# Stupid Republican idea of the day **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 26, 2009, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897 "2009-03-26T18:48:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1511
**Author:** ![Punoqllads](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@Punoqllads](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Punoqllads)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/30202 "2016-07-20T08:18:47Z")
> [@marshmallow](#): > > Liberals support the selling, commodification, and objectification of women’s bodies in porn, prostitution, mass media marketing (TV/movies/commercials), and beauty culture. They also generally encourage women to be as promiscuous as possible, whether it’s called free love or no strings attached. This is all called empowering, but it’s really just repackaged patriarchy. Wow, that is indeed a stupid Republican idea. Thanks for sharing! ---
**Author:** ![DerekMichaels00](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f14d63/32.png) [@DerekMichaels00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DerekMichaels00)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/30203 "2016-07-20T10:17:21Z")
probably the lucifer comparison on part of Ben Carson, which is sad; Ben Carson, on the whole, is usually a respectable guy, but he went a bit too far with the whole GOP convention thing last night. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/30204 "2016-07-20T12:03:32Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > There’s so much wrong going on there, I don’t even know where to start. Short version: “Liberals don’t think women should be slut-shamed, therefore liberals want all women to be sluts.” ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/30205 "2016-07-20T12:12:05Z")
> [@DerekMichaels00](#): > > probably the lucifer comparison on part of Ben Carson, which is sad; Ben Carson, on the whole, is usually a respectable guy, but he went a bit too far with the whole GOP convention thing last night. He’s been a wingnut for years. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/30206 "2016-07-20T15:40:54Z")
> [@marshmallow](#): > > …it’s really just repackaged patriarchy… The root cause of “patriarchy” (scare quotes only because it means so many different things to different people) is Darwinism. The female primate always knows the baby is hers, the male primate always has to wonder if maybe it was the cabana boy. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/30207 "2016-07-20T15:45:19Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > I’m a lifelong Democrat, so I’m not sure what you mean by “my party.” Dixiecrats don’t count. > [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > Yes, there are racist Republicans. Doesn’t mean every little thing they do is racist. Stick with the actual, deliberate racist stuff - as you note, there’s plenty of that. Harping on stupid crap like this just plays into their hands by letting them say we’re focused on dumb stuff that isn’t really racist. Don’t give them that ammunition - as you note, there’s plenty of real racism to bash them with. The GOP is more racist than not. Until that changes, its easier, and more accurate, to assume what they do is out of racism than incompetence. But I’m curious, what examples of actual racist stuff do you believe the GOP has done which you would rather have us focus on? > [@Muffin](#): > > Does this mean that if Trump wins he will copy Mr. Obama’s policies the way his boopsie has copied Ms. Obama’s speech? I eagerly await the speech Trump is going to give saying that he was a young, black boy living in Indonesia that pulled himself up from his bootstraps to become a rich white man from New York 😃 > [@Trion](#): > > [http://theslot.jezebel.com/new-explanation-for-melania-trumps-plagiarism-twilight-1783926574](http://theslot.jezebel.com/new-explanation-for-melania-trumps-plagiarism-twilight-1783926574) > > Melania, I’ve watched Twilight Sparkle. I respect Twilight Sparkle. Twilight Sparkle is a friend of all ponies. Melania, you’re no Twilight Sparkle. Is this even real life? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/30208 "2016-07-20T15:56:33Z")
> [@YogSothoth](#): > > Is this even real life? :eek: Yep. Saw it live on CNN. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/30209 "2016-07-20T15:59:18Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Short version: “Liberals don’t think women should be slut-shamed, therefore liberals want all women to be sluts.” Yeah, that about sums it up. Not that there’s anything wrong with sluts of course. Everybody loves a good slut. Sluts are fun. Like pirates ! ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/30210 "2016-07-20T16:07:10Z")
But I could not approve of “Talk Like A Slut Day”. Too many of us guys are kinda stupid, and would _totally_ get the wrong idea. ---
**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:** [July 20, 2016, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/30211 "2016-07-20T16:29:02Z")
> [@DerekMichaels00](#): > > probably the lucifer comparison on part of Ben Carson, which is sad; _ **Ben Carson, on the whole, is usually a respectable guy,** _ but he went a bit too far with the whole GOP convention thing last night. Emphasis mine. Now that is a stupid Republican idea. ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/30212 "2016-07-20T17:15:08Z")
