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That Brad Paisley song, “Accidental Racist” is pretty hilariously bad on all fronts. Even if its heart may have been in the right place.

The opportunity for misunderstanding is thick in our society and it’s hard to separate the technicalities sometimes from intent, and ultimately how much does that matter?

Like, i’m vaguely aware of the historical baggage, but if I have fried chicken to give, and I like you, know you’re not vegetarian, or watching your cholesterol…I’m offering you some.

This so far has not resulted in me getting my ass kicked, or in hurting anyone. I think because, as I offer the fried chicken with a mixture of fat-boy glee and slight disappointment that there won’t be more for me, there’s no way to interpret that as hurtful.

But, now back to the song. I’m not going to labor the lyrics, but the basic premise that you can offend someone on accident is really valid. 

But by wearing a confederate flag shirt?

That’s setting yourself up for an accident. That’s leaving skateboards at the top of the stairs, and loose boards in the floor, and spraying non-nutritive varnish on your sled.

This transcends Griswoldian antics and bumps its head on Stooge territory.

I think the recently emerging “Consent is sexy” slogan is wrong-headed!

I understand how that can sound really bad of me to say! But, hear me out. 

Consent is necessary. Not sexy. Before sexy even enters the pictures, the consent part should be dealt with. To say it’s sexy makes it sound somehow optional. It’s not! It makes it sound like slightly less than consensual sex can be slightly less sexy, but still ok! And of course it’s not! I don’t think a rapist’s greatest crime is not being sexy!

When I see this cute-ifying rhetoric, It reminds me of the “Save the boobies! Yay! I’m being crass, but you can’t do anything because technically I’m paying lip-service to a good cause! Pink! Pink! Pink!” that actual cancer patients tend to hate. This can’t be comforting rhetoric to the victims, and I can’t see it dissuading anyone from forcing non-consensual sex on anyone.

Can you imagine some roided-out bro, stopping to pause as he date rapes someone and thinks, “Am I being sexy?”

This cute-ifying move can have its place when we need to talk about ugly things more easily. But some things should stay ugly! We shouldn’t white-wash sexual assault!