Depressing.... - Page 3

Woodwork · 09-05-2008, 09:48 AM

liz, I agree.

But then, as they say, it is not personal, it's business (politics). Is it not?

Moreover, I do not see how a Republican would advance his electoral prospects by knowingly using what to some is a racial epithet during an election. How does that fit in with the whole 'Rovian' thing? That would be pretty dumb politics, imo.

I cannot imagine someone suffering from some Rovian mind-trick being instructed to go racist in an election that fights for the voter in the middle. Can you?

On the other hand, I know nothing about this particular politician. Is he known to be a racist?

For my money, I would say that McCain is VERY, very uppity. It is in the nature of a so-called 'Maverick' to be uppity. It’s what they do. The way they roll. So I will say it: McCain is Uppity!

Not sure about Senator Obama.

.

odyssey · 09-05-2008, 09:50 AM

McCain was the one who injected the notion of "elitism" into this campaign by trying to paint Obama as elitist. Yes Obama went to ivy league schools, but so did Bush!!

odyssey · 09-05-2008, 09:54 AM

Using a racially tinged word to describe Obama does play on some people's fears about Obama's race. So while Rove probably didn't coach any republican to use the term "uppity," one's use of the term fits neatly with the McCain campaign's narrative.

ReneeV · 09-05-2008, 09:59 AM

A friend of mine used the word "uppity" to describe his perception of a photo of a black woman who had recently been promoted to a high position in our organization. I was shocked, and since he really is a friend, I asked him to explain, and then I explained the racist connotation of the word. He genuinely didn't know, and said he never would have used the word if he had.

I once spent two months reading every news report and court document that I could track down on lynchings in Texas between 1900 and 1950. No question at all in my mind about what the word means.

ag54 · 09-05-2008, 10:15 AM

A bit off the uppity topic, but a week ago, I heard a woman on a radio talk show severely upbraid Sean Hannity as being racist for saying, "they drank the Kool-Aid" in reference to people buying the Obama rhetoric hook-line-and-sinker (uh oh, might offend some pirates).

I have heard that term used millions of times, and never in a racist way, it's usually used to describe the blind loyalty of Clinton lovers, and stems back to the Jonestown Massacre where those poor people blindly followed their leader into drinking the poisoned kool-aid.

So, has "drinking the kool-aid" become racist somehow? I have loved kool-aid since I was a kid, I never thought there was anything racial about it...

My point is, I think people can see "racism" anywhere if they are looking hard enough for it...

binx · 09-05-2008, 10:17 AM

ag54 - there were a few posts on this board, on one of the political threads, discussing the horrors of someone saying Kool-aid, and I admit, I was clueless. I also think of it as a reference to gullibility, based on the Jim Jones situation.

Hindoo · 09-05-2008, 10:23 AM

Geez, I can't tell you how many times I'VE been accused of drinking the kool-aid!

Don't Drink The Kool-Aid

Dad II · 09-05-2008, 10:24 AM

When I saw the title, I thought this is about writting that big tuition check.

vossron · 09-05-2008, 10:47 AM

I learned "uppity" from my white Tennessee relatives when describing blacks who didn't want to stay in their place.

zoosermom · 09-05-2008, 10:55 AM

I never knew that "democrat party" was a perjorative until Curmudgeon told me. But even I knew that "uppity" is racially charged.

Hanna · 09-05-2008, 11:03 AM

"So, has "drinking the kool-aid" become racist somehow?"

No. When I read your post, I understood what the talk show caller was getting at, but I think she's wrong. The Kool-Aid/Jonestown association is so much stronger than the Kool-Aid/black people association.

alwaysamom · 09-05-2008, 11:08 AM

Quote:

But even I knew that "uppity" is racially charged

Same here. I grew up in NJ, not in the south, and there's no question in my mind that a politician from the south, like Westmoreland (who is a man, by the way) knows the origin of the word. One of my Ds, who is an Equity Studies major, and I were discussing the issue this morning and she sent me this link which I found interesting. It's from an article in the student newspaper at Howard University, a few years old but still interesting.

"Uppity Negro" Infiltrates Howard's Campus - Campus

zoosermom · 09-05-2008, 11:19 AM

I've never heard a Kool-aid/black people association.

It's generally used here to reflect the Jonestown horror.

Hindoo · 09-05-2008, 11:20 AM

Quote:

I never knew that "democrat party" was a perjorative until Curmudgeon told me.

You wouldn't have known, zoos, because you don't listen to Rush Limbaugh. It's one of his favorite terms when throwing flames at the "enemy."

Hanna · 09-05-2008, 11:23 AM

"I've never heard a Kool-aid/black people association."

Chris Rock has talked about it, and on his autobiographical sitcom, the family always drinks Kool-Aid. I have only encountered it in contexts like that (black comedians talking about family life). I've heard many references to drinking the Obama Kool-Aid, and I've never thought this had anything to do with it.