This just in: In a press release from Hell Satan has expressed his displeasure with being linked to Hillary Clinton. “I’ve been enjoying watching the convention so far”, said the Prince of Darkness, “but this shit is too much.” He added that he’s not sure who he’s going to vote for but does like the way Donald Trump says what’s on his mind. ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/30213 "2016-07-20T17:38:55Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > I strongly, strongly disagree with this point – ignorance or knowledge of racist ideas and the history of racism is a sign of absolutely nothing with regards to racism – plenty of racists know almost nothing about the history of racism, and plenty of non-racist people know tons about it. I see no reason whatsoever why they would be correlated. Of course they can be correlated. Someone raised in an environment free of racism is probably going to be pretty ignorant about racism, at least its details. > [@](#): > > In fact, I think racist Americans probably know _a lot less_ about the history of racism and discrimination, in general, than Americans who aren’t racist. Do you disagree with this? No, but that doesn’t negate the fact that some people who know relatively little about racism may be non-racists. ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/30214 "2016-07-20T17:40:55Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > I was going to ask if you are really _that_ stupid, **lance** , but I see that you are. > > Let’s break it down even further for you: A political party wanting to run the country **had fucking well better be aware** of racism and its history in this country. Anything less just proves their total ethical bankruptcy. I didn’t say “a political party” dumbass. We’re talking about individual people. But thanks for your input. Kindly refrain from calling people stupid until you’ve checked, and double-checked, that you’re not the stupid one. ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/30215 "2016-07-20T17:47:25Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > We’ve had this conversation before. This is a very bad thing and inexcusable in modern America. The history of racism and oppression must be learned and understood in order to be avoided in the future, as well as in order to fully understand present day interactions and events. Sure, but that’s not the same as saying if you accidentally, innocently say or write something that someone could see race in, you’re a racist or you’re evil for not realizing it. > [@](#): > > Especially for anyone involved in politics and governance. Absolutely inexcusable. I agree. But the guy who printed directional signs for a convention center probably isn’t who you’re thinking of. > [@](#): > > Jokes are different than the history of segregation. It’s absolutely a terrible thing to be ignorant of it when we’re just a couple of generations removed (or even closer for other forms of oppression and discrimination), and when many living people suffered through it (and some still are). I disagree. Racist jokes were a way of spreading and affirming racism. People not telling them and not hearing them and not knowing them is a strong sign of racial progress. > [@](#): > > Maybe in 500 years it will be different (hopefully). But today, such ignorance of history is a terrible thing that should be challenged and criticized. Back to the elevator sign. There’s two issues here - did the person who wrote it know the history? And did he stop to think about how the sign could be percieved as part of that history? He probably did know the history. But I bet he just didn’t think about it, because he isn’t constnatly thinking about every little thing in terms of race. It just didn’t occur to him. It’s just a color-coded elevator sign, just like a “green zone” or “red phone.” THAT is the important part. It’s just a sign. There was no racial intent. Maybe it should be removed, but you can’t blame him for putting it up and you should stop and think that maybe the fact that people aren’t constantly thinking about race and racism in every detail is a sign of progress. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/30216 "2016-07-20T18:08:16Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > Of course they can be correlated. > > Someone raised in an environment free of racism is probably going to be pretty ignorant about racism, at least its details. So in a fantasy or science fiction world? Or in the (hopefully not too far!) future? Because that’s not the real world. I’ll allow exceptions for those raised by cults or kidnappers inside caves and basements. > [@](#): > > No, but that doesn’t negate the fact that some people who know relatively little about racism may be non-racists. In the modern real world version of America, unless someone has been raised in a cave without media and human contact outside family, this type of lack of knowledge of history for an adult American is either extreme ignorance or just not caring at all. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/30217 "2016-07-20T18:11:18Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > I didn’t say “a political party” dumbass. We’re talking about individual people. But thanks for your input. > > Kindly refrain from calling people stupid until you’ve checked, and double-checked, that you’re not the stupid one. Shut the fuck up, moron. Your head is buried so deep in your ass you can hear your liver rotting. Last time I checked, a political party is made up of…wait for it…human beings. None of whom had the mental capacity to notice, comprehend or recognize their problem. A lot like you, actually. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/30218 "2016-07-20T18:14:21Z")
