The Watering Hole
2006
Shinbone
readers bend a few elbows, and fire back
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3/18/06
In response to your article, "Eighty-Sixing 1836: Why isn't 'Houston' offensive too?", I'd like to say that I *mostly* agree. First off, I don't think the league is affected by "eurosnobbery" as it is infected with "europosery" (if I may make that word up.) I am a huge soccer fan and an admitted eurosnob, but I would never admit to any foreigner that we actually, really, have a team called "Real Salt Lake." It's humiliating.
But in regards to the issue of political correctness, I agree that it is totally out of hand. However, I'd like to point out that it's not the "hypersensitive left" that's the problem -- it's everyone. How about the Christian right? It's ridiculous no matter which side is whining, and I know we'd both like to see it stop. Unfortunately, It won't. Because it's not about being nice and well-liked. It's business. Whether it's getting votes or selling tickets, you can't maximize profits when a tenth of your potential customers hate you. So for as long as the shouts are loud enough, no matter where they're coming from and who they're heading towards, they will be heard, and plans will be scratched, and statements will be revoked. Forever.
It should also be noted, though, that if the group becoming offended has little or no power, they will be thoroughly ignored. Team names such as the Atlanta Braves, Washington Redskins, and the Fighting Illini are *clearly* offensive, but because it's towards a group no one seems to care about, nothing ever changes.
Nate -- Chicago, IL
--I can't agree that political correctness is a universal phenomenon, since I see it as a Left-wing movement to impose a new paradigm on society (which is also how the Ivy League liberals who coined the term intended it). Aside from an episode involving one high school that named its teams the Satans, I don't recall ever hearing conservative Christians raise a ruckus over something as superficial as sports team nicknames, although names like the Devils and Demons are not uncommon. To those on the Left, however, team names appear to be a major battlefront in the Culture War. Teams that are named after animals even receive complaints that they are being "exploitative" of our furry friends. If this trend continues, we will soon be watching matches between the Chicago Wellness and the Los Angeles Diversity, and where's the fun in that? -- DC
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3/2/06
Your site was accidentally discovered when searching for something else. I found it interesting -- and realised that you are just another version of the supercilious, judgemental, one-eyed right wingers who fester this country to its detriment.
Brian -- Heath, TX
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1/15/06
Nice article on Democrat hoaxes [That's All Hoax: Dems are singing looney tunes (1/13/06) ].
One small quibble. You write:
"The Voting Rights Act, which comes up for review next year, is certain to be renewed. Even if it weren't, it would be of little consequence. That law was meant as a temporary measure, to address specific abuses that were being committed by Southern Democrats, such as poll taxes and phony literacy tests. It does not establish black people's voting rights. The legislation which did that was the Fifteenth Amendment, and it cannot be repealed other than through passage of another constitutional amendment."
In fact, the VRA is not up for renewal; only the special, emergency provisions are. Section 5, preclearance, is the most important of these provisions. It demands federal approval of all districting lines and other electoral changes in the "covered" jurisdictions.
The core provisions of the VRA are permanent. They were meant to make good on the 15th Amendment 95 years after its passage. And it is simply Left scare tactics to suggest that the entire statute might expire in 2007.
If you ever want a review of the act and its history, you might take a look at my book, Whose Vote Counts? Affirmative Action and Minority Voting Rights. Harvard University Press (in pb) and while not written yesterday, in fact it has lasted well.
Abigail Thernstrom -- vice-chair, US Commission on Civil Rights -- senior fellow, Manhattan Institute
-- The Shinbone thanks Mrs. Thernstrom for the correction.
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