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As a rule, I make a deliberate and conscious effort to ignore the former half-term governor of Alaska. But once in a great while, attention must be paid.
Like many conservative pundits, Sarah Palin is criticizing President Obama for his administration's inconsistent statements on the Benghazi, Libya, attack. Unlike many conservative pundits, Palin used the term "shuck and jive" to describe Obama's behavior.
In a Facebook post today, Palin wrote: "Obama's Shuck and Jive Ends With Benghazi Lies." She also used the term in the text of the post, which concludes, "President Obama's shuck and jive shtick with these Benghazi lies must end."
Let's put aside, at least for now, the fact that the latest Benghazi revelations appear to be entirely uninteresting, and even the most unhinged White House critics are yet to document any administration "lies" associated with last month's attack.
Let's instead ponder a fairly straightforward, two-part question: "Shuck and jive"? Seriously?
It's quite possible that Palin just isn't informed enough to understand the phrase she used (more than once), so Alex Halperin referenced the Urban Dictionary:
To shuck and jive" originally referred to the intentionally misleading words and actions that African-Americans would employ in order to deceive racist Euro-Americans in power, both during the period of slavery and afterwards. The expression was documented as being in wide usage in the 1920s, but may have originated much earlier.
"Shucking and jiving" was a tactic of both survival and resistance. A slave, for instance, could say eagerly, "Oh, yes, Master," and have no real intention to obey. Or an African-American man could pretend to be working hard at a task he was ordered to do, but might put up this pretense only when under observation. Both would be instances of "doin' the old shuck 'n jive."
As Jeffrey Goldberg concluded, Palin's choice of words "isn't an example of a racist dog-whistle because it's too obviously racist to be considered code."
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I can name Idiots all day long, But what scars me is these guys, the right wing may get power in the next term. The House, the Presidency. We are all in trouble!
When I see the name Palin, I take it for what it is worth: nothing, and I move on. Sarah Palin and her opinions mean nothing and I won't waste my time on her. However, during the last election in Newport News, VA I became concerned when I saw a derogatory sign posted in front of the polls (on the lawn in front of the front door of the school). I would have reported it to the elections board but didn't know how to contact them. It was then that I realized that Sarah and the Republican party are all nothing. They are stupid, bullies and not the least bit afraid of what the laws are in this country. If the Republicans get their way, America will become like the Vatican. A group of people living in a small location doing to bidding of a fat male leader. Leader is used loosely here. I see the Republican party as the party of black knights who serve the usurper to the throne and all of the rest of us, wenches and knaves as serfs to serve the landed and wealthy.
By the way, I do believe it is illegal to campaign on the grounds of a polling place and to do so in an ugly, nasty way is not forgiveable, especially when it can be seen by children who learn by example and a poor one at that.
You say you didn't know how to report an egregious offense such as you describe to the elections board? Well, you could have gone into the polling place and reported to the person in charge, or anyone who could contact the board, to report it to them. You might have called information on your cell phone, if you had one, asked for the phone number of the Board of Elections, and they could have connected you. Or you could have taken the sign down yourself. See how easy that could have been? Remember it if you see this again on November 6!
I am Africian American, and I am not angered nor surprised by Sarah Palin's comment. Sarah Palin is an idiot. She is the poster child for a racist. What I am curious about is how Palin came accross that language in the first place. It's not like she runs in circles where that language is being used. Has someone in the Republican Party researched and written a book with offensive language to use toward African Americans (especially this President)? What I am sadend by and angry with is this climate of hatred and extremism we are living in again. Today, I am experiencing the same meaness and intolerance that my great grandparents endured. And yes, that makes me an angry women who happens to be black. "Post racial society"? I don't think so.
I thought the same thing when I heard the term she used , I have not heard that since the early 80's , these people are proactive racists , their racism inspires everything they do , it is disturbing
And you here the old school politicians saying they have not seen hatred like this since the kennedy days , I have a feeling if the civil war folks were still around they would confirm the same thing
I honestly thought shuck and jive was a dance style from the disco era. Remember Jive Talking by the BeeGees? There's my ethnic diversity for you.
Goldberg is only half right. It IS a dogwhistle to racist whites who don't even know the meaning of the word beyond a vague sense of "blacks acting sneaky." To anyone with a conscience and a shred of context, it's screamingly racist.
And I don't know why I decided to read a comment thread on Palin. Defending her from fauxgressive libs was not on my to-do list today.
Does ms palin have any idea where these places are in the world? Her tone is racist, her message meaningless and her input moot as usual. She is not funny any more, just pathetic.
Word on the Street is: Palin loved Shucking and Jiving with at least one big, black buck. She will do and say anything for a pay day. But I would not dare stoop to the dirt she pals around in.
Sarah Palin is a racist, she's really an Archie Bunker type of racist, only she really does know what she is saying, just like he did. She still can't accept that there's a black president, moreover, that she lost to him. There goes that great theory of blacks being inferior to whites. Palin is in a position to change the views of many people in this world instead she chose to start racist uprising. I'm totally disgusted by Palin and Donald Trump...what misery their lives much be.
Palin clearly isn't very smart, and this is a bonehead comment. But is it racist? Would you declare Obama's press secretary racist for using exactly the same expression in much the same context? http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2011/09/07/carney_im_going_to_shuck_and_jive.html
How do you spell racist? R-E-P-U-B-L-I-C-A-N
Palin is clearly not very smart, and this is a bonehead comment. But racist? Was Obama's press secretary Jay Carney racist for using the same comment in a similar context.
As a newbie posting to this site, I'm apparently not able to post html links. But google "Jay Carney" and "shuck and jive" and you can see the White House vid of Carney on the Real Clear Politics site.
