Secrets of the City

Fair and balanced. Thanks for, uh, nothing, Sarah.

It actually almost hurt my feelings, Smit said.

Poor baby.

Seriously, this post is ridiculous. You want to talk prejudice? “feather headress”? “accessorized”? “highly dramatic”? “The bonus” is that it’s “loud enough to drown out her voice”?

I used to come to see decent, sensible news and discussion, but lately it’s been turning to crap. Leave it to KSTP.

I’m confused. Why isn’t this interesting? A local professor is claiming that she can’t be racist because she’s a minority. That sounds like an interesting starting point for discussion to me.

Just to clarify:

Illegal immigrant means you are here ILLEGALLY.

If our own lawmakers won’t obey the laws, where does that leave us as a society?

Discuss.

Close the borders.

“A local professor is claiming that she can’t be racist because she’s a minority. That sounds like an interesting starting point for discussion to me.”

Perhaps she thinks there has to also be some kind of power component. You can tell jokes about Norwegians being stupid in Minnesota and no one is going to consider it some kind of bigotry, because there’s really no force behind the ridicule and no real possibility of harm.

It’s kind of early for someone to be starting up the bud jr. bot. Can’t we get an upgrade for that thing?

Why does the news even cover this sort of crap?

Are there not actual news stories associated with the immigration debate that will inform and educate us?

All TV is a Jerry Springer Episode now!

Why do people watch this crap? The news should be 28 minutes of weather and 2 minutes of scrolling sports scores.

You’re right: no one’s ever done a story about the actual immigration debate.

We’ve never looked into that in an interesting, insightful way.

I wish I could find something like that on the news.

Can a minority be racist? As far as I’m concerned, whether or not she can be racist really isn’t the point. To me, name calling is name calling, stereotypes are stereotypes, hate is hate — it doesn’t matter if you’re a minority, you shouldn’t be peddling it. She’s an intelligent woman. She went to law school. Certainly she can make a more intelligent argument than calling somebody a “wetback.” Because really, what is the point of name calling? What do you gain from attacking somebody?

This argument is old — we went over it in college (and I graduated 10 years ago).

So doing good stories excuse crappy ones? I don’t understand.
If you just going for ratings maybe you could put a little disclaimer saying “This story appeals to your base instincts! Watch at your own risk!”

BJ, decency and sensibility are not high on my list of interests- so I would suggest that you do yourself a favor and just skip over my posts. P.S. How did you get the nickname “BJ,” that is totally wild!

I have a saying, “Some people are just nuts.” I think this applies to this woman. Is it news? I don’t know, but I think it is interesting. In situations like these I like to think about what if things were the opposite? I think this thread would have a much different tone if this were a white male professor espousing right-wing views in such a way. But I guess that’s more sociology…or one of those other classes I slept through.

Can a minority be a racist?

Anyone can be a racist, it’s easy! Just follow along and I’ll teach you how to join the wonderful world of racism, where being different is a bad thing and “diversity” is code for poor criminals. Welcome to Bud Jr.’s Roundtable Racism Review!

*theme music*

Simpleton: you asked: “Are there not actual news stories associated with the immigration debate that will inform and educate us?”

I answered. Do good stories excuse crappy ones? I hope so. Otherwise I’m screwed! Do your good days at work excuse your crappy ones?

And I’m with you Kevin. I think the KSTP story falls in the — this woman is nuts category. Newsworthy? Probably. Interesting? I think so.

If I didn’t know this woman, I wouldn’t have bothered writing a post on the topic. But she is a pretty colorful character and seems to have an interest in, uh, civic participation. These are the people in your neighborhood, you know?

Jason, I think you should do a story on depression among stay-at-home dads, about how some struggle with their identity, how their fathers are embarrassed to say what they do, etc.

Ugh, the tired old “minorities can’t be racist” line, which is inevitably said by someone or in defense of someone who has said or done something incredibly hurtful.

Od course minorities can be racist. If they subscribe to a belief that one race is inherently superior to another, they are racist. They may not have the social power to institutionalize their racism in any meaningful way, but they certainly can privately behave like a jackass. On a personal level, it’s equally odious when an African-American bookstore sells the Protocols of the Elders of Zion as it is when a Jewish person goes off a hateful anti-black screed.

Wait. Was it implied up there that “Good Question” was interesting and insightful? Yikes.

wait, stocking controversial books is now also racist? I mean, if that’s all you stock, sure, but maybe some people find that sort of thing interesting and the bookseller likes to cater to diverse interests. You can find plenty of hateful and racist books in B&N or Borders if you look in whatever section they keep the books by republican talking heads.

