can we please stop referring to Rice

[T Wolf]

by the cute nickname, ala Shrub? When we do this, we are lessening the evil that the lying POS has done.

By referring to Rice (and all the rest of the repugs) by cute nicknames, we are granting them a status as a "nice" person and giving them credence as human beings.

There is something to be said for language being a powerful means of communicating. The repukes have been very successful in framing the context of issues and people by their usage of terms and names.

We need to use every weapon in the war against them. If we are less than 100% determined, we will lose.

[mr_hat]

1. Sure. Just remember: No B word, tho'.

[Spider Jerusalem]

12. If that's off limits...

is it permissible to say "Mademoiselle le Docteur Rice est une salope"?

[Katarina]

30. Why?

Is that policy now?

[rfkrocks]

2. How about Doctor Death

seems more appropriate today in light of Iraq and her testimony yesterday

[havocmom]

3. most nicknames used for her are not 'cute'

They are often more honest portrayals of her nature. And if they bother her, too bad, she is the one who inspired and earned them.

[Sequoia]

4. So we shouldn't call * the Chimp either?

That's a pretty valid point, cute nicknames...never considered it. But thinking about names there's many taboos of saying a person's name (God's 'real' name), Him... in the Power Puff Girls (okay, lame example), some cultures where the dead can't be called by name, etc. In saying a name you can invoke a negative power, like a thought you don't want to think because it will give it the power to happen.

[jobycom]

5. Not sure which names you mean, but we hurt our cause when we

use insulting nicknames at all. The old saying that "people who have facts recite the facts, and people who don't, scream insults" applies. When we use our insulting nicknames on Rice, Bush, Limbaugh, Coulter, whomever, we appear less respectable and are not taken as seriously. These folks are bad, and we have the facts to prove it, we don't need the silly insults.

I'm not into censorship, use whatever names you feel best, but that's my opinion on the subject.

Edited for atrocious and incomprehensible syntax

[RetroLounge]

6. Oh yes, I agree. We should be nice nice nice

it's worked so well for us so far...

:eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes:
:eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes:
:eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes:
:eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes:

RL

[jobycom]

20. So you think we'll win more votes by making people mad at us?

Interesting theory. So if Kerry says "Hey, Americans, you're all stupid assholes!" he's going to win?

[Jane Austin]

33. I don't think it has anything to do with being nice,

and I agree with the originator of this thread.

To call them cute nicknames is to make them seem almost cuddly.

They are Rice, Rumsfeld, Bush, Ashcroft, Wolfowitz, Perle and Cheney to me.

They are people trying to subvert our government and even our way of life.

They are neither cute nor cuddly to me.

[Bridget Burke]

7. It's always the new recruits....

Who are so eager to tell us about "our cause".

Thanks! Your suggestion will get all the consideration it deserves.

[jobycom]

9. No, it isn't only the new recruits

This is a frequent topic, but us oldtimers have learned that no one will listen to us, and will simply react angrily, so we don't usually try, except by example.

[jdsmith]

13. "New recruits"

I have fewer than one hundred posts. The person who started this thread has more than three times as many--and snarkily gets called a "new recruit."

What do you have to do to overcome some veteran posters' kneejerk dismissal?

I understand that some new posters are spies and worse, here to throw bombs and then leave. But do (should) new posters have to expect hazing?

[kerry-is-my-prez]

17. Don't feel bad... even some of us old-timers get hazed!

n/t

[jobycom]

18. Absolutely not, but hey, it's the real world

New posters are treated as suspicious sometimes because of the number of disruptors we get. Republicans are always sneaking in pretending to be Democrats so they can introduce "doubt." So DUers get suspicious of new posters who disagree with the majority right off the bat.

Aside from that, it's just instinct for the older members of a club to feel superior to the newer members. We all do it, we all try not to. You will, too, one day, and frown at yourself for doing it.

[jdsmith]

22. But how much of a silencing effect does such hazing have?

Especially if we'd like to do anything besides nod and agree? If "newbie" and "You're a freeper!" are automatic responses to differences of opinion, doesn't that silence some of us? And doesn't kneejerk recourse to such putdowns essentially silence (by curtailing thoughtfulness) some of the vets?

[jobycom]

26. Well...

First, no one can accuse you of being a Freeper-- against the rules. All they can do is be rude. And believe me, no matter how long you are here, people will shout you down. Sure it stifles discussion-- which is why some people do it. They think silencing their opponent is the same as winning.

Which gets right back to the stupid nicknames around here-- people seem to think that calling Bush "Chimpy" is some form of victory. It isn't, it only makes the name caller feel powerful and bold. But the feeling is the same as victory. Just as the silence of someone you;ve shouted down feels like victory.

