The phrase predates the use of the word "spade" as an ethnic slur against African Americans, which was not recorded until 1928; however, in contemporary U.S. so

The phrase predates the use of the word "spade" as an ethnic slur against African Americans, which was not recorded until 1928; however, in contemporary U.S. society, the idiom is often avoided due to potential confusion with the slur. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_call_a_spade_a_spade http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_call_a_spade_a_spade Regardless, I think the vast majority of people won't be offended by that phrase.