tRump Is Crass and Coarse, Apparently So Are Some Democrats......
Our national discourse has grown coarser and significantly more divisive since tRump hit the political scene in 2015. While criticism of tRump's rhetoric is more than justified this site finds it curious that the new democratic leadership apparently finds it justified for his opposition to use the same coarse language.
To which Speaker Pelosi reacted to by saying, "Generationally, that would not be language I would use, but nonetheless, I don’t think we should make a big deal of it." To which she added, "… what Tlaib said was nothing worse than the president has said..."and, "I don't like that language, I wouldn't use that language, but I wouldn't establish language standards for my colleagues."Source
You can call me old fashioned if you like, but, I'm no saint and have been known to use salty language from time to time. However, if our nation's political leaders accept and engage in degrading, vulgar, and or divisive language it will not be too long before it becomes the new norm. In other words our language and public discourse will be further gutturized.
Leadership is best exercised by example. By not only talking the talk but by Walking the Talk as Well. tRump has failed miserably this test of leadership. In this specific example Speaker Pelosi has failed it as well. As for Representative Tlaib, I certainly would not want her garbage mouth representing me any more than I want tRump's garbage mouth representing this country.
Principles, decency, civility, respect, decorum, and leading by example is what makes a great leader. tRump has failed miserably and the nation has suffered because of it. Representative Tlaib has failed before she has even started. As for Speaker Pelosi? Hopefully she started to rein Ms. Garbage Mouth in right after she failed the leadership opportunity she had to set a better example. That would at least be showing leadership behind closed doors. We can only hope.
Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich. - “People love you and you win. And when your son looks at you and says ‘Momma, look you won. Bullies don’t win. And I said, ‘Baby, they don’t.
Because we’re going to go in there and impeach the motherf---er,”
To which Speaker Pelosi reacted to by saying, "Generationally, that would not be language I would use, but nonetheless, I don’t think we should make a big deal of it." To which she added, "… what Tlaib said was nothing worse than the president has said..."and, "I don't like that language, I wouldn't use that language, but I wouldn't establish language standards for my colleagues."Source
You can call me old fashioned if you like, but, I'm no saint and have been known to use salty language from time to time. However, if our nation's political leaders accept and engage in degrading, vulgar, and or divisive language it will not be too long before it becomes the new norm. In other words our language and public discourse will be further gutturized.
Leadership is best exercised by example. By not only talking the talk but by Walking the Talk as Well. tRump has failed miserably this test of leadership. In this specific example Speaker Pelosi has failed it as well. As for Representative Tlaib, I certainly would not want her garbage mouth representing me any more than I want tRump's garbage mouth representing this country.
Principles, decency, civility, respect, decorum, and leading by example is what makes a great leader. tRump has failed miserably and the nation has suffered because of it. Representative Tlaib has failed before she has even started. As for Speaker Pelosi? Hopefully she started to rein Ms. Garbage Mouth in right after she failed the leadership opportunity she had to set a better example. That would at least be showing leadership behind closed doors. We can only hope.
It is wrong to call Trump a motherfucker. Everyone knows it's his daughter that he yearns to "date".
ReplyDeleteI'm inclined to agree with Pelosi about not making a big thing out of it. Yes, I'd prefer that Tlaib hadn't used that word, but it doesn't even make the top thousand among things we need to be concerned about right now.
Is it wrong? In my opinion it depends on the circumstances. At a bar over cocktails with friends you know? Of course not. In the public venue? Not so much. A USA representative should recognize this. Frankly my respect for this individual is not what it was prior to her outburst. But maybe it's just me who thinks professionalism is important when you represent a busines, your state, or your nation.
DeleteSorry Infidel, that me. Always has been. Always will be. Character matters. Trump has NONE. Apparently neither does this newly elected representative.
Of course we hold the Dems to higher standards. Her statements provide much needed fodder for the genre politely known as the right wing blogosphere. We note regarding "..political leaders accept and engage in degrading, vulgar, and or divisive language.. and ponder that it is the stock and trade of the Greatly Odd Party that has yet to self destruct.
ReplyDeletePerhaps some folks do BB Idaho. I don't.
DeleteFact is I left the Republican party on principal. I refuse to join ANY party ever again. Principal trumps (pun intended) party every time.
It has become glaringly obvious neither party give a damn about principal. And, folks apparently are fine with it.
It's a brave new world we have created for ourselves. Complete with rampant hypocrisy, blatant corruption, and a general disregard for basic standards of decorum and decency.
