You could easily offend somebody without deliberately trying to insult them and I think that is what happened here. I find it totally believable that Allen didn't remember the kid's name. Of course, a more polished politician would've just asked him his name again, but I never accused Allen of being smart. It was obvious to me that Allen was saying it in a "take this back to Webb" kind of way. He seemed to realize that 'Welcome to America' was too harsh and modified it with 'the real world of Virginia' - and his subsequent statements about Webb not traveling to those parts of VA made it obvious that he intended the statements for the benefit of Webb and everybody supporting him.
I am making a distinction here between being deliberately racist - "Macaca, go back to Africa or wherever you came from" versus "You are not one of us but we are such good, polite people that you are still welcome". I would find the former racist, but the latter statement - while offensive - is ignorant and patronizing; not racist. But my main contention here is that neolibs express the former sentiment even more and I find it hypocritical that they would call someone espousing the latter sentiment, racist. I often find southerners being friendly in a very patronizing way and then they turn around and claim that they are much friendlier than the yanks. In a larger sense, it is racist, but it does not form the core of race issues in America. And to pretend that this statement by Allen is a component of racial inequality in the US is just plain gratuitous. If anything, this is what makes people like Buck Armstrong and other posters crib about everybody being overly PC.
Allen didn't mean to say Mohawk, but neither did he say "Yellow shirt fellow of inferior race, get out of America" as RichardE or some of the other neolibs on ATOT might easily say.
Maybe Allen is really racist, but this statement cannot be used to establish his culpability. And then again, for neolibs to use it against him is what I find really hypocritical.
The problem with your explanation is that you alternate from implying Allen is a quick thinker choosing his words with specific intent but also not necessarily all that smart.
Further, the notion that Allen isn't a particular good pol seems unlikely given his results in statewide elections. Granted, we've been cursed with people like Ted Kennedy and Orin Hatch so I guess it can be a low bar.
It's credible that Allen didn't remember the kid's name. But if it was just a slip of the tongue, he should say so and people could move on. If it means something different to Allen, he should say so and people could move on. My take is that Allen treated Sidarth like a prop. By definition when you use people as a means . . . you are intending to demean them.
Allen didn't tell him to go back to Africa, the Asian subcontinent, or even Arlington but you have to do a bit of a contortion to get the exact message you are implying . . . a jab at Webb.
Having said all that . . . this ain't exactly Trent Lott.
Further, the notion that Allen isn't a particular good pol seems unlikely given his results in statewide elections. Granted, we've been cursed with people like Ted Kennedy and Orin Hatch so I guess it can be a low bar.
It's credible that Allen didn't remember the kid's name. But if it was just a slip of the tongue, he should say so and people could move on. If it means something different to Allen, he should say so and people could move on. My take is that Allen treated Sidarth like a prop. By definition when you use people as a means . . . you are intending to demean them.
Allen didn't tell him to go back to Africa, the Asian subcontinent, or even Arlington but you have to do a bit of a contortion to get the exact message you are implying . . . a jab at Webb.
Having said all that . . . this ain't exactly Trent Lott.
Exactly.
His explanation of his Confederate flag in his yearbook picture is that he is a rebel and a flag collector.
See it all makes sense. :sun:
Originally posted by: Fern
Allen's comment seems much ado about nothing IMHO
But you're teh suck at math. 50%+50%+50%+150%
Here we go again...:laugh: I am aware that it doesn't add up...thats why its funny, Mr. Obvious.
Ok, let me put in PC terms you guys can understand: I'm an African-Asian-Hispanic American. Now do you see how special I am? Oh, and you all better watch what you say now that you're aware I'm a triple-minority, and therefore thrice as oppressed and special as the rest of you, and with 3x as many hyphens as you'll ever be able to use in your name. There'll be no use of the N word, the C word, the S word, or ANY word in ANY language that means "monkey", or any other word that I choose to add to my list of offensive terms.
These are the jokes, folks. They're not funny when I have to explain them.
Originally posted by: Buck Armstrong
Originally posted by: Fern
Allen's comment seems much ado about nothing IMHO
But you're teh suck at math. 50%+50%+50%+150%
Here we go again...:laugh: I am aware that it doesn't add up...thats why its funny, Mr. Obvious.
Ok, let me put in PC terms you guys can understand: I'm an African-Asian-Hispanic American. Now do you see how special I am? Oh, and you all better watch what you say now that you're aware I'm a triple-minority, and therefore thrice as oppressed and special as the rest of you, and with 3x as many hyphens as you'll ever be able to use in your name. There'll be no use of the N word, the C word, the S word, or ANY word in ANY language that means "monkey", or any other word that I choose to add to my list of offensive terms.
These are the jokes, folks. They're not funny when I have to explain them.
True dat.
Originally posted by: International Machine Consortium
Originally posted by: Buck Armstrong
Originally posted by: Fern
Allen's comment seems much ado about nothing IMHO
But you're teh suck at math. 50%+50%+50%+150%
Here we go again...:laugh: I am aware that it doesn't add up...thats why its funny, Mr. Obvious.
Ok, let me put in PC terms you guys can understand: I'm an African-Asian-Hispanic American. Now do you see how special I am? Oh, and you all better watch what you say now that you're aware I'm a triple-minority, and therefore thrice as oppressed and special as the rest of you, and with 3x as many hyphens as you'll ever be able to use in your name. There'll be no use of the N word, the C word, the S word, or ANY word in ANY language that means "monkey", or any other word that I choose to add to my list of offensive terms.
These are the jokes, folks. They're not funny when I have to explain them.
True dat.
:laugh:
You're a huge Macaca.
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