Ken, the author of an entry in the PopeHat Blog, a conservative leaning forum, sent me an email to tell me about an email-related post he wrote. It states: "I’m just not sure how email and social networking are going to work out for the Republicans."
Using language that is a little stronger than I typically use on-line, he argues that Republicans are vulnerable to comments by extremists. "If you are a dipshit, and you are willing to commit your dipshittery to
writing (especially when that writing is easily forwarded, copied, and
linked to), then many, many more people are going to learn that you are a dipshit," he writes.
Ken gets it. While I think both parties have their share of people who say dumb things in email, he believes that the Republicans have a number of racist and/or dumb people in public places that are easily quoted. He, explained himself by adding, "Republicans have been having a little spate of trouble with
officials and staffers — usually but not always on the state level —
getting caught sending around racist jokes at President Obama’s expense."
His examples show why Republicans need to be careful:
- "Sherri Goforth, staffer to Tennessee Republican state senator Diane Black, sent around a picture showing miniature portraits of the nation’s presidents, with the last spot occupied by two big eyes peering out of the dark. Ha ha! Because black people don’t show up on camera because they are so black! ...
- Trey Walker, aide to Republican South Carolina Attorney General Henry McMaster, talking about how Michelle Obama is a gorilla’s descendant; or
- Diann Jones, a Republican Party vice-chair from Dallas, sending an email about the “black house” to judges and then getting shirty about it when they forwarded it to the press;
- Southern California Republican (ex)-mayor Dean Grosse, who sent around the popular-amongst-idjits watermellon-growing-on-the-White-House-lawn email;
- and so on and so on, ad nauseum and ad moronum (more collected here.)."
(bullets added to make it easier to read)
Neither party is beyond its share of stupid people who send out inappropriate things that just are not funny. I believe that there are simple rules about posting on-line or sending an email that we should all follow to protect ourselves:
- Would you be upset if your mother saw it?
- Would you be upset if the most nefarious person you ever heard about saw it?
- Would you be upset if it was on the front page of USA TODAY?
If your message fails any one of the above tests, DO NOT SEND IT! That goes for people of all political points of view.
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