An Open Letter to Black America
Wednesday, February 7th, 2007Dear Sir/Madam:
Recently, President Bush was asked to compare Senator Barack Obama to other people who had run for, and been elected, President. In his remarks, the President described Mr. Obama as “articulate.” Apparently, the definition of the word “articulate” has changed since I was in school some twenty-five years ago, because Democrats are squealing like stuck pigs about condescension. Excuse me? According to the American Heritage Dictionary, the word articulate means: Expressing oneself easily in clear and effective language: an articulate speaker. Sounds like a compliment to me.
However, after watching two black women on Fox News this evening, it appears that I have it all wrong. According to these two women, the word articulate, when applied by a white person to a black person, is a code word used to signal condescension and ridicule.
As a middle-aged conservative white man, I am confused. It appears that no matter how careful I am when I try to compliment a black person, what I am really doing is ridiculing and insulting them. Democrats, apparently, believe that conservative whites will never think black people are worthy of praise, and I’m not really seeing any blacks come out and tell them that they are wrong.
Therefore, I would appreciate it if Black America would please pool their collective talents and intellects and publish a book which tells White America exactly what we are allowed to say when we wish to compliment a black person without suffering the wrath of the Democrats and Black America. I work with Blacks who frequently perform brilliantly, and the last thing I want to do is to complement them, only to find out later that I was really insulting them.
It would be nice if you could make this book available as quickly as possible, otherwise the only alternative White America will have is to not say anything at all to Black America. Unfortunately, political correctness has gone amok, and it appears that silence is the only safe way to proceed.
Thanks for reading (no, this isn’t code that really means I’m surprised that you can read).
Nick
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February 9th, 2007 at 11:57 am
this whole hypersensitivity is absolutely ridiculous…i remember the story about the Philadelphia teacher (?) who used the term “niggardly” and had to apologize becasuse it sounded like a slur even though everyone conceded it was not…
February 9th, 2007 at 11:58 am
this whole hypersensitivity is absolutely ridiculous…i remember the story about the Philadelphia teacher (?) who used the term “niggardly” and had to apologize becasuse it sounded like a slur even though everyone conceded it was not…
…by the way, i really enjoy your site and would love to be on your blogroll…
February 9th, 2007 at 1:18 pm
Ah, yes. The “A” word is the new “N” word…
February 12th, 2007 at 10:09 am
For once I agree with you.
February 16th, 2007 at 10:15 am
george…go stand in the corner with joe biden. what?!!…he’s not there? well, go stand there anyway!