Fox News Would Like To Take a Moment To Remind You That the Obamas Are As Black As Satan’s Festering, Baby-Eating Soul
Posted on June 12, 2008 Posted by John Scalzi 336 Comments
Back in the day — you know, when presidential candidates were respectably white — news organizations called potential First Ladies “wives.” But now that black folks are running, we can get all funky fresh with the lingo, yo. So it’s basically fine for Fox News to use “Baby Mama” for Michelle Obama, slang that implies a married 44-year-old Princeton-educated lawyer is, to use an Urban Dictionary definition of the term, “some chick you knocked up on accident during a fling who you can’t stand but you have to tolerate cuz she got your baby now.” Because the Obamas are black! And the blacks, they’re all relaxed about that shit, yo. Word up. And anyway, as the caption clearly indicates, it’s not Fox News that’s calling Michelle Obama “Baby Mama,” it’s outraged liberals. Fox News is just telling you what those outraged liberals are saying. They didn’t want to use the term “Baby Mama.” But clearly they had no choice.
Meanwhile, over at her personal site, Michelle “Fox News’ Ethnic Shield” Malkin defends Fox News’ use of the “Baby Mama” phrase by essentially making two arguments. First, Michelle Obama once called Barack Obama her “baby’s daddy,” and as we all know, a married woman factually and correctly calling her husband her child’s father is exactly the same as a major news organization calling a potential First Lady some chick what got knocked up on a fling. Second, the term “baby-daddy” has gone out into the common culture; heck, even Tom Cruise was called Katie Holmes’ baby-daddy, you know, when he impregnated her and she subsequently gave birth while the two were not married, which is exactly like what happened between Michelle and Barack Obama, who were married in 1992 and whose first child was born six years later.
So by Malkin’s reasoning it’s perfectly fine for Fox News to call Michelle Obama the unmarried mother of Barack Obama’s children because an entirely different phrase has to her mind entered the common culture, and there was this one time that Michelle Obama once uttered something that sounded like that entirely different phrase, which is not the phrase that Fox News used. But wait! Malkin also points to someone in her comment thread saying that one time, Michelle Obama actually used the phrase “baby daddy”! No apostrophe! It’s in a comment thread, so it must be true. Therefore, Michelle Obama apocryphally using a piece of urban slang makes it perfectly okay for Fox News to use an entirely different piece of urban slang. And that’s why, you see, it won’t be a problem for Bill O’Reilly to refer to Barack Obama as “my nigga” on the next O’Reilly Factor.
It’s shit like this that makes this story on CNN, about whether Barack Obama should be considered black or biracial, an absolute hoot. Here’s a quick test on whether Obama should be considered fully black: Poof! Barack Obama has been magically transported to a KKK meeting in deepest, whitest Klanistan without his Secret Service detail. There’s a rope and a tree nearby. What happens to Obama? If you say, “why, Barack Obama walks out of there alive, of course” then sure, he’s biracial. Also, you’re a fucking idiot. To everybody who cares about Obama’s racial identity, either positively or negatively, the man is a black man, married to a black woman, who has black children. Black black black black black black black black.
It sure as hell matters to Fox News, which is why it’s dog whistling about Barack so loudly that it’s vibrating the windows. Calling Michelle Obama a “baby mama” isn’t just Fox News having a happy casual larf; it’s using urban slang to a) remind you the Obamas are black, b) belittle a woman of considerable personal accomplishment, and c) frame Barack Obama’s relationship to his wife and children in a way that insults him, minimizes his love for and commitment to his family, and reinforces stereotypes about black men. Someone at Fox News just ought to call Barack Obama “boy” at some point so we can have all the cards right out there on the table.
This will keep happening. Fox News will keep finding ways to remind its viewers that the Obamas are black (and possibly Muslim), Michelle Malkin will continue to make excuses for Fox News’ dog-whistling racism that expose the fact that she’s about as familiar with logical thinking as a rainbow trout is with knitting, and eventually some portion of the Fox News audience will get to the ballot box in November convinced that they’re not really racists, they just know that there’s something about that Obama boy they just don’t like. This is how it will go. Let’s not pretend it’s not part of equation, this election year.
Wow. Has there been any reaction on the part of the Obamas’ yet? ‘Cause frankly, if it were me, I’d be sending my attack-dog PR flacks after Fox news over this.
Y’know, I really have difficulty processing how fscked up it is that it actually, y’know, seems important to some people that A) Obama’s black and B) Hillary was a woman. Maybe it’s because I grew up with Maggie Thatcher in power or something, but it’s just hair-rippingly distressing that such utter, inconsequential non-issues seem to be so vastly important to some people.
*sighs*
The hell? I can’t keep up. Just got done with making fun of the last Fox Pas…
Fox News Guide to Terrorist Gang Signs
http://www.alexwilson.com/projects/journal/foxnews_guide_to_terrorist_gang_signs.php
You, sir, are my hero yet again.
Also, I predict the Malkinites will descend on this thread by comment number 14.
Because, you know, when I think of teh blacks, I think Muslims! Everyone knows that black people were imported as slaves from Mesopotamia (Eye-rack for you rednecks out there in the audience)! Of course, how does “baby mamma” apply then, if they’re like the “Eye-rackies” because we all know that Muslim women can’t be seen in public or have sex outside of marriage on account of how they hate freedom!
Are there any other bad stereotypes I’m forgetting to include?
The stupid! It BURNS!
And “Outraged liberals: Stop picking on Obama’s baby mama” also sounds like something from Jerry Springer. So they win double points with their audience. Sigh.
Oh John, you had me at “Word up.”
They be all relaxed about that shit. Dang, don’t nobody learn grammar these days?
@ Scalzi: Yeah. You’re right.
Christ on a cracker… I knew we would see the ugly side of racist twits once Obama got the nod, but that just takes the cake.
I hope the Obama’s do respond, as this is just unacceptable even with what passes for journalism these days.
I’ve linked back to you on my WordPress, and I tip my hat to you for this article.
“I want you to get up right now, go the window, open it, stick your head out and yell, ‘I’m as black as hell and I’m not going to take this anymore’.”
Being an Australian, and not really following the US election, US slang or Fox news, I have to say that on a purely aesthetic level, I like the euphonious matching of “Obama” and “mama”.
Obama’s black?! I had no idea! Why didn’t someone TELL ME? Here I was just assuming he had a really great tan. In January.
I’m still so amazed that people actually care whether Obama is black or not… I’m more concerned that I think his health policy is crap. Of course, it’s less crap than McCain’s. I’m over 40 and I don’t care about race or sex. I have just registered as a Democrat for the first time in 22 years and at this point, I might vote for a Martian. To be fair, I actually think McCain is pretty moderate. But, he is two Presidential terms too late. I’m a little concerned about Obama’s views toward Israel, but not enough to one issue vote the other way. Really, where is this LCD that Fox is aiming at? Do they actually know how to vote?
Fox News and other right-wing mouthpieces are getting desperate to stay relevant in this election year. I don’t think Fox will survive the summer if they keep up with this inane and childish bullshit. I mean, you go from that brainless moppet E.D. Hill’s gibberish about a “terrorist fist jab,” to this, and it’s clear Fox is nothing more than a cult of incompetent, unabashed frauds doing their damnedest to pretend that they’re journalists.
I’m just going to savor that phrase.
You are right, of course. Fox News = Spew-inducing disinformation.
Thanks for the brilliant rant. I’ve recently sworn off all 24-hour “news” networks, and this sort of nonsense (and Chris Matthews in general) is precisely the reason why.
“I don’t think Fox will survive the summer if they keep up with this inane and childish bullshit”
Why would this summer be any different? This is the same inane crap they’ve been spewing since the start.
You really ought to put warning labels on rants that are this funny. This entire thing should be labeled as a choking hazard.
I’d also subscribe you your newsletter, but since I’m already reading your blog, that would be needlessly redundant.
In closing, well said, and thank you for this.
…and yet again the advancement of the human race is stumped by morphological divergence.
I want a refund.
I can’t decide if this outrages me to the point where I should start a letter-writing campaign, or if it’s so inane and transparent it just deserves a head shake and a rueful chuckle.
Either way, the logical fallacies in use by Fox News are just…stunning.
You wouldn’t be saying that if the newsletter subscriptions came with free mittens knitted by trout.
Well, I must say Fox is certainly making it easy for its detractors to go all foamy.
Now if we could just generate this level of outrage when seated politicians call our soldiers murderers and terrorists…
I have to admit I was unfamiliar with the cultural connotations of “baby mama,” so I had to look it up.
I’ve been using “…” to visually indicate me opening and closing my mouth, being unable to come up with something to say. I seem to be doing it more and more frequently, of late.
Do you know the worst thing about all this crap? The fact that you’ve still got several MORE months of it to go till it’s over.
And by ‘over’ I mean till the months upon months of coverage of Florida’s electoral stuff up starts in the aftermath of the presidential result.
(Come-on, you just know that Florida is gonna screw-the-pooch and mess it up for everyone)
sigh…MM and Fox news: Idiots in a handbasket.
This really outrages me. I hate the words Baby Mama. It’s stupid and NO ONE SHOULD BE CALLED THEM. Not Michelle Obama NO ONE. It implies they can’t think for themselves. That they are incapable. It’s not true and insanely degrading.
Some one called Nancy Reagan “eye candy” a few weeks ago. It makes me just as upset.
These woman are brave enough to stand by their husbands while this **** is flung. They deserve more.
Michelle:
This is why Krissy has forbidden me from running for President. She wants no part of that sort of nonsense.
Dang. I thought they would attack his experience first. Good thing I didn’t bet on that.
I’m a conservative and Fox News irks the hell out of me a lot of the time. “Fair and balanced” is a load of crap – I really wish that media outlets (and not just Fox, btw) would actually recognize and present their biases. That way, those folks that don’t scrounge around for news would at least be aware that, in fast, the news they’re watching has an angle to it.
To my mind, there is no such thing as an unbiased, neutral opinion. The best we can hope for as consumers of information is to understand the biases of our sources for that information, and then synthesize conclusions from multiple sources representing a broad spectrum of bias.
As to the ‘Baby Mama’ thing… perhaps they thought they were making a fluffy joke, or perhaps not… either way, without a direct quote from one of the ‘outraged liberals’, that choice of terminology is pretty tasteless & unprofessional.
Back to my TV motto: “Every time I watch television I remember why I don’t watch television.”
Anny Mouse:
Well, see. He can explain away his lack of experience. But he can’t explain away being black.
Brian:
“To my mind, there is no such thing as an unbiased, neutral opinion.”
Indeed not. What one does hope for is a bit of common sense. Fox News isn’t the only news org that flubs up, but they do seem to continue to flub up consistently in the same direction.
I hope Senator Obama says this: “If the Right Wing Propaganda Machine wants to engage in a debate over the candidates personal Family Values and devotion to the sanctity of marriage… well, that’s a debate I’m happy to have with John McCain!”
I’m just picturing the mayhem Krissy would visit upon Fox News. Oh, the smiting! Oh, the (sorta) humanity!
Did anyone read Thomas Friedman’s oped yesterday?
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/11/opinion/11friedman.html?em&ex=1213416000&en=4bde3fcf7058b1b0&ei=5087
Other people in the world think we have gotten past this type of stuff, because Mr Obama is the presumptive nominee. I guess that’s wishful thinking on their part.
Fox, The Washington Times, and other such “unbiased media” remind me why my primary news sources are the BBC and NPR.
Fox “News” doesn’t make mistakes. It’s all done intentionally. It’s the new racism by which conservatives hide their racism behind being “fair” and then they claim they are being persecuted when their racism is called out.
I’ve been wondering of late whether we should re-institute preconditions for democratic participation. Rather than the plutocratic or just plain discriminatory prerequisites of race or land-holding, we should introduce some test for 1) appreciation of uncertainty; and 2) ability to make one’s own mind up. That is to say, you ask someone: 1) have you ever been wrong? and 2) did hearing two sides of an argument sway you from a previous belief to a new one? (I am totally not serious about this, but bear with me)
Fox News frequently panders to folks who believe – strongly – in one particular set of values, and the use of baby mama simply reinforces some deeply held, uncontested beliefs of a subset of the viewership of the channel. Telling that group that baby mama is demeaning and inappropriate would be like telling the national enquirer to use a little more tact in their reporting. Plus, you might get a knee-jerk ‘I hate PC’ response.
The lack of critical thinking is an epidemic that has swept America over the last several years, and we need to bring people together who are good critical thinkers to really hash out issues and work on raising everybody up, rather than lowering us down. I’d like to work my reptilian brain into submission, rather than submitting to it.
I should note that this issue exists on the left, right, up and down perspectives. Even the objectivists get frothy about a few things :)
Personally I hope that Fox should should go even further.
Perhaps by refering to Obama from now on as “Da Pimp”. And Michelle as “His Ho”.
PLEASE FOX. SHOW THE US AND THE WORLD YOUR RIGHT WING RACIST REPORTING TACTICS!
It will *ONLY* put the Republican party to deeper shame and when “Da Pimp” and “His Ho” become the President of the US in November it will be these STUPID ASS Fox News reporters who will be swinging from the trees by a noose.
Hopefully by suicide…
/end rant.
GOD I HATE IGNORANCE!
John, thanks. I’m really, really busy at work today, you’re a better writer than I, and this is excellent. Now I can just link to you and not stress about my own blog entry on the subject.
Actually one of the things I like about Senator Obama is that he usually doesn’t get all excited about these issues and takes the time to make a calm, deliberate and pointed response.
John, an excellent political post, as usual. What is so enjoyable about the Obama / McCain race is watching the wheels come off Fox. Fox was clearly pushing for a Clinton/Gulianni match up and they are still spluttering about in shock that the people (even the conservative people) did not hove to. It has reduced them to base instincts like this and the equally classic “terroist fist bump” comment from last week. Equally fun to see Oberman beat O’Rileys rating for the first time. Maybe people are waking up….
