A pale is a barrier made of wooden stakes and generally defines a boundary. The origin of the expression, "beyond the pale," is generally attributed to areas within Ireland or Scotland that were under the control of the English. Thus, to go beyond the pale, was considered foolish and even dangerous.
For a glaring example of going beyond the pale, we need look no farther than Assistant Secretary of state Michael Posner. In talks with China about human rights last week he saw fit to bring up the Arizona immigration law. From ABC News:
“We brought it up early and often. It was mentioned in the first session and as a troubling trend in our society, and an indication that we have to deal with issues of discrimination or potential discrimination. And these are issues very much being debated in our own society,” Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy Human Rights and Labor Michael Posner, who led the US delegation to the talks, told reporters on Friday."
Let's see. On one hand we have a Communist society who persecutes Tibet and imprisons without trial those who disagree with the government. On the other hand we have an American state that passed a law allowing it to enforce existing Federal law. Do we have a moral equivalency? Michael Posner seems to think so. I think his comment goes beyond the pale.
I also think he is yet another shining example of the radical liberal nut-jobs that President Obama has chosen to surround himself with.