Agreed
It looks like this book was a victim of its own success. It was a successful story featuring a black character (albeit Indian rather than African) with a distinctive name, so that name got used in a derogatory manner, so became a derogatory term. Shame really.

Much like the terms spastic or mongoloid were used (originally clinically) for people with certain problems, they became derogatory, until they had to go for something so long and boring and generic that it can't be used like that (learning challenged), or else be condemned to changing terms every few years. Unless society can change.

I have never seen someone referred to publically as a Sambo (although I am sure it used to happen) - it is probably time passing and society has changed somewhat by now, and I am not one for name calling in any case (but that is another story) so my kids should be pretty safe from falling into bad habits.
(Skippyfillet, Sun 30 Oct 2011, 14:40, Reply)