For A Black Guy He Sure Doesn’t Shuck and Jive Much
these two?”
I generally think of Mormons as fundamentally decent people who simply hold some weird beliefs about how you get your own planet when you die if you were good and didn’t drink Coca-Cola while you were alive. Of course, Mitt Romney doesn’t just break the “fundamentally decent” stereotype; he throws it to the ground, stomps it into a million pieces and spits on the shattered remains. And I was certainly reminded of that this morning when he showed up on CNN and called Obama “well-spoken and articulate.”
Romney, like his church, which has about 4 black members and still has a hard time shaking its racist past, is breathtakingly clueless on issues of race, if not downright racist. While Romney was running for President, I used to scour his campaign site for pictures of black folks. Suffice it to say that you were more likely to find a picture of three guys smoking crack and having sex in a sling than a picture with an African American in it. Even in his post-campaign website, the former candidate appears to be drowning in a sea of white people.
The “well-spoken and articulate” business is, I think, employed with a great deal of calculation by Romney and his ilk. The word “well-spoken” not so subtly reinforces the incorrect notion that most African Americans speak some crude dialect rather than English. And, although the phrase distances Obama from that stereotype, it nonetheless is intended to remind people that the “well-spoken” fella is is still one of a group that, the speaker suggests, are just too stupid and too shiftless to speak acceptable English. So even if he is “well-spoken,” he’s just as shiftless as the rest of them. Best (or worst) of all, when you call someone out on making this remark, they just clutch their pearls, like this putz, and say “My goodness, I was just trying to pay him a compliment!” It’s not a compliment any more than it would be a compliment to describe Obama as a “drug free man with a steady job and no criminal record who hasn’t abandoned his wife and kids.”
As far as Mormons go, Romney should be applauded for his one wife and good grooming.
The fact is, Mormons are not Christians. Neither are Catholics. They are not Bible-believing as we are, here in the Heartland. We need to make sure our laws reflect those in the Bible, and when we get more of our people on the supreme court and sweep Congress in 2008, we will. America is a Christian nation, liberals, stop trying to lie.
And liberals are the hateful ones.
Liberals. Hmf.
I’d just like to point out that Romney, a prominent Republican of strong professed religious faith, is apparently faithful to his wife and has not solicited hot gay sex in any restrooms, airport or otherwise, nor has he laundered money to pay for unprotected sex with expensive hookers.
I can’t think of anything more hateful than this guy Ruppert claiming to speak for us.
Please, Mr. Ruppert. Please stop speaking for us. We can speak for ourselves, and we very much resent your elitist implication that we can’t.
The fact is, all you Protestants are fucked from a Christian standpoint.
I dunno… I think you’re reading too much into this. When someone says “well-spoken and articulate” in the context of their speech skills, it is a complement as to how well they can speak. Hell, even *I* used that same exact phrase when critiquing coworkers’ presentations or speeches during Toastmaster meetings. Did I do it with the implication that the person was a “shiftless n*gger” or “slack-jawed hick”? Of course not.
If Romney shot this comment out as a one liner as a complete non-sequitor, then it would be more questionable. Also, I do find the follow up of “inexperienced Obama” as more insulting, because Mitt makes it sound like you need to be a businessman or executive in order to be President.
Romney was bru-hu-hu-hutal this morning. I can sorta see why all the wingnuts loved the guy; he seems like you can just wind him up and give him a few bucks and he’ll do anything you want…but he’s a horrible actor, a horrible liar, and acts like he doesn’t have the damndest clue what principles are.
The guy obviously doesn’t think the gas tax repeal is a good idea. McCain does. So they asked him about it, and he let loose with duh, uh, um, well, McCain believes that, um, dur, uh, that it’ll be good, and uh, om, er…
Wingnuts are reprehensible, natch…but they’re even more so when they don’t even buy the crap they spew. Screw Romney.
Also, Romney’s “you have to be a businessman! or an executive!” line is great…yo Mittster, how’d that work for ya?
Mormons are nice and friendly and neighborly if a little quirky when they’re out of the majority, more or less like any other type of religion. In the Midwest – especially the Jell-O Belt – they’re some of the most brutal fascist assholes you’ll ever meet. They hate Catholics, they hate blacks, they hate Mexicans, they hate gays and women with sex lives, and they hate anyone with fewer than four kids.
That said, that isn’t who Romney is. It wasn’t who his dad was – they’re both Mideasterners, from parts of the country where LDS is a tiny, quirky minority. The difference between them and Jello Belt Mormons is the difference between Catholics here (liberal, vaguely socialist, not too churchy) and Catholics in, say, Spain (horrific reactionaries). Hell, in Latin America evangelical Christians are typically pretty liberal as churchgoers go.
Romney isn’t a jackass. He plays one on TV; all you need to do to get the right-wingers to believe in you is to say you’re a certain way, and all evidence to the contrary evaporates. A movement that’s supposed to find any compromise on gay marriage unacceptable is encouraged by your doughty courageousness in briefly whining about the court decision legalizing it in a state you ran like a feudal lord; you’re a Reaganite small-government conservative whether or not you ran a fairly competent government.
Christ in a basket.
“and say “My goodness, I was just trying to pay him a compliment!” It’s not a compliment any more than it would be a compliment to describe Obama as a “drug free man with a steady job and no criminal record who hasn’t abandoned his baby-mommas and kids.” ”
Fixed.
I dunno, Buddha. The only time I recall hearing “well-spoken and articulate” in the punditsphere is when a black politician is speaking and isn’t Al Sharpton.
Colin Powell got this a lot, for instance. I’m pretty sure Chris Rock (upon whom I rely on to see what’s racist) has remarked on this to the effect of, “well, what the fuck did you expect him to sound like, Jay-Z?”
As far as Mormons go, Romney should be applauded for his one wife and good grooming.
I’m also pleased as punch he hasn’t costumed himself as a Native American and ambushed anyone. Yet.
No, Jonah, do go on!
The Fact is, that it is the Liberals who are the real racists. The Fact is, that saying Mr. Hussein can speak, and has proper grooming is a huge compliment, and it is only the Race Hustler Liberals and their Goracle who think otherwise.
