God! I'm Glad I'm Not a Republican!

If I were a Republican, I'd have to write things like this:

danieldrezner.com :: Daniel W. Drezner :: So how do Mexicans view African-Americans?: While Latinos critics in the United States have their hands full combating discrimination in the Star Wars movies (link via Glenn Reynolds), Latinos south of the border have a slightly bigger problem... dealing with their own racial prejudices.... An intriguing angle about this story is the ability of [Jesse] Jackson and [Al] Sharpton to go global with.... that thing they do (though in this case they have a pretty valid point). Readers are heartily encouraged to predict the next world leader who will be required to mau-mau Jackson and Sharpton for something they say. I think it's a toss-up between Silvio Berlusconi and Vladimir Putin.

Comments

[Jennifer]

This is offensively written. Remind me never to read Daniel Drezner or Glen Reynolds, though I need no reminders. I too am glad I am not them.

[WH]

Its grossly unfair to put Dan Drezner and InstaLiar in the same bucket. Instahack lies, exaggerates and distorts (and those are his good points).

Drezner is generally pretty honest, open-minded and perfectly willing to admit fault. This particular post was more to comment on Fox's statement and racism in Mexico.

As for Jackson and Sharpton I tend to agree with him. Whatever the general achievements of either, their tendency to promptly turn up and ask for their particular organizations to be funded is somewhat repulsive.

The only line that could be offensive is the 'mau-mau' phrase ? Does that mean anything (other than the reference to Mau-Mau in Kenya decades ago) ?

[Jennifer]

WH

Thank you for telling me of the difference in blogs. The expression was a bit much, but I was too quick to comment and agree with your explanation.

[Steady Eddie]

WH -- The phrase refers to a practice described in a rather obnoxious but not entirely off-target essay written by Tom Wolfe back in (IIRC) the late 1960s, "Mau-mauing the Flak Catchers". It was about black activists demanding large public meetings to intimidate ("mau mau") public agencies into adopting their agenda, and the upper-level career bureaucrats who were sent out as "flak catchers" to be abused and to protect the political officials from having to make any commitments to the activists.

[Steady Eddie]

Wolfe's essay combined a sharp observer's eye for human foibles and detail with a fairly undisguised contempt for anyone who was not Tom Wolfe.

[Jennifer]

Thank you Steady Eddie, I forgot to explain the original racial connotation.

[David Agnew]

Yawn.... Sharpton and Jackson are Democrats, not Republicans. So focusing on their media plays seems like a Democrat thing, not a Republican thing.

And oh yeah, Vicente Fox did imply that Mexicans are more hard-working than blacks. But he opposed the war in Iraq, so he can get away with that, right?

Or we could just make fun of the Republicans who blog about this, and ignore the actual Vicente Fox quote. That's intellectually responsible!

[pebird]

Did someone tell Vicente that apparently the US thinks Chinese work even harder?

[Mike]

A Berkley linguist noted for errors in logical reasoning:
http://www.24hourscholar.com/p/articles/mi_qa4142/is_200410/ai_n9463996
This man has little credibility of his own, none in his judgment of others.

[A. Zarkov]

It’s Jackson and Sharpton that make offensive remarks and Fox who should know better as the President of Mexico. “Mau-Mau” could refer to the Kenya uprising or the 1950s- Brooklyn-street gang. In any case I fail to see why this phrase is offensive unless the one taking offensive is of a very delicate nature.

[Darren]

A. Zarkov, you make many interesting comments, but you are obviously not African American nor is Daniel Drezner or neither of you would use such a racially insulting expression. Jennifer was right as usual, and I thought the matter would stop there. I enjoy your comments, but not this comment.

[tjoad]

Tom:

"Dear Lord, Thank you for not allowing me to become a liberal. Amen."

I doubt if the Lord gives a hoot one way or another. We liberals, on the other hand, are thankful you aren't one of us.

[A. Zarkov]

Darren,

I will defer to your better knowledge of what’s offensive with regard to the phrase “Mau-Mau”. I can appreciate your point. Not many people realize the word “shyster” is actually offensive to many Jewish people, and I sometimes point that out. However few Jews I know would take offense. My larger point has to do with what I feel is excessive sensitivity we see these days to sometimes obscure phrases. In my opinion it pays to go through life with a tough skin, and ignore (sometimes) imagined insults. Most of the time people are speaking from ignorance, and have no intention of hurting your feelings. Other the other hand, I think it’s better to have feelings not so easily hurt. I try to save my energy for the real stuff, like people who are trying to kill you.

[Darren]

A Zarkov, well answered. This is a lesson I have been taught but forget and have to be taught again. Blogs lend themselves to tough talk in any event. I agree.

[Darren]

Thanks for understanding, Zarkov.

[Jennifer]

The lesson is a good one for me too. I worry that we shape ourselves by our language we have to choose issues carefully.

[Robert Waldmann]

Doesn't Drezner think that Berlusconi or Putin will have to catch flack from Jackson or Sharpton who he expects (and I passionately hope) will mau mau them ? Maybe he should re-read his T Wolfe (and I don't mean Thomas who can't go home again).

Does create a major dilema. On a good day, I can stand Jesse Jackson (so long as I pretend to forget he claims to be the heir of King). I can't stand Sharpton so, if he mau maus Berlusconi which side would I be on ...

The one facing Mount Kenya.

[Alan K. Henderson]

I can appreciate your point. Not many people realize the word "shyster" is actually offensive to many Jewish people

Must be a derivative of "shylock." I guess. I only knew about its anti-lawyer context. And I thought "mau-mau" was some sort of Hawaiian phrase. Guess I'm not learning enough slurs.

[Alan K. Henderson]

The first paragraph was supposed to be italicized, but I see HTML tags are disabled. Preview is your friend.