# Sir Elton John: Self Righteous Git **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 11, 2008, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sir-elton-john-self-righteous-git/444902 "2008-04-11T15:03:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2008, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sir-elton-john-self-righteous-git/444902/1 "2008-04-11T15:03:48Z")
> **[Clinton supporter Elton John laments U.S. misogyny](https://www.reuters.com/article/peopleNews/idUSN0926923920080411)** > > British pop star Elton John, playing a fund-raiser for Hillary Clinton in New York on Wednesday, said he was amazed at the misogyny of some in America and he hoped that wouldn't stop her being president. A few years ago Elton said America was incredibly racist because they booted Jennifer Hudson off of American Idol. Now he says they’re misogynistic because they prefer another candidate to Hillary Clinton. A black woman went on to win American Idol that season, but I don’t remember him apologizing for his half-assed lament about how racist America was… and one wonders why he’s exempt from the same accusation when he supports a white person over a black person. He’s a brilliant composer, but I’m amazed at what a shallow judgmental prick he is. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2008, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sir-elton-john-self-righteous-git/444902/2 "2008-04-11T15:09:18Z")
I’m not sure when he went off the deep end, but I do know that I haven’t paid attention to him since the mid-90s and I’m surprised that anybody still does. ---
**Author:** ![Staggerlee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/staggerlee/32/3134_2.png) [@Staggerlee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Staggerlee)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2008, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sir-elton-john-self-righteous-git/444902/3 "2008-04-11T15:13:43Z")
Well, the quote in the article is: “…I never cease to be amazed at the misogynistic attitude of **some** people in this country. And I say to hell with them…” Which is pretty true of any country. Fortunately, I think his aesthetic sense in both clothing and music is so appalling that I fully endorse this pitting. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_and\_a\_Half\_Inches\_of\_Fun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ea666f/32.png) [@Two\_and\_a\_Half\_Inches\_of\_Fun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_and_a_Half_Inches_of_Fun)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2008, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sir-elton-john-self-righteous-git/444902/4 "2008-04-11T15:14:35Z")
[QUOTE=cricetus] [http://www.reuters.com/article/peopleNews/idUSN0926923920080411](http://www.reuters.com/article/peopleNews/idUSN0926923920080411) Now he says they’re misogynistic because they prefer another candidate to Hillary Clinton. [/QUOTE] That is not what he said. He said: > [@Elton John](#): > > Having said that, I never cease to be amazed at the misogynistic attitude of some people in this country. And I say to hell with them. A person would have to be totally disconnected from reality to not see that there are still a lot of people in America that have misogynistic attitudes - look at the talking heads on news commentary shows or go into a barber shop and start talking about the election. ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2008, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sir-elton-john-self-righteous-git/444902/5 "2008-04-11T15:42:22Z")
By “some people,” he means, “everybody who isn’t voting for Hillary.” The fact that she isn’t winning is his evidence. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2008, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sir-elton-john-self-righteous-git/444902/6 "2008-04-11T16:17:59Z")
And this just in: Rock musicians are not reliable experts on matters outside of their limited purview. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_and\_a\_Half\_Inches\_of\_Fun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ea666f/32.png) [@Two\_and\_a\_Half\_Inches\_of\_Fun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_and_a_Half_Inches_of_Fun)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2008, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sir-elton-john-self-righteous-git/444902/7 "2008-04-11T16:30:49Z")
[QUOTE=cricetus] By “some people,” he means, “everybody who isn’t voting for Hillary.” The fact that she isn’t winning is his evidence. [/QUOTE] Cite? ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2008, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sir-elton-john-self-righteous-git/444902/8 "2008-04-11T16:34:10Z")
[QUOTE=Two and a Half Inches of Fun] A person would have to be totally disconnected from reality to not see that there are still a lot of people in America that have misogynistic attitudes - look at the talking heads on news commentary shows or go into a barber shop and start talking about the election. [/QUOTE] And if he were simply making a general comment about the ongoing pervasiveness of misogyny in America, he would certainly have a point. But it seems to me that, in the overall context of his comments about Hillary Clinton, and about the election, it’s difficult to disentangle his comment about misogyny from his comments about Clinton becoming President. Quite a few people over the past few months, including a state chapter of the National Organization of Women, have argued that those who don’t vote for Clinton do this out of misogyny, and it’s not unreasonable to infer something similar from Elton John’s comments. I don’t doubt that there are people who reject Clinton because they are misogynists. But there are also plenty of people who dislike her for other reasons, and plenty of people who simply don’t like her policies very much. I don’t believe that everyone who decides not to vote for Barack Obama is a racist, and i don’t believe that everyone who decides not to vote for Hillary Clinton is a sexist. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2008, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sir-elton-john-self-righteous-git/444902/9 "2008-04-11T16:39:18Z")
I don’t think it can be denied that a lot of the Hillary villification over the last couple of decades has been rooted in misogyny. Obviously that doesn’t mean that everyone who supports another candidate for the Presidency is woman hater, but I don’t think it can be disputed that she’s been the recipent of a lot of misogynist hostility. There are frat boys going to her rallies and holding up signs that say “Iron my shirt.” If Sir Elton has been around her much, he’s probably seen some of the crap that gets thrown at her wherever she goes. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2008, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sir-elton-john-self-righteous-git/444902/10 "2008-04-11T16:42:51Z")
