Hi, Michael.

I didn't mean to imply that that word "tacky" was racially specific. However, I'm sure that there are some cultural differences in what some economic classes consider to be tacky. And I believe that there probably are some racial differences between what people within those economic groups consider to be tacky. Also, that what is defined as tacky is probably also influenced by people's age.

Let me share this example: I remember on occassion when a young African American mother whose two year old son was on my foster care caseload came to the agency for one of her twice monthly visits with her child. After hugging him she expressed to me (but not in these words) that she was appalled that her son's [African American] foster mother had dressed her son in a shirt with a figure of Mickey Mouse on it. She said to me "Miss Azizi, you know I don't play that. She has my son wearin Mickey Mouse!.

I knew where she was coming from, since among Black Americans (and non-Black Americans?) calling something "Micky Mouse" meant that it meant that it is the epitome of tackiness (for instance a "Micky Mouse watch or-in that instance-a Mickey Mouse shirt). And, for some reason or the other, "Mickey Mouse" also can carries a connotation of being a "sissy" (meaning the opposite of manliness/macho"). I think that that young mother meant both of these meanings when she complained about the shirt her son was wearing for her visit.

And yes, I did feel that it was ironic that the mother was focusing on what her son was wearing-tacky or not. I thought it was a nice looking shirt which went well with the pants and his tennis shoes (which the mother also complained about because they weren't made by some brand name company. But I realized that 1. many women with children in foster care often find petty things to complain about regarding their children's foster parents because they need to vent, and they need to feel that the foster mother could never be as good a parent to their children as they are. (which I know is ironical, but I think it's what they feel) and 2. bringing changes of clothes for their children (which is what I suggested that this mother do if she didn't like the clothes that the foster mother puts on her son) helps give birthparents some feeling of control in this situation, where clearly they have lost so much control.

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There are 16 definitions for "mickey mouse" on http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=mickey+mouse. Here's one that is similar to one definition of "tacky":

3.Mickey Mouse
To build or repair something shoddily and with substandard materials.
Who built this Mickey Mouse thing anyway?

-snip-

Here's another definition for "mickey mouse" that is the same as the word tacky's "cheap" definition:

1. mickey mouse
Substandard, poorly executed or organized. Amateurish.
Who's in charge of this mickey mouse operation, anyway?

-snip-

For what it's worth, #16 definition pf mickey mouse refers to homosexuals. But I'm not going to quote the sentence example that was given.