The Fact is, we Conservative Heartland Patriots have a Black Friend (Thomas Sowell) and we read Michelle Malkin to, which proves that we aren’t racist, whereas Mr. Hussein can’t bowl, and eats Elitist Ham from Spain.
Romney is no more than a used car salesman. The only principle he has is to sell a product (ie: himself) to you, and will say anything to convince you to buy it.
Hey, anyone can make use of this kind of backhanded compliment.
For example, you could say, “X is a remarkably intelligent and sane right-wing pundit.”
Of course, you’d have to find a right-wing pundit that was even remotely sane and intelligent first, or it would just seem sarcastic.
And that’s where the plan kinda falls down…
I dunno… I think you’re reading too much into this. When someone says “well-spoken and articulate” in the context of their speech skills, it is a complement as to how well they can speak.
Whenever i read people write this I:
1) Know that person is white
2) Know that this person literally has no clue that there is a long-standing racist/patronizing/belittling connotation with the exact phrase “well-spoken and articulate” when applied to black people
The word “well-spoken” not so subtly reinforces the incorrect notion that most African Americans speak some crude dialect rather than English.
Labov’s “The logic of non-standard English” should be required reading for a liberal education.
Is it troll day?
Nah, must not be troll day.
I would like to find some of that elitist ham from Spain. I wonder if Costco has any of that?
Romney is… remarkably lifelike.
Blue Buddha- Yep. Which sucks, because his dad was a pretty good guy, and there’s a lot in Romney I could possibly like (for a conservative).
But he’s a fraud and a sellout to his core, answering only to the promotion of Mitt Romney, which he doesn’t even do well. For all his capitulation to Hooters Hewitt and the rest, he ran a shitty campaign and wasn’t really liked by most people. Michigan, where he spent an assload of money and where only McCain really opposed him, was his one bright spot, and even then it was just staving off the inevitable.
People disliked Rudy the more they got to know him. People became ambivalent the more they got to know Mitt.
“Of course, you’d have to find a right-wing pundit that was even remotely sane and intelligent first, or it would just seem sarcastic.”
Not necessarily. You pick any wing-nut pundit you want, call him/her “remarkably intelligent and impressively sane,” and let the unspoken “…for a wing-nut pundit” perfume the atmosphere. If the subject is self-evidently stupid and crazy, all the better. You’re implying, “…and this is one of the BETTER ones.”
What I regret about Romney’s dropping out is having to give up the opportunity to hear someone ask him, on the record, if he literally believes all the obvious nonsense of Mormonism. “The gold plates? The idea that Jesus came to North America?”
Yeah, I know. Dream on. Never mind.
ironic runner up to log cabin republicans?
http://www.angelfire.com/mo2/blackmormon/homepage.html
What I regret about Romney’s dropping out is having to give up the opportunity to hear someone ask him, on the record, if he literally believes all the obvious nonsense of Mormonism.
That’d be fun, but so would a Mythbusters-type test to see if you really could land a 747 on his shoulders.
Aw, Mitt is just pissed that his “Gay Vegas” prediction didn’t pan out. That, despite our well-spoken and articulate governor doing everything he can to bring in casinos.
I will say this- CNN acted like Romney was only on there to spew the usual talking points against Clinton/Obama, but then they ended up grilling him about the gas tax repeal. Who knows really why, but the shouting heads have been refreshingly forthright with this issue. Way more than, well, anything else really. And baffingly, way more than Paul “Why are we even talking about this? What do you mean Hillary keeps bringing it up? La la la la, can’t hear you!” Krugman.
…you were more likely to find a picture of three guys smoking crack and having sex in a sling…
Linky? Please? Pretty please?
“I would like to find some of that elitist ham from Spain. I wonder if Costco has any of that?”
You can get it at Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s. It’s the only kind Manchurian Muslims eat.
OT, but I figured you guys would like to know that the US prison system has picked up on the Bears And Pumas approach to deterrence: http://www.aol.com.au/news/story/us-prison-finds-something-new-to-deter-escapes-a-bear-living-on-the-grounds/433281/index.html
Thanks for being such great inspirational Americans here at S,N! guys!
Chris Rock did an entire routine about “well-spoken and articulate.”
This came up before when Joe Biden “praised” Obama.
Christ in a basket.
Bastard from a basket!!!1
Even the caveat, “Amazingly” or “Exceptionally” would have helped to mitigate the statement.
Because Barack has great oratory chops for any shade of human.
This is just an extension of the Dog Whistle Doctrine. Tip o’ the Iceberg.
After the past while being articulate and well-spoken might need to be established as some sort of presidential baseline. Who among the candidates was not? Tommy Thompson maybe?
I certainly understand the implied condescension and “he’s not like all the others” in calling Barack either “well-spoken and articulate” or a “drug free man with a steady job and no criminal record who hasn’t abandoned his wife and kids”. I believe the expression is “damning with faint praise”, no?
OTOH, it’s not like you could truthfully say those things about any of the Rethug candidates or the current occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, is it?
And, personally, when I hear someone like the Mittster say something like that, the first thing in my mind is “unlike yourself, pinhead”.
Alec Says…”Hell, in Latin America evangelical Christians are typically pretty liberal as churchgoers go.”
If you mean liberal in the classical economic sense, than yes, Protestants have historically been liberal. If you mean liberal in the commonly accepted American usage, and especially as regards social issues, no. No way, now how. From the 19th c. protestant immigrants to Rios Montt, Latin American Protestants and Evangenlicals have been every bit as authoritarian, homophobic, socially prescriptive, etc, (and equally not these things too, I should add) as their Catholic neighbors. What they tend to be, compared to their Catholic neighbors, is anti-corporatist, and somewhat more accepting of female participation in the public sphere.
Any chain grocery story carries prosciutto, which is usually more expensive than entry level serrano hams.
I would like to bring to everyone’s attention this new and vile new attack on one of the most oppressed and downtrodden groups of all America, the hygienic, articulate and well-spoken (HAWS). I call upon ALL involved to immediately desist in this malicious slander and constant belittlement of persons of the HAWS persuasion. This harassment and oppression has gotten so widespread and pervasive that HAWS persons are not able to find gainful employment as NFL football analysts or columnists for Newsweek or the New York Times.
I plan on organizing a Million HAWS march in Washington, D.C. this summer. Please ensure you bathe before attending. A strict rule regarding correct grammar and presentation of all protest signs will be enforced.