Whoa, Obama has a black child? No way!
Sometimes I wonder if Stephen Colbert is moonlighting as a writer for Fox News. Nothing else makes sense. People can’t be that dumb, right? And still feed themselves and remember to breathe?
Gee, Thanks, Fox News!
Lovely bit of irony…I just flipped over to CNN.com for no good reason and what do I see?
The first headline in the Latest News section: “Michelle Obama may face jabs in election fight”
No, really? You think?
Now, in the interests of fairness and balance Faux should adopt my pet name for Cindy McCain – Crackhead Barbie.
OK, she wasn’t addicted to crack, she was addicted to pain pills. That she stole from a children’s charity. But she did rehab instead of jail time because… because… she’s Cindy McCain.
I love you. Deeply. In a transitory, thank goodness someone has a clue way, but no less sincere for that.
I think it’s just suppossed to be a catchy phrase. Say it out loud. It rhymes. I agree that it should never have been said but really aren’t there bigger fish to fry? The media is trying to dumb down politics to fit within the writing style of People or Us Magazines.
It’s a good thing his last name is Obama and not Obigger.
I can see the cover stories now
How old does McCain look in this picture?
See Rachel Ray’s new fashion don’t!
Exclusive interview with Obama’s Baby Mama!
Here is my philosophy. If you are intelligent to realize how offensive, biased, and ridiculous 24 hour news stations are (both CNN and Fox News) don’t watch them…
I’m just disappointed that they settled for the phrase “picking on” when they could have used the more euphonius “hating on.”
My head just exploded. No, really. It did.
After working in a newsroom and having my heart broken during the last election, I’ve been avoiding most of the election coverage this time around. At least until, yanno, we’re within sniffing distance of the actual day. What I think pisses most of us off is that crap like this happens, and then no one gets called on it–as if the powers that be (in either camp) think that ignoring the problem will make it go away, or that acknowleging it gives it power. Like in 2000: McCain had a black baby!? Well, you know, that was just all in good fun/part of the election process (heh heh). And Johnnie boy rolled over and let the Republican party rub his belly and make nice. And *that* is exactly why I lost all respect for the man. The best thing for Obama to do? Call them on this bullshit. Calling people on their crap freaks bullies out. And if there is one thing this country needs, it’s some honesty and for the bullies to be spanked for being such asshats. Rant over.
“If you are intelligent to realize how offensive, biased, and ridiculous 24 hour news stations are (both CNN and Fox News) don’t watch them…”
Well, yes, but where to go after them? I stopped reading MSNBC.com a while ago and was using the New York Times homepage for Firefox start, but then there’s:
“Brian:
‘To my mind, there is no such thing as an unbiased, neutral opinion.”
Indeed not. What one does hope for is a bit of common sense. Fox News isn’t the only news org that flubs up, but they do seem to continue to flub up consistently in the same direction.'” (John, up above)
I generally agree that there’s no such thing as unbiased, neutral opinion, no matter how objective a news story might read (because one must also consider that story choice itself reveals biases), but then, what now? Fox is awful, CNN not much better, MSNBC amateurish at best, Olbermann’s jumped the shark . . .
I mean it comes a point you have to look up and notice that the best news show out there is The Daily Show, and where does that leave journalism?
I’ve heard the BBC is a good news source.
Great rant. Worthy of Lewis Black (heh).
And so, it begins………..
If we’re (when I say we, I mean you, as I’m a Brit, but as your current Prez took his lapdog Tony and our country into a war, I feel the love) lucky, they’ll keep this level of ordure up, and drive any undecided middle-of-the-road voters into the baby-daddy’s arms.
Here’s hoping.
Krissy is one smart woman. You should make sure you thank her again after this. :)
I dunno, Krissy has a baseball bat and isn’t afraid to use it. Maybe she should send it to Michelle Obama.
I’d love to say I’m surprised by this but I’m not and truthfully, the Obama’s probably aren’t either.
Really, for a whole lot of Black folks who made it into institutes of higher learning and beyond, this is just one more round of “how dare you be up in here with us?” The slings and arrows are just that but it’s not the first time that these things will be said, nor will it be the last.
The words are hurtful and if you confronted most of these folks with their stupid head on, all they’ll do is fall back on “well, Black people (i.e. rappers) say this stuff all the time, so why can’t we?” At which point, I’ll roll my eyes and point them to the door because you can’t fight that kind of stupid with logic.
Rainbow trout and knitting? Nope. But perch are widely regarded not only for their knitting skills, as well as crocheting. They make the cutest tea cozies.
*gives standing ovation*
I can understand in the arena of 24 hour news that the demand for quantity trumps quality. I can also understand the surge of extremely biased reporting when your network counts on branded headline repetition in boosting advertising revenue.
I choose not to watch Fox because of these facts. Likewise, I could have thrown my shoe at a CNN anchor who was extremely excited about fresh flood footage. He was grinning from ear to ear as he described the total annihilation of a house being thrown into a river.
What incenses me the most about this particular case is the pure lack of respect for another member of the human race.
This has nothing to do with being “politically correct.” This is a violation of basic human courtesy.
The minute something directly linked or representative with negative connotation becomes socially acceptable as a label or generalization, is the moment the social fabric of our civilization starts to unravel. Rudeness begets rude as idiocy breeds idiots.
Fox has proven themselves as a serious contender of both.
Faux News strikes again . . . Scalzi for TEH WIN!i!i!i
You are once again proven the master of insight in the Blogosphere. You are, sir, my hero for your takedown of the “OMFG he’s BLACK! BLACKITY-BLACK-BLACK-BLACK!!!” conservative meme.
God, that’s just disgusting. It’s obviously intended to push as many “liberal” buttons as possible… and Malkin’s just going to keep digging that hole for them.
Fair and balanced, my ass. Where’s their coverage insulting Mrs. McCain? I guess nothing to cover, since she’s boring and unremarkable and not black.
Fucking disingenous bigoted muppets.
When I saw that screenshot, I thought it just HAD to be Photoshopped. It couldn’t be real. But it looks like I just underestimated Fox News’ capacity for crassness.
Even if the brain-damaged chimpanzees playing editors at Fox News honestly had no idea just how much of an insult it is to refer to an accomplished and MARRIED woman as anyone’s “baby mama,” you’d think they would have some inkling that the phrase has no place on a news program, except maybe a satirical one. (That said, I’m hoping to see some reference to this fiasco in the next issue of The Onion, because that will make me feel much better.)
I am really pissed. Barack Obama is the first black man in history to become an American presidential candidate, and for that he gets a pack of yahoos throwing ghetto slang at his wife.
Hail, F*cking hail!
Holy crap! O_o How do hey get away with this shit these days???
I’m going to copy this whole thing to my LiveJournal (giving proper credit for awesome blogging and linking back here.) if you don’t mind. I missed this – and it should be put out there.
…had someone sent this to Jon Stewart? ::evil grin::
You’re my freakin’ hero, John.
Oh, and Fox issued a statement saying that the program’s producer used “poor judgement”.
REALLY!? YA THINK!?
*rollseyes*
And, let’s not overlook the many contributions of the Walleye population to the world of auto-mechanics and gardening (though, the carp were the ones who started the whole topiary craze).
Really, man. Freshwater fish just don’t get the credit they deserve. And, it’s unfortunate that John would judge all fish merely on the actions of a few god damned lazy trout.
Dilemma: Should I continue to watch The Colbert Report… or switch to Fox “News”? Which is the biggest parody?
:-S
Fox News Channel isn’t news at all. It’s a propaganda outlet with very specific goals in mind.
One word, everyone: Truthiness.
These tactics “the baby mama” and “the terrorist fist jab” are all part of a smoke screen to get us on the subject of race and away from talking about the economy, the war, energy, and health care. Once that discussion begins- game over!
Thanks for the great rant.
It wasn’t Fox, but Obama’s already been called boy.
This is just a distraction!
I’ve never known Fox News to do anything like this before!
This is not the Fox News I knew!
Reason #umpteen why I haven’t watched television news in two years.
But I wrote an email to News Corp anyway, what the heck.
It’s Fox News – whaddya ‘spect?
Don’t ‘spect no R-E-S-P-E-C-T from the disrespectable.
I’m trying to decide whether this or the “terrorist fist jab” is better. I’m leaning toward this just because it came out of a PoC’s mouth.
John Scalzi: This is why Krissy has forbidden me from running for President. She wants no part of that sort of nonsense.
This is why I’d vote Krissy for President. If she were running. You want to be First Dude? You could shave your head again.
Plus, she has a baseball bat and knows what to do with one.
#41: “Sometimes I wonder if Stephen Colbert is moonlighting as a writer for Fox News. Nothing else makes sense. People can’t be that dumb, right? And still feed themselves and remember to breathe?”
Oh my goodness. That has to be it!! How could I have missed that it’s just a news spoof??
#63: “Freshwater fish just don’t get the credit they deserve. ”
And salt water fish do? LOL
You’re kidding, right?
It’s so hard to tell these days.
today, you’re the angry black woman, John, because i can’t even begin to approach this bullshit without killing a puppy.
That’s a lot of black.
Aunty Beeb has some inherent problems of it’s own, and not just with it’s news coverage if I’m honest. I’ll watch it, but I tend to prefer our (the UK that is) Channel 4 News.
For a start, it’s an hour long, not 30 minutes, so instead of a 5 minute piece by some bloke sat in a studio the other side of the planet, you get quite a fair bit of information about a subject, not just a 5 minute precis about what some journalist learnt while he was buying a scotch in the airport bar. Also, they do appear to try and not take sides, but this may just be me wishing that on it.
Having said that, if any news channel broadcast a strap-line like that in this country, they’d immediately have about 1,000 complaints to Ofcom, who actually have the teeth to do something about it. From what I understand, the US communications watchdog appears to only be interested in the odd flash of boob during a ‘Football’ (commas used, ‘cos it’s not real football ;-) match, or other stuff seen by anyone who’s ever been breastfed, or had sex for that matter.
I don’t think of Obama as black. More like The Mocha Messiah.
Bets on which Faux talking head is the first to use the N-word?
I think there is a bigger question here we are all missing. Does Michelle Malkin have a serious self-hatred thing going on?
Todd Stull:
No. It’s entirely possible the amount of racism she’s encountered in her life is minimal, especially as the rare bird she is: an attractive, reasonably articulate conservative woman of color, which makes her valuable to the conservative cause and has undoubtedly smoothed her way professionally. Why should she have self-hatred? Being an attractive conservative woman of color has opened lots of doors for her, I suspect.
Oh crap there go the Simpsons. The only Fox network show allowed in this house has been the Simpsons, but I can’t, in good conscience, provide that network with anything resembling support. Since I use digital cable they are monitoring use; so bye by Marge…sob.
I hope that this will be a topic on CNN’s Sunday “Reliable Sources”. It will be quite humorous to see someone try to defend the use of “Baby Mama”.
George
The whole tired “Michelle Obama once said baby’s daddy” defense that Michelle Malkin is trying to use is ridiculous.
I mean, Michelle Obama might have called her husband “honey” at some point, does that mean Fox News will start calling him that to?
Hey, Skar #24 — can you give me an example of when that happened? I must have missed it.
Was it one of those cases where one of our soldiers was was up on charges for murder? ‘Cause, mainly, I’d be okay with people who were murderers who happened to ALSO be soldiers to be called murderers.
Fox News is always the perfect recipe if I want indigestion and seething rage. And CNN hired Glenn Beck. People are stupid.
But how cool and amazing it would be if Obama could win, with fucktards like these. I want to hope, but I don’t want to be dashed again..
It took me a couple of paragraphs to realize how angry you were about this (and then properly chastised myself for this lapse in cognitive awareness as a Whatever veteran). And I loved how you proceeded to call Fox News out on their total absolute BS.
Thank You!
John Scalzi wrote: “It sure as hell matters to Fox News, which is why it’s dog whistling about Barack so loudly that it’s vibrating the windows.”
Yeah, but Fox is whistling out it’s @$$. Which is why I stopped being a broadcast reporter in 1990, and have never looked back.
Well, thank the gods that Michelle Obama wasn’t wearing a frilly scarf at the time they took that file footage. Michelle Malkin’s head might have spun right off. I mean, it is detachable and all. She seems to leave it at home all the time.
I really like the pure sarcasm employed in your writing. Obama has the Fight the Smears web site. And there’s the Michelle Obama Watch site people can contribute to as well. They can’t very well talk about ISSUES now because they don’t have a leg to stand on. I hope the Obamas ban Fixed Noise from here on out.
That had to be one of the most hateful rants I’ve read yet this election year. I shouldn’t be surprised though that you secular-progressive socialists, borderline communists, smear tacticians continue to defame everything about Fox News. You complain that Fox News is the right-wing news channel…blah blah blah. Okay, so the conservatives have one tv channel that leans their way. Liberals control the rest of them. I am willing to bet the majority of the people commenting on this blog have never even watched Fox News long enough to form their own opinion (not one derived from someone else you heard talking about Fox News) about their reporting. I’ve watched them all, even Obama’s HQ over there at MSNBC and from what I’ve seen, Fox News may lean a little right, but they are closer to being fair than any of the rest I’ve seen this election year. So, I encourage all of you liberals and conservatives (I doubt there is many on this site) to mix it up a bit and watch Fox News for a few days to see a different perspective. There must be an awful lot of truth reported on Fox News for you to hate them so much, John. I bet you’re not too good at poker are you?
Oh, and John, we don’t need Fox News to subliminally suggest Obama is black by reporting on outraged liberals crying that Michelle Obama is being picked on. I can see with my own eyes that he is black and guess what, I don’t care. I’m not going to not vote for Obama because he’s black. I’m not going to vote for him because his answer to fixing the economy is to raise taxes. I’m not going to vote for him because he wants to disarm America. I’m not going to vote for him because he wants to ration our food and energy consumption. I’m not going to vote for him because he wants to subject us to taxation by the U.N. I’m not going to vote for him because he wants to surrender Iraq to Al Qaeda and Iran. I’m not going to vote for him because he demonstrated very poor judgment for a politician with aspirations of running for President by associating himself with known communists, racists and terrorists. But I say again, I’m not going to not vote for Obama because he is black.