2 days later, Trump campaign[finally acknowledges](http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-aide-takes-responsibility-for-melania-speech/ar-BBuzaBR?li=BBnb7Kz)the Melanie speech was plagiarized. Wonder if anybody would like to take back their earlier defense. Christie? Manafort? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/30219 "2016-07-20T18:19:41Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > Sure, but that’s not the same as saying if you accidentally, innocently say or write something that someone could see race in, you’re a racist or you’re evil for not realizing it. Where did I say they were racist or evil? Deserving criticism doesn’t mean they’re racist or evil necessarily. But they still deserve to be criticized. > [@](#): > > I agree. But the guy who printed directional signs for a convention center probably isn’t who you’re thinking of. I think it’s very likely there were multiple people within the chain that made this decision, and who later saw the results of this decision, who should have known better and either ignored it because they didn’t care or because they were too ignorant. > [@](#): > > I disagree. Racist jokes were a way of spreading and affirming racism. People not telling them and not hearing them and not knowing them is a strong sign of racial progress. You misunderstand me – I’m saying jokes are different than the history of racism. It’s no problem if people don’t get racist jokes, but everyone should know about the history of segregation and racism such that the “white elevator” thing would be very obviously inappropriate. We agree on jokes, and I have no interest in teaching children racist jokes for any purpose. Not knowing about racist jokes is fine with me. To clarify, I wouldn’t consider stuff like calling black people monkeys and apes “jokes”, considering the history of their association with brutality, oppression, and dehumanization. Those (and similar rhetoric) were rhetorical weapons used in conjunction with brutality to oppress. Ignorance of the very common rhetoric like this associated with brutality is not something that it’s “good” to be ignorant about. > [@](#): > > Back to the elevator sign. There’s two issues here - did the person who wrote it know the history? And did he stop to think about how the sign could be percieved as part of that history? > > He probably did know the history. But I bet he just didn’t think about it, because he isn’t constnatly thinking about every little thing in terms of race. It just didn’t occur to him. It’s just a color-coded elevator sign, just like a “green zone” or “red phone.” THAT is the important part. It’s just a sign. There was no racial intent. Maybe it should be removed, but you can’t blame him for putting it up and you should stop and think that maybe the fact that people aren’t constantly thinking about race and racism in every detail is a sign of progress. I think there were numerous people involved, and who later saw the sign, who should have known better. But I don’t care about the intent (since it’s impossible to determine without mind-reading skills) – I’m not interested in bashing the guy, or calling him racist or evil. I’d say “hey dude, you screwed up and this is inappropriate, and here’s why”, with an explanation. He should feel embarrassed about it --but that doesn’t mean it’s the end of the world. He made a mistake due to ignorance and lack of sensitivity, and everyone makes this kind of mistake sometimes. He should learn why it was a mistake and go forward with the understanding necessary to avoid it in the future. Or maybe he’s an asshole, or a racist, and he’d just ignore it. In any of these cases, the criticism is appropriate and warranted, and the same goes for all the folks who had a part in the decision, and who reviewed it later, and who walked through and didn’t notice a problem. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/30220 "2016-07-20T18:22:45Z")
Getting criticized isn’t the end of the world. Everyone screws up sometimes, and sometimes a screw up can be offensive or inappropriate for various reasons. Good people will take reasonable criticism and learn from it. Assholes will clam up and refuse to budge. ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/30221 "2016-07-20T18:24:04Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > So in a fantasy or science fiction world? Or in the (hopefully not too far!) future? Because that’s not the real world. I’ll allow exceptions for those raised by cults or kidnappers inside caves and basements. > > In the modern real world version of America, unless someone has been raised in a cave without media and human contact outside family, this type of lack of knowledge of history for an adult American is either extreme ignorance or just not caring at all. What type of lack of knowledge? I didn’t specify any type, just less. Less knowledge of the ins and outs of racism - how to be a racist, so to speak, how to talk like one and act like one - is what I’m talking about here. And that’s a good thing. It doesn’t mean one is completely ignorant about it. More important, as I said, is the ability to go through life without seeing every little thing in terms of race, no matter how innocent. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=1510) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=1512)