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chained_bear commented on the word uncle tom
Usage on Ralph Nader, the blooming idiot...
November 7, 2008
dontcry commented on the word uncle tom
Ralph Nader is not an idiot, blooming or otherwise.
November 7, 2008
chained_bear commented on the word uncle tom
Well, he should have thought about how offensive his statement was. And if he didn't realize how offensive it was, he's an idiot.
November 7, 2008
bilby commented on the word uncle tom
I don't get it.
November 7, 2008
chained_bear commented on the word uncle tom
Bilby, I think we had a conversation about this a few weeks back, but I don't recall on what page it was... Perhaps someone can enlighten us. Edit: Found it--it was on tom.
In the meantime, see this Wikipedia page. It's an extremely insulting racist remark. (Along the lines of suntanned but with an awful lot more history and brutal cultural baggage.)
November 7, 2008
bilby commented on the word uncle tom
Ahh, it seems I missed your explanation at that time. Thanks for pointing it out again. I'm in the picture now *bares teeth, both of them*
November 7, 2008
reesetee commented on the word uncle tom
At the very least, an apology is in order.
November 8, 2008
dontcry commented on the word uncle tom
First of all, Ralph Nader is not an idiot. He is a graduate of Harvard and Princeton. He has been a dedicated political, humanitarian and environmental activist longer than most of us have been alive.
I think it's unfortunate that a man, who has spent his entire adult life watching out for us, our safety, and our rights, is being hung out to dry after making an insensitive remark. Most of us stay in our comfort zones, never putting ourselves out there for the sake of people we will never meet. But Ralph Nader has been doing just that for decades and believe you me, he's not in it for the perks.
I agree that his choice of words was unfortunate and ill-tempered. Maybe he's finally tired of it all. I don't know. But I do know what he was trying to say. And I believe he has a point. I'm delighted that Barack Obama is going to be our next president, but he's going to get the same scrutiny that anyone else would. He's a big man, he can take it. And Ralph Nader can take it as well. He certainly doesn't need me to take up for him. But calling him an idiot was ineloquent and incorrect.
Should he apologize for his choice of words? I think he should. But whether he does or not: one bad remark cannot possibly erase all the good he's done, and I believe, will continue to do. And it does not make him an idiot.
November 8, 2008
chained_bear commented on the word uncle tom
You're absolutely free to believe in him, dontcry, and I don't deny he's done much good in his life and hopefully will continue to do so. But I'd rather call him an idiot, or insensitive, than a racist.
Reesetee, it appears he had a chance to apologize or admit it was a poor choice of words, and he did not.
November 8, 2008
dontcry commented on the word uncle tom
I know I'm free to believe in him, bear -- and he is not a racist either. He is not an idiot and he is not a racist. He is a passionate advocate for the human race. So many people around the world owe him a debt of gratitude and it saddens me that so many, today, because of this global society, will have seen him for the first time in this poor light.
I could cry.
November 8, 2008
reesetee commented on the word uncle tom
I have no problem with Ralph Nader whatsoever. But I do believe he needs to apologize, and I do know that when given the opportunity, he didn't. I would expect that of any public figure. That's all I'll say on this.
November 10, 2008