Token conservative done ranting now.
Charles:
“That had to be one of the most hateful rants I’ve read yet this election year.”
Get out more, Charles.
Also, re: “token conservative,” there are lots of conservatives who visit and comment here, and rather more substantively and with fewer rote talking point cliches than you just have, so please get over yourself. Your problem is not that you’re conservative, it’s that your comment is unoriginal, boring and lame. Other conservatives here do better in their arguments. Strive to emulate them.
John,
You call it cliche, I call it truth. Very typical of a liberal to sling insults to attempt to make a point. What is unoriginal, boring and lame is the secular-progressive agenda Obama is attempting to push this election year. It’s all been done before and failed miserably. I know, that was cliche according to you isn’t it? Of course it is. Anything that is too close to the truth you will just dismiss it as cliche. The more Obama defines his “Change” message, the more of the old school socialist agenda will be revealed. I’m sorry, did I say socialist? I meant to say progressive. That is what you liberals call it these days right? No need to respond, I know the answer already.
Charles:
“You call it cliche, I call it truth.”
Of course you do, Charles. That’s the pity of it.
Run along now, Charles, and let people who can actually think without the help of pre-printed index cards do what they were doing before you got here.
Charles @ #92:
Ok, if that was meant to be sarcasm, you need to kick it up a notch, ’cause it really didn’t come across that way.
Of course, it is wasn’t meant to be sarcasm, then you have just scared the f*ck out of me, ’cause it terrifies me that someone presumably intelligent can actually believe lines like Okay, so the conservatives have one tv channel that leans their way. Liberals control the rest of them. and ’ve watched them all, even Obama’s HQ over there at MSNBC and from what I’ve seen, Fox News may lean a little right, but they are closer to being fair than any of the rest I’ve seen this election year.
A little right!?! And they say that the Brits are masters of understatement. *boggles*
I’m also deeply curious just how a government is supposed to supply all the services it is supposed to, like, say, Defense, law enforcement, and roads, without collecting taxes?
But then, I’m an Australian, and somewhat left-leaning even by Aussie standards, so by your lights, I guess that makes me as good as a communist.
Charles @ 94,
and the “compassionate conservative” agenda has done SO MUCH for our country…..
two wars, record oil prices, failing schools, the housing crisis, the health care crisis (yes, it is a crisis when so many uninsured are using the emergency rooms for basic care) and the shredding of the constitution (torture, loss of privacy…..)
Yeah, we really need four more years of that.
Don’t feed the troll, Fiona.
;-)
But…but the troll missed the “I bet you won’t let this comment out of moderation” that is the hallmark of the true wingnut rant! Damn, John, you need to work on your quality control around here.
It’s also a very comfortable niche to be a conservative ‘rare bird’ who craps on all the other birds. The list of conservative women who have made their fortune being “the only girl in the room” is a fairly long one. Malkin adds being a minority, and the cachet that gives her to crap on other minorities, to her resume. The powers-that-be are very good to their pets who don’t let anyone else into the kennel.
Can’t say I’m surprised, it being FoxNews and all. Anyway, brilliantly written. Great breakdown of the inherent absurdity in the various attempts to “explained away” FoxNews’ little stunt thus far. Well done.
Ha! John – posts like this aren’t likely to net you one of those Instalanches.
I think Jaydog has it right…
See, I always thought Baby Mama meant teenage mother. That would be a little weird if his wife was a teenager. In fact, that would probably bother me some.
@ 94, Charles who is not in Charge, sez:
” I’m not going to vote for him because he wants to surrender Iraq to Al Qaeda and Iran.”
Oh Charles, can’t you do better than parroting Glen Beck? (Oh wait, he’s a LIBERAL because he’s not on Fox, right?)
You’re apparently too clueless to understand that your own Republican ditto-masters have already handed Iraq on a platter to Iran. But O’Reilly-wannabes like yourself don’t know a damned thing about the region — as long as you keep getting American soldiers killed there, you’re satisfied.
See, to Republicans it really doesn’t matter if a foreign occupation actually benefits the security of the U.S.A. If it was actual security we wanted, there were hundreds of better ways to attain that for HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
But you like death. You like seeing our soldiers killed. All of you Republicans, most of you cowardly chickenhawks yourselves, love seeing our soldiers die.
As long as our soldiers are getting killed and wounded there, and a TRILLION of our hard-earned tax dollars are get wasted to prop up an Iran-friendly government, you and your chickenhawk buttboys are happy as clams.
Traitor.
Your ability to stick to Fox News more than makes up for your terrible abilities at Fantasy Football.
I think Obama should announce that he is “cutting ties” with Fox News (a la Jim Johnson earlier this week)…He can’t be associated with a news organization like that…
DavisDem:
There’s a reason my fantasy football team was called “The Mediocre Walloons,” you know.
Scalzi, you’ve been picked up by the progressive blogosphere! Oh, noes!!! Your conservative cover has been blown….
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/6/13/02320/2993/821/535140
I’ve been whispering to my friends that hey, did you know that Barack Obama had TWO children by a … BLACK woman? … for months, to good effect. And here Michelle frigging MALKIN has to go and screw up the joke forever. I swear, what they’re really trying to do is destroy satire as a form of humor.
Alex:
Heh. This should be fun.
scalzi, you say a lot of ignorant things about race, but this really takes the cake. what makes you think that YOU, or anyone else for that matter, gets to decide what obama’s race is?
that’s for obama to decide. period. and he’s not telling. you may THINK he’s telling, but he’s actually CAMPAIGNING.
he’s not telling because of people like you, who don’t get the whole multiracial thing, and would be suspicious of a person who insisted on his multiraciality, the way everybody was suspicious of tiger woods until he started winning everything in sight. everybody forgives a winner. and maybe once obama has won his second presidential race he’ll start talking about himself as a multiracial.
until then, stop thinking you know everything about race. you don’t. and try googling “hypodescent” and “code switching.”
oh yeah, and the KKK? what THEY think of obama’s race doesn’t count, either, if they actually still exist and aren’t just a scare tactic used to bury the common ignorance and everyday racism that obama ACTUALLY faces.
oh, by the way, that was me with the angry comment above. i wasn’t trolling, just forgetful.
claire:
“scalzi, you say a lot of ignorant things about race, but this really takes the cake. what makes you think that YOU, or anyone else for that matter, gets to decide what obama’s race is?”
Well, let me flip that around to you, claire: If I or anyone else for that matter, decide that Obama is black (or biracial, or white) for the purposes of how I respond to him, how are you or anyone else going to stop me (or them)?
“stop thinking you know everything about race.’
I invite you, claire, to point to where I have suggested I know everything about race. I’m not aware of making such a statement. I also invite you, claire, to kiss my ass, as far as telling me what I can or can’t do, either in my thoughts or how I choose to express them on my own site.
Imagine what would happen if Michelle Obama wore a paisley scarf!
not much of an argument there, scalzi.
here’s some homework for you, for the next time you try to be intelligent about obama:
http://www.racialicious.com/
claire:
“not much of an argument there, scalzi.”
Well, claire, I work with what I’m given.
Thanks for dropping by, claire. As ever, your condescension to me on racial matters makes you an absolute delight to have in these quarters.
Dang, I guess now that I know he’s black I can’t vote for him, I was sorta hoping no one would mention it, but it’s out in the open now… Sad thing is I don’t even watch Fox…. Mr. Scalzi, you’ve got furthered Fox’s agenda: Had you not mentioned this, I might have been saved!
Well, I can say this much. Miss Malkin, on at least two occasions, has eaten items at a restaurant which were definitely not on the menu, as it were.
Honestly, I have no idea what that means. I’m not sure I want to know.
Her food took a little longer to, uh, prepare than normal.
Michelle Malkin’s a fussy eater? That explains everything.
She is, actually.
Fond of the Béchamel, is she?
@123: Superb.
Skar: Now if we could just generate this level of outrage when seated politicians call our soldiers murderers and terrorists…
Indeed, it is well known that it’s a violation of physical law for American soldiers to murder or terrorize. Americans are good. We know this because we learned it in kindergarten. That guy with the white hair who said that nationalism is an infantile disease was a real dummy.
Charles: Token conservative done ranting now.
I bet you go out with your wife wearing a T-shirt that says “she’s with stupid”.
claire: scalzi, you say a lot of ignorant things about race, but this really takes the cake. what makes you think that YOU, or anyone else for that matter, gets to decide what obama’s race is?
I sadly must inform you that a) you didn’t understand his argument and b) you have demonstrated yourself to be a morally corrupt individual by launching an ad hominem attack instead of a rebuttal.
Well said, Mr. Scalzi. Well said, indeed!
Well written, John. What’s more interesting–and puzzling–to me is that they apologized for it–the 3rd time in 3 weeks (heartening, because it means they’re *really* going off the rails). First it was Liz Trotta saying she’d like to see Obama assassinated, then E.D. Hill with the “terrorist fist jab, and now this. But this is FOX, and FOX, like any good conservative, *never* apologizes (c.f. Jesse Helms, 1993, calling for President Clinton’s assassination). I dunno. The best I can figure is that the people who advertise on Fox got afraid.
(I was going to write “got spooked,” without realizing that, in this context, it might not be the best word choice.)
And, yes, while I know I’m not supposed to feed the troll, I will note that nowhere in his talking points did Charlie actually attempt to defend the use of the phrase.
Apostroph or no apostroph – wow! I know we here in Germany have problems with apostrophes (we call it “new spelling” and it’s the greatest cultural paradigm shift since Martin Luther), but FOX actually takes it to a higher level.
And I will not utter something more political in this thread …
Looking at the screen grab, I’d say Malkin is blacker than Michelle Obama.
BEST. HEADLINE. IN THE WORLD.
claire-
He should address the fact he’s biracial!
Just about EVERYBODY on the damn planet knows Obama’s half white and half Kenyan. I know this because a lieutenant in the Cambodian police force knows this.
I want to thank your side for handing us the election. You make it easier every day. Your desperation is a thing of beauty and will provide months of hilarity.
Hannah:”I’m hoping to see some reference to this fiasco in the next issue of The Onion, because that will make me feel much better.”
I suspect that the people at The Onion are sadly shaking their heads at this and frustratedly muttering to each other, “Christ, how do we parody this? We’re gonna be out of jobs soon….”
.
Charles:
Funny, I must have missed MSNBC the day Laura was called “Bush’s Baby Mama”, or “Bush’s Bitch”. Or was it “Bush’s Bush”.
I guess I also missed the day CNN brought in a body language expert to critique “Bush’s Terrorist Finger Jab”.
Oh, yeah, definitely a Fox News viewer.
We can tell by the facts you get wrong, i.e. all of them.
.
Sorry, John, responded before reading the “Don’t feed the troll” warning at #98.
Will try to be more careful in the future.
.
Mythago:
Somewhere in heaven, Yogi Berra is smiling – “Nobody goes there anymore, it’s too crowded.”
.
You know, I also read National Review. I try to listen to several sides of an argument…
And it strikes me that Fox “News” gives conservatism a really bad name. It certainly wouldn’t hurt conservatives (or Republicans) to denounce the worst behavior of Fox “News.” (And some do. It’s not just Andrew Sullivan.)
There are conservatives who like Barack Obama, who don’t automatically think in Campaign Mode (i.e. “Hillary Clinton is the ideal opponent to mobilize our base against” or “Let’s spread racist rumors in order to win”).
Those of you who consider yourselves conservative, look into your hearts and ask yourselves: Is this right? Can I support this sort of behavior?
That’s the only question you need to ask: Is this right? (Or, if you’re Christians: Would Jesus approve?)
Well, as a 62 year old white male who grew up in Alabama in the middle of the Civil Rights movement, I have to tell you now have a new reader for your commentary.
This is absolutely the most incisive body blow take down of the incredible racist propaganda of Faux Noise network on this particular instance I think I have read.
You made front page of dailykos.com, which led me here.
I would give you a thumbs up, but you might, of course, think I was a terrorist infiltrator.
It’s gotten to the point where my brain has developed some sort of pattern recognition ability when it comes to Internet posts.
If the post contains the initials “U.N.”, I instantly stop reading and file the entire thing under “Tinfoil Brigade”.
I think the post is hilarious and spot on, but I disagree with the writer’s argument that Obama isn’t biracial or multiracial or part black and part white or whatever the term is for someone who has one parent of European heritage and another of African heritage.
The example of Obama being transported to Klanistan is idiotic because even if Obama were able to prove to the folks about to lynch him that one of his parents was white, they’d hang him anyway for being miscegenated, a word I stole from Homer Stokes in “O Brother, Where Art Thou?”
If the correct term for people of African descent who live in America is African American, than Obama is African European American or European African American. That doesn’t change the fact that his candidacy is historic or that bigots will consider him as African as Nelson Mandela; it’s just an accurate description of his heritage.
I think a lot of people would howl, both in laughter and outrage, if Obama tried to deny his African heritage. (Not that he would.) Ignoring his European heritage doesn’t carry the same symbolic weight, to say the least, but it’s still wrong.
You are a total asshole.
JGabriel @136: Somewhere in heaven, Yogi Berra is smiling – “Nobody goes there anymore, it’s too crowded.”
Actually, that should read “Somewhere in New Jersey.” Yogi is still very much alive.
John, I think he’s saying Michelle Malkin is a vampire. I think she ate a bus boy.
I’m a conservative.
Love The Whatever.
Don’t watch Fox News as much as I used to because, hey, I’d rather like a little less yellow spittle-fleck with my news, please.
And Fox News deserves all the flak they get for the classlessness of the “baby mama” bit.