Will I have to get a manicure before the march? Waxing?
In the Midwest – especially the Jell-O Belt – [Mormons are] some of the most brutal fascist assholes you’ll ever meet.
Huh? Didn’t the Mormons get chased out of the Midwest (specifically, Nauvoo, IL) in the last century? I’m aware that Mormons continue to live in the Midwest, of course, but I didn’t realize they were in the majority in any Midwestern cities.
“He wag his tongue in great way” is that a better way of saying that he is in fact the most well-spoken and articulate candidate in the race? I mean, I’m all for digging out the crypto-racism, but sometimes things are just true, in this case, one of Obama’s defining quality is his amazing eloquence, and apparently if you don’t pay him that compliment in just the right way it’s probably because grand dragon sent you out on the teevee to remind the world that he is black.
Sorry, this is dingus.
So Mitt “Who let the dogs out” Rombot is pointing out that Obama isn’t like the “other” black people to people who know all black people speak in grunts between hits on the crackpipe.
If it makes their tiny heads assplode, I don’t care.
And you know what else? If all their golden boy can dredge up against Obama are a bunch of positive attributes: Bwahahahaa!
And another thing:If you think this is bad, please hook yourself up to a morphine pump STAT. If he gets the nomination you’ll hear shit that will make you think we’re back in 1950, in the heart of fricking Jawjah, only the offending parties will issue mealy-mouthed apologies while winking at their base. AND the RNC/NRCC will still run those damn “Lincoln = Republican = We Luv Negroes” commercials.
In closing: John McCain is really, really, old, he’ll be old tomorrow and he’ll be even older in November.
Yeah, but Romney didn’t say “the most well-spoken and articulate candidate in the race.” If he had, then it would have eliminated the backhanded racial slur in calling a black man “well-spoken.” But by not adding that or any other qualifier to “well-spoken,” it remains something that is at worst racist and at best insensitive.
Gary-
What is your take on the Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, Byzantine Melkite, Hutterite, Syrian Orthodox, Egyptian Coptic, Ethiopian Coptic, Greek Evangelical and Hugenot sects? Albigensians? Arianists? I need a scorecard to keep track of the damned.
While we are on the subject of Protestants, where are you on United Methodists vs. Southern Methodists (pro-slavery equals bad, right?)? How about primitive Baptists vs, Southern Baptist Convention – Any way to arrange for both groups to be damned? Are the Episcopalians who cleave to, rather than cleave from, the American Episcopate going to have the toasty warm afterlife?
You seem so well informed on the subject. Fill me in a bit, please.
Every time you buy a Dunkin’ Donut, Mitt Romney gets a nickel.
I can say that as you look at Barack Obama, you see a person who is well-spoken and articulate.
And dance? Man, you would not believe.
The fact is, liberals cannot run on outlawing God
Of course not. You wait until after you’re elected
Every time you buy some life-threatening ephedra-laced over-priced bottle of pills from GNC, Mitt Romney gets a dollar.
Don’t get me started on the crap at Staples, either. OfficeMax, baby!
Wonder if the fake Heartland guy knows that the Mormon Church really started its growth in the Heartland of Seneca County Ohio?
…you were more likely to find a picture of three guys smoking crack and having sex in a sling…
You can get that on the cable TV in his hotels.
Will I have to get a manicure before the march? Waxing?
Are we going to discuss pubes again? Talk about steering the train of thought into an iceberg.
Obama is also very well-behaved at the movies. He does not yell at the screen, he does not take off his shoes and socks and put his bare feet on the seat in front of him. Nothing like that.
But he is not fit to be president because he is too articulate and well-behaved …
Wait. Uh, I tried to use this talking point on my own by following it through to its logical conclusion, and it’s not working. I will be back in a minute after I get the proper briefing from Rush …
You liberals are so smug. Just because most conservative talking don’t make any sense and are often contradictory, it doesn’t mean that conservativsm is wrong.
Liberals. Hmf.
a “drug free man with a steady job and no criminal record who hasn’t abandoned his wife and kids.”
Whatcha want? A COOKIE?!?!?
.
You’d think Mormons would be more worried about natural disasters in Missouri, which is the location of the Garden of Eden in Mormonism.
God, it seems, it not pleased. With … something, I dunno.
.
Obama doesn’t even yell, “WHERE’S MY MOTHERFUCKING ICED TEA?!?” when ordering in a restaurant!
So he isn’t really Easy-E without the Jeri-Curl…or is he?
I would like to find some of that elitist ham from Spain. I wonder if Costco has any of that?
Why is it when I hear the phrase “elitist ham” I think of Terry Thomas?
Can I haz a motherfuckin’ ice t?
Handy rule of thumb: When complimenting someone of, say, the darker-skinned or genderly-“othered” persuasion, don’t frame said compliment in terms that indicate your expection would naturally have been otherwise.
I think Alec is confusing the Midwest with the Mountain States.
And t4toby by a nose!
The fact is, liberals cannot run on outlawing God
You so silly. The fact is, I’m running for God. And believe you me, when I pander, I can promise a hell of a lot more (if you know what I mean) than $30 for Ramen and Spaghetti sauce!
Romney’s statement pales in comparison to this:
From the same government that won’t give tax breaks to film productions that don’t reflect “Canadian” aka conservative values, Canada’s Heritage and Multiculturalism minister (Jason Kenny – dipshit extraordinnaire) reassures blatant racists and homophobes that their right to be hateful should be secure in Canada because free speech blah blah, but immigrants who express hatreds – especially towards the Jewish people – will not be tolerated. Read this and weep at the dumbanity. According to Jason Kenny some racists are more equal and deserving than others:
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/story.html?id=488487
Give Mitt a break, he’s just shocked that when Barack goes to diners he doesn’t jump up on the counter and scream “WHERE’S MY ICED TEA EM EFFER!!!”
