Democrat says those calling Susan Rice "incompetent" are using "racial code words"

[dsummoner]

Speaking of the incompetent, McCain, the son of an Admiral, graduated near the bottom of his class at the Naval academy. He also chose Sarah Palin as his running mate in 2008

But is it 'code' to call McCain incompetent for his academic performance (elder discrimination and a racist hate of Whitey as well as sexism for having chosen Palin)... surely it must be because to suggest otherwise (excluding age and sex) would be supportive of a race based differing set of standards (which is racist by definition).

[dsummoner]

I don't think anyone's trying to give her a free pass. She repeated the information that she was given -- how is that "incompetent" or "lazy."?

When Donald Rumsfeld repeated intelligence on Iraqi weapons of mass destruction, was he called incompetent when those weapons were not found? Was he called lazy?

The 'lazy' aspect is one that I have not propounded. Rumsfeld's repeated statements were incompetent (repeatedly). The incompetent adjective works with both the regurgitation of talking points and even more so if were not merely the regurgitation of talking points.

[musicmd]

Maybe if we stop looking for racism every time someone says something we may do better.

Who said you had to look?

[soulflower]

Would it be acceptable to describe a well educated and accomplished white person as lazy or incompetent?

What if the person is question is actually lazy and/or incompetent?

Like I said, a dictionary would be helpful. The list seems to grow as time goes on.

I'll make it easier for you

"Stupid is as stupid does"

Don't call people stupid unless they've done something stupid...

[musicmd]

But is it 'code' to call McCain incompetent for his academic performance (elder discrimination and a racist hate of Whitey as well as sexism for having chosen Palin)... surely it must be because to suggest otherwise (excluding age and sex) would be supportive of a race based differing set of standards (which is racist by definition).

Great info.

[Phineas Finn]

The USIC has propounded a number of reasons for hiding its incompetence. 'Valid' is in the eye of the beholder. The actual harm comes from an administration independent view that is to be opaque to those to whom it purportedly answers to (the citizenry). Hiding information, lying to the American public and claiming secrecy/privilege where no rational justification for the existence of the same is present is actual harm.



Yes, 'we' do.

"Not valid" is also in the eye of the beholder.

It sounds like you're saying that the administration has an obligation to disbelieve the Intelligence Community and to carry ot its own investigation. If, as has been speculated on this forum, a CIA installation in the consulate annex was a possible reason for the attack, wouldn't withholding a statement on a terrorist connection be justified? Does any administration have an obligation to make public all information it receives from the intelligence community? Hell, last year I helped release a declassified version of Senate Executive Sessions that took place in 1967 -- and some parts are still classified.

[Jeebus]

She's very light-skinned and skin-tone is the most important factor in employment for black Americans.

In America especially, Harrison says, when people think of race or race relations they commonly think of black and white. In fact, skin tone differences are responsible for increasing differences in perceptions within standard racially defined groups such as “blacks.” This diversity within races based on skin complexion has a long history but only recently have researchers begun to understand what these differences can mean.

“Our results indicate that there appears to be a skin tone preference in regards to job selection,” said Harrison. “This finding is possibly due to the common belief that fair-skinned blacks probably have more similarities with whites than do dark-skinned blacks, which in turn makes whites feel more comfortable around them.”

Society, he said, equates lighter skin with attractiveness, intelligence, competency and likeability, while we are often given a “much more dismal and bleak picture” of those who have darker skin.

She could probably "pass" and appears to have "good hair" too,

[soulflower]

How about "clean", "bright" and "articulate"? "Light skinned" and "no Negro dialect"?

How about avoiding historically racial code words and dog whistles all together?

[Phineas Finn]

The 'lazy' aspect is one that I have not propounded. Rumsfeld's repeated statements were incompetent (repeatedly). The incompetent adjective works with both the regurgitation of talking points and even more so if were not merely the regurgitation of talking points.

I don't think anything Rumfeld said was incompetent -- they were lies, lies told in what he and the administration believed to be a valid National Security objective. He certainly wasn't incompetent.

Now, if Rice had seen all the available intelligence and knew it was terrorist attack, then she lied -- and if you don't believe there was a valid reason to lie then that's a reason to oppose her as a future Secretary of State, but it's definitely not incompetent.

[Phineas Finn]

How about avoiding historically racial code words and dog whistles all together?

I think the problem is that many people are arguing that all words should mean the same thing to all people -- no matter what their background or historical perspective may be. Now, whether those arguments are sincere is a matter for an individual's conscience.