It’s just hateful because you can get it on the Internet for free.

And, just to be clear, The Protocls of the elders of Zion is not “controversial” and more than “The Turner Diaries” is controversial; nobody seriously argues that these boks are anything other that hateful tracts designed to inspire violence against minority groups. Umless a bookstore is carrying these books merely as a historical curiosity, and unless they’re contextualized — an introcution, for example, that explains the books and their particular histories — it is fair for me to assume whoever is stocking them is doing so to inspire hatred. Sure, it’s within their rights to do so, but it’s also within my rights to consider them dickweeds for doing so.

I’m curious as to what you think the “controvery” regarding the Protocols of the Elders of Zion is.

(the STILL unregistered) bud jr. bot spits out this text:

If our own lawmakers won’t obey the laws, where does that leave us as a society?

well, in another vaguely interesting context, “our lawmakers” claim that breaking the law is what’s most necessary to keep us “safe.” wonder what sort of code that will make the bud bot spout. wait, i think i know.

I’m honestly not familiar with it at all.

But then again, some people manage to pull a racist and bigoted message out of the bible, too. I thought Jesus was supposed to be the OG socialist and stuff, but people will use whatever tools are at hand to justify their predjudice. Some tools are just better than others, I guess.

I see your point about that book presented out of context (even though I’m unfamiliar with it) possibly being offensive. But unless it’s displayed prominently, esp. with multiple copies in stock or similar types of offensive material are kept in stock, I don’t know if I’d call it racist or not.

Racist might also be defined as printing a three column color photo of an escaped white sex offender on page 1 and NEVER printing ANYTHING about the stone cold killers of innocent victims in Uptown and near Block E.

Discuss.

Or go ice climbing.

That is SO COOL!

If it saves your ass from terrorists, I’m all for it!

Wiretap away!

But please close the borders.

How did you get the nickname “BJ,” that is totally wild!

Wow, some argument, Sarah. Are you Swiftee’s feminine alter-ego or something?

I’m out of here. This site used to be a good place for reasoned discussion, but there are lots of Minnesota sites where that’s still the case that deserve my time more. Sites where it’s not acceptable to call my friends and relatives “illegal” – no human being is illegal.

Bye-bye, MNSpeak.

we should have a mandatory 10 p.m. curfew for all minorities, children, and women.

breaking the law is only bad when it’s the bad kind of breaking the law. the good kind of breaking the law is, of course, good. duh!

the only legitimate motive for any human behavior is fear of islamist terrorists.

/end subroutine

Hans, you were right.

Okay, guys: is BJ’s departure more my fault or Bud’s?

I blame the minorities.*

*Not really.

I’d assign the blame to “5 EYEWITNESS NEWS”

I’m blaming it on the legendary Scandinavian lack of a sense of humor. Damn immigrants.

Did anyone notice that Bud Jr. and BJHokanson have the same initials?

And … scene.

so you blame hipsters?

Sure, count me in for that. I hate hipsters.

Posting as Mike Farrell, now that is funny!

If that’s how you talk about your “old pal[s]“, remind me to stay away from you.

I’d just like to point out BJ’s synopsis of our problem. It’s me…and a little bit of Sarah, because she’s so damn funny it often soars over heads, and bud jr. because he’s found a place where he can gleefully provoke liberals who think he’s being serious.

Here’s what BJ says: MNspeak.com
May 3, 2006
Has basically gone to shit. I don’t know if this is a factor of Rex not being in control anymore or not, but whatever the reason, the dialogue has veered way to the right, and even the front-page posts are starting to be not just ridiculous, but offensively so. MNSpeak, you were a good idea, but I won’t be reading anymore.

Keep in mind this is from a blog titled “Knowledge” so you know it’s got to be right.

And I always thought “Knowledge” was the answer to the question, “What does the ‘N’ on the Nebraska football helmet stand for?”

If that’s how you talk about your “old pal[s]“, remind me to stay away from you.

If you were referring to my post, let me clarify, I actually thought it was quite clever, I laughed out loud (but I did most certainly did not LOL). No sarcasm intended.

I can vouch for Hawkeye’s sincerity.

I wish someone would point out the obvious: It’s Rex who has gone to shit since leaving MNspeak, not the other way around.

I really wish the writer here, and the professor, would spend some time with the people in America who do the hard work. The work that pays too little, and is boring as hell. The work so many immigrants, illegal or otherwise, are doing. If they did that, for only a week, they’d be a little more hesitant to badge this academic middle child cry for attention garbage as news or important.