Sickening Palestine Moonbats Muslims Seething Disgraceful Sickening Palestine Moonbats Muslims Seething Disgraceful Sickening Palestine Moonbats Muslims Seething Disgraceful Sickening Palestine Moonbats Muslims Seething Disgraceful Sickening Palestine Moonbats Muslims Seething Disgraceful Sickening Palestine Moonbats Muslims Seething Disgraceful Sickening Palestine Moonbats Muslims Seething Disgraceful Sickening Palestine Moonbats Muslims Seething Disgraceful Sickening Palestine Moonbats Muslims Seething Disgraceful Sickening Palestine Moonbats Muslims Seething Disgraceful Sickening Palestine Moonbats Muslims Seething Disgraceful Sickening Palestine Moonbats Muslims Seething Disgraceful Sickening Palestine Moonbats Muslims Seething Disgraceful Sickening Palestine Moonbats Muslims Seething Disgraceful Sickening Palestine Moonbats Muslims Seething Disgraceful Sickening Palestine Moonbats Muslims Seething Disgraceful Sickening Palestine Moonbats Muslims Seething Disgraceful Sickening Palestine Moonbats Muslims Seething Disgraceful Sickening Palestine Moonbats Muslims Seething Disgraceful Sickening Palestine Moonbats Muslims Seething Disgraceful Sickening Palestine Moonbats Muslims Seething Disgraceful Sickening Palestine Moonbats Muslims Seething Disgraceful Sickening Palestine Moonbats Muslims Seething Disgraceful Sickening Palestine Moonbats Muslims Seething Disgraceful Sickening Palestine Moonbats Muslims Seething Disgraceful Sickening Palestine Moonbats Muslims Seething Disgraceful Sickening Palestine Moonbats Muslims Seething Disgraceful Sickening Palestine Moonbats Muslims Seething Disgraceful Sickening Palestine Moonbats Muslims Seething Disgraceful Sickening Palestine Moonbats Muslims Seething Disgraceful Sickening Palestine Moonbats Muslims Seething Disgraceful Sickening Palestine Moonbats Muslims Seething Disgraceful Sickening Palestine Moonbats Muslims Seething Disgraceful Sickening Palestine Moonbats Muslims Seething Disgraceful Sickening Palestine Moonbats Muslims Seething Disgraceful Sickening Palestine Moonbats Muslims Seething Disgraceful Sickening Palestine Moonbats Muslims Seething Disgraceful Sickening Palestine Moonbats Muslims Seething Disgraceful Sickening Palestine Moonbats Muslims Seething Disgraceful Sickening Palestine Moonbats Muslims Seething Disgraceful
I’m surprised he didn’t follow up by praising Obama for refraining from shouting, “where’s my motherfucking iced tea?” in diners on the campaign trail.
Damn, Jake beat me to it.
¡Yo quiero mi pata negra ya!
a few facts about Jason Kenney:
Education and early life
Kenney was born in Ontario and raised in Saskatchewan. He graduated from the Athol Murray College of Notre Dame, a Catholic residential college located in Wilcox, Saskatchewan. He studied philosophy at the St. Ignatius Institute of the University of San Francisco, a private Roman Catholic university founded by the Society of Jesus, however, Kenney dropped out before completing his undergraduate degree to begin work in Saskatchewan provincial politics.
Kenney was one of the leading supporters in the Canadian House of Commons of the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
In August 2006, Kenney compared Hezbollah with the Nazi Party of 1930s Germany. He also rebuked Prime Minister of Lebanon Fuad Saniora for having criticized Canada’s support for Israel in the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict. Saniora had argued that most nations of the world, apart from Canada, regarded Israel’s military actions in Lebanon as disproportionate. Kenney’s response was, “Canada took a responsible position and I would hope that the Lebanese prime minister would express gratitude”.[1]
In April 2006, Kenney attended a rally supporting the People’s Mujahedin of Iran, a group designated by Canadian federal legislation and UN agreements as a terrorist organization because it advocates the violent overthrow of the Iranian government and the purging of Western influence from the region. Kenney later claimed that he did not remember attending the rally, and then that he did not know at the time the group was connected to a terrorist organization.[1]
In 2005, during parliamentary debate on same-sex marriage in Canada, Kenney was criticized for attempting to show that fellow MPs Libby Davies and Svend Robinson, both of whom had opposite sex relationships before coming out, were proof that marriage law doesn’t discriminate against LGBT individuals since they can still marry members of the opposite sex. In a later debate, when Don Boudria noted that a Christian group had registered a web domain in his name, using it to attack his position on same-sex marriage, Kenney criticized Boudria for being too “ignorant” to register his own web domain. In a spoof of Kenney’s remarks, comedian Rick Mercer created jasonkenney.org. Mercer made the domain redirect to the website of the Marxist-Leninist Party of Canada, and subsequently changed it to Egale Canada and more recently to the site of Michael Chong (a Conservative MP who resigned from cabinet on November 27, 2006 over a government motion recognizing the Québécois as a nation within a united Canada.)
AND HE’S A CABINET MINISTER!
I can say that as you look at Ronald Reagan, you see a person who is well-spoken and articulate. He can read a prompter very well and energize a crowd, but he has not accomplished anything during his life in terms of legislation or leading an enterprise or making a business work or a city work or a state work. He really has very little experience, and, you know, the presidency of the United States is not an internship.
I can say that as you look at Ronald Reagan…
Ha! But there’s an exception for saints and deities.
He’s a clean old man.
And his doddering is so…reassuring.
The fact is, liberals cannot run on outlawing God
They have to watch out for the all-important tooth fairy and Easter bunny vote, too.
.
el Cid, I belive you mean that the Mormons got started in Kirtland in Lake County, Ohio.
The NYT has a Christmas Day write-up about the Mormons. From 1887.
They were very clean and articulate.
When a few of my ancestors tried to make their way west, they ended up becoming stranded somewhere along the trail. Some Mormons came along and promised to help them if they would convert. My relatives converted, and the experience was so life-changing that it lasted until they reached the next town. Then they went back to ignoring God, as my people have done for centuries, no doubt.
And Joe Lieberman, he was very reasonable in his negotiations, even though they involved money. He also didn’t try to poison my well or drink Tagg’s blood.
And Winona LaDuke was very civilized when I met her. She didn’t run me through with a spear or try to force me to be one with nature.
And Barney Frank hardly minced at all.
