A sign of how far from civil discourse political discussion in this country has fallen
County GOP Chairperson in western Pennsylvania jokingly refers to Obama supporters as "Mentally retarded"
Allegheny County's GOP chair and former county executive Jim Roddey has long been known for being quotable, and he added to that reputation tonight in a joke equating Obama supporters with the mentally disabled.
Roddey as usual acted as MC at the election night party for state Rep. Randy Vulakovich, R-Shaler, who won the special election to fill convicted state Sen. Jane Orie's seat in Pittsburgh's northern suburbs. Vulakovich beat Democrat Sharon Brown at about 74-26%, which Roddey said "is the largest margin we've had in 50 years!"
That got a huge response from the partisan GOP crowd of about 200 people at Vulakovich's party, whereupon Roddey went into his Obama joke.
"There was a disappointment tonight. I was very embarrassed. I was in this parking lot and there was a man looking for a space to park, and I found a space for him. And I felt badly -- he looked like he was sort of in distress. And I said, 'Sir, here's a place.' And he said, 'That's a handicapped space.' I said, 'Oh I'm so sorry, I saw that Obama sticker and I thought you were mentally retarded."
The crowd hollered and clapped, and then Roddey went into the the usual thanks at political events for grassroots supporters of the winning candidate.
Why am I not surprised that a GOP official would say such a slurring thing as a punch line and do so using a now antiquated and stigmatizing expression for a type of mental disability And why am i also not surprised that a GOP crowd - conditioned by non stop hate and distortion by Limbaugh, Fox News and Tea Party discourse - would be whipped into a frenzy, hollering and clapping at such a line?
Anyway, here is my standard reply, usually in response to seeing a Republican refer to us as "libtards."
So, you don’t like liberals and have chosen to use a derogatory expression to refer to them. I see. And your chosen derogatory term also manages to insult the mentally disabled via a derivation from the word “retard.” So, do you also refer to people in wheelchairs as “cripples” or to women of color as “Negresses”? Suffice it to say, the narrowness of your understanding of the world and your basic lack of respect for others who are different are obvious for all to see.
Anyway, on to liberals, the people you mainly wish to insult. Let’s review history to see some examples of liberals. Jesus, by all accounts, was a pretty liberal figure, who wanted to feed the hungry, heal the sick and clothe the poor, not to mention toss the money changers from the Temple. Some other liberals from history: Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Albert Einstein, Mahatma Gandhi, Eleanor Roosevelt, John Stuart Mill, Charles Dickens, Susan B Anthony, Charles Chaplin, Alexis de Tocqueville, Robert LaFollette, and Pope John XXIII . Were they libtards? The chances are that you will never come close to achieving 1/10th of what they did during their time here on earth.
And guess what. I, too, happen to be a liberal.
I believe in fairness and equality. Unlike those on your side.
I believe in science and in facts. Unlike those on your side.
I believe in opposing racism and sexism. Unlike those on your side.
I believe in keeping government out of people’s bedrooms and in not allowing any specific religion to want to impose their views on society. Unlike those on your side.
I don’t believe in letting corporations do whatever they want. Unlike those on your side.
I don’t believe in letting democracy be completely controlled by those with massive wealth. Unlike those on your side.
I believe in people power and in activism, as the most meaningful change comes from the bottom up. And this means real grass roots activism, not fake, Astroturf organizations funded by billionaires so as to increase their profit margins.
But when you use the term “libtard,” I am part of the group of people you are choosing to insult.
So, let me tell you a bit about myself.
I have a PhD, which I earned by successfully researching and writing a 400 page dissertation.
I have a university teaching job.
My students like my classes because they learn in them and enjoy doing so, not because I am paid to “brainwash” students in liberal propaganda, which is, of course, what you have been told about higher education.
I have published articles in academic journals.
Oh, also, I am a member of Mensa, the high IQ society; I’d be happy to show you my membership card.
I am a liberal, not a libtard.
Your use of the term “libtard” actually tells me all I need to know about you. It tells me you are not a serious minded person, and not actually worth talking or arguing with. It tells me instead that you are a sheep, a follower, and a user of hackneyed, tiresome and unoriginal expressions. You don’t have any original thoughts of your own. You are simply programmed, like a windup toy, to behave in a completely predictable manner.
I am very, very glad I am not you, as I’m not sure I could live with myself if I were.
Back, then, to the Allegheny County GOP. I just contacted them to let them know that this sort of language is very inappropriate, and the person I got on the phone was polite but feigned ignorance. He also said something along the lines of "well, that's Jim Roddey's comment, but he's not here right now." I asked to convey a message that Mr. Roddy needs to apologize. The number, should you want to call, is 412-458-0068