Are they really so delusional as to think that acknowledging and portraying slavery is more offensive than pretending it never happened? If they're too wussy to acknowledge it, there's a simple solution: don't set your show in the south. *headdesk* I know! It's ridiculous, and as someone who hails from a former slave state, I find it a little insulting. It was awful. We know it was awful. No one is proud of that par of our history, but we can talk about it. We acknowledge it. We can say "yes this happened, and it happened here, and thank goodness it's not happening anymore because, damn, was that messed up." But no one is avoiding the issue, or talking circles around it.

Hee! I don't ship them in any way other than brotherly, though. Does that still count? :P Of course! It's the "huh. Yeah that could happen." moment that counts. I don't ship them outside family either, but if Elena walked in on something entirely incestous, I can't say I would be surprised necessarily.