Hah! No. Try;
http://www.tienda.com/
the Mormons got started in Kirtland in Lake County, Ohio
It says in the Book of Mormon that they were chased out of Ohio by rabid pelicans. You may not know this but Utah is the only pelican-free state in the USA of America, and the importation of both pelicans and badgers is strictly prohibited by state law. The Utah border guards search every vehicle for these animals, and being caught with one resullts in a mandatory life sentence (which has recently been upheld by the Supreme Court). Of course, you PETA-Nazi LIE-bruls would like to change all of that so that the heartland would be overrun with pelican burrows and a pandemic of vampirism, wouldn’t you, Mr. Communist?
God and Groucho Marx make a really good team. When I was a REALLY little kid, I actually envisioned God as Groucho, with a big black mustache and curly hair. To me, that was God. I never knew where I got that mental image, and didn’t even know who it was until much later when I saw a Marx Bros. movie. There was some really strange mental associations going on in my three year old head, I can assure you.
http://barkingrabbits.blogspot.com/2007/02/time-god-appeared-on-you-bet-your-life.html
Sorry, don’t know how to do that embedded link thing.
Oh, the link thing did work. Never mind….
I have a friend and former neighbor who is black. He has been involved with computers in various capacities (ranging from programming to installation and repair to managing projects with 7-figure budgets and a dozen or more people reporting to him) for 20 years or so. He is quite good at it and has been very successful. A former journalist, he is, in fact, very well spoken and articulate. Nonetheless he said he hates it when people refer to him that way for the very reasons others have brought up. It’s either racist code-speak for “unlike those other black people” or–at best–betrays a sort of surprise that a college-educated, successful professional can speak standard English, despite being black.
He also says that earlier in his career, when he was often sent out of town to install or work on computer systems, he was sometimes simply not believed when he arrived and said he was the computer guy. He would have his company ID, a work order, and appropriate equipment and tools; they would be expecting a computer guy, and he would still be kept waiting at the door while someone (almost certainly not as educated, skilled, or well-paid as he was) called his company to verify his credentials. And we’re not talking about secure facilities where every new face or workman gets that kind of scrutiny. It was clearly simply because he was black. I’m as white bread as they come, and have simply never experienced anything remotely like that. I just can’t imagine what it must feel like.
Mittens has a lo-oo-oo-ng history of making remarks which evoke stereotypes. For example, as he was running against Shannon O’Brian for Governor here in Mass, he used the words “becoming” or “unbecoming” quite a bit.
For example:
“In one exchange in the debate, over O’Brien’s citation of Romney’s endorsement from a pro-life group in 1994, Romney said, “Your effort to continue to try and create fear and deception here is unbecoming.” And deflecting her attack regarding Medicare fraud at a company whose board he served on, Romney said, “You know, the level of misrepresentation is just not becoming, Shannon. That’s just wrong.”
Now Shannon is not a beautiful woman, but that language just emphasized her lack of good looks in voters’ minds — and the stereotype that women should look good.
What an unmitigated asshole!
I don’t want to spoil the Mitt party, but I just have to go off-topic for a moment. Qetesh the Abyssinian is no more. She’d been gradually fading for the last 6 months or so, and on the weekend she started going downhill fast. A couple of visits to the vet, confirming that she was indeed very ill (renal failure, possible cancerous thyroid, possible diabetes), and yesterday morning I had to have her put to sleep.
She’s survived by Luschka the Burmese, who is at this very moment receiving emergency cuddles (which makes typing difficult), who’s shared all but the first 3 months of her tenure on this planet.
She went quietly, thank any gods that may be listening, and I buried her in the back garden where she can keep an eye on the birds.
It’s been a thoroughly miserable week. She was such a cheerful and affectionate cat, so very trusting (probably because the both of them have been completely spoilt), and it’s hard to be without her. No more excited greeting when I come home, no more Rat Parade at bedtime, no more 3-minute-cuddle while my porridge is cooking, no more Gentle Paw of Awakening (Luschka does her best, but her wake-up weapon of choice is The Tickle Whiskers, which is a little more alarming).
Just in case anyone wants to see Qetesh at her best, then here’s a couple of sentimental pics: here’s Qet helping in the office, and here’s Qet curled up with Luschka, looking as cute as it’s felinely possible to look. Note the entwined tails in the second pic – they were very close, as companion cats often are.
Now we return you to your usual program.
What qualifier would one have to put before “typical white person” in order to not piss off the typical white person? Speech is a fluid thing and most of the time it isn’t phrased the right way. So we can go bitch about evil bastards not prepending sufficient qualifiers to their statements, or just let it go as innocuous and not create bad mojo when there need be none. There’s already enough bullshit racism around this campaign, we don’t need to go searching for more.
Ok, my cats are getting wet food TWICE this week.
RIP, Qetesh. I’m very sorry for your loss, Just Alison.
That last pic with the tails intertwined is too adorable.
I’ll miss you Qetesh and all your pointed Qaveats.
Does someone still have that rainbow bridge thing?
Ah, hell. My cats are getting an extra everything tonight. I fear one of them will be joining Qetesh all too soon. Very sorry for your loss, Just Alison.
The ‘well spoken and articulate’ makes me cringe in the same way I do when I hear someone (usually male) referring to women like HRC, Condoleezza Rice or Christiane Amanpour as “bright”.
Six year-olds and ex-junkies may surprise you by being articulate or bright.
When referring to Presidential candidates, Ph.D’s and top-level executives? Use your thesaurus and come up with something that doesn’t sound like your talking about this year’s winner of the Westminster dog show.
RIP, Qetesh. Say Hi to the Geriatric Malamute for me when you get to the place you’re heading.
For example, as he was running against Shannon O’Brian for Governor here in Mass, he used the words “becoming” or “unbecoming” quite a bit.
That WAS ugly. Men are never referred to as “unbecoming.” The full phrase is, “unbecoming in a lady.” and it was obviously not only a jab at her appearance but at her speaking style and lacrosse playing – everything that wasn’t cross-ankled and dainty. Republicans are fine with a woman in charge as long as she is a Liddy Dole or a Margaret Thatcher.
The worst was when she called him on it and the newspaper headlines the next morning were, “O’Brien Plays Gender Card.” I expected better of Massachusetts.
Bummer. Sorry to hear that.
So will it be Luschka now?
Aw, sad about the cat now. Abyssinians are lovely.