[QUOTE=Diogenes the Cynic] I don’t think it can be denied that a lot of the Hillary villification over the last couple of decades has been rooted in misogyny. Obviously that doesn’t mean that everyone who supports another candidate for the Presidency is woman hater, but I don’t think it can be disputed that she’s been the recipent of a lot of misogynist hostility. There are frat boys going to her rallies and holding up signs that say “Iron my shirt.” If Sir Elton has been around her much, he’s probably seen some of the crap that gets thrown at her wherever she goes. [/QUOTE] I think all of that is true. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2008, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sir-elton-john-self-righteous-git/444902/11 "2008-04-11T16:45:33Z")
[QUOTE=elucidator] And this just in: Rock musicians are not reliable experts on matters outside of their limited purview. [/QUOTE] **CITE?!** ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2008, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sir-elton-john-self-righteous-git/444902/12 "2008-04-11T17:00:42Z")
[QUOTE=Diogenes the Cynic] There are frat boys going to her rallies and holding up signs that say “Iron my shirt.” If Sir Elton has been around her much, he’s probably seen some of the crap that gets thrown at her wherever she goes. [/QUOTE] Except the “Iron my shirt” guys are radio goons who did the whole thing as a gag. [http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/2008/01/hillary\_clinton\_iron\_my\_shirt\_stunt/](http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/2008/01/hillary_clinton_iron_my_shirt_stunt/) Maybe they’re misogynistic and maybe they’re not. But “Iron my shirt” was just a prank, not a statement of anything. ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2008, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sir-elton-john-self-righteous-git/444902/13 "2008-04-11T17:02:22Z")
[QUOTE=Two and a Half Inches of Fun] Cite? [/QUOTE] My post is my cite. I’m drawing a conclusion of inferrence from the juxtaposition of two comments with nothing else in between. “Hillary should be president,” and “the misogyny of this country might prevent her from being president.” There’s nothing evident in the article that these are contextualized by acknowledgment that there are other worthy candidates who appeal to people, or that people have legitimate concerns about Clinton both as a candidate and as a leader. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2008, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sir-elton-john-self-righteous-git/444902/14 "2008-04-11T17:14:16Z")
[QUOTE=friedo] > [@elucidator](#): > > And this just in: Rock musicians are not reliable experts on matters outside of their limited purview. **CITE?!** [/QUOTE] [http://www.allgreatquotes.com/ozzy\_osbourne\_quotes.shtml](http://www.allgreatquotes.com/ozzy_osbourne_quotes.shtml) ---
**Author:** ![Two\_and\_a\_Half\_Inches\_of\_Fun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ea666f/32.png) [@Two\_and\_a\_Half\_Inches\_of\_Fun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_and_a_Half_Inches_of_Fun)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2008, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sir-elton-john-self-righteous-git/444902/15 "2008-04-11T17:14:58Z")
[QUOTE=cricetus] My post is my cite. I’m drawing a conclusion of inferrence from the juxtaposition of two comments with nothing else in between. “Hillary should be president,” and “the misogyny of this country might prevent her from being president.” There’s nothing evident in the article that these are contextualized by acknowledgment that there are other worthy candidates who appeal to people, or that people have legitimate concerns about Clinton both as a candidate and as a leader. [/QUOTE] Then you should have said that what you wrote was just your opinion, instead of presenting it as a statement of fact. ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2008, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sir-elton-john-self-righteous-git/444902/16 "2008-04-11T17:15:35Z")
**Dio** , that might be the most persuasive cite ever posted. ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2008, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sir-elton-john-self-righteous-git/444902/17 "2008-04-11T17:16:51Z")
[QUOTE=Two and a Half Inches of Fun] Then you should have said that what you wrote was just your opinion, instead of presenting it as a statement of fact. [/QUOTE] Good grief. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2008, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sir-elton-john-self-righteous-git/444902/18 "2008-04-11T17:24:21Z")
[QUOTE=Justin\_Bailey] Except the “Iron my shirt” guys are radio goons who did the whole thing as a gag. [http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/2008/01/hillary\_clinton\_iron\_my\_shirt\_stunt/](http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/2008/01/hillary_clinton_iron_my_shirt_stunt/) Maybe they’re misogynistic and maybe they’re not. But “Iron my shirt” was just a prank, not a statement of anything. [/QUOTE] What difference does that make? From Hillary’s perspective, it’s just assholes with insulting signs. Would the defense that it was a radio prank fly very far if they’d gone to an Obama rally holding up signs that said “Shine my shoes?” I guess I don’t see what the joke is. It’s also far, far from the only experience she’s had with blatantly misogynist hostility. my point is that, setting aside whatever effect it’s having on her candidacy (and I think the effect is non-zero), she _has_ been the target of a lot misogynist sentiment. We can only imagine what kind of mail she’s gotten over the years. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2008, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sir-elton-john-self-righteous-git/444902/19 "2008-04-11T17:41:07Z")
[QUOTE=Diogenes the Cynic] What difference does that make? From Hillary’s perspective, it’s just assholes with insulting signs. Would the defense that it was a radio prank fly very far if they’d gone to an Obama rally holding up signs that said “Shine my shoes?” I guess I don’t see what the joke is. [/QUOTE] I guess my point is that they’re not misogynistic assholes, they’re just regular old assholes. Personally, I just think anyone trying to paint Hillary as some kind of a victim of prejudice as a woman when she’s facing off against a black man is a bit of a non-starter. They both have people prejudiced against them for entirely unforgivable reasons, but one is not more hurt by it than the other. It’s a total wash. ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2008, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sir-elton-john-self-righteous-git/444902/20 "2008-04-11T19:38:09Z")
[QUOTE=Justin\_Bailey] They both have people prejudiced against them for entirely unforgivable reasons, but one is not more hurt by it than the other. It’s a total wash. [/QUOTE] I don’t know that you can say that. It may well be the case, but I’d need to see a cite breaking down the effects of various prejudices before I’d agree that neither Hillary nor Obama are being more hurt by prejudice. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sir-elton-john-self-righteous-git/444902.md?page=2)