Be careful what you say...according to a local Democratic blogger, calling a black person articulate is racist because it suggests low expectations. I hate to be the one to turn the tables, but this insinuation is troubling: basically, the blogger is saying you cannot praise a black person. I find it highly offensive that some bloggers on the left would suggest any praise of a minority is racist and not allowed, even though white people are praised in the same manner. Why does this blogger and others want us to have different standards for white and black--this strikes me as a form of segregation. Remember "separate but equal"?
Webster's Dictionary defines the word articulate in several ways, including:
1. using language easily and fluently; having facility with words: an articulate speaker.
4. expressed, formulated, or presented with clarity and effectiveness: an articulate thought.
5. made clear, distinct, and precise
That's funny, but I didn't see any mention of race in the dictionary definition. In fact, it's a color-blind word with a distinct, race-neutral definition.
Let's see: another descriptor for articulate I considered using was "good communicator." How is that any different? Oh, what a racist term--how dare I suggest that a black person is a good communicator! How about "Mr. Steele speaks with clarity and conviction." Oh, no--am I suggesting that it is exceptional for a black man to have conviction and be clear?
Let's see: out of the candidates for VP, Michele Bachmann is definitely not articulate (in my opinion), and the others are somewhat articulate to varying degrees, but Steele is the most articulate (I would even say he is more clear and articulate than most of the pundits on TV, on the left and the right).
George W. Bush? One of the most inarticulate politicians. Ron Paul? Very inarticulate. Joe Liebermann? Very articulate--but still not as articulate as Michael Steele, in my view.
I would find it humorous, except that I also find it very degrading and offensive that some on the left would try to limit praise of minorities by banning positive descriptors that have been in use in everday language for hundreds of years and have no racial undertones.
For the record, I've know Mr. Steele and I'm sure he would find this entire situation to be very humorous.
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4 comments:
you screwed up, own up.
he doesn't have to own up to anything. When is Blue Tide Rising going to own up to ignorance, race-baiting, and racial insensitivity.
BTW, Anonymous, no one thinks this is an issue and no one cares. Although, many people do see it as racially insensitive to suggest a black man cannot be lauded in the same way as white people are lauded--which is the crux of BTR's argument.
"Articulate" is a racially loaded term. They say black men are articulate, because black men, by definition, can't be intelligent. Your saying "articulate" follows a long line of others. So, you know, own up.
there is no mention of race in the dictionary definition of articulate. You (geiiga) may say it is racially loaded, but that is your opinion.
Also, if you read this blog at all, you would have read that Kenig used the same term--"articulate"--to describe Sen. Dodd's performance in one of the early democratic debates. Sen. Dodd is a white man (in case you didn't know).
So you should own up--black men are intelligent and articulate doesn't have anything to do with intelligence. Your racist mindset is alarming. Who is "They" by the way? Are we allowed to praise black men and women at all? I can think of a dozen synonyms for "articulate" that you would have to ban.
Kenig said the truth--no one should back down from compliments because of politically correct and oversensitive idiotic zealots like you geiiga who use race as a wedge issue. Usually, those who point the finger and use race as tool tend to be racists. What do you have against black men geiiga?
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