Read a Studs Terkel book, Ms. Lawyer cum author. Slurs are not the issue.

Dang. This whole site has turned into a Rex vs. Tom, no Matt — or should I just say Bartel — competition. Actually, it’s more accurately a Rex vs. post-Rex competition. Urgh. It is what it is. And if you don’t like it — then fix it. There is ALWAYS room for intelligent conversation. Rather than complain, simply start talking. Certainly somebody out there will have something intelligent to say. (They’re not ALL gone; are they?)

Good point. Let me start it off:

Me eat cookies! Cookies good!

Aw, god damn it. That’s about as smart as I can get. And now I want cookies.

The correct terminology is Bartel Cartel vs. Sorgatz Syndicate.

And who is in the lead — according to the Bartel Cartel?

Actually, I think the Sparber Mob is way ahead of both of us.

Only in blogs.

I am amazed that of all the posts here, this would be the one to drive someone away from MNSpeak forever. Nutty. Damn you, Sarah.

Susanna is kicking both our asses in hats, though.

Susanna is kicking both our asses in hats, though.

Oh, I don’t know. I’ve been known to wear a hat or two.

But don’t let the hat and gasses fool you — I work hard!

Matt1, I have read your comment five times, and still don’t understand it.

I noticed there were some gasses involved in the fez photo.

Whoops. I said gasses.

My post builds on post 6 by “the Rat”. I find it discouraging that persons starving for attention look for messes that don’t exist. I further find it discouraging that it’s news to be reported on.

I’ve worked alongside African Americans, Mexicans, and Japanese. You know what I found? Japanese really don’t care what you call them, so long as they’re allowed to continue taking your money. The power each group has defines their role in society.

It’s not about race. It’s not about monikers. It’s about class, and it’s about power.

But class and power take a lot of work to change. It’s a lot easier to make a big stink about something and get a lot of attention for it.

This post, and the news story, reinforce the attention getting behaviors. It’s a classic middle child syndrome.

I really feel like just patting the writer and the professor on the back and saying, “it’s alright. You’re cool. You’re chic.” Because that’s what the whole article is about. It’s so far disconnected for reality and the problem that it amounts to mental masturbation. It’s two insecure people trying to be cool. It’s the antithesis of Studs Terkel.

If one of these two soft-hand academics would go out and do a day’s blue collar work, in hindsight, they’d be insulted by their own behavior.

People out there are really hurting. People are really suffering. Their plight is not to be exploited by someone who fancies themselves ultra-chic and sensitive, in order to generate headlines.

Very interesting.

“No human being is illegal”.

(Insert sob sound here)

T-shirt of the month.

When human beings are illegal, only illegals will be human beings.

Sigh.

I love that so many of us are whining and complaining about whether or not this is a “quality” new story. The other night I watched a segment about a dog born without front legs. After that, it was a segment about a frisky beaver that was caught in the New York sewer system. Did I feel these were news stories worthy of my time? F*ck no. Did some old lady out there probably get the highlight of her day from watching these stories? Hells yes.

My point is that my opinion doesn’t rule the world, much as I would like to think it does. I personally thought this was an interesting story, merely for the fact that it brought more exposure to the interesting phenomenon that is “reverse racism”.

Plus, I really, really, really hate bud jr. There. I said it. Sweet relief is mine.

Nighty-night!

Such delicate sensibilities.

Okay, first, let’s drop the word “illegal” unless we are willing to refer to drivers who break the speed limit as “illegal drivers” uuuhhhhh!

then let’s focus, get that caffeine out of your brain and wipe the eye buggers out of your eyes and clean the wax out of your ears.

the KSTP story was totally SENSATIONALIZED, hello!! it was clearly intended to bring ratings from anti-immigrant morons (and i mean morons because anyone who has at least one brain cell can see that the discussion KSTP ‘tried’ to bring to the table is much much more complex than a measily KSTP ‘news’ section).

anyone that looks to KSTP for any type of real discussion or ‘news’ has one big fat surprise coming to them! KSTP sucks, and they especially sucks with POC stories AND dogs etc.

let’s ask ourselves the real questions and talk to one another, call susana and ask her why if so she thinks POCs can’t be racist instead of hiding behind your computer to put her down or avoid the bigger immigration debate, an intelligen one at that

have immigrant people come over to your house for dinner or breakfast, then blog about it, or are you too racist (? or scared?) to do it?