The masks are already starting to come off the bigots, this one in Houston.
http://www.khou.com/topstories/stories/khou080612_tnt_racistobamasign.27bc45a6.html
Down here in Texas, I’m not surprised by such stupidity. I’ve already heard one guy drop such pearls of wisdom in conversation as “That ‘boy’ [charming Southern word, that ‘boy’] better not come to Texas,” and “He’ll take the side of the Muslims in a holy war!” My girlfriend’s landlord has said “That n—– will get shot if he wins.” It’s just going to get so much worse, the closer we get to the election, especially if Obama holds on to his leads in the polls against McCain.
You realize, of course, that from the day Obama takes office to the day he leaves, no Faux employee will be allowed within 500 feet of the White House fence, much less in the press room. I’m still hoping for hate crime charges, if not incitement to riot.
This is beautifully written…If I had Fox News ethics I’d steal it and use it on my own show…
Hey, some rainbow trout are really excellent knitters!
It would be really great if Obama showed up at a rally and said “Now let me introduce you to my Baby Mama.”
While I don’t watch TV news, how much sway does FOX NEWS really have? Isn’t it really just bias conformation? How many independents watch FOX because the truly believe it’s “Fair and Balance”?
Maybe it is an elaborate ruse to distract people from any really issues.
I can’t help wondering what the foxes think of this.
Then again…
i’m with janiece. can’t decide whether to firebomb something or brush it off.
the professional scholars group, the association of genocide scholars, years ago recommended not debating with genocide deniers. just sharing a venue with deniers — simply arguing with them — gives them the academic standing they lack and which they crave.
there is a good point in that. what if we all stopped watching, and talking about, the video gasbags? do you really think they believe any of this and they’re not just hyping their ratings with scurrilities?
On the whole “black/biracial” aspect – it’s that tension between self-identification and ascription that got Claire going, or so it seems to me.
Of course the KKK would treat him as black. And for political purposes, he’s going to be considered black. Just like I’m considered white or Hispanic, even though I’m multiracial (Rosebud Sioux and Scottish).
But that doesn’t negate the complexity of his racial identification. He’s already acknowledged that he’s multiracial – but that’s not going to get him very far in the simplistic American world of racial categorization. So, yeah, he’s black – but remember that’s a not-very-accurate label for who he is, necessitated by immediate circumstance.
Don’t get me wrong – I think the rest of your commentary is dead on, for reasons we already get – and those same reasons also support what I’m trying to point out, here. Fox News has always been at war with the truth, and we’ve always been at war with Eastasia.
Victor:
“So, yeah, he’s black – but remember that’s a not-very-accurate label for who he is, necessitated by immediate circumstance.”
I think your assessment is pretty accurate, actually.
The crazy thing isn’t what’s happening on Foxnews. The crazy thing is that they are people who defend Foxnews. Fighting for a huge company who don’t care about you… It’s like these people defending McDonald against Morgan Spurlock! Isn’t that a little bit retarded? Anything better to do with your life? If you want to fight for a cause, there are tons of them, just pick something.
For the rest, I don’t like Foxnews so I don’t watch it.
Re: Dave Bell @#150:
Wow, a Tank Vixens reference. Who woulda thunk?
in the immortal words of Gypsy the Robot:
“Yikes…just yikes.”
Who thinks that’s okay? I mean, seriously?
And you know there’d be a mass uproar if CNN referred to Cindy McCain as John’s “hoe,” which is basically what Fox news has done to Michelle Obama.
David Harmon @ 146,
“day Obama takes office to the day he leaves, no Faux employee will be allowed within 500 feet of the White House fence, much less in the press room”
I don’t think you give Mr. Obama enough credit for the amount of class he has, or how intelligent he is. He WILL let Faux News in, and will be able to give as good as he gets from them.
I nominate Mr. Scalzi as his press secretary. I’ll bet Mr .Obama would let him conduct the press briefings from Ohio.
In spite of the right-wing campaign smears, I think Mr. Obama will be the president of the whole country—even the red states. So unlike our current idiot-in-chief.
Fiona:
“I nominate Mr. Scalzi as his press secretary. I’ll bet Mr .Obama would let him conduct the press briefings from Ohio.”
Yeah, like I want a bunch of press vultures on my lawn.
I love the sound of liberals wailing in the morning.
Yes. It sounds like victory, it does. Although, I suspect, not for McCain.
Scalzi: Yeah, like I want a bunch of press vultures on my lawn.
If the press wants someone to tell them to get of his lawn, they’ll go cover McCain.
Mr. Scalzi,
You nailed it. This is the best commentary I’ve seen on the sorry little fiasco. I’m the father of three, soon to be four, biracial children, and this kind of race baiting is an attempt to push us towards a future where they are _still_ viewed with suspicion and pigeonholed because of race. It can be subtle, like six-year-old white girls telling us sadly that they think our beautiful daughter would be prettier if her skin was a little lighter or her hair a little less curly. Thanks for spelling it out so clearly.
John @ 158,
I MEANT via video conferencing. Kodi would keep the media vultures well away, I’m sure.
Ein Volk, Ein Reich, Ein FOX NEWS.
Das Offical Newstation of the Homeland!
Would you like cheese with that whine?
You didn’t seem to have a problem when Bob Beckel called Tennessee Republicans “racist crackers” on Fox News. Did you write a whole column on that? Somehow, I don’t think so.
And Beckel remains a frequent pundit on Fox. Did you voice your objection to his remarks?
Or maybe you would like to show past columns where you slammed the left wing cartoonists for portraying Michale Steele as a lawn jockey or Condi Rice as Prissy from the movie, Gone With The Wind?
It seems that you are only insensed when it is Obama who is slammed. Not when a black Republican is slandered.
Your hypocracy knows no bounds.
SKar
“Now if we could just generate this level of outrage when seated politicians call our soldiers murderers and terrorists…”
Citation please? I seriously doubt that any politician not wearing a tin foil hat actually said that.
Dear Mr. Scalzi,
Where have you been all my life, or at least the past 7.5 years?
Sincerely, A New Fan
Shorter retire05:
“You don’t complain about the things I think you should complain about, therefore you’re a hypocrite.”
Well, you go with that, retire05. In the meantime, when I need your opinion about what I should write about, I’ll be sure to let you know. Don’t wait up.
“Your hypocracy knows no bounds.” – retire05 #165
You’re spell-checker, on the other hand, does….
John in Chicago:
Criticizing people’s spell-checking is fraught with danger and irony.
I would like to think that Obama would have a bit more class once he’s in the Oval Office and will grant an occasional interview with FOX News.
Nothing numbs the opposition further than being nice to them.
Part of me wants them to bring out all the hateful racist stuff they can muster, turn the sky black with it, then LOSE.
ThunderMonkey:
Reminds me of the saying, “Forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them more.”
John,
retire05 has a good point.
If you really are upset about the racial aspects of this, you should be able to point to some past posted outrage at the blatantly racist treatment of Steele or Rice by liberals.
Just say’in.
That still frame is bullshit. If that was for real, post a link to an actual video of it. ANY 10 year old could photoshop some crap like that.
Hell, why stop there… Why not claim that fox called the Obamas “niggers” and back it up with another photoshopped still frame from a broadcast that didn’t happen?
Bottom line… Barack Obama is not a bad man, but he is NOT qualified to run a small business much less this country.
Michelle Obama is the typical angry black woman. Read her college thesis. I read 25 pages of her racist rant against white people. She’s never been proud of America? How about during the civil rights movement?
Black people all over the country are going to vote for him JUST BECAUSE HE’S BLACK!!! No one even knows what this guy stands for. Just that he’s \black and that he’s a democrat… but I guess that’s all some of you need to know. Nevermind the fact that he has no experience and IS NOT QUALIFIED. But who cares… he’s black… let’s go vote for him.
It’s like when I was a kid… some black kid would start shit with me, so I would proceed to kick his ass… THEN EVERY OTHER BLACK GUY IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA WOULD JUMP IN THE FIGHT EVEN THOUGH THEY HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS GOING ON.
That is the perfect analogy to this presidential race.
As for Fox News… Liberals only hate fox news because they tell both sides of the stories instead of YOUR side. How dare they tell people both sides of the story.
Bullshit:
“That still frame is bullshit. If that was for real, post a link to an actual video of it.”
Here you go. Don’t you feel like the dumbass now.
Now, please, remove your ignorant, sexist, racist jackassed self from my site.
That still frame is bullshit. If that was for real, post a link to an actual video of it. ANY 10 year old could photoshop some crap like that.
Um, dude, Fox News apologized for it. They wouldn’t have apologized for something they didn’t do, given how seldom they apologize anyway.
As for the rest of your rant, I leave your racism to Mr. Scalzi to address, since this is his space.
Love the commentary, John– I’ll definitely be coming back to read more of your stuff. Some of the comments here are truly disturbing, though….How come if you object to a news station calling the potential first lady a “baby mama,” you’re automatically a tax-raisin’ gun bannin’ baby killin’ atheistic socialistic red and green commie liberal? How about you’re just, I don’t know, not a complete idiot?
Woops, sorry for feeding the troll, John.
Haha… that is awesome. I thought for sure that was some bullshit. Now that I know it’s for real I do apologize… but it is funny as hell.
As for ignorant, no I am not. I am well educated. My views may be different than yours, but “ignorance” is not a word that anyone could even use to describe me.
Sexist… maybe a little.
[additional sexist commentary deleted — JS]
Racist? Hardly.
[additional racist discussion deleted. Hey, Bullshit, what part of “take a hike” did you not understand? — JS]
No worries, Cofax. But yes, in general when you see someone feculating in his own ignorance here, best just to avert your eyes and keep going. Save the responses for the people of good will and intelligence, on all sides of the discussion, who come here.
[deleted because now I’m bored with this jerk — JS]
Well hey, at least his name was appropriate.
Gretchen:
Yes. The irony was he was using it to describe something else.
Since we’re now attracting sexist, racist fucktards, this might be a good time to link to the comment policy.
[deleted because this guy’s a boring asshole — JS]
I feel that this an opportune time to remind people that according to the Program on International Policy Attitudes, Fox News viewers had a higher rate of misperceptions about the Iraq War than consumers of other media, and in general, Bush supporters were less likely than Kerry supporters to understand their own candidate’s policies.
Gee, I wonder what Fux Noise’s attitude would be if Obama was married to — I don’t know — let’s say a Chinese woman. Would it be OK to refer to her as a Chinkie?
Maybe Rupert could give us his slant on that.
Thank you for this. I’m e-mailing it to my friends. The right will slander everything and everyone they do not understand, which is just about everything and everyone.
This is the first time I’ve been on your blog. I love your writing style.
Thanks for keeping it real, dog. ;-)
Peace,
Brian
Brian # 189
If you like his blog, read his books.
Go pick up a copy of “Old Man’s War” you won’t be disappointed!
“In the meantime, when I need your opinion about what I should write about, I’ll be sure to let you know.”
Whatever, and not covering all aspects of a subject makes you no more than the polical hack you are.
But then, being objective doesn’t seem to be part of your m.o., does it?
Yes, it is your blog, and you are free under our Constitution to write whatever tripe you chose. And readers are free to believe that you are what you are; non-objective, biased and not worth the time.
Two Things:
1) John, that was brilliant so brilliant that I would be willing to be your baby mama if it weren’t for that damned “Y” chromosome I’ve got.
2) Why is it that no one has called Michelle Malkin and Ann Coulter on what they really are: eye-candy for conservatives. Seriously, the only reason why either one of them has any following is because there are a lot of Republicans out there married to women who make Phyllis Schlafly look like Angelina Jolie. These guys aren’t interested in what Malkin and Coulter have to say, they’re just interested in fucking them. Seriously, if Michelle Malkin came over to their houses they wouldn’t want to discuss immigration policy with her, they’d just want her to put on a bar girl outfit and say “Me so horny G.I. Three holes, 20 dolla, happy ending! Bang! Bang!”. Really, is there anything else that explains why Ann Coulter, little miss conservative dresses like a high end call-girl on all of her book covers?
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/512N1G2NNYL._SS500_.jpg
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41XQ9N4589L._SS500_.jpg
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51Wk5WfPS%2BL._SS500_.jpg
And this one from Coulter’s website, because you know that this is how conservative Republican women really dress.
http://www.anncoulter.com/cgi-local/photo.cgi?image=annblack.jpg
retire05:
“But then, being objective doesn’t seem to be part of your m.o., does it?”
Nope. Never was. You’ll want to read that link, by the way, so you know why I’m wholly unconcerned by your criticism. As a taster, and to quote myself:
Hope that helps, retire05. And if you don’t like it, you know where the door is.
For those that think “Fair and Balanced” is remotely accurate please take a look at “Manufacturing Consent”.
If however that takes too much energy, watch instead “Wag the Dog”. And pay particular attention to the fate of Dustin Hoffman’s character.
John,
I guess I never really thought about all the benefits a person could get by being a minority attack dog like Malkin. It’s just…it’s hard for me to wrap my mind around for some reason. Maybe it’s because where I grew up, if a minority kid starting talking like Malkin does, the other minority kids would’ve kicked her ass.
I do think it is telling that the recent fucktard who posted here didn’t let his admitted ignorance of facts affect his racist, sexist, fucktardist views. We aren’t really dealing in logic here with some of these Fox fans.
Jay53:
No, Jay, that’s *not* a good point.
The proper point of comparison for Fox News would be other major news networks – like ABC, CNN, MSNBC, etc.
Find an equally racist comment regarding Steele or Rice on one of those networks. You can’t?
Maybe that would be because there isn’t any. And that’s one of the reasons why Fox is targetted here. Not only is the racism here blatant and revolting, it’s also unique in terms of the size of Fox’s audience and the scope of its national broadcast license/charter.
.
John the upside to having reporters in you front yard; you would save a bundle on fertilizer.
I say Shame on Fox News! They are a disgrace to good journalism.
In your analogy, the minority kid is surrounded by a protective ring of really big, well-armed white kids. In return for shouting at the other minority kids, she is being allowed to tag along with them.
