Everybody on my staff, everybody I knew thought I was crazy, and said, 'Don't do this...' ... They said it's a no-win tar baby."^[11]

• Molly Ivins, a nationally syndicated liberal columnist, wrote on 30 October 2001: "It now looks, with 20-20 hindsight, as though he should have taken a few more deep breaths before smacking that tar-baby that is Afghanistan."^[12]

John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is the junior United States Senator from Massachusetts. ... The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States; the other being the Republican Party. ... Seal of the U.S. Senate Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures State Courts Counties, Cities, and Towns Other countries Politics Portal      Senate composition following 2006 elections The United States Senate is... This article is about the U.S. State. ... Geneva Convention definition A prisoner of war (POW) is a soldier, sailor, airman, or marine who is imprisoned by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict. ... MIA may refer to: Missing in action, a combatant who has not returned from war Missing in Action (film), the first of a series of three action films starring Chuck Norris Missing in Action (game), a Konami arcade game released in 1989 as a sequel to Rushn Attack M... Combatants Republic of Vietnam United States Republic of Korea Thailand Australia New Zealand The Philippines National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam People’s Republic of China Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea Strength US 1,000,000 South Korea 300,000 Australia 48,000... August 10 is the 222nd day of the year (223rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday. ... Molly Ivins (born August 30, 1944, as Mary Tyler Ivins) is a newspaper columnist, political commentator, and best-selling author from Austin, Texas. ... October 30 is the 303rd day of the year (304th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 62 days remaining. ... 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

See also

• "Tar Baby" is also a song on the Promise (album) album by Sade.
• The "Tar Baby" story derives from west African myths involving Anansi

Promise is the second album by the Nigerian-English songwriter, Sade. ... Sade (pronounced Sha-day) is a world-famous English group, achieved success in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s. ... Anansi is one of the most important gods of West African lore. ...

References