I've been hesitant to discuss the Dan Rather "watermelons" "controversy," if only because I do not want to do yet another post explaining why there is more of a presumption of innocence in circumstances like this for those who do not come from a party whose modern success is based on coded appeals to race, etc. How many times does that need to be said? Anyway, I was hoping to find someone else who could better articulate why the manufactured outrage over Rather's remarks is so absurd. Guess what? I did!
Sometimes a watermelon is just a watermelon.
I agree the racist thing is stupid but for the love of god someone explain to me what he was trying to say.
Um, "He couldn't sell water to a guy who was on fire?"
I'm guessing.
I think you're right that he was trying to say that or something like it, but how do the state troopers fit in? All I can think of is the Paterson scandal (HEY IT IS RACIST).
Kneetoe, what is the frequency?
It's funny how often "willful ignorance, and most likely pursued in order to score a political point" comes up in the discussion and punditry of politics. I don't find it surprising when it comes from the party that enjoys diminishing intelligence and complaining of intellectual elitism, but it disappoints me either way, because it is lazy.
The Republicans are across the street, giving away Kool-Aid.
I am outraged by the lack of original content!
As someone who occasionally sold watermelons beside the road. I am offended by the manufactured outrage. A lot!
This is something you did in the rural South. When you weren't at bible camp that is.
I am still trying to understand why some Southern foods are supposed to be racially coded and others not. Another puzzle: why white people in the North don't salt their watermelons. Weird.
They don't? I guess I've only eaten watermelon up here with friends from the South. This situation should definitely be rectified.
They seem to think you're enacting some elaborately arch piece of performance art when you salt your watermelon.
That folksy stuff will kill you if you're not careful.
In the summer I see Latinos selling watermelon at the exits off the Eisenhower into Chicago - was Rather trying to imply Obama is Hispanic?
I'm just amazed that he didn't know he was going to get jumped on for that reference. Also, I'm surprised no one's bitched about his use of the word "articulate".
Hmm. I'm confused. So, Obama isn't a good speaker, now? Because that IS what articulate means(in at least a few of its definitions)
Sigh. That was in response to Kakapo above, obv.
Oh, and assuming you're referring to Balk's usage, this is also a correct way of using "articulate". It can indeed both be a verb(as used by Balk) or adjective(as used by Rather).