Retardgate is back

[DaShi]

I'm not that interested in this, because it's to be expected that Palin's child with down syndrome would be made fun of by some in the media. It's a sad fact about the world we live in.

And when did this happen?

[Elok]

The more I think about the FG bit, the more I wonder WTF the point of it was. It's not really insulting Palin as such, nor really making fun of Down's Syndrome. It's just some gratuitous name-dropping that superficially appears like a slam but, on closer examination, has no real meaning. Its only conceivable purpose, AFAICT, was to earn a little buzz by jostling Palin's illogical sense of moral outrage. If so, it succeeded, and my congrats to McFarlane.

[Ecofarm]

I've tried to watch FG a few times. I have friends who say it is great. I think it sucks bigtime. I like SouthPark.

[Guynemer]

The more I think about the FG bit, the more I wonder WTF the point of it was. It's not really insulting Palin as such, nor really making fun of Down's Syndrome. It's just some gratuitous name-dropping that superficially appears like a slam but, on closer examination, has no real meaning. Its only conceivable purpose, AFAICT, was to earn a little buzz by jostling Palin's illogical sense of moral outrage. If so, it succeeded, and my congrats to McFarlane.

Precisely accurate, on all counts. It was just more of Family Guy's "cultural reference" = "humor" bull****.

Don't get me wrong, I love Stewie and Brian and Quagmire. But beyond that, the show sucks.

[Ecofarm]

The whole debate has absolutely nothing to do with that, but he undercut our side with that.

It has plenty to do with that.

It establishes that this was an isolated incident in specific context; therefore, it cannot be extracted from that context to stand on its own as some kind of personal statement. End of story. You lose.

[Guynemer]

Bull****, bull****, bull****.

It doesn't matter if he never said "******" before. He said it now, not just as a quote, in the same context as Rahm, agreeing with Rahm. He did the exact same thing. Palin chastises Rahm, but excuses Rush. That is blatant, bald-faced hypocrisy on her part, period.

[Ecofarm]

Nice little tantrum. What's wrong? Lil Guy can't have everything he wants all the time?

Tell you what... We can give you your baba. "Rush is a sexist, racist, homophobic ******-hater".

There... all better now, sweetie?

We'll put your "Sarah is an ignorant fundie ******" binky in the crib in case you need that too.

[DaShi]

You couldn't think of a good response, so you edited your post just make a lame insult?

[Guynemer]

Nice little tantrum. What's wrong? Lil Guy can't have everything he wants all the time?

Tell you what... We can give you your baba. "Rush is a sexist, racist, homophobic ******-hater".

There... all better now, sweetie?

****.


How many times have I said that this isn't about Rush? He can say whatever the **** he wants, and he does, bless his heart.

This is about the bobble-headed moron not even bothering to mask her partisan hypocrisy, even when it comes to a supposed insult to her offspring.

We'll put your "Sarah is an ignorant fundie ******" binky in the crib in case you need that too.

She may well be all three of those things, but that's not what this is about.

****.

[a.kitman]

if i read rush right here he is actaully more critical of palin then rahm. even if he doesnt all out say it.

and of course he is gona take the opportunity to call dems retarded here, thats his job. you get a chance to get away whit something you pounce.

i think palin is doing the republicans a disservice here. would of been a good opportunity to make the dems fight more among eachother then they already are. but instead she wants more attention.

[KrazyHorse]

****.


How many times have I said that this isn't about Rush? He can say whatever the **** he wants, and he does, bless his heart.

This is about the bobble-headed moron not even bothering to mask her partisan hypocrisy, even when it comes to a supposed insult to her offspring.







She may well be all three of those things, but that's not what this is about.

****.

What gave you the idea that "****" is bolded?

[Guynemer]

I know that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and I do enjoy being on your dick constantly, but I felt that I'd give it my own little twist. Especially given the context of the argument, I felt it appropriate.

[Jon Miller]

I would take Guy, KH, the status of a doctor beats other considerations.

