In all fairness though I never considered the word “shvartze” when speaking Yiddish to be any more offensive than the word “black” — which it means. All these words are very literal and depend a lot on intention, inflection, context, and often as in Health’s case here perception.
We’ve become a little over-sensitive and while I can understand someone becoming offended for being referred to as a spinster or alte bucher, it’s not the same as saying you don’t want your family member to be assigned to spinsterhood or become a spinster.
So wow, for a change (besides for his anti-Zionist stance which I mostly agree with) I find myself in agreement with Health!