“and say “My goodness, I was just trying to pay him a compliment!” It’s not a compliment any more than it would be a compliment to describe Obama as a “drug free man with a steady job and no criminal record who hasn’t abandoned his baby-mommas and shorties.” ”
Extended fix.
I’m sorry to hear that, Alison. Thanks for sharing Qetesh with us, and the beautiful pictures of her and Luschka.
Oh no. Sorry for your loss, Alison.
Sadly, No. I hate Romney. Romney is an enemy of mine. Etc. He’s a fraud, a game-show host and a used car salesman masquerading as … well, I’m not sure exactly what.
But this “well spoken and articulate as code for lynch-bait” business is a totally bum rap, as it was with Joe Biden. Get a life.
Sorry about that, Alison.
Abyssinians are
lovelygood-looking but bad-tempered, bulemic, and as thick as 1-and-a-half short planks. Mehitabel is, anyway. Even so, very sorry about Qetesh.Damn you ShouldKnowBetter!! Damn you damn you damn you!
Your posting that link just cost me nearly $100! Eh, so I’ll pay the cable bill late. Decent bacalao at last!
Note: $30 won’t even get you 4 0z. of Iberico Bellota Paleta, let alone the Jamon. And they don’t have even one kind of Ramen there.
I’m really sorry to hear about that Just Allison.. she looks like she was adorable
Goodbye, Qetesh.
[…] Sadly, No! makes the same point only using cultured, wildly rich, educated Mormons as a launch pad. Hilarious, as usual. Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)Lieberman-LamontStupid Is As Stupid DoesWright […]
liberals cannot run on outlawing God
If Gods are outlawed then only outlaws will be God.
You say to-mah-to.
But wotthehell, you still win for having a cat named Mehitabel.
What is the name of that shitty conservative ‘comedy’ show with the mugging girl and the stock photographs of people laughing?
The Onion shows how its done.
Creative Class, indeed.
bad-tempered, bulemic, and as thick as 1-and-a-half short planks
They’re the super-models of the feline world.
Just Allison. I’m so sorry for your loss. We will all miss the happy presence of Qetesh (without the “u”) around these parts.
I think I once told the story of putting my husky down decades ago.
Just from telling the story, I walked in a black funk for the better part of the week.
The worst part of that kind of loving bond is the irreparable harm it does when it breaks.
Please try find some peace and beauty in the world while you heal…
mikey
“The fact is, liberals cannot run on outlawing God”
I’ve never figured out why so many people need validation of their faith from the federal government.
“When I was a REALLY little kid, I actually envisioned God as Groucho”
Finally, a church I can get behind!
—-
Sending slow, long blinks to Just Allison.
Here’s what’s wrong with the ‘articulate’ meme. It’s inaccurate. It’s less than the reality. Articulate isn’t that hard to do. Mitt is articluate. Hillary is very articulate. Barack is ELOQUENT.
I’ve never figured out why so many people need validation of their faith from the federal government.
Two theories:
1) Because they doubt their own beliefs all the time, and need the validation to keep believing…
2) It’s like a dog that pisses on a fire hydrant or a tree; it’s marking territory.
Come on, be fair. I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that there were zero pictures of people smoking crack etc or of black people, making it precisely as likely that you would see pictures of explicit sex with one of those face dildos or of people doing liquid mescaline body shots off of Jenna Bush’s stark nude, heaving breast as you would a black person.
I have deceptive speed.
And may I present a tangent to this discussion. I am from Missouri. Home of the “newscaster accent.” People are often shocked that I don’t speak with a southern accent. These people are often from northern and western states. I live in the south now – where I am labeled a Yankee. Conclusion: Most Americans are willfully ignorant. Oh and some of them love to run their mouths.
“And t4toby by a nose!”
Gee, I hope second place didn’t break their ankles.
OneMan-
I do have a pretty large schnoz…
Amlodhi-
Missouri accent?
Do you say Arkansas like ‘R-Kansas’ and wash like ‘warsh’?
Do you say crick instead of creek?
Because I grew up in Eastern part of Kansas, and the accents were pretty thick around those parts.
I moved to Weatern Washington and all accents dried right up. You can only tell a Seattleite from the lack of a distinguishing accent as well as a propensity to use absurd slang (hella, sick, dank, etc.) whilst sipping lattes.
Oh, oh! Look out Sadly!
The Next Right’s gonna school yo azz!!!1!
It seems to be a blog version of the Half Hour Comedy Hour without jokes.
Missouri accent?
All depends on what side of the MizzERee/MizzURah line you’re on.
Romney, like his church, which has about 4 black members
If Mitt Romney has four black members, I have TOTALLY underestimated the guy. Oh wait, you mean something else, don’t you?
Goodbye, Qetesh.
Also, farewell Qetesh.
Amlodhi, I lived in the Ozarks, down in the southern portion of the misery state and… well, let’s just say my new nickname when I moved to Pittsburgh was “Forrest Gump”
But that is a beautiful part of the country, peddy.
If you can make Dueling Banjos stop going through your head, that is…
good bye Qetesh the Abyssinian, and I’m really sorry Alison. I hope you and Luschka comfort each other.
My favorite thing about that Next Right announcement is that it refers to “Jimmy Carter/Hamas.”
Jimmy Carter is like Wingnut Kryptonite.
McCain sez he’s gonna fight Evil if we make him preznit.
McCain sez he’s gonna fight Evil if we make him preznit.
More likely, his focus will be on getting the custom made President Jammies with the fighter planes and the mushroom clouds…
mikey
I am from the Ozarks (Fucking Eden!). I have the ability to slip into an authentic hillbilly accent on a dime. But my normal accent is Midwestern. I was in a bar in Oregon last year and struck up a conversation with a OSU student. He was somewhat put off by my statement that Missouri is not the south. His exact quote was, “Well it is to us.”
Sorry to hear about Qetesh. That cat knew snark, and could jam with the best of ’em.
I think I once told the story of putting my husky down decades ago.
Just from telling the story, I walked in a black funk for the better part of the week.
There’s no making sense of how these things hit you. My Dad and my brother died within a month of each other not too long ago and as emotionally bruised as I was, I didn’t shed a tear at either event, just took care of business and did what needed to be done to celebrate them and put them in the busom of the earth. My dog, on the other hand, died a year ago after a hard fought battle with cancer and it pitched me into a lightless void. Even now, if someone makes the mistake of mentioning her name, I burst into tears and weep like a little child. People who regard animals as being “sub-human” and unimportant are themselves, inferior beings.
