Do an SDMB search on “teabaggers”. See whether it is your “side of the isle” that is using the term.
I’m speaking for myself. The question was “I think every person in this thread knows that “Tea Bagger” is offensive. What do you think the odds are that any of them will stop using the term?” As one of the most vocal critics of “Democrat Party” in this thread I think it’s important to point out that I don’t use it.
By the way, the phrase is “side of the aisle”. It’s a political term referring to political parties sitting on opposite sides of the aisle in the hall they’re meeting in.
Generally, that is impossible to prove either way. However, in this particular case, it’s true.
So I’m not sure what point you’re trying to make other than being wrong, and then lambasting the other side for allegedly being wrong. Which is not the funniest thing that’s been posted in this thread, but it’s up there.
Sure, I use the term Teabagger derisively and am damn proud of it. Here’s the difference: Democrats have a long record of putting forth an agenda and trying to get legislation passed that benefits the nation. You may or not agree with this agenda, but at least Democrats stand for something. Teabaggers have no agenda except throwing a hissy fit over every action that Obama takes or doesn’t take. They get all jacked up about the deficit, except they aren’t excited enough to want to address its major cause, the Bush tax cuts. They swallow lies about Obamacare, blissfully ignorant that it is basically the Republican alternative to Hillarycare warmed over. Their purpose in life is to have a conniption fit for the entirety of the Obama presidency in the hopes that holding their breath and turning blue will prevent the rest of us from ever voting for a black guy again. So they don’t deserve any respect. When they come out FOR something, then maybe I’ll give them the time of day. Until then, they’re scum that deserve to be mocked.
Thank you for pointing out my typo. I will be more careful next time.
Thank you for providing a good example there of a member in good standing of the Democrat party.
It’s *supposed *to be, although I’d use “derisive” as the appropriate adjective. Nobody who uses it is going to stop, or wants to, nor does the object of that derision deserve anything *but *derision.
The use of “Democrat Party” *can *reflect simple ignorance, perhaps worth pity instead of derision.
But no one is pretending that it isn’t an insult. It’s not like we’re saying, “what’s wrong with tea bagger? It’s a fine term that is frequently used. We mean no offense.” But that’s what the assholes who say “Democrat Party” are doing. Everyone knows it’s an insult, so just man up and admit it. Cut the cutesy shit. There’s a guy on another site who spells it “DemocRAT” every fucking time he writes it. And that’s fine. He isn’t pretending to be too dumb to know the real name, he’s just having some fun getting his insults in. Not a big deal. On a site dedicated to fighting ignorance, it surely should be considered an offense to pretend to be stupid.
What’s true? Sam Stone said he didn’t think ANYONE IN THIS THREAD would stop using “Tea Bagger” even though they knew it was offensive. You agreed with him. “It would take all the tea in China …” you said.
I don’t use the phrase “Tea Bagger”. I call the Tea Partiers what they want to be called. Your assumption is wrong.
Was it a typo? I just assumed you were unfamiliar with the term. Since you don’t know the names of the political parties, I assumed this was the first time you’d heard about “the other side of the aisle”.
The trouble being, no matter the level of huffy insistence, “Democrat party” is not automatically insulting, and “Tea Bagger” is. And therefore the notion that one is just as entitled to take offense at “Democrat” as at a scatological insult is more than a bit ridiculous. And those who pitch a fit at the usage are not scoring rhetorical points, nor putting the other side on the defensive - they just look silly.
Regards,
Shodan
Thinking that you’re right doesn’t give one license to be an asshole. *Everyone *thinks that they’re right, so surely you can see the inevitable outcome of such a viewpoint.
As for “Democrat Party,” it’s not meant as an insult, per se. It’s a signaler, intended for the Republican base, to assure them that the speaker feels the same way they do about those liberal twits. It’s not unlike how some people will say “undocumented workers” instead of “illegal immigrants” (or how conservatives will often shorten it to just “illegals”) – it’s code for “Don’t worry, I’m on your side.”
I agree with you. There’s nothing inherently insulting about “Democrat Party”. It’s usage is mostly evidence that there are many Republicans who know very little about the United States. If you don’t even know the names of the political parties – well, that’s a pretty embarrassing level of ignorance. It pretty much renders anything you have to say about public policy invalid.
Of course, there are some Republicans who like to use it as a schoolyard taunt. Like calling someone “Tommy” over and over again when he goes by Tom just to get on his nerves. This is immature and jerkish behavior and deserves to be called out as such.
I find it hilarious that some people in this thread have tried to avoid owning up to their jerkish behavior by pretending they’re too dim to understand the difference between two words.
You couldn’t prove any of that to save your life, but just for shits and giggles…Cite?
The misunderstanding is that I (and by extension other Democrats) feel insulted. I don’t. I consider the source. And I draw my own conclusion about the source. I don’t get upset, pitch a hissy fit, get mad, develop heartburn, or in any other way manifest distress when I see Democrat Party. It is indeed trivial as insults go, and to paraphrase, I’ve been called far worse by far better.
But, just like Tea Bagger (which I too do not use), it is an epithet when consciously uttered toward those one disagrees with. That’s the purpose of uttering it, to demean or deride the opponent. And so, all of the rationalizations about it being the “real” usage are totally disingenuous. We aren’t talking about a descriptive word here, we are talking about the official name of an organization. One that has been in place for almost two centuries.
And really, epithets are fine (in impolite discourse at least) and I’m sure I’ve indulged in name calling myself on occasion. But when I do, I don’t make the claim that those I insult or deride should own the epithet because, you know, it really is more correct and I’m not so much insulting them as giving them a language lesson.
Well, yes, it is kind of funny to see people pretending they don’t understand the difference between “teabagger” and “Democrat”, if that’s what you mean.
Regards,
Shodan
I don’t feel insulted, but I do feel that the usage of the ‘Democrat’ epithet descriptor (when not due to ignorance) speaks poorly of the speaker, and deserves mockery and derision. Epithets, even minor epithets like this one, should not be tolerated in normal discourse, so I think it’s appropriate to challenge and mock anyone who uses them. This includes “Tea-bagger”, which I do not use.
No, I mean people pretending that they have a hard time remembering the difference between “Democrat” and “Democratic”. I’m sure they have similar trouble remembering the difference between “America” and “American”. The fact that some words have different noun and adjective forms is SOOOO hard. That’s college-level book-learn’ right there.
I think you are, in at least some cases, mistaking not knowing the difference with thinking the difference is petty.
There is a significant distinction to be drawn between being insulting, and not caring even a little bit. Taking offense at “Democrat” is usually a fairly transparent attempt to put the other person on the defensive, combined with the usual asinine self-righteousness. It’s like the floofaroo over “niggardly” - the appropriate response to people taking offense at nonsense is not to apologize, nor to cater to idiots.
There is a natural human tendency to rub their nose in it, but I suppose that ought to be resisted to some extent. But there’s another reaction that works as well, or better. Which is “go ahead and pitch your fit - just don’t expect to be taken seriously.”
Regards,
Shodan
That’s *my *reaction any time I see someone sign a post with “Regards”. 