Monday, January 09, 2006

Senator Mary O'Rourke's gaf

This "controversy" must be the most idiotic in Ireland in a long time. The Sunday Tribunes Richard Delevan in his blog goes into a long winded argument about it with nuggets like the ever original what if a Senator from Mississippi said it. It is totally nonsense. While she might be an idiot she is no racist. She did not use the term "works like blacks" in an racist sense.In much the same way someone saying "put your feet up" is not been derogatory to amputees. It is an expression get over it. It is a ridicules state of affairs that this is news. I noticed he hasn't mentioned Pat Rabbittes more deliberate comments at all. Edit. Fiona de Londras gives Richard Delevan a thumbs up. Interesting comment in my comments from Sliabh "I am guessing that "black" as used by Mary O'Rourke meant protestant. My mother is from Leitrim and that is the way the term is always understood there." Which rings a bell with me to I think I heard that explanation before. I wonder if people knew that (protestant) was the meaning would they be as quick to term it racist. And if they would not is that not in its self racist? Edit 2. A sting in the tail makes my point better then I ever could.

7 comments:

sliabh said...

I am guessing that "black" as used by Mary O'Rourke meant protestant. My mother is from Leitrim and that is the way the term is always understood there. Everyone knows what you mean when you talk about a "black protestant bastard"

R. Delevan said...

Dossing, what school of logic did you flunk out of? Not only has the Irish Times and plenty of other places given space to the Rabbitte comments, one has nothing to do with the other. In point of fact, I think that Rabbitte's comments are a debacle for him and his party. You are right in saying that some people have been shamefully silent about his comments (like Vincent Browne).

But to complain about a post being too "long-winded" and then complain it doesn't mention something you find important? Seriously. Get a library card and take out some elementary texts on logic and rhetoric.

Simon said...

Long winded has nothing to do with including everything it means Long.

Simon said...

the last capital L was not actually suppose to be capital.

My point on long winded was that it took a long time to come to the point.

Anonymous said...

Wasn't the first line of his article bemoaning the fact that cretins like O'Rourke and Lenihan and all the others can get away with saying things they really shouldn't say?

And if it's too long for you perhaps a Dr Seuss poem might be more fun, kiddo.

Simon said...

And if it's too long for you perhaps a Dr Seuss poem might be more fun, kiddo.

Orginal I give you that.

Anonymous said...

Original, you mean?