Was Radar O'Reilly actually a racist?

[Bicycle Bill]

Remember how his beverage of choice was Grape Nehi?  Turns out that he may have been a closet racist.

Trainer Barred in New York and Other States for Giving Horse a Racist Name
On Twitter, the trainer, Eric Guillot, denied that the name was offensive, but he had directed it at a black television analyst. The horse ended up with a new name.

Published Jan. 9, 2021 / Updated Jan. 10, 2021, 6:38 p.m. ET

The New York Racing Association on Saturday barred a prominent trainer from competitions on its circuit for changing the name of one of his horses to a racial slur and taunting a black analyst for the horse racing network TVG.  The trainer, Eric Guillot, can no longer enter horses or have stalls on the nation’s premier circuit.  Horses he trained have earned more than $13 million in purses and have won 259 races, including the Whitney, Test and Jim Dandy Stakes, all considered among New York’s most important races.

“Racism is completely unacceptable in all forms,” David O’Rourke, the association’s president and chief executive, said in a statement.  “NYRA rejects Eric Guillot’s toxic words and divisive behavior in the strongest terms.”  He added, “Our racing community is diverse, and we stand for inclusion.”

The Stronach Group, which owns racetracks in Maryland, Florida and California, also said Saturday that it would not allow horses trained by Guillot to race at its tracks.

On New Year’s Day, Guillot tweeted that he was giving a 3-year-old colt a “unique name in honor of a TVG analyst,” adding a black fist emoji.  When a follower asked the name, he responded, “GRAPE SODA,” which can be a racist term directed at African-Americans.
(note that in the above, I have intentionally de-capitalized the term 'black'.  According to the Bicycle Bill Book of Style, 'black' is an adjective denoting color or the absence of it, the same as 'yellow', 'red', 'brown', 'white', 'blue', 'green', or 'purple with pink polka dots', and as such is not to be capitalized.)

Could someone please tell me just what makes "Grape Soda" a racist term, while other flavors such as 'orange soda', 'cherry soda', 'cream soda', or even 'ginger ale' — which could conceivably upset redheads ('gingers') — are not?

Incidentally, the horse has since been renamed "Respect for All" by its new owner, who gained ownership after a claiming race.  I can only assume that "Black Lives Matter" must have already been in use.

-"BB"-

[datsunaholic]

It's considered a stereotype; the stereotype being that only and all people of African descent like grape flavored carbonated beverages. The main point was that it was USED as an insult to Ken Rudolph, an analyst for TVG who Gulliot doesn't like and happens to be African American.

[Burning Petard]

Where does that place me? I like Grape Soda. My first job with a paycheck was Fri-Nite, all day Sat in a grocery store located on the town square. This was not the deep South, but 'coloreds' were only permitted to shop in the town square on Friday nites. Signs that stated "We Reserve The Right To Refuse Service to Anyone" were common Summers were hot. The only places regularly air-conditioned were bars and movie theaters. One of my occasional tasks was to go in the basement and sort empty soda-pop bottles. There was a 2cent deposit on such and a refund to the customer when they brought in empties. BUT ! they had to be sorted by brand because Coca-cola would not take Pepsi bottles etc. Lots of them piled up in the basement but they had to be sorted. The actual inventory of full bottles was also there. It was hot. I was authorized to drink as much of the stuff as I wanted. I soon learned that hot Grape Soda was the only one I could stand to drink at that temperature. Also 'Squirt' was acceptable in small amounts.

My skin is rather pink. My hair is white. My eyes are blue. I like grape soda. I don't feel insulted by a horse with that name. If you are a student of this topic and are somewhat familiar with the ways non-PC has affected some Philly institutions of higher learning, then you will understand when I say I don't care if you call me a Water Buffalo.

snailgate

[Gob]

Like the utter lunacy of some in the USA getting an advert banned in Australia, as it showed West Indian Cricket fans enjoying KFC.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2010-01-07/ ... ms/1201378