# I think december has Jungle Fever **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 18, 2002, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-december-has-jungle-fever/114749 "2002-06-18T21:06:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![december](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/838e76/32.png) [@december](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/december)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2002, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-december-has-jungle-fever/114749/81 "2002-06-28T21:35:59Z")
Thank you, **gobear** for the examples. I was criticized for the first of them in that thread. Your suggested wording looks superior to mine. I wish I had used it. Regarding the second example, my point was that college affirmative action is counter-productive; it’s hurting the very people it seeks to help. I do not see how to express this POV without mentioning African-American college students. That’s the group who I believe are being harmed. **Minty** , _everyone_ talks about blocs of voters this way. The SCOTUS even used it in a recent decision approving the limited use of race for redistricting. ---
**Author:** ![minty\_green](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@minty\_green](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minty_green)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2002, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-december-has-jungle-fever/114749/82 "2002-06-28T21:51:17Z")
Nevertheless, it is a very good example of the perpetual appeals to group-think for which **wring** justifiably took you to task, and about which you seem oblivious. That it was only 32 minutes before you challenges her to prove the observation is just icing on the cake. ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2002, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-december-has-jungle-fever/114749/83 "2002-06-28T22:13:51Z")
**december,** two examples off the top of my head w/o even having to hit the search engine - you’ve (just started yet another one) often done the “why don’t blacks support vouchers”. You’ve also wondered why blacks aren’t more supportive of racial profiling, since it ‘rids their neighborhoods’ of drug users/sellers etc. and that’s not even touching your views on affirmative action and the media. (the AA one, I see **gobear** has brought up). Yep, I think that makes it ‘consistent’, since many of your threads center around these themes. And, you pointing out your cousin, and the 3 or 4 conservative black pundits, as being ‘exemplerary’ and ‘exceptions’ only serves to underscore the point. Do you think it’s merely a coincidence that these are the ones to whom you’re either related or who agree damn near 100% w/your world view? Do you really not see this? wow. ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2002, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-december-has-jungle-fever/114749/84 "2002-06-28T22:37:01Z")
and yes, it’s highly, richly and wonderfully ironic that here in the pit, you challenge me to ‘show you examples of how you do that’, while damn near the same time you’re over in Great Debates doing it again. simply amazing. ---
**Author:** ![december](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/838e76/32.png) [@december](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/december)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2002, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-december-has-jungle-fever/114749/85 "2002-06-28T22:37:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by wring \*And, you pointing out your cousin, and the 3 or 4 conservative black pundits, as being ‘exemplerary’ and ‘exceptions’ only serves to underscore the point. Do you think it’s merely a coincidence that these are the ones to whom you’re either related or who agree damn near 100% w/your world view? David Blackwell and I are both mathematicians. I’ve studied from his textbook. Amalya Kearse and I both play duplicate bridge. So, what? I’m afraid I’m not getting your point. BTW regarding my use of a generalized group, here are some recent thread titles: \*\*What should the Palestinian do? Why can’t conservatives stop slamming Clinton? Lawyers Are Not Engineers!!! Score one for the Atheists - US Courts Rule Pledge of Allegiance Unconstitutional! Freedom-lovin’ Americans, get your behinds in here NOW! What’s with Communists and Gold? Why are message board mods/admins (outside the SDMB) such fucking Nazis? bastard referees are fucking up the beautiful game… Fucking braindead historically vacuous Americans!!! \*\* ---
**Author:** ![SuaSponte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/67e7ee/32.png) [@SuaSponte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuaSponte)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2002, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-december-has-jungle-fever/114749/86 "2002-06-28T22:45:21Z")
**december,** if all your friends jumped off a cliff, would you do it, too? Sua ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2002, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-december-has-jungle-fever/114749/87 "2002-06-28T22:47:54Z")
obvious differences are: National group (palestinians) Self identified groups based on similar beliefs (conservatives, atheists) Groups based on occupations - and thread has to do w/their occupation (mods/referees, lawyers) the ones about Americans adds in specific qualifiers, and folks either are a combination of both or not. So it would be OK to do this: “Why do refs wear whistles” or “what should Catholics do about the Pope?” Because in each case you’re speculating about a group regarding some aspect of what makes them a group. Not ok: “why don’t Asian Americans like McDonald’s food?” “why would Hispanic Americans not drive blue cars?” because the factor which allows them to be part of that group has nothing to do with the question. As in: your most recent GD thread ---
