It's stupid to get upset at this, sure, but we are talking about a word that isn't in common usage and sounds a lot like the epithet. Taking this into account when choosing one's diction for a formal occasion would have been a smart thing to do.
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Originally Posted by KnifeMissile
Will they, next, object to calling a spade a spade?
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The objection here would be . . . ? This phrase means to use an accurate label or name for something, or be precise with language for the purpose of clarity, with the particular example being a specific type of shovel, one with a pointed digging blade. In other words, don't get fancy and call a spade a digging implement if you mean spade. Call a spade a spade.
Who could possibly get upset about, to paraphrase, calling a shovel a shovel?
Gilda