Play the white man

What can anybody tell me about origins of "Play the white man" and any opinions you hold about the phrase.

Thanks,
Abe.

It's one of those non PC phrases that generates more heat than light - hardly worth the hassle of discussion but check the archive, I'm sure it's been aired previously.

My opinion: it's very, very bad. Here's a link to a previous discussion:
www.phrases.org.uk bulletin_board 6 messages 412.html

Here in the UK we really don't have the same hang-ups about phrases such as these and find some US sensibilities simply bizarre - like the Janet Jackson bare breast incident. What was that about? However, we do still find it odd that people eat horses, snails and frogs and use 'motherfucker' as a term of endearment - polite society in Mayfair would be mortified to hear such a word.