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Post by mistermuncher on Dec 11, 2009 16:28:30 GMT -5
Surely for he birther shite to actually, y'know, make sense, the change would need to be the other way round? Dropping the awkward muslimy-sounding name for a more friendly celtic-anglo alternative?
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Post by booley on Dec 11, 2009 19:28:03 GMT -5
I'm in this position of suspecting a wingnut dog whistle but not actually being able to hear it. Apparently, Barack Obama used to answer to "Barry" in his youth. Is it just the wingnuts' lame idea of a joke, or is there some deeper reason behind why they seem to think referring to him as such is some kind of epic burn? I think the insult comes from the Right's perception of Obama as some kind of radical black extremists who hates white people. Malcolm X changed his name from Malcolm Little. A lot of cons probably think Barack is the same way.
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Post by kristine on Dec 11, 2009 19:50:03 GMT -5
George Bush 2 was called 'W' as a kind of insult too. It's nothing new. I thought that was more just a long-time nickname than an insult. At most, it was making fun on his Texas accent by pronouncing it "Dubya". It was occasionally made into an insult by pronouncing it "Dumbya", but I don't think "Dubya" was usually intended as an insult. And if it was, it was among the mildest directed at him, compared to "Chimpie" or, worse, "Herr Chimpenfuhrer." I thought it had more to do with being 'too familiar' with someone in authority; a kind of discrediting by making someone common...like calling your grandparents or teachers by their first names.
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Post by wisechild on Dec 12, 2009 12:24:32 GMT -5
It's a means of derision, because you really can't refer to the President as "boy". Yes, it's once again, racists who think that they are clever. His given name is not hard to pronounce, and he has used that name since college.
They also want to point out some insecurities, which is silly, because they are the insecurities of a child and teenager, and in their tiny little minds they are snidely thinking "so much for 'multi-culturalism'. . .".
He really shouldn't be referred to as Barry (in an indirect context) until the film adaption of Dreams from My Father.
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