It’s nice to see that last week’s doom-and-gloom has faded a little bit. Slublog writes that the Democratic squabbles have opened up a rift that even McCain can exploit. If these numbers are any indication, there is some real acrimony……

With apologies to Rudyard Kipling the poet; here is my reworded version of his famous poem “the White Man’s Burden*; which praised the “benefits” of being instructed by “enlightened Europeans” to all the conquered peoples of the world. An obnoxious message now reborn.

Today, the new “Sahib” or “Bwanna” is our left-wing media and their cronies out to correct(deconstruct)those vulgar Appalachian savages from their “unenlightened” worldview:

The Left Wing’s Burden

Take up the Left wing’s burden
Send forth the same old breed –
Go bind your journalists to brief exile
To serve your hillbillies’ need;
To wait away from starbucks
On fluttered folk and wild –
Your captive, sullen peoples,
Half devil and half child.

Take up the Left-Wing’s burden –
In condescension to abide,
To veil the threat of exposure
And hide evidence of pride;
By duplicitous speech and lies,
An hundred times mad plain.
To take another’s profit,
And steal another’s gain.

Take up the Left-wing’s burden –
Our savage campaigns for “peace”
Shut down those coarse distractions
And bid “bitter” ignorance cease;
And when your goal is nearest
The presidency for others sought,
Watch guns and Small-town Folly
Bring all your hope to nought.

Take up the Left wing’s burden –
And reap an entitled reward:
The blame of those ye enlighten,
The hate of those you deconstruct
The vulgar cry of the working class ye condescend
(Ah, slowly!) toward the light: –
“Why brought ye us from bondage,
“Our loved Appalachian night?”

Take up the Left-wings burden –
Ye distort what Obama meant –
Nor call too loud on freedom
To cloak your true intent;
By all ye preach or publish,
By all ye leave or do,
The silent, sullen peoples
Shall weigh your party and you.

ragnell

All Hail the “Bwanna” Media

1. “Daisy Mae Don’t Live Here No More”: Using the Lil’ Abner cartoons as a guidebook understanding the Kentucky population. For that matter, using the accumulated Hollywood and media stereotypes of Kentuckians, Appalachians, mountain folks etc. was quite foolish. Kentuckians took Obama’s remarks and the Media’s slurs as mortal insults. They won’t forgive or forget them
2. Assuming they were dealing with an homogeneous culture
Ignorance of what every Kentucky politician must know to survive: Kentucky has very distinct
cultures and regions. Each region often acts as a state within the state, and meets any attempts to
approach them as a homogeneous population with frozen rejection. .

Northern Kentucky is a German-Catholic suburb of Cincinnati with a significant Japanese community; Lexington, Louisville( and their surrounding metropolitan extensions) are very southern in the sense of Atlanta or Charleston, SC–a very British-American ethnic group. However, Lexington also has a very large Irish and Hispanic-Catholic population, as well as a large Jewish population, an influential Japanese community, and an international academic community; Eastern Kentucky has a knee-jerk pride in being Appalachian[heaven help the idiot that offends it] ; and Western Kentucky shares Nashville’s culture and business circles.

3. Assuming that a predominantly religious culture was politically gullible. They paid too much attention to the left-wing propaganda mills which spins religious people as uneducated, stupid bumpkins.
4. This has been a hunting state since its inception. In the rural areas, people actually supplement their food budget by hunting game animals. Do not refer to an over two-century old tradition as an emotional pacifier.
5. Ignorance of the Kentucky Code. They do not forget or forgive anyone offending their “honor”. An old fashioned term— meaning to question their integrity.
6. Poor Historical Understanding: Although, Kentucky had slaves, it was not a “slave state”. The Civil War spilt families, communities and cities wide apart. Most of the regions never even had slaves and many were big participants in the Underground Railroad. Kentucky never joined the Confederacy.
7. What Kentuckians still remember are northern and east-coast vultures of the post-civil war era; attracted by the states post-war economic collapse; that treated the entire population like an occupied, conquered territory. They either swindled or pressured thousands of families to sell them their farms and mineral rights for pennies and built huge fortunes. What followed was the “raping” of Kentucky’s natural resources by the horse industry, timber, natural gas and coal companies; whose owners lived out-of-state and took their profits out-of-state. The “new elites” gave political donations and lobbied to buy-off democratic politicians, who gave them a tax-free status for more than a century [the corruption of the controlling Democratic Party is still legendary]. For decades, Kentuckians were frustrated by watching the wealth of their state carted off to the corporations in the north and east coast. In essence, Kentucky was treated like a third-world country by other states for over a century. By the time, Kentuckians re-gained control of their own state government and could raise capital; much of the state’s resources had been harvested by outsiders. In the process, this form of industrialization destroyed the resources which had allowed the Eastern Kentuckians, in particular, an unmatched level of independence.

