OT, but some truth

[politicasista]

Biden's Use of 'Articulate' -- Who's Offended?
BET.com Staff & Wire Services


Posted Feb. 7, 2007 – Exactly who is taking exception to Biden's use of "articulate?"

Some have observed that the media have allowed Sen. Joseph Biden (D-Del.) to skate with his verbal blunder in describing Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) as "articulate" and "clean."

But why?

Many say it's because he is a Democrat and the powerhouse behind opposition to the Bush White House's Iraq policy.

However, many notable Blacks, from comedian D. L. Hughley to BET President of Entertainment Reginald Hudlin, are voicing frustration and disappointment.

“It makes me weary, literally tired, like, ‘Do I really want to spend my time right now educating this person?’ ” said Hudlin.

Hughley says hearing that he's "smart and articulate" is nothing new for him. In fact, he says that everytime he appears on HBO's "Real Time With Bill Maher, and there's a political debate, after the show, people are always coming up to him with those remarks.

Hugley went on to explain that everyone was in an uproar about Michael "Kramer" Richards' use of the "N-word," but words like Biden used are more crafty.

"It’s like weight loss. The last few pounds are the hardest to get rid of. It’s the last vestiges of racism that are hard to get rid of."

On "The Daily Show," last Wednesday, Biden explained that he was attempting to be "complimentary," noting that he didn't do such a good job of it. "This is an incredible guy. This is a phenomenon," Biden said.

University of Pennsylvania professor Michael Eric Dyson said that historically certain words were meant to signal "the exceptional Negro."

“You hear it and you just think, ‘Damn, this again?’ "

"The implication is that most Black people do not have the capacity to engage in articulate speech, when White people are automatically assumed to be articulate," Dyson said.

http://www.bet.com/News/JOEBIDEN.htm?wbc_purpose=Basic&WBCMODE=PresentationUnpublished&Referrer=%7B03CE5360-2620-42CB-AD7E-77E4249C5FB7%7D

[karynnj]

1. Very nice description of the underlying insult of that statement

Where I would disagree is that he was "allowed to skate". I think he tokk a pretty big hit.

That he was a Democrat and the powerhouse behind the antiwar position better defines Kerry and he clearly hasn't gotten a break on anything. What it may have done is to eliminate Biden from becoming the experienced anti-Clinton, but he had little chance of that before the statement. He has been running for at least a year and has never broken 4%. With Iraq hearings, he had an opportunity because of his position as SFRC chair - so this happening at this time ends that.

I think the reason he has any sympathy is that there is some real underlying prejudice that is common enough that some of the media people have felt going after him on this, given the good record he has on civil rights, is too much after the initial criticism.

[politicasista]

2. I agree n/t