Mythago:
Aha. That is a very descriptive analogy, and I think it clears some stuff up for me. Thanks.
Bravo Mr. Scalzi, bravo.
That part where you dealt so harshly with that bullshit fellow? You know, the ignorant, sexist, racist fucktard?
That was cool.
I shall have to buy Zoe’s Tale in hardback, it seems.
Bravo, sir, bravo.
Sickening. I heard about this secondhand, and hoped I was misunderstanding. I guess I wasn’t. How the hell can that woman get away with that? How can FOX get away with that? They zapped the “terrorist fist bump” woman but they don’t chastise Malkin for this outrageous, racist, sexist remark? It would be a better world if FOX News was swallowed up a la Poltergeist and none of us ever had to hear or see their pathetic “reporting” again.
I applaud you for your words, Mr. Scalzi! The enormity of ignorance displayed by Fox News, and not for the first time, is mind-boggling. They need to be called on it, and on a much higher level.
I DO think that Mr. Obama, or perhaps Mrs. Obama, should look straight into the camera and ask Fox to defend their use of such volatile….um…crap! Perhaps, as one poster suggested, it should be prefaced by introducing her as the ‘baby mama’ to kickstart the actual trashing of Fox’s much-less-than-professional journalism.
Sure, it was supposedly a term used by ‘outraged liberals,’ in that screenshot, and as such is somehow easier to disown by Fox. But they know their viewership, and even if they weren’t their words, they (as a ‘professional news organization), could have, and should have quoted some other pissed off liberal who ALSO wants people to get off Michelle Obama’s back, in not so incendiary words.
Having said that, I just don’t understand people at all. You wrote a whole section of your post expaining why he’s black. Although he could be biracial. And all that.
I never understood (and thus may be completely naive, but I hope not), why people are judged/viewed/denigrated based on the amount of melanin in their skin. (Uh oh — cliche coming, but heartfelt) Black, brown, white, red, yellow etc. Are we all not people?
I will vote for Barack Obama in November because I feel he is the best candidate for the job, and have felt that way once all had thrown their hats into the ring. There’s just something about him that makes me think he could be the best President we’ve had in many years. And don’t we deserve that??
Oh!! To add to that.
I think it is a GOOD thing that he hasn’t been a career high-level politician!
He’s not as beholden to special interests that have consistently contributed. He’s not as beholden to other Senators that might have traded this or that vote on the floor for a vote yet to be taken, or an on-going tit-for-tat while one’s conviction slowly crumbles and one begins to acquiesce to the way the ‘system’ really works, and just becomes like the rest.
Jaded and cynical? Who, me?
I thought you might want to link to this site which was started by “what about our daughters”
It’s so clearly needed right now.
http://michelleobamawatch.com
brilliant. absolutely brilliant.
One of the few downsides of the rule of law is that it’s considered a no-no to tar, feather, horsewhip and run certain people out of town on a rail, no matter how much they deserve it.
Well, John, you’ve just gone from being my favorite new (relatively) science fiction writer to being one of my favorite people. Period.
I liked it better when Malkin was organizing a boycott against the financial interest of the right-wing Carlyle Group over Rachel Ray’s wardrobe in a Dunkin Donuts commercial.
I actually am at day 14 of the boycott.
Thanks MM!
Watch BigoTV..
@JGabriel # 136 fact check
Yogi may or may not be smiling, but it isn’t in Heaven. He’s still alive.
Tell it like it is! Fox sucks!
Josh @145
I think my favorite part of the story was the end of the video where the anchor says (paraphrasing) “We can’t tell you the address of the field where the hateful, racist sign is, but we will tell you the intersection it is at. Since the guy who made it isn’t going to take it down, you know what to do. *wink*”
You’re all Barking Moonbats. My “respect” for Mr. Scalzi has decreased dramatically over this rant. I’ll take the opinions of Michelle Malkin over any of your opinions.
And I need to care what you think about me why?
It always amuses me that people seem to think I’m going to look at a comment like this and go “oh noes! I am not universally loved!” and, like, fall into a heap or something. Apparently lots of people don’t realize that “kiss my ass” is one of my favorite expressions.
If you want to value Malkin’s opinions over mine, fine by me. You have my pity, but hey, your life, man.
Loser.
That’s it. I’m getting a T-Shirt that says “Moonbat”. I’m tired of this Neo-Con bigotry, so I’m taking the word BACK people!
Moonbats UNITE!
(If, of course, by Moonbat, you mean “Person who thinks differently than me since I get all my info from Rush Limbaugh and other Right-Wing Talking Point Pez Dispensers. Liberal hate! Traitors!”)
You can’t have the word back. We refuse to give it back.
Ceroth:
You’re still not getting the whole “who cares what you think?” concept, are you.
Shall I use hand puppets to explain it?
well said.
Hand puppets?! Now that is a video I’d like to see… :-). Can you use the plastic dinos from the Creation Museum film?
kw: Only if, during some point in the presentation, he uses the phrase “Mine is an evil laugh!”
Nicely done, as always.
For the record, I would love for Bill O’Reilly to refer to him as “my nigga.”
Not only would it end O’Reilly’s unwarrantedly long run on Fox News, but it would potentially hand Obama millions of votes as he inevitably would laugh it off for a few moments before calmly and pleasantly delivering a verbal dismantling of O’Reilly the likes of which we haven’t seen since Lloyd Bentsen’s “You’re No Jack Kennedy.”
And I don’t think even Bill O himself would dare cut off the mic of a presidential candidate.
Wait, who am I kidding? Of course he would. It would be his last performance–he wouldn’t go out with a bang, but with the bump sound of a mic going off live.
Yep. It’s part of this election and would have been regardless but it was a pity to first see it come from Democrats. I expect it from Fux and the GOP.
Wile E Quixote@192: Your disgusting racist, sexist fantasies say a lot more about you than they do about conservative fans of Malkin and Coulter.
If you disagree with M&C, and I hope that you do, engage with their ideas or ignore them. Don’t describe them in abusive sexualized and racialized terms. Even if you think it doesn’t count because you’re just projecting what conservatives “obviously” think of them.
“My spleen! My liver!”
Boss Scalzi around, get eaten by Elder Gods. It’s just not worth it.
Trackback:
Odds and Sods (June 14) – Baltar is my prophet edition
Oops, screwed that up.
Ya know, if Blogger would do this automatically, I wouldn’t have to do this the OLD FASHIONED WAY!
Once more, with feeling:
Odds and Sods – (June 14)- Baltar is my prophet edition
PS: GREAT POST.
Epitomization of Asininity: Fox “News”
When will the dillweeds wise up and unplug from this crap?
Excellent post John.
As a Filipino, I would like to echo Natalie Maines and say that I am deeply ashamed that Ms. Malkin is Filipino.
In the late 1990s I used to watch Fox Noise because of its novelty factor and because it was great way to watch a breaking news story live. But then its tabloid approach plus its incessant Clinton bashing turned me off them for good and blatant neocon propaganda turned me off them permanently.
I think this brouhaha was some sort of comeback by someone at Fox Noise for what he/she thinks of as the martyrdom of E.D. Hill’s show by the forces of the ‘Liberal Mass Media’.
WORD!
I really see no issue with this at all. Its part of the lingo. Seems to me everyone is being thin-skinned about this. Its just politics. Obama and Michelle are not off limits to this. Both of them need to butch up and understand that its going to get much worse over the coming 5 months. This wide-eyed, psuedo-innocent, selective outrage of Obama and his witless supporters is already silly. And I’m sure there is more silliness to come.
Yup. Here we go…. Criticize an Obama… and you are a dirty racist!! At least FOX is speaking a language you sheep can understand.
Getting the racial angle out of this, I also have to wonder if Malkin would lose her shit — as only Malkin can — if she was constantly referred to as ‘baby’ or ‘girl’. Where I come from, conservatives don’t talk to, or about, grown women like they’re children. Not if they want to keep all their teeth.
It’s really sad that republicans actually agree with this crap on Fox News. It’s quite sad really.
Wow, it did take kind of a lot of comments for the racists to come slithering in, didn’t it?
Well, I did trim out some comments before, mythago. And as far as the ones at 233 and 234 are concerned, you can actually see their lips move as they read off their “you liberals are so easily offended” note cards, so it’s hard to take them very seriously.
MarkHB@2: Thatcher was black?!?!?
Actually, if rainbow trout know something about knitting it would explain a lot about trout flies … they sure go for some funny looking doodads.
As for “Baby Mama” … sheesh!
Hmm. All I can say is that from the posts I have read, everyone seems to be struck retarded. As stupid as it was for Fox News to use that phrase (less likely as a racial epitaph than an attempt to be socially relevant) it is also moronic for the left to attack this as racist (since it is a term that is widely used by people both white and black). The facts of the matter are, that Obama’s presidency (for I believe that [barring some scandal] he will be the next president) is going to be defined by race even though his supposed goal was not to be so. Anyone who disagrees with his policies will be tagged as a racist, while anyone who jumps on board without heavy backup for their position will be tagged as a racial panderer. No issue will be truely addressed, but then again I suppose that we will have to have at least one racially motivated election/presidency before any legitimate candidate can be effective, and that is for either side.
Ho ho ho, sharks. But some of us whose memories last longer than 3.2 seconds remember when the conventional wisdom that “Britian isn’t ready” for a female leader of the opposition, let alone becoming Prime Minister. Especially one whose gender and background was hardly that of the stereotypically upper class, Eton-Oxford educated Tory toff.
Yo! Fox news just being down with it! Keepin’ it real! Showin’ off deys street cred wit da hip hop lingo. Afta all, Obama did da same with the rightous Rev Wright for tweny years bro! Sheeeeet! Fox News must be like da the furst white boys to say “baby mama” after like a millon bruthers n sisters. Dem crazy blue eyed devils…dey always rippin’ off hip hop stylin’. Nex thang u know, Fox News be callin’ Obama’s baby mama’s weddin’ ring, bling!
Fight da power! Where be ma 40 acres an mule?
Aaron@240: Not only have you completely missed the reason why this was a racist insult, you seem to have some odd ideas about what makes a phrase racist. I’ll give you an example of how silly your arguments sound, using the word ‘boy’: it is “widely used by people both white and black,” and “Obama’s presidency … is going to be defined by race,” so if a major television news outlet referred to Mr. Obama as “that boy,” it would be moronic to attack that as racist. Never mind that, as a grown man, Mr. Obama is obviously not a ‘boy’ in the usual sense of “very young male,” and there is a well-known usage of the word by racists to belittle black men.
Along the same lines, “X’s baby mama” is typically used to describe a woman who has had a child by X without marrying him. This meaning plainly doesn’t fit Mrs. Obama, so why use it? Mr. Scalzi explained this quite clearly, and I’m not sure how you missed it.
Ah, wait, I see it now. I’ve noticed your use of “his supposed goal,” and “[a]nyone who disagrees with his policies will be tagged as a racist, while anyone who jumps on board without heavy backup for their position will be tagged as a racial panderer.” Perhaps you are one of those people who are so tired of all this racism, so weary of the inevitable use of the ‘race card,’ that you simply cannot stomach any talk of race, even when it is to decry legitimate instances of racist nonsense. If that is the case, save the wear and tear on your keyboard and go have a nice lie down.
LOL! I’m not sure if someone has commented on this already, but Obama would tell folks in southern Illinois that his named rhymed with “yo mama” (recent WaPo article).
Obviously, he was trying to say he was black as Satan to anger Scalzi.
What a load of rubbish. Why don’t you just admit you have a crush on Obama and make a YouTube video with you running around in high-heels and underwear?
JB, yet another subscriber to the “Obama once said this one thing about himself, so it’s perfectly okay for Fox News to say this completely other, racist thing about his wife” line of thinking.
Did a site filled with especially unthinking conservatives just link in? They do seem to be a bit thicker on the ground here in the last day.
Get over your obsession with race.
Fox News first.
John, I’m not a conservative, but is it racist for Obama to say that or for his wife to describe him as her baby’s daddy?
Maybe I’m missing something, but the Obamas seem to want to embrace African-American culture when it suits them (think Trinity) and then distance themselves from it when it doesn’t (think Trinity again).
If Fox was running this continuously for weeks, it would be a bit ridiculous, but for a day? It’s mirthful and does riff on the rhyme with ‘mama’ and ‘Obama’. People will never be comfortable in their own skin (whatever pigment it is) if they can’t learn to laugh at the little things. That’s one area where the gay community has excelled. Instead of getting offended by every stereotype and comment, they embrace them and turn them into comedy.
For what it’s worth, people who get easily offended, offend me. There are plenty of real things to be upset about. This is making a mountain out of a molehill.
JB:
“If Fox was running this continuously for weeks, it would be a bit ridiculous, but for a day?”
Well, and there was the thing right before that, with the “terrorist fist jab.” And the thing before that, where the Fox News commentator openly hoped for Obama to get assassinated. And then there’s the whole “Barack Hussein Obama” mantra. So, yeah, actually, Fox has been doing this sort of crap for weeks, JB. And sure, they apologize for it all after it happens, but by then the dog whistle has been blown and all right ears have been perked up.
It’s possible, of course, that a news organization with an open and obvious bias toward the GOP just keeps doing these sort of things unintentionally — that their folks are so completely clueless that it doesn’t occur to them what fuck-ups they are until after the fact. But after a certain point it begins to be reasonable to wonder how many clueless fuck-ups Fox News should get to have before you can point to a legitimate campaign to discredit a Democratic candidate through innuendo, fear-mongering and racism.
But if you want to think it’s just a one-time thing, JB, you go right ahead. There are a lot of people who seem to think all of these things are just a “one time” sort of thing, if only because Fox News and its fellow travelers are generally smart enough to avoid going for the same smear twice, and because a lot of people either don’t want to connect the dots, or aren’t capable of doing so.