[LarryN]

How about avoiding historically racial code words and dog whistles all together?

What if we don't know that the word "incompetent" was a racial code word or a dog whistle? That is the whole point, there seem to be new code words and whistles every day. When those on the left use ones that are not so new, they seem to get a pass....oh, that's just Joe & Harry being Joe & Harry. yuck, yuck, yuck.

Sometimes, incompetent is just incompetent.

Since we stupid whiteys don't seem to know, what word should have been chosen by someone (white) who was of the opinion that Dr. Rice was incompetent?

[dsummoner]

"Not valid" is also in the eye of the beholder.

It sounds like you're saying that the administration has an obligation to disbelieve the Intelligence Community and to carry ot its own investigation. If, as has been speculated on this forum, a CIA installation in the consulate annex was a possible reason for the attack, wouldn't withholding a statement on a terrorist connection be justified? Does any administration have an obligation to make public all information it receives from the intelligence community? Hell, last year I helped release a declassified version of Senate Executive Sessions that took place in 1967 -- and some parts are still classified.

The administration (as with all administrations) has an obligation to have competent people involved with the intelligence cycle and furthermore has an obligation to be honest with the citizens.

The CIA annex was in a different location than the Consulate. The presence of the CIA in Benghazi was well known in very short course following the incident and before the talking points were distributed (what specifically the CIA was doing there remains to be answered). Given that (a) the attack had already happened and (b) the CIA's presence there was already exposed, what rationale does one have for withholding a statement of terrorist involvement?

One would rather see more disclosure than less and a reversal of the trend of stamping 'top secret' on virtually everything. In regards to your last point, what possible basis is there for keeping information from a (the) Senate Executive Sessions that took place in 1967 secret in 2011/2012?

[ms maggie]

Calling her incompetent is not racial. It is completely inaccurate however. And actually if you look at McCain, somewhat off the rails hysterical.

[Creekman]

Speaking of the incompetent, McCain, the son of an Admiral, graduated near the bottom of his class at the Naval academy. He also chose Sarah Palin as his running mate in 2008

How did he get in the Naval Academy in the first place? Did being the son of an Admiral have anything to do with it? How many more deserving candidates for admission were passed over?

[soulflower]

I think the problem is that many people are arguing that all words should mean the same thing to all people -- no matter what their background or historical perspective may be. Now, whether those arguments are sincere is a matter for an individual's conscience.

Lots of Words can have entirely different meanings depending on the context.

[BlandFood]

Rice is a Rhodes scholar. She has a PhD. She has over two decades of experience in foreign policy.

So yes, calling her incompetent or unqualified is insulting.

It's fine to disagree with her or her philosophy. But when Repubs throw around loaded terms like 'incompetent' or 'unqualified' it rubs people the wrong way...

So is Clinton, an accused rapist several times over. Is a Rhodes scholar automatically qualified to be a jet fighter pilot? Can they not also be both incompetent and unqualified to do so?

Rice is obviously out of her league, she sucks, the congressional black choir see's boogie men even when they knowingly don't.

[LarryN]

How did he get in the Naval Academy in the first place? Did being the son of an Admiral have anything to do with it? How many more deserving candidates for admission were passed over?

I would guess just one.

[LarryN]

So is Clinton, an accused rapist several times over. Is a Rhodes scholar automatically qualified to be a jet fighter pilot? Can they not also be both incompetent and unqualified to do so?

Rice is obviously out of her league, she sucks, the congressional black choir see's boogie men even when they knowingly don't.

Jet fighter pilots don't necessarily qualify as competent, as we learned with our last president.

[soulflower]

What if we don't know that the word "incompetent" was a racial code word or a dog whistle? That is the whole point, there seem to be new code words and whistles every day. When those on the left use ones that are not so new, they seem to get a pass....oh, that's just Joe & Harry being Joe & Harry. yuck, yuck, yuck.

Sometimes, incompetent is just incompetent.

Since we stupid whiteys don't seem to know, what word should have been chosen by someone (white) who was of the opinion that Dr. Rice was incompetent?

I don't make the rules. Maybe you should spend some time living in the deep south so you can familiarize yourself with this stuff

[BlandFood]

I'll make it easier for you

"Stupid is as stupid does"

Don't call people stupid unless they've done something stupid...

Parroting Bobo is wrong, if one actually believes him that is stupid.