14 Everyday Phrases Used in Maine That Happen to Be Racist

It may be surprising to learn that something you’ve been saying your whole life is actually rooted in racism. It’s not your fault; we’re just giving you a heads-up.

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Have you ever heard the song 'Accidental Racist' by Brad Paisley? It was released on Paisley’s 2013 album 'Wheelhouse' and featured rapper and songwriter LL Cool J. The song played on the themes of 'don’t judge a book by its cover' and made an honest effort to commentate on racism and the role race plays in modern-day America.

Was it a good song? Well, that’s subjective. Critically, it was not well-received, and given the, at times, unmindful lyrics, it would most likely be met with even more criticism if it were released today.

To be honest, with lyrics like "If you don't judge my do-rag… I won't judge your red flag" and "If you don't judge my gold chains… I'll forget the iron chains," it most likely wouldn’t even make it to the recording phase in 2024.

Why is this relevant? Well, if you use any of these phrases, it’s possible that you may potentially be labeled an 'accidental racist.'

It’s actually surprising; a majority of this list comprises words and phrases that are very commonplace here in our Pine Tree State. Some things that may seem cordial or well-intentioned are rooted in deep, hateful racism. Some, however, are just flat-out inexcusably racist.

Again, we’re not here to judge you if you’ve used these before; we just want to make it known that the origins of these phrases aren’t as innocuous or harmless as you may have once thought.