Think independently. Be honest with yourselves and others. Foster achieving common ground for the common good. And work to end the extremist two-party, money-driven, and media-perpetuated system that breeds corruption and intellectual dishonesty.
Sorry for the double-post of the same link!
Palin is too stupid to realize that something is to obvious to be code. She meant it to be racist, and she probably thought she was being clever.
I think she's getting back at Obama for saying the only difference between a pit bull and a hockey mom is lipstick. Politics is nasty business. Don't dish it if you can't take it. Better yet, if you can't take it get out of politics because whether or not you dish it your political opponent will serve up some outrageous or false accusations for you to take anyway.
When all the racists die and go to Heaven they are going to see a dark skinned God sitting on the throne. It would serve them right.
Remember when Palin was all unhinged over someone using the word "retard" in the last campaign? Being rightly insulted by the word. However, Ann Coulter used that word several times in reference to President Obama recently and, lo and behold, not a word from Shrieky Sarah. Guess only TPs can use that word.
Am I the only one who believes Ann Coulter is the real life personification of the phrase "Blond Bimbo" ?...
Could there actually be a trace of cephalic matter inside her Cranium ?..
Juts a thought..
I guess this means hunting season is over in Alaska ?...
To Chris Boese, malarkey. Stop it por favor. Give me a break with this.
So lets be clear, because you went to HIGH SCHOOL with her, that makes you the Palin aficionado?
" You people kill me"... ( hmmm, wonder what connotation I was emoting with that phrase?) Oh, that's right, I didn't go to HIGH SCHOOL with Chris so she wouldn't know.
Chris, Palin has the INTERNET now, I'm sure she knows a lot more then she did in HIGH SCHOOL
geeeeeeez-usssss
Every time I read something like this it saddens me. As an Afro-Canadian woman, even though I can't vote in your election, I was so proud of the success of the first black president of the USA. As a born-again believer this is my advice. Mrs. Palin, you claim to be a christian. Then you should know that the bible says that we must pray for our leaders (good or bad ones). Hebrews 13: 1-7/ 1timothy 2:1-4. We must not disrespect them; and it is very evident to me that you and your kind have no respect for President Obama nor his presidency; & it's because he's black. You Republicans have been saying it from day one; Your most important goal is to take back the white house. What does that even mean; take it back from whom? As far as I know it's not in foreign hands. And why the constant ridiculous, relentless push to try to prove that Obama is not an American, to try to disqualify him?All of you should be ashamed of yourselves. Racism has no place in the heart of anyone who claims to have Jesus Christ as their Saviour. By the way; which Party do you think the KKK is backing? JUST THINK ABOUT IT FOLKS. Remember that scripture says there is no little sin & no big sin. It's all the same to God. So the lies that Romney tells every time he opens his mouth are just as bad as the abortion and the homosexuality that you speak out against. How can you trust a man who does not speak the truth? I would be scared to turn my back on him. Romney will choose any action he feels like then say he never made any commitment to the contrary. It just tells me how intense your hatred of President Obama is. You are willing to do anything to get him out of the White house- ,one of your cronies even had it on his tee shirt "PUT THE WHITE BACK IN THE WHITE HOUSE" You will associate even with scum, the basest of people, just to get rid of Obama. Be careful. The stench will rub off on you. You openly pretend to be indignant about that tee shirt- Don't insult our intelligence. You probably covertly said "WAY TO GO GUY!!!" Be careful an open mike may be around!
I find it interesting you leave out an important part of the Urban Dictionary definition.
"It has been adopted into non-Afroamerican speech, with a reference to behavior adopted in order to avoid criticism."
You libs need to update your vocabulary. I'm in a business where there is a lot of shuck and jive and it exclusively deals with somebody trying to pull the wool over your eyes, hide something, evade, distract, etc.
So you and Goldberg are right, her comments were obviously racist, especially to people who always look at anything anyone says in terms of race, in other words, racists. Congratulations, you've all outed yourselves.
I take it you used that term on whitey just yesterday , huh Hoss?
Whether I have used the term or not in the past is irrelevant. I've heard it many times, it's never occurred to me that there was anything racial about it. Hey, the author of the column brought the Urban Dictionary definition front and center, and he removed from the definition how I've always heard it used. He did that for a very important reason, to deceive you, the reader. Why else would he remove it? If you're into that sort of thing fine, move along, I thought it was dishonest of him to do so, so I called him on it. If you wish to reply with another straw man, feel free to do so, I'm going to bed.
I just find anal white conservatives talking like black folks pretty funny , especially when they reach back to the 70's for the lingo , will she lay a pimp smack on us next?
Palin is a conservative non racists , which in regular world translates into a bigoted low life
Dumb bitch. Enough said.
Just a thought...
If Sarrah Palin was the last woman left standing in this world...
What would jesus do ?...
feel free to comment...
Sarah Palin IS a retard.
Nothing that woman says surprises me anymore. She is in the same category of loony-toon as Ann Coulter and Donald Trump.
By the way, I heard that Mr. Trump is offering $5 million to a charity of the president's choice if he releases his college transcripts and passport history. I think Obama should respond that if Mitt Romney releases 5 more years of full, unedited tax returns, he will release the transcripts and passport info. If he did that, Trump would have to crawl back under his rock. We all know Romney will not release the tax returns.
Do the Republicans have to STEAL elections because they can't win any other way?
We've gone from "hanging chads in 2000" to changing laws, threats, throwing out ballots and now we have the $5 million offer on the table... wow, really?
We must look like a bunch of thugs to these other countries watching our election.
Embarrassing.
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2011/09/07/carney_im_going_to_shuck_and_jive.html