Examples, of how these proud people have been degraded include a Broadway play, the Kentucky Cycle, written by a gentleman who never bothered to visit the state, and whose derogatory portrait has been debunked by every major American historian to date. Yet, it is considered fair game to aim the worst offensive, “racist-like” regional slurs against these people. Their silent fury has been building for generations. The Media triggered an eruption of accumulated resentment when they conducted themselves like a 21st century “Bwanna” swaggering in to civilize the savages. I doubt Obama will ever be able to gain their trust.
ragnell

RushBaby on May 21, 2008 at 10:39 AM

Thank you. Glad you enjoy it!

So am I evil if one of the things I initially wanted to embellish on the hopeiate poster is to slightly enlarge his ears, because of his known sensitivity to that? Thinking now that’s an unwise and counter-productive path.

techno_barbarian on May 21, 2008 at 11:00 AM

Evil? I wouldn’t say that! I’m sure you’ve got the JUDGMENT TO LEAD on this issue. Do what you think is right and it’ll come out great.

Sorry about that link there, btw, but this particular slogan is striking me as especially Twilight Zone-ish these days. The only accurate word in it is “TO” and I’m beginning to have my doubts about that as well…

The whole Snobama cartoon – I just want it to be clear that it was not done with any racist intent whatsoever, and I don’t want it associated with anything like that if I can help it. Obama has long struck me as an arrogant liberal elitist and his “bitter” “cling” remarks put the nail in it. I would’ve reacted the same way to a candidate of any demographic description.

Gilda on May 21, 2008 at 10:29 AM

So am I evil if one of the things I initially wanted to embellish on the hopeiate poster is to slightly enlarge his ears, because of his known sensitivity to that? Thinking now that’s an unwise and counter-productive path.

Damn… does this mean a rethuglican might actually possess a conscience and the capacity to take a higher road? *Gasp*

Next thing you know I’ll be spouting off using words like ‘nuance’ (I hate that friggin’ meaninless word).

Fat Bastard: “It’s a long road.”

The whole Snobama cartoon – I just want it to be clear that it was not done with any racist intent whatsoever, and I don’t want it associated with anything like that if I can help it. Obama has long struck me as an arrogant liberal elitist and his “bitter” “cling” remarks put the nail in it. I would’ve reacted the same way to a candidate of any demographic description.

Gilda on May 21, 2008 at 10:29 AM

Understand that completely and agree sincerely.

Snobama cartoon…

Gilda on May 21, 2008 at 10:29 AM

…is a masterpiece. There’s nothing racist about it.

…other than the QED part (smartypants).

JiangxiDad on May 21, 2008 at 10:17 AM

Yeah, that was decidedly not-nice on my part and you did not deserve it. Sorry. Really.

The whole Snobama cartoon – I just want it to be clear that it was not done with any racist intent whatsoever, and I don’t want it associated with anything like that if I can help it. Obama has long struck me as an arrogant liberal elitist and his “bitter” “cling” remarks put the nail in it. I would’ve reacted the same way to a candidate of any demographic description.

But I respectfully vouch for JD. He, like you, is good people and I think this is most likely a case of the incomplete communicative capacity of stand alone text.

techno_barbarian on May 21, 2008 at 10:02 AM

I’ll take your word for it. JiangxiDad, I stand corrected and offer my sincere apologies.

So I can’t at all claim credit for either the vision or the term that sparked it.

Oh yes you can. You took ideas that were floating around and put them together in an insightful way. That’s the definition of the creative process, really. If my work has inspired others, that’s the highest compliment, and the reason I put it out there in the first place.

…that made some black people fume.

JiangxiDad on May 21, 2008 at 6:16 AM

I will have nothing to do with “making black people fume.” This is not a compliment. If JiangxiDad’s intention was otherwise, I hope reasonable people will understand my need to distance myself and my work from such a remark.

Badly put. Meant some black Barak Obama fans fume, and presumably for using the tools/iconography of liberalism to attack a liberal. I was referring to what I read. It wasn’t my own description anyhow. Sorry, tried to google it but can’t find it. Maybe it was here at HA.

JiangxiDad’s past behavior towards me, unprovoked and in concert with the known trolls fossten and highhopes, makes me extremely wary of him. If I have unfairly misjudged him I sincerely apologize.

I can be crude/rude. Sorry if I was nasty to you. I can’t remember what fossten and highhopes generally say. (offhand I think I don’t like what fossten usually says but highhopes I can’t say for sure.) But we’re not any kind of team. I’m just me. I also don’t remember what we argued about, other than the QED part (smartypants).

Anyway, I don’t hold grudges, (with the exception of one Ron Paul fanatic who tried to proselytize others into believing that the Jews stole Israel from its rightful Palestinian owners). Sorry again.

ndeed. Further, I admit that my real name is neither Tennyson Hayes nor Gilda. I made both of them up on the spot – Gilda when I registered at HA and Tennyson Hayes when I sent the email of that cartoon to MM. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to clear that up.

Gilda on May 21, 2008 at 9:31 AM

I understand, appreciate, and respect your position on this. But I respectfully vouch for JD. He, like you, is good people and I think this is most likely a case of the incomplete communicative capacity of stand alone text.

Also, as soon as MM’s site was mentioned I remembered that I had seen your poster there, and I now think it was that excellent design that popped into my head when I heard the hopeiate term yesterday. So I can’t at all claim credit for either the vision or the term that sparked it.

Great work on your part, though.

I was just going thru the footage I captured last night of obambi’s speech and there’s so much info-clutter on the screen that it’s difficult to get a good grab. And the fact that the footage was shot at night also poses challenges.

I’ll try to work on it later. Duty calls.

You need to read the rules of the Republican party.

EJDolbow on May 21, 2008 at 12:44 AM

I think some McCain corruption will be exposed.

What do the rules say if McCain steps down?

…that made some black people fume.

JiangxiDad on May 21, 2008 at 6:16 AM

I will have nothing to do with “making black people fume.” This is not a compliment. If JiangxiDad’s intention was otherwise, I hope reasonable people will understand my need to distance myself and my work from such a remark.

JiangxiDad’s past behavior towards me, unprovoked and in concert with the known trolls fossten and highhopes, makes me extremely wary of him. If I have unfairly misjudged him I sincerely apologize.

I’m not trying to play “gotcha”, but the item you linked to was the SnobWear from MM’s site. She gave the credit for the photoshop to Tennyson Hayes. Let’s give credit where credit’s due.

malan89 on May 21, 2008 at 8:28 AM

Indeed. Further, I admit that my real name is neither Tennyson Hayes nor Gilda. I made both of them up on the spot – Gilda when I registered at HA and Tennyson Hayes when I sent the email of that cartoon to MM. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to clear that up.

malan89 on May 21, 2008 at 8:29 AM

Not always nice, but tks. Gilda and I exchanged some words last week I think on some other thread. I don’t remember what it was, but I guess she is still mad at me. I was paying her a compliment. Many times we argue with someone in one thread, but see them as an ally in another.

FWIW Gilda, I think you have said many good things here. Maybe not the last one though.

Gilda on May 21, 2008 at 7:14 AM

Plus, you were kind of a jerk to JiangxiDad, who is never anything but nice to his fellow commenters.

I’ve fought back in my own however-small way, with this cartoon for example, now made available on t-shirts by some enterprising folks.

I’m not trying to play “gotcha”, but the item you linked to was the SnobWear from MM’s site. She gave the credit for the photoshop to Tennyson Hayes. Let’s give credit where credit’s due.

Agree with Lockstein Gilda; looks like an attempt at giving you props…

I read an article/comment (can’t remember) the other day about a Che- styled Obama print with floppy ears that made some black people fume. How terrific you did it!

JiangxiDad on May 21, 2008 at 6:16 AM

I have no idea what you are droning on about (this or any time, really) but I’m certain that whatever you’re referring to, it has nothing to do with me.

Now I’ll say what I should have said several days ago, when you chose to beclown yourself by attacking me for a remark I had not made: Leave me alone, loser.

Gilda on May 21, 2008 at 1:27 AM

Wow. Congratulations for having made that. I read an article/comment (can’t remember) the other day about a Che- styled Obama print with floppy ears that made some black people fume. How terrific you did it!

Clinton picked up 23 more delegates than The Obamboozler in Kentucky.

It’s still open…bwahahahahaha….