JM

[MrFun]

I do have to admit, that from the thread title, I thought this discussion was going to be about libertarians.

[Ecofarm]

San Diego, California (CNN) -- Sarah Palin has awesome power. We already knew that she had the power to drive liberal Democrats crazy. They don't respect her, but they sure do fear her.

And this week we learned that Palin also has the power to make those same liberal Democrats forget all the preaching they've shared with the rest of us over the years about the importance of tolerance and defending those with special needs.

Like, say, a little boy with Down syndrome who will be two years old in April but who has already been the butt of a national joke by the brainless and heartless creator and producers of the Fox animated comedy, "Family Guy."

In a recent episode, the character Chris is dating a teenage girl with Down syndrome, and when he asks her what her parents do, she says, "My dad's an accountant, and my mom is the former governor of Alaska."

Get it? If you don't get it, you're trying awfully hard not to get it. All week, the Palin haters have made feeble attempts to excuse away the offense.

It's a teenage girl, not a 2-year-old boy. Palin isn't even mentioned. How is this scene an attack on anyone, let alone a child with Down syndrome? Yada, yada.

Please. The whole reason the gag was inserted into that scene in the first place is because it was assumed that the audience would know exactly who the dig was aimed it. Otherwise the joke doesn't work. When the bit is taken literally, the target is Palin's son Trig. But clearly, the intended target was Palin. With the former GOP vice presidential candidate, bestselling author, television commentator and high-priced speaker riding high, this was about trying to take her down a peg.

As someone who is paid to do the same thing with politicians, I'd normally have a hard time criticizing a jab at a public figure -- even if I like the person, as is the case with Palin. But here, liberal Hollywood made it easy.

This gag was unfunny, unkind and unnecessary.

Unfunny because I doubt liberals would have found the humor in a bit showing President Clinton, one of their icons, having a heart attack.

Unkind because at the center of all this is a toddler with Down syndrome who, as Palin's daughter Bristol wrote on her mom's Facebook page, already has a hard life in store -- filled with intolerance, prejudice and limitations imposed by others. David Tolleson, head of the Atlanta-based National Down Syndrome Congress, called parts of the gag "hurtful and stereotypical."

And unnecessary because there are a million different ways to have written that scene that wouldn't have been so cruel.

Wanna take Palin down a peg? Fine. But don't use her child to do it -- especially this child.

Again, it's disappointing that none of this seems to bother those on the left who are, it turns out, much more willing to put up with intolerance when it's aimed at one of their nemeses. But liberals aren't the only ones veering off their script.

Conservatives are, too. After years of telling women, minorities, gays and lesbians, and others to lighten up and not be so overly sensitive to flashes of intolerance and bigotry, now folks on the right are singing a different tune. They're outraged -- and circling the wagons around Palin.

Good. Glad to hear it. They should be outraged. But does this mean I can count on their support the next time there's an insensitive or offensive comment, cartoon, caricature or other item that goes beyond the pale and offends someone they don't care about?

And what of Hollywood? How much consistency do we find there? Not much.

"Family Guy" creator Seth McFarlane told the Los Angeles Times in a statement that he's "an equal opportunity offender" and that "from its inception, 'Family Guy' has used biting satire as the foundation of its humor."

This is the same show that, during the presidential election, compared Palin and running mate John McCain to Nazis. In an episode that aired in October 2008, some of the characters are transported back in time to Nazi Germany where they try to blend in by pilfering uniforms of the Third Reich, one of which had a McCain/Palin button on the lapel.

This is the same Seth McFarlane who, that same month, spoke at an Obama-Biden rally at Bowling Green State University in Ohio, where he took shots at Republicans and urged students to support the Democratic ticket.

Equal opportunity offender? I've seen the show. It's not that funny. But the guy behind it is a riot.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/02/22/navarrette.palin.family.guy/index.html?hpt=C2

I didn't know FG was so left-wing. I thought it just sucked naturally.