John great post. I think the right wing wackos are linking through Kos. The trolls from there will filter down to a few less well known blogs to try the rush/malkin talking points to a new audience. LOL pitiful
No, I don’t think you’re missing anything; you’re just choosing to portray yourself as Mr. Easygoing, which requires you to brush aside Fox News’s use of a racist insult to, essentially, call Michelle Obama a whore. If you’d find it “mirthful” to hear somebody call your wife names on public television, I guess that’d be your problem.
Me, I’m offended at people who think it’s their business to go around telling others to STFU and grab their ankles whenever a bigot’s lips start flapping. Do try to learn the difference between laughing at oneself, and laughing at insults directed at oneself by others.
I’m not even going to get into the irony of your paying homage to the mythically un-offendable gay community after your suggestion that John go around in high heels and underwear on a YouTube video. Mixed feelings much?
See, I can’t see the point in being outraged. Or upset or anything. This is AMERICAN politics, the childrens playland of politics, its how it is. Politically, this country sucks as much as it is possible to suck. Its downright SHAMEFUL. Yes, FoxNews said something they should not have said and blah blah blah. But they’re just acting as a voice for one part of the American people and behaving the way most American people do. No use being upset at them, if they say something bad, heres an asinine idea, ignore them. Jesus Christ, people. Grow the fuck up. Don’t you have better things to do, like raise kids, expand your mind and own horizons? (I’m not aiming at the people at this site or anything, but people who make way too big a deal about things in general.)
BTW, I don’t pay attention to FoxNews or any other news organization because they fail to actually report any news. I have no bias against any particular one, just all of them. :P
Did anyone else find it funny (in a how can they be so stupid way) that the clip that John linked to in #176 has Michelle Malkin saying that criticism of Michelle Obama is OK as long as it is relevant and not just an insult (which is something I agree with BTW) seconds after the offensive message appeared on screen.
John, as I’m sure you are aware, you really nailed it this time.
First of all: PROUD to be a Barking Moonbat… Want the T-Shirt…
Second: John, your commentary on how Obama’s racial makeup will be seen by anyone who cares in EITHER direction was the most insightful part of the piece. What you said was not an opinion but a logical conclusion based on actual observation of the racial issues that exist in the real world. So add a bravo from me…
Third: (From upstream) Of course President Obama will allow Fux News into the briefing room. In fact, he would be smart to give them a reserved seat in the front row, and call on them every time they raise a hand… After all, they will provide PERFECT opportunities for the Press Secretary to make whatever points they are trying for that day, since the Fux questions will provide excellent jump-off points for logical rebuttals to any inane neo-Con-fucktard objections. With Fux playing straight man, the Administration won’t be able to lose…
PS: John, will you please reconsider your rejection of the position of Press Secretary? Since Jon Stewart is going to be VP, that means it’s either you or we have to recruit the ghost of Tim Russert (RIP Timmy!!!)…
John,
“Dog whistle”? Are you the one now calling people animals?
So all those are part of some grand conspiracy to tell people what exactly? Obama is black, Hussein is his middle name, and that his supporters like to cry a lot?. I have news for you…things are going to get a lot rougher. If that is too tough for Obama, then he should not be running for president.
mythago,
Have you ever heard of Obama girl? Are you really that ignorant to not get that reference?
So Michelle was calling Barak a “whore” (your word) when she referred to him as her “baby’s daddy”?
Please go buy a clue or steal one from somebody who has one.
Ummm… JB? Look up the meanings of both… they are not the same… Baby Mama is much more derogatory and “whore” is one of the connotations…
Mythago has a huge clue… let me snip off one tiny corner of it for you…
Skipping all of the comments to simply say: I love you.
Why, thank you, Reba! John’s pretty cool too…
What a load of rubbish. Why don’t you just admit you have a crush on Obama and make a YouTube video with you running around in high-heels and underwear?
And more:
Have you ever heard of Obama girl? Are you really that ignorant to not get that reference?
I got the reference, JB, but it’s funny that when you wanted to insult Scalzi that’s where your mind went. (Personally, I wouldn’t mind seeing Mr Scalzi in hooker drag twirling around a pole, but I’m just perverted that way.) John’s not a real man now — he’s some silly little fluff-head with a man-crush?
Where I come from, we have a saying — when you’re in a hole, the first thing to do is stop digging.
But I am going to disagree with our host on one thing:
It’s possible, of course, that a news organization with an open and obvious bias toward the GOP…
Really, and when did Senator Clinton flip parties? The likes of Coulter, O’Reilly and Sean Innanity don’t seem to be terribly keen on the presumptive GOP nominee. :)
Craig,
My mind went to the empty-headed girl who puts her Obama crush video on YouTube where she prances around not wearing much while telling us all that she thinks Obama is great. I’m insulting Scalzi because of his knee-jerk defense of Obama and getting so holier-than-thou offended at minor things. Scalzi like Obama girl and countless others seem to project their fantasies on Obama like he is the second-coming. It would be amusing if it wasn’t so sad.
JB:
Yes, I’ve been nothing but a slavering Obama fanboy from day one.
JB, we’ve established that you think that the snarky racism of a major news organization is kicky innocent fun, and we’ve also established you haven’t the first clue about anything about me, and between the two of these, I think we’ve also established you’re a bit of an asshole. I think you’ve accomplished all you came for in this thread, don’t you? Time to wrap things up, which is to say, you’re done here now. Move along.
To ensure you do move along, you’re in the moderation queue, so anything you try to post will have to go through me first. If you try to post in this thread again, you’ll just be wasting your time.
Wow–I was linked to this via a bb. Great pithy and scathing rant about poor excuse for information that is Fox News. I confess I am confounded by Ms Malkin–how does she sleep at night?
As for Obama, I was a Hillary supporter and have some regrets that the nom is not her. But Obama is a more than adequate candidate (their positions were fairly similar). I am proud to have the junior senator from my state be the nominee and will be voting for him in November.
I am thinking of starting a pool–what stereotype will Fox pull an “oops!” about next? Will Obama be found to fear cats? Will he be seen in footage eating watermelon? Will Michelle start to wear bling? I’m breathless with anticipation!
Is it this blog or do the conservatives who have posted here just not make much sense? The dearth of critical thinking skills is a bit dismaying….
Y’know, I really, really, really resent the appendage of the noun “News” after the network name “Fox.” It is as demeaning to news as Fox is to blacks.
And, JB, like John I’m hardly one of those “Obama cultists” you hear so much about — but FFS… I’m slightly to the right of Orson Scott Card and Larry Niven, and Fox is just turned into some embarrasing vision of what would happen if Judd Apatow was put in charge of a cable news network. Then again, I’m being unfair to Mr. Apatow — he doesn’t pretend his salacious frat-boy drivel is hard news.
But, being a glass half-full kind of guy, at least we’ve been spared the degraded and degrading spectacle of Clinton facing off against Mitt Romney or Mike Huckabee.
Eleanor:
“Is it this blog or do the conservatives who have posted here just not make much sense?”
This blog has a number of conservative commentators who make excellent and challenging comments when I post about politics, actually, and I’m happy about that. This thread has a bit more noise than most comment threads because it’s been so widely linked.
That is the LAST time I am bringing my irony detector onto the Internet. Damn thing keeps overloading.
JB, if you can hear us down there in the moderation queue: See, this is a written medium. It’s a little hard to pretend you misheard, or deliberately misspeak and hope nobody caught it. So when you pretend that you thought the Fox News headline was “baby’s mama” rather than “baby mama”, you get your pick of whether you’re confessing to be sloppy or a bad liar. Or both, if you’re feeling robust.
re Fox News, I guess I’m disappointed that the dogwhistle is so, well, amateurish. Lee Atwater must be rolling in his grave.
I like the term ‘Fox pas’
adj – describing an action or statement stupid enough to be worthy of Fox News, as in “Wow, what a Fox pas the ‘baby mama’ comment was!”
Eleanor @ 263: I am thinking of starting a pool–what stereotype will Fox pull an “oops!” about next? Will Obama be found to fear cats? Will he be seen in footage eating watermelon? Will Michelle start to wear bling? I’m breathless with anticipation!
Well, the 4th of July is right around the corner, so there is a good chance they might catch him eating fried chicken AND watermelon on the same day!
Oh, but wait, I forgot — he hates America (as evidenced by the lack of a flag pin on his lapel) so he probably won’t be celebrating her birthday. </snark>
As for FAUX News and the idiots who try to defend them, I would simply point out the sage comment of Ron White: “You can’t fix stupid!”
BTW, John — great post!
What does Fox News really stand for? Fascist, Outragous, Xenophoia news. They were the cheerleaders of the war on Iraq and attacked anyone who disagreed with the administration. The comments on “baby mama” falls under the outragous area. This is a way of changing the topic by being outragous and diverting the public’s attention away from real issues. While F.O.X. says I’m sorry it won’t happen again until the next time, and so it goes on and on and on.
The issue with FOX is a global problem that modern democracy still hasn’t cracked: what to do when a major “4th estate”, unaccountable news organization decides to pull out all the stops in pursuing a political agenda. It’s the same in Italy (dominated for almost 15 years by a media magnate), in UK (where Murdoch and the tabloids pretty much set the agenda) and to a certain extent even in Spain and France.
You can’t match Fox and its ilk on a outrage-by-outrage basis: that’s exactly what they want. In pointing out the “scandal”, you are publicizing their views even better than they could on their own. By reporting or criticizing their message, you are amplifying their dog-whistling. By pointing out their racism, you’re bringing back racism as the topic of this campaign, which it really shouldn’t be at this time in history (unless you enjoy living in a country that in less than a decade has lost any international credibility whatsoever and is quickly losing all its economic power as well, bringing its long-time allies down with it).
At the same time you can’t really ignore them, because they’ll go on building their popularity unchallenged, brainwashing the “faithful” like poor Charles above.
If you try imposing fairness through legislation, they will scream censorship (and I agree it’s a slippery slope). If you build independent state-run media, they will be “occupied” after the first electoral victory.
In a way, these “news” outlets are the worst type of internet trolls: they took over the board (more than 20 years ago), there is no moderator, and you can’t move to a new forum.
Up to now, Obama has been good in keeping these factors out of the race, but his audience was naturally limited. Now he has to deal with the full power of the meme-machines, and I’m curious about how he’ll choose to respond, mainly because I wouldn’t know how to respond either. Up to now his tactic seems to be to let media storms settle on their own, while addressing the points of merit a bit later; it seems to work, albeit not perfectly (especially when even “friends” are determined to exploit their 15 minutes of exposure).
In a way, he tries to starve the noise-machine; you, John, are feeding it.
A clarification I can’t help offering (though I know I’ve missed my moment), especially re 111, 140: Black and biracial are not mutually exclusive categories. The same person can quite easily identify as both. While there *are* many people identifying as “biracial but not black” and refusing to be identified as black or to check the “African-American” box on census forms, etc, this approach is not the only way to embrace a biracial identity. And of course, the use of biracial to mean only black/white is sloppy and inaccurate, if clear enough in this context.
Many commenters seemed confused on this point (John Scalzi, I suspect you aren’t, but the post did set it up as an either/or question).
Dance:
Indeed, I do think people do see it as either/or.
Fox News was wrong to use that sort of language, which I take was the producers decision, and not some vast right wing conspiracy there.
Michelle Malkin, didn’t have anything to do with what was displayed on the screen, so taking this out on her is sort of misplaced. She constantly gets hate mail calling her far worse than “baby mama.”
Now, personally, like just about every commentator out there, sometimes MM and AC are on and get it right. Sometimes they are way in right field and their rhetoric is a hindrance to the point they are making.
And it’s interesting that many of the same people who are decrying this particular kerfluffle, don’t have any problem spouting bigoted rhetoric about conservatives, republicans, or Christians.
Giacomo @ 272: “If you try imposing fairness through legislation,”
And how do you define fairness when most issues have more than 2 sides to it. Something that to many people seem to forget.
I have to wonder what everyone thinks of the Mark Steyn trial up in Canada. How many people are in favor of anti-hate speech laws?
Yawn.
People who comment just write something like “yawn”:
Yawn.
Keith Indy @ 275: Anti-hate speech laws? I live in Sweden (don’t klick my name unless you speak Swedish) and we have them. It’s forbidden to say bad things about Jews, homosexuals and a few other groups. I think the whole group idea is stupid. Why would it be more illegal to claim that all homosexuals will burn in hell, than to claim that all heterosexuals will burn in hell? I’d much prefer a system where the basis for whether a comment is illegal or not is if it harmed the targeted individual.
Wait — we’re afraid of CATS now???
(I swear, this year I have learned more anti-black stereotypes than I ever heard of in nearly 35 years of actually being black. Also new to me: we can’t swim and are addicted to grape soda??! But… why is this black? Grape soda is mediocre after age eight, and swimming is good times.)
At first I thought the cat thing was supposed to be a Hitler joke. :-/
Say, Mac… If you’re not going to finish that Nehi, would you toss it across the pool to me?
Keith @275: note that I said that, at this point, is basically impossible to legislate… but if one had to try, he should consider this: “fair” is not “equidistant” nor “balanced”. Fairness should be as close to truth as possible, which is difficult to do, but not impossible. Note that the US indeed used to have legislation pushing in that direction, and it was abolished by “progressive” representatives, which in the long run resulted in a worse standard of reporting. The way to hell is paved by good intentions…
@edward, #280 – I would be pleased as punch to share my Nehi with your bad moonbat self. ;-) (I will be over here in my floaty chair, sipping my icy-cool homemade sorrel drink. Try it!)
i say carry on!
THANK YOU, THANK YOU & THANK YOU!!!! For giving me a laugh from this sad BS commentary that we all must sit through day after day. I know its been gettin’ on my last nerve too. And you summed it up nicely when you said it was all an attempt to remind folks that he’s black. They are screaming loud and clear = Stop!! Stop reacting to him as an intelligent and educated man! Stop!! Stop reacting to him as a family man that loves his wife and cares for his children!! Stop!! Stop reacting to him as a man that has proven his passion for serving the community and ALL people!! No, no, no!! Remember that he’s a BLACK man so that trumps all that “treat and respect him like the human being he is” crap!! Sheeesh!!
