I sure wish people would get over trying to associate everything with race all the time. - No one can suggest that Illegal Aliens be booted from our shores without being called a racist. The word "Niggardly" is used and a proficient employee is embroiled in battle and ends up quitting because people shouting he made a racist remark. A third grade teacher in Brooklyn is forced by fear to transfer from her classroom because she read to her class, "Nappy Hair" a critically acclaimed children's book about accepting racial differences.
I could go on.
The latest example of ignorance on the part of people in this great nation can be shown through Tony Snow's use of the term "Tar Baby". I'll leave it to the reader to check Google's blogsearch to see what the general feeling is about his use of the term. I for one am ticked off that people, especially in the media, are so ignorant and just waiting to slather muck all over decent people. Tony Snow is a decent person regardless what you think of his politics.
Washington Post transcript of new confeence
SNOW: That is a decision the president has to make. I can't confirm or deny it. The president was not confirming or denying.
Again, I would take you back to the USA Today story, simply to give you a little context. Look at the poll that appeared the following day. While there was -- part of it said 51 percent of the American people opposed -- if you look at when people said, "If there was a roster of phone numbers, do you feel comfortable with that?", I'm paraphrasing, and I apologize, but something like 64 percent of the public was not troubled by it.
Having said that, I don't want to hug the tar baby of trying to comment on the program, the alleged program, the existence of which I can neither confirm nor deny.
and later the question: QUESTION: What are your personal goals? What do you hope to achieve here? Will you continue to televise these briefings? And would you put into English the phrase (OFF-MIKE) the tar baby?
SNOW: Well, I believe hug the tar baby, we could trace that back to American lore.
On Hugh Hewitt's Radio Program this exchange took place:
HH: Now I've got a couple of issues of the day for you. First, the Post this afternoon, on their blog, is blasting you for the use of the term tar baby. Is that just a way of smacking Tony Snow around to welcome him into the game?
TS: Well, apparently, what's happened is, apparently some people are unfamiliary with the pathways of American culture, and don't realize the old Uncle Remus story where somebody hugs a tar baby.
HH: Exactly.
TS: And the point is, I wasn't going to get myself involved in an issue that would be very difficult to extract myself from. So I look upon that..if that's the worst that happens, that's not so bad.
HH: Agreed.
TS: I've decided, though, because it's a classic case of, I think, somebody trying to sort of pick a fight. I'll probably take that out of my toolchest of rhetorical devices, rather than having to explain a hundred and fifty years of American culture.
Words that once had meaning. Stories that taught great moral lessons. Simple exclaimations like, "Boy-oh-boy" are carefully policed by the anti-discrimination crowd to the point where everyone in the country is walking on eggshells.
Down with the PC police!
Uncle Remus Stories by Joel Chandler Harris can be downloaded for free at Gutenberg.org - Click here and be prepared to learn some great stories from Early American Literature.
Technorati Tags -
Racism -
News -
Tony Snow -
White House -
Opinion -
- 
|