Tailgunner Joe Would Be So Proud
If you want to be incredibly petty, are fond of thought control and of twisting the words of those with whom you disagree ideologically, enjoy making a huge issue out of a comment that does not touch on any issue of policy or law that is actually important to this country’s future, are frequently assailed with devastating attacks of nostalgia for the days of Joe McCarthy, and have a nasty streak of racist feeling to boot, then you might be either a right-wing Republican, or a fanatical, hard-core Clinton supporter.
On the other hand, if you are nauseated and sickened by the narrow-minded, ideological, goose-stepping, chauvinistic quasi-fascism oozing out of the above links, then here is a tonic:
The way these guys on the right manage to gin up controversies over NOTHING and then have it widely repeated and circulated is simply amazing. They are so good at the bullshit, that to read them, they honestly sound distressed. These people need about 12 years in the wilderness, getting it right and proper from an energetic Democratic congress and Democratic President. These hacks, these flacks, these out rage pimps, these phonies and these bullshit artists that took over the Republican party need a jolly good political rogering for about a decade.
*** Update ***
Michelle MalkinTaylor Marsh disgraces herself.
For another black woman’s perspective on Michelle Obama’s comments, read Angela Winters’ guest essay at The Moderate Voice. First of all, Winters quotes the rest of Michelle Obama’s statement — you know, the parts that everyone else left out [bolds are in original]:
“What we’ve learned over this year is that hope is making a comeback. It is making a comeback and let me tell you something, for the first time in my adult lifetime, I’m really proud of my country. And not just because Barack has done well, but because I think people are hungry for change. And I have been desperate to see our country moving in that direction and just not feeling so alone in my frustration and disappointment. I’ve seen people who are hungry to be unified around some basic common issues, and it’s made me proud. And I feel privileged to be a part of even witnessing this, traveling around states all over this country and being reminded that there is more that unites us than divides us…”
She goes on to make the point that Michelle Obama was speaking from a perspective rooted in an historical context that transcends any one African American’s personal experience. Obama’s frame of reference is simply different (although there’s nothing simple about it, really) from that of Americans who are not black, and who grew up with the luxury of being able to take the words in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution as meant for them. Regardless of how successful Michelle Obama and her husband, and many other black people may be today, the fact that they are black means — among many other things, of course — that they cannot think about the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence and the Federalist Papers and the Lewis and Clark Expedition and the pioneers on the prairie or even the European immigrants catching sight of the Statue of Liberty for the first time in the same way that, as Winters writes, men like Sean Hannity and Joe Scarborough can, and do.
The problem is that too many, although not all, men like Scarborough & Hannity have a lack of tolerance for anyone who’s recollection of America isn’t the same as theirs. When they think of the signing of the Constitution, they think of a perfect time in history when wise, just men declared life, liberty, justice and freedom for all. Michelle probably remembers a great time in history where the groundwork for democracy and a great country was laid, but we were also still slaves for another 100 years. Many of those wise, just men owned slaves and more than a few of them were not so kind to their female slaves. Those men don’t recall that, but a black woman does whether she wants to or not. If she were to bring this up, her patriotism would be questioned because she doesn’t see a “perfect time.”
When men like Scarborough & Hannity ask why can’t the world be like it was in the 50s, they imagine/remember a time where life was perfect, there was good will, prosperity and values made us a strong country. Michelle remembers all the good things about the 50s, but she also knows that black men were being lynched every weekend as a picnic theme among other things. This isn’t to bring up a list of injustices and “woe is us” statement, but just to show that only a fool would expect her assessment of this country would be the same as theirs.
I am white, not black, but I don’t find this such a terribly difficult concept to understand. I think if right-wing pundits and even liberal bloggers who have forgotten where they put their core values were to give it an honest try, they could understand it, too.
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February 20, 2008 at 1:10 pm
Definitely, food for thought. I understand that hannity and scarborough do not represent my view of the 50s or any other part of the past. I always questioned the simplicity of life in “Leave It To Beaver” or “Ozzie & Harriet” as it did not match up to my experience.
But, being a white male means that I have not experienced the arrows and barbs that people of color live with on a daily basis.
When a 40 something says that this is the first time that she has felt pride in her country she needs to consider the effect of those remarks on the white audience.
February 22, 2008 at 11:53 am
[…] After realizing I was at the receiving end of some linky generosity, I realized we were committing a gross error in sitting on Liberty Street’s blogroll though they weren’t on ours. I just fixed that. And as for what to read there, go on and check out this post which does a real good job at addressing a lot of the criticism Michelle Obama suffered at…. […]