There is no such thing as a “midwestern accent”. Accents differ greatly from Chicago to Minneapolis to Des Moines to Kansas City to Lawrence.
Missouri is most certainly not the land of the “newscaster voice”.
Missouri is a border state, settled by Southerns. It may not be the tradional South, but it sure is close enough…
“Little Dixie is a 17-county region of Missouri found along the Missouri River, settled primarily by migrants from the Upper South who brought slaveholding traditions with them. Southerners, primarily from the hemp and tobacco districts of Kentucky, Virginia, and Tennessee, resettled in Little Dixie and brought with them their social, agricultural, political and architectural practices; they also brought enslaved Africans and their descendants, from whom they extracted forced labor and thus accumulated wealth.”
I had a couple of really offensive things to say about this, and I might yet post them, but for now I’ll leave it at…
Jesus Fucking Christ, $1400?!?! Now that’s an elitist fucking ham.
It looks delicious, too.
Sorry about teh kitteh. Abbys are lovely. Had one as a kid that would jump in the tub with you. Weirdo.
But wotthehell,
There’s a dance in the old dame yet, eh? Toujours gai.
As I traveled thru the southwest, east texas to jackson hole to portland, I have regularly been described as having a “california twang“. Actually, I’ll go with that…
mikey
So… Did you reach a compromise?
<so sorry>
My understanding was that northern Missouri was similar to Iowa (midwestern) and southern Missouri was similar to Arkansas (southern). Looking at a map, that makes sense. If you visit my relatives it makes more sense, because we were about as southern as they come. Crawdad stews, sweet iced tea, fried chicken, fried okra, fried catfish, cornbread, okra, the works.
A few years after moving north I heard a friend talking about “soul food.” “What’s that,” I asked. “What black people eat,” he snickered. It turned out it’s what I eat, at least, whenever I get the chance. Thank ye gods for the Great Migration or I might never get anything good in my belly.
If you haven’t noticed, the foreskin fundamentalists are still screeching down on the angry immigrant vagina thread.
Christ, I wish I had enough hours in the day to endlessly obsess over such a small thing. (pun entirely intended)
pedestrian – the southern half of Missouri is the Ozarks. Jed Clampitt country, to be sure. And you’re right – good pan fried okra is manna from heaven.
Did I say okra twice? We ate a lot of it.
I can polish off an entire skillet by myself. That shit rules.
She left me roses by the stairs
Surprises let me know she cares
–Blink 182
mikey
“My understanding was that northern Missouri was similar to Iowa (midwestern).”
Not even close, pedestrian. We are nothing like those squareheads down South.
Missouri is good for two things to an Iowan–legal fireworks and Bar-B-Q.
Jennifer, it has been said before and I will say it again:
Other sites may compete with us when it comes to shrewd political insight, juvenile hijinx, and teh funny, but we have THE WEIRDEST people living in our basements. Bar none.
Hawkeye, I had only heard about the Iowa bit. I never actually ventured north of Jeff City. We had our own fireworks and BBQ 😉
pedestrian – well, in terms of juvenile hijinx and teh funny, I can’t think of any sites that come close, other than the Poorman. But those aren’t our basement dwellers – those trolls flew in from all over the internets thanks to someone putting up the bat signal. Or in this case, maybe the dick symbol. In any case…whew.
Totally off topic but this has to be the most bizarre headline in a gazillion years
Rationalized like a neoconservative. I know, low blow, but eeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrgh…give me a gun, I’ll shoot him myself.
pedestrian, I find it interesting that people from Pittsburgh (of all places) were making fun of your Missouri accent. They’re as hard to understand as my relatives in Maryland…
well, in terms of juvenile hijinx and teh funny, I can’t think of any sites that come close
Maybe Instapump’s, since he’s inviting people over.
I didn’t hear that part of the interview, but only because I fell out of my chair when Mitt said at the beginning that he agreed with Hillary that Obama is a ‘liberal elitist.’
I’m assuming Mitt had to shove that silver spoon in his mouth way to one side to get that one out with a straight face.
Hey, it’s not like I killed and ate anyone. Jeez!
Re: Backhanded compliments-
Dick Cheney doesn’t sweat much, for a fat person.
The food is horrible here…and the portions are small!!!
Hey!!
mikey
RIP, Qetesh.
We lost a special kitty about a year ago. It was a tough time.
Just Allison, I’m so sorry to hear of your loss. Qetesh was always a voice of humor and wit, and I will miss her. Indeed I’ve already missed the Qetesh comments in recent weeks.
A beautiful kitty. In the first pic she has an expression which reminds me very much of my own Kitty Cheese, whom I will now hug.
the foreskin fundamentalists are still screeching down on the angry immigrant vagina thread.
Look on the bright side, Jennifer (also, every dark cloud is half-full). If someone is convinced that the entire medical profession is enmeshed in a fell conspiracy to promote circumcision, so they can supplement their income by mutilating the
gentilesgenitals of infant boys, perhaps that will be enough to satisfy the person’s daily recommended dose of paranoia. Perhaps he will be less likely to believe that immunisation is the medical profession’s income-supplementing conspiracy.It occurs to me, in passing, that if there was an entire industry devoted to promoting and profiting from circumcision, then they’re not doing it right. They should take a leaf (as it were) from the tobacco industry. How many movies are there with scenes at urinals, where the character with a circumcised penis is shown as cooler and sexier than the uncircumcised guy in the next booth? Not nearly enough, I say.
“The word “well-spoken” not so subtly reinforces the incorrect notion that most African Americans speak some crude dialect rather than English. ”
Or, maybe that’s the racist response, in that it prevents anyone from acknowledging that an African-American politician could have speaking skills that surpass his peers of all races.
Hear, hear, Smut Clyde.
Bring on the baldies!!!
Hey. I just noticed something.
I’m watching the giants game (yeah, yeah, another weak-ass loss) but here’s what I saw.
The US Marines ran a recruitment commercial in the game.