Once you get enough posts to not be a "newbie," you'll get called other names. So if "Newbie" drives someone away, they would be driven away eventually anyway. That's just the nature of political debate.

I don't like, I don't condone it, I try to avoid doing it (with only moderate success). I suspect most DUers would say the same thing about themselves. But it's just a part of debate.

The cool thing is that usually when you survive one of those name-calling debates, the debater and you wind up with a sort of bond. You might fight them visciously after that, but you'll still have a sort of grudging cameraderie with them.

Kind of like Franken and O'Reilly, or even Clinton and Gingrich.

Anyway, those are my experiences. Yours may vary.

[Jane Austin]

32. No

We need every vote, every friend, every worker we can get.

Welcome to DU, jdsmith! :toast:

[jean]

8. you're right - she also kept a smug smile yesterday to endear herself

[sniffa]

10. caLL her "red skuLL"

[mobuto]

11. Nicknames as a rule are infantile

They don't make us look good; on the contrary they make it seem like we've reverted to name-calling in the absence of substantive arguments. Well, we have substantive arguments and we don't need to make up childish insults.

Just as calling the Junior Senator from New York "Hitlery Clintoon" just makes the Right look asinine, so is this completely worthless.

[T Wolf]

14. it seems that some people have misread me

The "ala Shrub" term refers to the tool that * uses to intimate friendliness. Wolfie and Rummy and Condi and all the rest do not seem so threatening when they are given nicknames like that.

I am all for using language to emphasize what we feel and think. As some have noted, the cons have very successfully labeled us and ours (Hitlery for one example) and they have been successful so far. The braindead, inattentive American public does not look deep enough into issues - they respond to sound bites. That is partially why the reich has been winning lately.

Being nice does not win us shit!

[jdsmith]

23. You're talking about calling her "Condi," I take it?

Which has shown up--repeatedly--in the media. Of course, CNN (News I Can Trust) loves using first names (Kobe, Lacey) in its reports. It personalizes the news. But it trivializes people like Rice (and H. R. Clinton) as well.

[ET Awful]

15. Funny I never considered 'Kindasleazy Lies' to be cute :) n/t

[Van Helsing]

16. She deserves to be called names.

To say otherwise is pure B.S.

[kerry-is-my-prez]

19. How about "Conjobleeza"

or "Con-job-sleeze-bag"

[Qutzupalotl]

25. or Contradicta

"Bin Laden Determined to Strike in US" is a historical document with no warnings. Riiight.

[Deja Q]

28. ConArtist Rice

:D

[onecitizen]

21. I totally agree..........

that's why I refuse to call bush "W". Too cute, too familiar. I won't even capitalize the "b" in bush. Shows too much reverence for one I hold no reverence for.

[xultar]

24. I strongly disagree!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! n/t

[AgadorSparticus]

27. referring to her as "Dr. Rice" all of a sudden is more nauseous to me

the last 4 yrs she's been 'condi rice' and now that she is desperate for credibility, we are resorting to "dr. rice". :crazy:

edit: but i agree with you. how about we agree on a name for her? like sleeza? it has a nice ring to it, no?

[Zomby Woof]

29. it's satire

Satire mocks the powerful, and I will continue to honor my MAD Magazine heritage and mock her name, her power, and everything for which she stands.

[tom_paine]

31. Since when is Sleezy nice?

I would hope the Filips, when they were battling THEIR Bushevik Murderous Tyrant, Ferd Marcos, would have called him Sleezy.

[gypsy11]

34. I could not agree more

I think the demeaning nick names we use (although I do understand the anger behind the use of them, believe me!) to describe this crew kind of undermines our point. We need to be the better people here.

[Reciprocity]

35. How about Kinda Slezzy Rice.

[goclark]

36. I see it a different way

When I want to be "politically correct" I can go to a Kerry (for example) website. I can call everyone by all their correct titles etc.

One of the reasons that I love DU is that I have the right to say what I feel. If I feel the need to invent a creative name I want to be able to do it.

When I am tired and a bit upset with the horrors of this administration, I don't feel like saying "Condi" and "Dr. Rice." She has not earned my respect and I am not writing her a letter. Of course, under those circumstances, I would address her by her correct title.

One of the other reasons that I like DU is that posters have rejected the need to be "Nice" and "Good" Democrats. That nice stuff did not work for us in the last election.

I am not a slave. I don't have to respect my master on a website that is designed to let me express myself. Why should I have to respect them?!

I don't care if Condisleeza reads my posts. Maybe that will let her know exactly what I think of her.

If she can't stand the heat, stay out of the DU kitchen!

:think: