Saturday, July 20, 2013

Fun With Definitions: Pat Buchanan Says that President Obama's Speech on Trayvon Martin was "Insidious"


I just saw one of the marches in support of Trayvon Martin making its way through downtown Chicago. Kudos to them. I am always pleased when I see folks exercising their right to free speech and assembly as they bring awareness to an issue of important public and personal concern.

We call that good citizenship. Right-wingers and Zimmerman supporters call such gatherings "riots". Politics clouds empirical reality for conservatives--again.

Yes, there are a few responsible conservatives who politely and intelligently responded to President Obama's comments on the Trayvon Martin case. They are outliers among the Right-wing pundits. To point. On The McLaughlin Group, Pat Buchanan described President Obama's comments as being "insidious".

Most certainly, this is a bit of projection on Buchanan's part as he is a noxious presence in America's public discourse. I am a fan of first principles. I also enjoyed reading the dictionary as a child.

Thus, my natural question is what exactly does the word "insidious" actually mean?

From dictionary.com:

1. intended to entrap or beguile: an insidious plan.
2. stealthily treacherous or deceitful: an insidious enemy.
3. operating or proceeding in an inconspicuous or seemingly harmless way but actually with grave effect: an insidious disease. 

Presuming that Buchanan actually means what he says, and believes that his claims are true, how can one work with the above definitions and apply them to President Obama's heartfelt and reasonable observations about the tragedy of a young person robbed of their live by an adult with a gun who was an overzealous street vigilante?

For Pat Buchanan, as well as Zimmerman's defenders in mass, perhaps there is something inherently "insidious" about black folks and our humanity. Therefore, anything that Obama does--or any other black person with who they disagree with politically--is therefore "insidious" by definition. Likewise, Trayvon Martin and all other black folks (except for their pet conservatives) are insidious as well.

Thus, a presumption of guilt exists over us, and our achievements are made suspect in all areas of life, until we prove our bonafides to Buchanan and his ilk's satisfaction.

Now, that sounds pretty insidious to me.

10 comments:

John Rambo said...

You stupid niggers need to go back to Africa! America is a WHITE MAN's country! Get the fuck out, niggers!

Trayvon Martin was just a criminal nigger who was trying to steal from people's houses and Zimmerman did the right thing by shooting that nigger dead.

-Signed, a white man , , .

Lewis Orne said...

Lets remember that pat buchanan is the same fool who praised Hitler and stated that WW II was England and Poland's fault for not negotiating with Nazi Germany.. You can't make this tripe up...

chauncey devega said...

What is that joke about Buchanan's uncle? Goes something like how did Uncle Pat's uncle get killed in World War Two? He fell out of a guard tower at Auschwitz.


Tasteless but you get the point.

Sujata said...

It's funny, but in a perverse sense, I appreciate the Pat Buchanans of the US. They're the kind of bigots who find it openly inexplicable that they can't call black people "niggers" and queer people "faggots" anymore. It's a pleasant thing, in a way, to see paleoconservatives who'll wear their bigotry on their sleeves, instead of the neoliberals, libertarians, and "compassionate conservatives" with whom one has to parse the bigotry they couch in focus-tested phrases like "states' rights", "law and order politics", "right to work", et cetera.

If you're going to have two monsters who partake in the same evils, best to have the avowed demon, rather than the mealy-mouthed dissembler, I suppose.

Michael Paul Goldenberg said...

I'm sure Pat meant to say, "Darth Sidious."

chauncey devega said...

As in Dark Lord of the Sith...hmmmm probably!

Miles_Ellison said...

The other joke about Buchanan is that his speeches sound better in the original German.

skilletblonde said...

Buchanan is just one of the racists that the Mainstream Media continues to inflict on the dead body, and grieving public of Trayvon Martin.

This morning on CNN there was Candy Crowley talking about race in America. Who was her guest? Who was the expert? Why, none other than John McCain. A man whose qualifications on something black, would consist of a pair of shoes or car. Yet, John McCain, a man also know for telling racists and
sexists jokes, a man who has never hired any black people, a man that doesn't belong to any civil rights organizations, a man that has never been to a black neighborhood, a man who ridiculed black sailors
-when he was in the Navy, was bestowed the privilege to speak about race in America. I just couldn't stand the indignity-so I turned. To add insult to injury, I later learned that Crowley also sought the expertise of none other than Newt Gingrich. Gingrich being the vile, peutrancant, pusbag of lying flesh that he is, said "gang violence had increased 40% under President Obama."

A brief stop a Cspan's Washington Journal was no better. There sat Armstrong (I've been sued twice for
sexually harassing men) Williams. Black conservatism is 2% of the African American population, yet they are given prominence in media as though they they are 50%. What other group has to suffer this insult but African Americans? Certainly, there are more Jews who believe that a different policy is needed in the Middle East. But you never see those individuals represented in the media. When Jews declare something as anti-Semitic, it is never debated. Their word stands alone. It is not required for some white christian to validate or disproved their claim. That again, is reserved only for us.

The question is why do we accept this?
Isn't it over 500 years now? The candlelight vigils and protest will do no good. Empathy, sympathy, and certainly justice, is not what power responds to in America. Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson's
strategies will not work, today. A bold, strong stance against the racist Mainstream Media is long overdue. From the very beginning they peddled lies from the right-wing and defense attorneys of Zimmerman.
Fake pictures of Trayvon were shown while Zimmerman's previous criminality was concealed. Boycotting is a must!

For Example:

And I'm not kidding.

(1) Do not let your children sign up for military service. After all, what are they fighting for? If black people are not safe to walk the streets in America, what are we
fighting for overseas?

(2) High School and college level athletes should be encouraged to walk off the playing fields. Certainly at the college levels where millions are made from black
athletes. Why should these kids play for states that views them as dangerous enough to be shot without question?

(3) Put pressure on professional athletes. Bill Russell refused to play in Kentucky with the Celtics, after he was refused service at a restaurant.

(4) File a complaint with the FCC and the Justice Department against FOX News, CNN and Clear Channel Radio



(5) Turn in your cable box and satellite
dishes.

(6) Do not buy CDS, DVD's or attend any movies.

(7) Do not let the Jay-zees, the Ditty's, and the Simmons profit from the Trayvon tragedy.

(8) Do what Malcolm X never got a chance
to do, submit a complaint to the United Nations.

chauncey devega said...

All white folks are "experts" on race in America. This is especially true of white conservatives. You know how I say that politics is pro-wrestling. Regarding matters of identity, privilege, and politics, the bench is so deep because they are not interested in substance, just putting buts in the seats and getting the marks to go to the concession stand and cheer or boo on command.

Jack Chalice said...

“A lot of times I recognize quality in the enemy. I have, from the very beginning, admired Pat Buchanan, who's not even a writer. He knows how to use words. I read something the other day, and I totally disagreed with him. But you know, I was about to send him a note saying, "Good!" ”

Hunter S. Thompson

It's clear that Pat is reciprocating the 'dog whistle' charges that the Left is constantly hurling (though I must admit, your extrapolation is as clever as it is cohesive based on later comments Pat made while citing crime statistics.

Here's the problem: the narrative you create in your Buchanan avatar implies an inherent hostility as opposed to one that developed out of, oh say, life experience.

I didn't know Pat wrote the carjacking scene in CRASH (2005) and developed material with the late, great Patrice O'Neal. Not gonna assume that they're cancer patients. BRILLIANT!

I enjoy your tone and dig your pop culture references. As a result, you're able to convey an illuminating perspective on events and issues that resonate empathy.

But you are WRONG about Pat.