And it’s this MTV style quick-cut cinema verite kind of production. But here’s something I noticed. In none of the tiny half-second vignettes are the Marines ever taking incoming fire. They’re making it look pretty safe. If there was random artillery and incoming machinegun fire, with an admittedly small number of marines getting chopped up, I’d be a lot more comfortable with the whole story…
mikey
My condolences to both you and Luschka on your loss, Alison. May Qetesh rest in peace. (It appears Luschka and Quetesh’s tails are entwined in that photo…sweet.)
Patkin wrote: “The only time I recall hearing “well-spoken and articulate” in the punditsphere is when a black politician is speaking and isn’t Al Sharpton.”
I think it’s less common than that, and plenty of black politicians *don’t* get characterized this way, especially the ones that don’t fit the description.
The problem is that the main examples, prominent people like Obama and Powell, are genuinely notably good speakers, and Obama is better than probably 99% of politicians today.
Note that white American politicians with average speaking skills rarely have their speaking skill noted at all. It’s only the exceptional cases like Bill Clinton whose speaking gets commented on. (Or visitors like Tony Blair).
The racism thing would be easier to demonstrate if it were used on black politicians who *aren’t* terribly well spoken or articulate.
If some black politician were as inarticulate as George W Bush, but were described as ‘well-spoken and articulate’, I’d give it more credence.
Are there any such examples?
There’s probably some confirmation bias going on here: people remembering the prominent, exceptionally well-spoken, articulate black public figures being described as ‘well-spoken and articulate’, but never hearing about or not remembering all the other black public figures who are only of average speaking skill and whose speaking skills – while good enough for Congress – don’t elicit comment at all.
I don’t doubt that FOX News schmucks like Hannity might intentionally use ‘well spoken and articulate’ as a dog whistle, *especially now*. But when Joe Biden says it about Obama, I think he’s probably genuinely noting that Obama’s speaking skills are exceptional and noteworthy among his peers in Congress.
I’m going to catch hell for this, but here it goes. Can we get some new bloggers here (in addition to the ones who still post)? Jillian’s gone, Gavin occasionally adds updates to other posts only, Brad’s always in a bad mood, HTML has good stuff but doesn’t post often, etc. Seems like poor Clif is trying to keep the place lively, with some assists by DA. Time for some additional comedic writers?
Just my two cents. You may now proceed with the bitching about my bitching.
Don’t forget that Travis only shows up in comments and Seb is busy making buckets full of euros and undermining you’re o’peein democracy.
But it’s kinda like american politics.
The less there actually is, the more there are people with opinions.
What’s that about?
mikey
What happened to Jillian?
Alison, I’m sorry to hear about your loss. Qetesh will be missed by a lot of us.
I would offer to send you the Demon Kishkan as a counter-irritant to help the healing process, but Australia has more than its share of deadly venemous pests already. (/snark)
Also, the Spousal Unit fell for a doctored website photo and a sad story, so our household has expanded by a third dog, an 18-month-old two-time-loser who is the ugliest papillon I have ever had the misfortune to meet. ‘Sebastian’ (that’s gotta change, too) has an outsized melon-shaped head, a face like a pit bull, the hip configuration of an afghan hound, and huge dewclaws on his back paws. They warned SU he wasn’t housebroken, but the dam’ dog is doing an excellent job of breaking OUR house. When he’s not destroying crates, befouling our bed linens (even while wearing a belly band), or chewing/clawing his way right through a hollow-core door, “Li’l Bastien” is leaping the gates that served to keep all previous dogs out of the cat-haven areas, or climbing with undoglike nimbleness in his dual goals of driving me and the cats nucking futz. Since our other two cats are street rescues who are too nervous to stand up for their cat tree and supper dishes, we rely on Demon Kishkan to whomp Puppybastard when he gets too “adventurous”. Kishkan, of course, is torn between putting puppybastard in his place, and enjoying the sight of the other cats swelling to twice their normal proportions as they fall over themselves hissing & bolting. But it’s keeping her quite busy…
A meta-hug for Just Alison … from someone who’s TOTALLY not a hug-slut.
Animals aren’t subhuman – au contraire – humans are sub-animal.
Oh, & Romney?
Feh.
The fancy imported ham Obama likes is probably getting more hits on Google than he is by now. Which isn’t a bad thing at all.
Mmmmm! Ham!
Know what?
Fuck this human crap.
I just wanna be a dog in the AL/SU household.
I think that might be heaven…
mikey
As a Masshole in good
standingslouching, let me point out that some months after Joe Biden, D-Insurance Industry, got his head handed to him for “praising” Obama’s hygiene and verbal abilities, Willard Romney looks around and says to himself, “Well-spoken and articulate — *that’s* the thing to give the Repub shock troops!”Our Mitt-ster: Forever a day late and a clue short. Of course it may be that Romney’s latest dog-whistle “gaffe”, or the beating he’ll take for it from the Media Village Idiots, actually is the sort of veiled racism that his target audience will greet with approval, but sorry, atheist — Mitt is a jackass, just a different kind than the usual Talibangelical/fReichtard Rethug jackass. He’s a proud would-be spokesperson for the ever-popular Robber Baron leg of the Republican voting stool, and the least natural political animal who ever spun his inherited millions into billions. The fact that he could profit so handsomely by persuading his fellow bishops to turn over their tithes to the Bain vulture capitalists Willard was figureheading should be an embarrassment to the smart Mormons, because as a salesmen Mitt couldn’t convince dogs to piss on fire hydrants.
Smut: “How many movies are there with scenes at urinals, where the character with a circumcised penis is shown as cooler and sexier than the uncircumcised guy in the next booth? Not nearly enough, I say.”
And I say there are already plenty, thankyewverymuch.
Alison,
we grieve with you.
Awh, so sorry about Qetesh. 🙁 I hope we still get comments from you, Just Alison. I’m sure Luschka’s posting style will be different, if she decides to take up the mantle of her late sibling, but I for one would welcome hearing from her, if you are not too worn out from the loss of Qetesh.
Also: the last line of the main post is genius and I will be using it in arguments.
“…you know, the presidency of the United States is not an internship.”
Well, it wasn’t before 2000, anyway.
Is Barry O gonna have to choke a bitch?
I can’t get the image of Mitt and his four black ones swinging down there out of my head. Thanks, SNers.