My two cents,
The Sauda Voice
http://www.thesaudavoice.com
He, and she, are exactly as they portray them.
Osama hates whites, America, freedom, prosperity, and free will. He is a communist, along with Nancy Pepsi cola, and all the other great thinkers on their so called dream team. Do you like being told what to do, how to heat, and cool your home, what to drive, what light bulbs to use, even if they are unsafe, what, if any health care you will get, and how much YOU will pay for it, oh, and Osama say’s we are to stupid to do our own tax’s, so he will send us a pre paid tax, or, um, prepared return? Is this what you want, or would you rather make some decisions on your own, like the adults you are supposed to be. I don’t like anyone telling me what to do, or how to live my life, most people don’t, just the weak like it, it makes them feel safe, and cuddly.
Gee, John, are you trolling your own boards now, calling yourself “Warrior” and showing just how ridiculous actual right-wing arguments are? Don’t you get enough posters?
Mac:
When I was in the Navy, we had plenty of black men with us in basic training. On Swim Day, the first thing most (not all) said was “Brothers don’t swim!”
I’d never heard such a thing before.
Sure enough – I don’t remember many of them swimming well, or really much at all. (Full disclosure, I don’t swim so well either – but I was not part of a group who stereotyped themselves as not swimming and then proved it.)
Ever since then, whenever I see black men involved in some activity where they are immersed in water somehow, I immediately flash back to that “Brothers don’t swim.” moment, and to my great chagrin, I rarely see many that do.
I don’t know if I’m just noticing it because of my past experience, or if indeed many black men prefer not to swim. Keep in mind I’ve never thought black men “couldn’t” swim, just that they seem to prefer not to, generally speaking. (Swimming is not the same as cooling off in the pool. I’m not sure if I’ve ever met anyone who does not enjoy that.)
@287—Enlisted basic training? Swimming is a class marker, and it perpetuates, because parents teach children how to swim. The reviews for this book suggest that municipal pools in some neighborhoods were closed rather than integrate. There are a number of socio-economic factors that add up to “brothers don’t swim!”
I think the fact that my dad was born and grew up two seconds from a beach in the West Indies is probably a factor. :-) Not swimming was never even entertained as an option. I was tossed in at age three.
(This is why I like to draw distinctions between “black” and “African American,” “Caribbean,” and all those other diaspora subgroups, sometimes. As well as “African From Africa,” as it’s coming to be called, ha ha. In terms of culture at least.)
Hmmm — another factor being just how landlocked a person is. I suppose the odds are pretty high, considering our geography, that these guys weren’t on a coast and HAD to rely on a public pool.
(But I still love my kitty and grape soda is yucky. Give me tea, Earl Grey, hot. ;-D)
Corby Kennard, You attack me for my view, and say I’m a ridiculous right-wing nut. What in the hell does your racist comment about blacks can’t swim have to do with this topic. You are like all the other Lib’s. Shoot off your mouth for 10 minutes, and say nothing. You, a Dem, Lib of all people, should not be talking racist. You are the first people to bring up race, and attack anyone else that speaks about Osama’s color. I didn’t say anything about his color, and could care less if he were purple. HE’S STILL A RED COMMUNIST, AND AN IDIOT, MORON, just like you.
Warrior, calm yourself or you’ll be calmed involuntarily.
Likewise, and again, everyone should try to avoid personal attacks. Don’t make me get out the stick. And from here on out the stick will be applied without warning.
AAaauummm, AAaauumm, AAaauumm. Meditation is good to calm ones self. I feel better already. Yoga works also.
Excellent. Thank you.
Ya know I saw this almost word for word on the daily show last week. I’ll have to return with a link from hulu.
I’ll admit that the headline made me cringe, but don’t miss the irony: It’s the liberals that want to treat Michelle like BHO’s “baby mama.” Because, you know, if that’s all she was, she WOULD be irrelevant to the campaign, and not newsworthy at all. “Leave her alone! That’s not nice! She’s just his baby mama after all!” But (and this point has already been well made) as it stands, she is his wife of many years, and an active campaigner and speaker on his behalf.
Warrior:
Do you truly believe Obama is Communist? If so, why?
Warrior, without cogent arguments to support your thesis re: Obama’s status as a communist, racist and hater of all things American, you won’t be taken seriously by any thinking person, whether that person be conservative or liberal. Hence the perception that you are a “ridiculous right-wing nut.”
Evidence to support your arguments would also be nice.
Hehe. Warrior – I don’t believe I was talking to you about the swimming thing. I also don’t believe it is racist to acknowledge race. I think most “minorities” would rather you acknowledge whatever makes them a minority rather than ignore it, and appreciate those differences.
As to the content of my comment – I believe I was remarking on the stereotype and how, sometimes, no matter how much one hates it, it seems to be, if not wholly true, to have the absurd ring of truth, at least in one person’s experience. This is not to say that I believe, for example, that black men (to accede to Mac, of any persuasion: Caribbean, African, etc) are unable to swim, and indeed are afraid of the water. I believe my whole point was that I have had the odd experience of seeing this specific stereotype in action.
I believe we all have at one point or another experienced a stereotype come to life – and if you are any kind of human you probably think two things at once: 1) Holy crap, what a stereotype! and 2) Oh crap – a stereotype. I think those reactions are completely human. What WOULD have been racist, Warrior, was if I would have said something along the lines of “Stupid (racial epithet) can’t (some action) cause they are (some color/sexual orientation/gender)” and then laughed at them. Perhaps that is what you heard from my comment – but the person I was speaking to – again, Mac – apparently understood my point and was even informative and interesting when he did so.
I’m sorry you didn’t get that.
I’ve heard some people comment that they’d love to see Michelle Obama make a bid for the White House at some point. A part of me snickers at the thought of what Fox “News” and other like-minded people think of THAT idea. Another part of me cringes at the thought of a repeat of this past Democratic race- with all the horrible sexist comments thrown at Hiliary, and racist comments about Obama- only this time, all those racist/sexist comments are thrown in conjunction, at the same candidate.
I’d love to see the US progress to the point where nobody thinks twice about electing a president, without race, sex, gender, orientation, religion, and all those other prejudicial issues getting in the way of the issues that matter. Politics isn’t about politics as much as it’s about the politician, and that’s disheartening.
When I read the post’s portion on racial identity, I read his comments to mean that no matter what one chooses to identify oneself as, society will always see you primarily as the race your phenotype most resembles. My ancestry includes Lumbee Native American along with latino, but when people see me they see me as black and treat me as a black woman. I think that is the point. Yeah, we know Obama is biracial, but as to the way he is treated by the media and society, he is a black man.
I know that many african americans who are multiracial can understand this–how you can fully aware of your diverse heritage but still primarily identify yourself as black and grow up within the identity of a black person.
Anyway, loved the rant and I passed it onto many of my friends. It was really spot on. How I loathe Fox News and their self-hating minority hand puppets.
Lets find a media outlet that isn’t biased one way or another. Oh wait, there isn’t one.
Anonymous and Carol Elaine, Sorry, I’ve been busy, but to answer your question, first, anyone who wants more goverment control, in what ever sector, is on the communist side of thinking. Read Mao’s little Red book if you want to know the truth, and how they, The Dem’s, are using this propaganda. My wife grew up under Mao’s rule, and knows first hand, and told me how it was during Moa, and after Mao. Obama says more tax’s, what will you do about it. He say’s national health, and you will be paying 50% to 70% tax, what will you do about it. He say’s you can’t heat your home at 72, what will you do about it. He say’s you can’t drive your SUV’S, what will you do about it. He say’s illeagal immagrants will have free school, medical, meals, etc., and your tax’s will pay for it, what will you do about it. I could go on, and on. The only people that like him, are, just like in China, with Mao, the ones that have nothing, and don’t want to work for anything, and want the other people trying to improve, to be on the same level, and get no more than they. I don’t want anyone telling me how, or what, or when to live my life, let alone be taxed for it. As for Carol Elaine, again, I say read Mao’s little Red book, and you will be educated. It is the base for the government as it is becoming under Dem control, and the New change under the Dem, Obama, and his gang. I think, as a rational, real life, normal person, not one of your Lib thinkers, that I am adult enough to decide what is good for me, and don’t need some power hungry morons to run my life, and make me pay for them to protect me, because I am not able to. My God, the things they have said, and done in the last 6 or so months, makes me sick. You have to admit, they have some new idea almost every week, on how to control us, and everything else in America, from big business, to what light bulbs you will be able to use. You are probably not old enough to know what it was like growing up in the 60’s and 70’s, to have anything to compare today with, but I did, and see that as the rest of the world has become more free, America has become more communistic. The Dem’s, and all in government here in America, if the truth be known, really want communisum, and total control, but the trick is doing it, without the rest of the world catching on. Oh, America the free wants communisum, it can’t be, but in fact, that’s what the Dem, Lib, Obama, and Nancy, and Teddy, and Kerry, and Gore, and all the rest of your thinkers want, total CONTROL, and you are all being fed this crap propaganda, and being manipulated into their little plan. They start with, oh the poor need health care, the polar bear is going to vanish, and on, and on, and make one new law after another, until you have, COMMUNISUM!!!!! Wake up, before you are equal, and have no reason to improve your lives, and you walk around in a daze bumping into walls, because you are unable to think for yourself anymore. Sorry if shocked anyone, but I’m sure you can get some free treatment from some government shrink if you need to heal. Obama, and his gang could save alot of time, by just printing Mao’s little red book in english, and calling it My guide to change, and hope for America, and giving it to every American, and demanding they follow its rules. GOVERNMENT CONTROL = COMMUNISUM!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Anonymous and Carol Elaine, Sorry, I’ve been busy, but to answer your question, first, anyone who wants more goverment control, in what ever sector, is on the communist side of thinking. Read Mao’s little Red book if you want to know the truth, and how they, The Dem’s, are using this propaganda. My wife grew up under Mao’s rule, and knows first hand, and told me how it was during Moa, and after Mao. Obama says more tax’s, what will you do about it. He say’s national health, and you will be paying 50% to 70% tax, what will you do about it. He say’s you can’t heat your home at 72, what will you do about it. He say’s you can’t drive your SUV’S, what will you do about it. He say’s illeagal immagrants will have free school, medical, meals, etc., and your tax’s will pay for it, what will you do about it. I could go on, and on. The only people that like him, are, just like in China, with Mao, the ones that have nothing, and don’t want to work for anything, and want the other people trying to improve, to be on the same level, and get no more than they. I don’t want anyone telling me how, or what, or when to live my life, let alone be taxed for it. As for Carol Elaine, again, I say read Mao’s little Red book, and you will be educated. It is the base for the government as it is becoming under Dem control, and the New change under the Dem, Obama, and his gang. I think, as a rational, real life, normal person, not one of your Lib thinkers, that I am adult enough to decide what is good for me, and don’t need some power hungry morons to run my life, and make me pay for them to protect me, because I am not able to. My God, the things they have said, and done in the last 6 or so months, makes me sick. You have to admit, they have some new idea almost every week, on how to control us, and everything else in America, from big business, to what light bulbs you will be able to use. You are probably not old enough to know what it was like growing up in the 60’s and 70’s, to have anything to compare today with, but I did, and see that as the rest of the world has become more free, America has become more communistic. The Dem’s, and all in government here in America, if the truth be known, really want communisum, and total control, but the trick is doing it, without the rest of the world catching on. Oh, America the free wants communisum, it can’t be, but in fact, that’s what the Dem, Lib, Obama, and Nancy, and Teddy, and Kerry, and Gore, and all the rest of your thinkers want, total CONTROL, and you are all being fed this crap propaganda, and being manipulated into their little plan. They start with, oh the poor need health care, the polar bear is going to vanish, and on, and on, and make one new law after another, until you have, COMMUNISUM!!!!! Wake up, before you are equal, and have no reason to improve your lives, and you walk around in a daze bumping into walls, because you are unable to think for yourself anymore. Sorry if shocked anyone, but I’m sure you can get some free treatment from some government shrink if you need to heal. Obama, and his gang could save alot of time, by just printing Mao’s little red book in english, and calling it My guide to change, and hope for America, and giving it to every American, and demanding they follow its rules. GOVERNMENT CONTROL = COMMUNISUM!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sorry, I hit submit befor I listed a name. Its me, I’m Baacckk..
Corby Kennard, I don’t really care what you said, and might not think you are being racist, but if you ask a black person what they think about it, well, they would say you are a white racist. I think most blacks are more racist, than whites. They can say what ever they want, but you better not say anything in reply, or you are a racist. Opra is one of the biggest racist I have seen, but she is put up on her soap box every day to tell us how to live. I work with blacks, and mexicans, and asians, and whites, and we say what we want to one another, and bash each others race in fun, and no one gets offended, but go out on the street, and you will be arrested for the same thing. All races have been wronged over time, and no one is owed anything because of it. It is past, way past, and people should get on with their lives.
John Scalzi, after your comment #249, I think you should have the stick taken to you. You should be ashamed, and go stand in the corner.
FREEDOM is what its all about. What made this country great, and why everyone wants to come here. Don’t try to change it, take it away, or destroy it, or all you thinkers will be in for a great shock, and wake up, and it will be to late.
Warrior, anyone who was actually married to a victim of Mao’s tyranny would not be stupid enough to compare that horror to Obama. C’mon, man, Scalzi picks more convincing trolls out of his dryer lint trap.
Did you know that she’s had two children….with a BLACK MAN?!?!
mythago, You know nothing about it, just what you have heard through propaganda. I am married to a victim, as you put it, and have been told many stories, and have been to China many times. I am not saying Obama is as horrific, but is wanting to take us there one step at a time. They will do it in stages so that we might not catch on before it is to late. As for day in, and day out normal life while in China, I felt I had more freedom in Shanghai, than I do here. Sad, isn’t it. As I said before, read Mao’s little red book, and maybe go to China, then talk as if you know something about the subjet of communisum. We are headed that way, and being sold out for greed, and power.