**Author:** ![Belowjob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@Belowjob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belowjob)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2002, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-december-has-jungle-fever/114749/88 "2002-06-29T01:08:47Z")
Byrd was an unapologetic member of the Ku Klux Klan earlier in his career. He’s a throwback to the old segregationist southern Democrats. He’s socially conservative, economically liberal, mainly because his state, WV, depends so much on govt. largesse. His state also has a miniscule black population, so the Repubs can’t use race as a wedge to drive between po’ white folks and what they see as their best interests. Walt Williams and Tom Sowell are respectable, and both did some important work earlier in their careers. I recommend Sowell’s \* Ethnic America\* and Williams’ _The State Against Blacks_. These scholars offer a piece of the puzzle that’s often missing when people discuss black issues (But only a piece. Don’t be so silly as to embrace their entire world view.) But now both men are growing cranky and bitter as they age. Perhaps because the right wing movement to which they hitched their wagons has grown morally and intellectually bankrupt. As to Clarence Thomas, I wouldn’t mention the mediocre toady’s name in the same sentence as “respect.” ---
**Author:** ![minty\_green](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@minty\_green](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minty_green)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2002, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-december-has-jungle-fever/114749/89 "2002-06-29T01:28:48Z")
The only one of those threads I’ve opened is the “Lawyers!!!” one, since all the rest sounded too stupid to be worth the time. But it should be noted that the OP of the lawyers thread got righteously flamed by a number of people for being an ignoramus who lumped together a diverse group of people without even attempting to recognize the individuals’ obvious differences. It is a lesson you would do well to learn. ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2002, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-december-has-jungle-fever/114749/90 "2002-06-29T18:41:00Z")
aw come on **minty** let’s not shoot for the moon here. I’d be happy if he learned what ‘proof’ or ‘support to a position’ was. ---
**Author:** ![Myrr21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Myrr21](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myrr21)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2002, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-december-has-jungle-fever/114749/91 "2002-06-29T19:22:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by december \* > Jews may suffer from anti-semitism. Lesbians may suffer from homophobia. Racism has to do with _race_. Religion and sexual orientation are not races. OK? (smarmy smilie deleted) Bwahahaha. Wow. That’s the best laugh I’ve had all day. I especially love the part where you focus in on the “lesbian” half of “lesbian spearchucker”…classic! And as for the “Jews ain’t a race” thing, well–while it’s never made a damn bit of difference to me–I’m sure all my secular jew friends will love it. Who’d have thunk it? It turns out that all this time they’ve been going around calling themselves jewish, and all they had to do was talk to **december** for enlightenment… ---
**Author:** ![TwistofFate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@TwistofFate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwistofFate)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2002, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-december-has-jungle-fever/114749/92 "2002-06-29T19:32:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kal \* > \*\*In this thread: [Sen. Robert Byrd to atheists: Leave the country.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=122740) **hajario** has posted cites that show Byrd is a former member (Actually, a “Kleagle” – an official recruiter) of the Klan. > > I think it’s fair to say that Sen. Byrd may be racist. > > **Twisty** , the full quote and context of Byrd’s words: > > \*\* Kal, Thank you very much. I wasn’t saying that Sen. byrd wasn’t a racist. As I am not american, I hadn’t a clue as to who Sen. Byrd is before mentioned in this thread and in the “leave this country” thread by Eve. My point was thaqt words can be used out of context, and a cite to explain what you meant when you use it would be helpful for those of us who aren’t Americans. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2002, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-december-has-jungle-fever/114749/93 "2002-06-30T08:19:46Z")
I’m _still_ curious whether **december** thinks “spearchucker” was a reference to the US Olympics Javelin team. Man, talk about _blinders…_ (I just hand out the shovels, you dig your own hole, bub) ---
**Author:** ![december](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/838e76/32.png) [@december](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/december)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2002, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-december-has-jungle-fever/114749/94 "2002-06-30T20:56:09Z")
\<\\> This is what an opponent posted on [another thread about vouchers.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=122924). The person who wrote this appears to be liberal, so nobody is blasting him for what he wrote. If I had written the same thing, I would have been accused of blaming the victim, not understanding the problem, mean-spiritedness, lack of compassion for the poor, racism,… ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2002, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-december-has-jungle-fever/114749/95 "2002-06-30T22:20:36Z")
> [@](#): > > This is what an opponent posted . . . The person who wrote this appears to be liberal, so nobody is blasting him for what he wrote. Actually, I did not see that as an “oppositional” post to your position. I saw a certain caution regarding jumping to conclusions regarding the efficacy of vouchers, but no claims that it would destroy public education, trash the Constitution, or any of the other typically “liberal” anti-voucher positions. I have also not yet seen a clear liberal bias in **belowjob** ’s grand total of 12 posts. I have seen some informed discussion of some issues where a clearly conservative speaker _might_ phrase it differently, but I have also seen some appreciation for some conservative speakers efforts. > [@](#): > > If I had written the same thing, I would have been accused of blaming the victim, not understanding the problem, mean-spiritedness, lack of compassion for the poor, racism,… Would you like some cheese to go with that? 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-december-has-jungle-fever/114749.md?page=4)