The fish rots from the head down. That process us now on steroids. tRump must be very proud.
I was an Eisenhower Republican. I left after Nixon. They say power corrupts. It's true: you see it in local politics, business, churches and anywhere there is a career path. I fought that as an Army officer, lab manager,
Deleteresearcher and manufacturing manager, vowing early on to avoid using my position as some sort of ego trip like stepping on others, stealing ideas and all the other puffery that would present itself. Probably why the book
'Once an Eagle' is required reading at West Point. I'm not sure it would be labeled as character, but there are
a lot of exceptions: decent people in high places. They just don't get the press (and they prefer it that way)
Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
DeleteTruer words have never been spoken. While both parties have corruption within the Republican party has elevated deceit and corruption to an honored place in its modus operandi. tRump simply put it on steroids.
Of course you're right BB Idaho. There are a great many who are honest men and women of great integrity that labor to do the right thing. For them the people of this country owe a great deal. But like I mentioned before, the fish rots from the head down. The Republican party is now seriously rotted.
It's interesting to remember that in our parents' generation Rhett Butler shocked the nation when he uttered, "Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn." on the screen in GWTW. Also, in their generation, one couldn't say the word "pregnant" on teevee, and married couples had to be shown sleeping in twin beds, never together, in early sitcoms. All of that was considered "vulgar" and "shocking" in our parents' time. Every generation pushes the envelope. In our day it was Lenny Bruce and George Carlin. Today, we don't blink an eye when a comedian uses the "F" word in his or her routine, and it is heard all over cable series and, of course, the movies.
ReplyDeleteI understand Tlaib was speaking at a private party -- I don't know for sure because I didn't follow this story. Does it matter? Are we becoming immune to words' shock value? I remember I was shocked as a kid when I heard the "F" word yelled in the street. Now it's "ho-hum." Now it's lost its shock value.
I think when conducting the public's business we should expect our reps to know the English language well enough to be able to express themselves in something other than street language, since English is so rich in possibilities. Having said that, once America decided that a vulgar, uncouth Trump was good enough to represent America, all bets were off. We get the leaders we deserve. Even if many of us did not vote for vulgarity, we now suffer through it.
It is interesting Shaw. What is even MORE interesting is this... Do folks in there 70's, 80's, and 90's have a right to be NOT subjected to offensive and degrading language?
DeletePut another way, are we well served as a society by language of this nature. Is it good to have our political leaders call ANYONE mother***ker? For what purpose does it serve
Or maybe this... is respect for the sensitivity of others important?
Perhaps there should be NO standards of decency. If so the the liberals out to STFM's about tRump's vulgarities.
Capiche?
I rather hope that "motherfucker" never becomes "ho-hum". It's not just vulgar, it's banal.
DeletePeople have the right to avoid language they don't like. Nobody has any right to prevent anyone else from using language they don't like. Freedom of expression takes precedence.
That being said, I would prefer that politicians not use that kind of language in public. If they are so inclined, well, it does tell us something worth knowing about them.
The real question is why this suddenly became an issue after Tlaib said it, when Trump has said at least equally vulgar things every week or so for the past couple of years. Anyone objecting to Tlaib who hasn't similarly objected to Trump on each occasion when he uttered a comparable insult is lacking in credibility, in my opinion.
And isn't spelling Trump's name as "tRump" a bit vulgar as well? Isn't it just a less-extreme instance of the same general thing?
And considering all the other stuff that's been happening, from migrant family separations to coddling Putin to deficit-exploding tax cuts to the shutdown to packing the courts with wingnuts and on and on, mere verbal vulgarity -- whether Tlaib's or Trump's -- simply isn't that big of an issue. It's like fretting over a dirty fingernail while somebody's sawing your legs off.
Good points. I stand by mine.
DeleteBTW, I do not support forceably preventing ANYONE from using language that they disapprove of. I continue to support EVERYONE'S right to take issue with such language and the reasons for the objection to it.
Further, calling Trump tRump is a sign of disrespect. NOTHING else. I have GREAT DISREPECT got Trump, aka tRump. Do you believe Trump (tRump) deserve respect? Do you respect Trump Infidel?
PS... I respect the office. I do not respect the Turd now occupying it.
DeleteI don't respect him. I wouldn't call him "motherfucker" or "tRump" simply because I don't personally care for vulgar language, but I have nothing particularly against those who feel otherwise, and I still think it's a trivial issue with all the much more serious things that are going on.
ReplyDeleteAck
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