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I was called a racist and a misogynist on twitter because I am anti Herman Cain and anti Michele Bachman. I can handle that, because notwithstanding the fact that I am also pro Obama and Clinton, I know what these words actually mean. Let's dig a little deeper, you and I, and let's have a look at facts and factoids, at statistics and figures and let's explore some English language or as it is called, here below the 49th parallel, American and let's see what I really meant.
The tweet that got me in trouble is: "Spent part of my morning trying to figure out which Koch brother has his hand up Herman Cain's ass." I was called racist for it. I don't see it as a racist statement, I see it as caution to Americans that even the least qualified member of the current GOP field is a puppet of big business. A tweeter called me "racist" for tweeting that and when I asked if it would still make me racist if I used Michele Bachman's name, I was then called a misogynist. First, as to Mr. Cain and Ms. Bachman, I am certain, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that they are both well meaning, upstanding, good people without any major stains on their characters. When I say I am against them, I don't mean that I am against their individual rights to exist as human beings, nor do I mean to cast aspersions on them as decent, well meaning people. In Mr. Cain's case, I do not believe that a small business owner is qualified to be chief executive of a country, especially one the size of America. While some of America's troubles are economic, Mr. Cain is lacking in the skills needed to deal with policies concerning foreign nations. Nothing he has said thus far has changed my mind. He is probably a good man, individually. He is NOT presidential material (read: America is not a small chain of Pizza Parlors). In Ms. Bachman's case, the lack of veracity in certain statements she has made, along with the lack of genuine scholarship and governing experience, plus the fact that she espouses some extremely dangerous policies, have convinced me that she is lacking in the stability needed to govern a power that has the capacity to wipe out the Earth many times over (read: She's batshit crazy). So, dear readers, please forgive my lack of rhetoric when I attempt to compress these larger issues into 140 characters. Or grow a sense of humor.Joel West
joel@joelwest.com
twitter:IAmJoelWest