I can’t understand how educated people can fall for the crap being spread around. Can you not see your freedom being taken away, or in the works to be taken away? That’s all that matters, not who, or what party is doing it, just that it be stopped, before it is to late. So if some one wants to call me a “ridiculous right-wing nut.”, so be it, but I am right about the above statement no matter what side you are on.
“All races have been wronged over time, and no one is owed anything because of it. It is past, way past, and people should get on with their lives.”
Yes, I remember my gramps telling me about the days when whites were considered property, or the days when they couldn’t vote, routinely got hanged from trees for looking at black women the wrong way, or when blacks made them ride in the back of the bus and use separate bathrooms.
“That’s all that matters, not who, or what party is doing it, just that it be stopped, before it is to late.”
I don’t get it. Are we supposed to vote Canadian?
I like that the news is making this election about talking about NOT talking about the candidates’ wives. I guess we’re either supposed to vote for the one whose wife didn’t say the dumbest thing or the one who didn’t bring it up repeatedly that the wife said dumb things.
Marko – Blacks were not the first and only enslaved race, just the most recent. And by comparison to ethnic cleansing, they didn’t have it that bad.
Warrior:
“John Scalzi, after your comment #249, I think you should have the stick taken to you. You should be ashamed, and go stand in the corner.”
What makes you think I care what you think, Warrior?
Also, please aggregate multiple responses in a single post, if you please. Too many posts in sequence from the same person annoys me.
Marko, I suppose we owe you for what happened in the past. No one is alive today that had anything to do with slavery, just as no one is alive that had anything to do with the Jew’s, and the Japanese being put into camps. The Chinese slave trade, and prostitution here in America. What about the treatment of the Indian;s here in America. The Irish, the Italian’s being treated as scum when they immigrated here, and they were white. Shall I go back to when the Romans raped, killed, and enslaved WHITES back in the past. How much time must pass before people move on. No other race continues to act as if they are owed for this, and no other race continues to cry about it. Why not show that they were wrong, and make something of yourself, instead of crying poor me all the time. I would say if anyone, the Indiana’s should have been given more help, seeing as we invaded their land, an took it all from them. And John Scalzi, I think I hit a nerve with you also. And Baffled, what I mean, is, it doesn’t matter who you vote for, just vote for the party that is Pro American, not communist, like the Dem,s are. I would vote for Bob Barr if I thought he could win, he is what we need, less government, and less tax’s, how can you argue for the side that wants government control of your lives. I am not here just to bash Dem,s. I would bash anyone for government control of my life, and trying to destroy America from the inside.
Warrior:
“And John Scalzi, I think I hit a nerve with you also.”
Aside from annoying me with multiple serial comments, no, not really.
@ 298 Hehe. Warrior – I don’t believe I was talking to you about the swimming thing. I also don’t believe it is racist to acknowledge race. I think most “minorities” would rather you acknowledge whatever makes them a minority rather than ignore it, and appreciate those differences.
Yes, that! (FYI, I’ve always found “I don’t think of you as black” to be one of the more terribly hurtful things people have said to me. Like, what do you think “black” means that you don’t want to associate it with me? Why are you ignoring a major part of who I am? Why is “black” a negative thing that must be Not Spoken Of?)
I found Corby Kennard’s statement to be a simple anecdote of facts that took place, and things he was told, not a racist statement. In fact, I’m rather baffled at how they could be interpreted as such. He reported what happened — he didn’t even draw conclusions, just analyzed his own attitudes.
(I also enjoy speaking for myself, thenk yew, as opposed to being represented by generalized assumptions, or speaking for others.)
Making race a taboo topic feeds into ignorance, and it makes people resentful when their legitimate questions and curiosity are silenced and they are made to feel guilty for things that should not cause guilt. Differences exist, in physicality and in experience — noticing this isn’t evil. Treating others as inferior based on the difference is what’s evil. In my humble opinion. ;-)
I thought I’d be going back to a post way dead by now but apparently this post lives on. I was just playing on wordle.net and decided to put in your post on the Obamas (it was beautiful by the way) and it was so perfect I had to show it off. It’s like a poster Fox might show while reporting.
Thought I just posted this but it’s possible there was a glitch. Just put your post on wordle.net and came up with this beautiful image. It cracked me up. Just in case people didn’t understand Fox will be glad to show them:
Also have you watched the Daily Show from 16 Jun 08? I think you’d like it.
http://www.thedailyshow.com/full-episodes/index.jhtml?episodeId=173519
Yo, race is a social construct, remember? What you be talking about?
John Scalzion , Hit a nerve, annoy, one and the same.
Dem’s don’t like it when the truth slaps them in the face.
Mac, Why are you still going on about blacks, and swimming, and race. The Dem’s are always the ones to bring up race, or sex, but try to say it is the Republicans that do it. Look, Obama is just a pawn. No one ever heard of him before, he did nothing in the senate, and wasn’t even good at that. Are you going to tell me he is the best the Dem’s have of all the people in their party, come on. He is a puppet to dance to their song. Do you really think his CHANGE, is, or can be, any different than all the others before him. If he does not follow the Dem rule, he will vanish from the party, and they will turn on him quickly. He can’t be the best they could offer. What ever happened to the JFK’S, or the Regan’s. Wouldn’t it be exciting to have someone such as JFK running against Regan? What do we have, Obama, and McCain, geez. Is there no one better? Everyone love JFK, blacks’ whites, rich, and poor. Obama?
True story. Today at work, I work in a factory by the way, We are on break, 2 white guy’s, one myself, and a mexican, and a black. I start out bringing up Obama just to get some one stirred up. It works. Then the other white guy says,no one will vote for a n—er, I’ll edit myself. Then, gasp, f–k you, kkk, and so on, then he says we are getting rid of all of them anyway. I say, yeah, and the mexican’s are next, more gasp,f–k you, and racist, then they say, what about your wife, she’s chinese, nah, they can stay, we like their restaurants, and their laundry’s, f–k you, so on, and so on. The bell rings, we go back in laughing it up, and continue to work together, and bash each other through out the night. They didn’t care, black, and mexican, and us whites didn’t care what they said in return. Its the ones that cry about everything all the time that are the true racist.
Thank you, Mac.
Warrior, please keep posting. This is awesome stuff. And stay off the medication – the posts are just that much better. Thanks.
Thank you, entertaining, isn’t it.
you guys can’t help but love me. I’m just a big cuddly Lib basher.
The only med’s I take is anti reds.
Warrior:
“John Scalzion , Hit a nerve, annoy, one and the same.
Dem’s don’t like it when the truth slaps them in the face.”
I’m not a Democrat, for one thing (registered independent since I could vote because I think political parties are not a good idea). And what’s annoyed me is not your political views but the fact that you don’t aggregate your posts (and are still not doing so, which means either you didn’t understand what I asked you to do, or you’re just a bit of a dick). So you’re wrong on both counts.
Mac, Why are you still going on about blacks, and swimming, and race.
Because I disagree with what you said about blacks, swimming, race, and about Corby Kennard. I thought that was clear?
John Scalzi, ” I’m not a Democrat, for one thing registered independent ” But who did you vote for? I’d say it was a Democrat by how you take offense so easy, and by your reply’s. You argue like a Lib also, calling names, I guess because I hit a nerve, or annoyed you so. Anyone that would vote for a Republican would support me, so you must be brand X. Or is it brand RED. I have voted both ways, but haven’t found a Dem worth voting for, for along time, and after seeing the NEW breed, I probably will never vote Dem again, unless you can find another JFK. Just your big penis. See, I’m polite.
Warrior, I would suggest you head over to Baen’s Bar where you will find lots of people who hold the same opinion that you do over the stuff that you have railed about here.
You can sign up for the Bar at http://bar.baen.com/
Warrior:
“But who did you vote for?”
Last election, I voted for a mix of each. Lately I’ve trended more toward Democrats, but lots of people could say that, which is part of the problem the GOP has these days.
As for nerve-hitting: Not really. You argue poorly, read off a conservative talk radio check list, insult people like you’re Newt Gingrich’s mentally-challenged younger brother and make more than the number of typos that can be chalked up to random error. You don’t rate access to my nerves. You don’t think or write well enough for that. My major concerns with you are that you don’t offend my other guests and that you don’t post multiple sequential comments.
Now, I understand you’re very impressed with yourself, and that’s fine; good for you. But you should know this is does not oblige me to feel the same.
But I’ll tell you what, Warrior. Since you seem to feel that you rate some special access to my attention, I’ll offer you this challenge. I’ve just stuck you into my moderation queue. Your challenge is to write something I actually think is worth responding to, on the merits of its argument. If you do, I’ll let it out. If you don’t, I won’t. As extra incentive, each time you attempt to post and I find your argument wanting, I’ll remove one of your previous posts. I’ll start on the ones I’ve found most egregiously stupid and spiral out from there. Since apparently you know how to get on my nerves, you should know how not to do it, too.
So, go on, Warrior: Impress me.
Patrick V:
Why would you wish this dude on Baen’s Bar?
I pointed Warrior to Baen’s Bar because as I said in my post he echoes what a lot of the regular high volume posters say over there.
There are people over asking if Barack really is a US citizen. It has since been definitively answered that he is, but that doesn’t stop them from fervently wishing that the ‘Obamination’ that is somehow proven that he is not.
One poster even started a thread that since he thinks Obama is virtually certain to win the White House and that the ‘Demoncrats’ will have significant gains in both House and Senate, that they will a) raise taxes, b) nationalize healthcare, c) implement serious restrictions on gun ownership, etc.
The poster then asks for odds on how long it would take for there to be enough of a groundswell that open rebellion would break out and a new civil war will take place. (Beyond the initial post I did not read the thread.)
Maybe on Baen’s Bar he can find some people who will be impressed with him as you said.
@319 Yo, race is a social construct, remember? What you be talking about?
So is finance. And we have WHOLE NEWSPAPERS about it. University degrees even. :-)
Warrior, you claim you’re not racist, and yet you find it acceptable to make racist jokes? Racist jokes about your own wife?!
Hate to break it to you, but you are racist. Hell, if my boyfriend was privy to conversation like that and someone made a crack at my ethnicity (or sex, or gender, etc), and he didn’t defend me? He’d consider himself lucky if all he got was an earful from me about it.
Jenna:
“Hate to break it to you, but you are racist.”
And a bit of an ass.
That said, Warrior’s in the penalty box at the moment, and won’t be coming out unless/until he writes something I find intellectually acceptable, so addressing questions to him right now is probably a bit of a loss.
Warrior writes, in a post that’s not getting out of moderation:
“You can argue, that I don’t argue well, like the rest of your bloggers do, but none of you have agrued any better than I.”
Well, that’s not true, as I have argued better than you have, for one. You are free to disagree, but inasmuch as your arguments to this point have been filled with implication, assumption, bad facts and hackneyed rhetoric, you’ll understand if I privilege my own estimation above yours.
As an example of your poor arguing skills, I’ll pull another quote out of not-to-be-released-from-moderation post, in which you ask me, apropos to a possible President Obama: “Can you tell me do you want to be taxed more?” The implication being that if Obama becomes president, my taxes will go up.
Well, in fact, under Obama’s proposed tax plan, my taxes wouldn’t go up, nor would the taxes of the vast majority of Americans. Indeed, under Obama’s proposed plan, they would go down just a bit. Go me. So asking me if I want to taxed more doesn’t apply; I won’t be. Chances are very good, Warrior, given the general distribution of income here in the US, that you wouldn’t be paying more either.
Mind you, I don’t think you’re actually interested in whether I personally will be paying more in taxes; I suspect you’ve just plopped the statement out there to offer up the implication that taxes for the average person generally will go up under Obama, which in fact they wouldn’t. So either you’re ignorant of Obama’s actual tax plan, in which case you’re arguing poorly (arguing from ignorance is not good arguing), or you know the details of the Obama tax plan, and you’re choosing to dishonestly frame the question, in which case you’re arguing poorly, and you’re being offensive about it, since you’re making the assumption I don’t know the details of the plan, i.e., that I’m ignorant. Which I don’t appreciate.
Beyond that one example, the rest of your entry is likewise filled with the sort of bad logic and unsupported assertions that just compound my opinion that you simply don’t know how to argue, and that it’s not worth my time to try to correct each example of your ignorance and/or dishonesty, and your further arguments don’t rate to appear on this site.
So there it is.
However, you are welcome to try again. Allow me to make the following recommendations.
1. Try to focus on the subject at hand, the subject being the one that the original entry was on.
2. Try not to ramble for nearly a thousand words, as you did in the entry I’m not letting out of moderation. If you must ramble on that long, please learn about the subtle joys of paragraphs.
3. I’m generally not a fascist when it comes to correct spelling and grammar in comments, since most of them are written quickly. But come on, sir. If you have the time to write a thousand words, you have time to clean up your writing afterward. Your arguments are poor enough without, as an example, having to have the word “boarders” stand in for “borders.”
Now, I understand you believe that your being in moderation is an example of how I only want like-minded folks here, but if you visit other threads here, you’ll find lots of folks who disagree with me politically have nice, long, complex and interesting discussions with people who disagree with them. It’s not your politics that dropped you in the moderation queue; it’s your inability to argue well combined with your puffed-up misapprehension that my unwillingness to engage your bad arguments somehow meant you were winning.
Try again. Try better.
Warrior:
Nope, your latest attempt was no better. You’re a bit of a loss, I’m afraid.
Since we’ve come to the point where all that’s happening on this thread is a vaguely trollish character trying to get past moderation, I’ll go ahead and close the comments. Warrior, because I’m closing this thread, you’re out of the moderation queue, but do try better on other threads. I don’t want to have to moderate your ass all over my site. If I have to do it too much, I’ll just blacklist you and have done with it.