Toots, I did read the source article; however, based on some personal recollections of its use, I still consider the term to be a racial epithet. But I recognize that others may not agree.
While it does indeed describe a very light-skinned person of some degree of black African ancestry, I personally regard the term as falling in the same group as nigger, jig, jigaboo, spade, jungle-bunny, spear-chucker, etc.
Now, that does not mean that the word cannot/should not be used if it can be used properly to make a point; I have on several occasions - at this and other forums - used the term nigger in a non-racist manner.
I know of some interesting racial terminology used by American Indians to describe other peoples, and it is quite epithetical. In fact, historically, racial and ethnic comments are ubiquitous and have been used at the highest levels of interpersonal and official contact.
