The Absense of Honor

[peristaltor]

Saw a silly campaign sign the other day. (Driving, though, and unable to take a pic. Those that would take the pic anyway are going to kill someone, so please stop that. Just sayin'.)

Obama
Lacks
Honor

Vote for Romney and Ryan
What's more, this was a hand-inked sign (hand dreeped*, more like). What a powerful message, do you say

Comments

[bleaknemesis]

There was also "kwee" for shoplifting if I remember correctly. The conservatives in this area are going absolutely batshit crazy over this election. There was a letter to the editor in the local paper stating that the Libya incident was staged by Obama. According to the author the rebels were suppose to kidnap the ambassador then Obama would "rescue" the hostages and be a hero and win the election but the terrorists betrayed Obama and killed the ambassador instead. That was why there were conflicting statements from the White House right after the incident according to this letterwriter. I won't even get into what local right-wing radio is doing. (not that I listen much anyway).
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021619256 (I could get a direct link so I hope this one works)

[peristaltor]

You listen to that crap at all?!? You are, Sir, a stronger man that I.

And yes, I haven't seen the veiled threat references in an election more obtuse in perhaps my lifetime. Hey, they always raise questionable concerns. That they can't outright drop the N bomb without discrediting the message has really twisted their knickers hard into the short curlies.

[johnny9fingers]

It's pretty bonkers over your place at the moment. At least that's how it seems from this side of the pond. Lots of folk claiming everything except the fact Obama isn't white is the reason for their opinion. A sort of empty focal point, if I may appropriate a descriptor.

[peristaltor]

Empty focal point. Exactly.

A few years ago, there was a kerfuffle in Texas. An attorney working a criminal trial noted that there were no "Canadians" on the jury, which was supposedly good. They guy he told this to had no idea what he meant; it turned out "Canadians" is a code word for blacks.

One cannot say someone is black, but one can say someone is Canadian. Misdirection. Empty focal point.

[ironphoenix]

Honor isn't an empty word, but it's a socially-defined word. Society is perhaps too fragmented now for it to be as strong a representation of social capital as it once was, but within each fragment, it still can have meaning. What it sounds like to me is that you reject the meaning of that sign as being irrelevant to you in your social fragment. The sign was posted for all to see, but it is not in a language everyone can read, even though the words look like English.

[peristaltor]

Honor isn't an empty word, but it's a socially-defined word.

Absolutely! But it is socially-defined based on a history of honorable, or non-disgraceful, behavior. It's like a "good credit score:" both are based on a history of upright known conduct, not an observation of a positive trait that exists beyond said histories.

There's an old joke. Mom and kid are driving one day. Mom asks her kid if there are any cars coming. He says no. She goes, and hits the on-coming bus. He was right: there were no cars coming.

That's what makes these words so insidious. They do have meaning, but the meaning is in the negative; one cannot define a negative state except specifically with regards to the negative state intended to the speaker. One can behave honorably to one's family and friends, but have a completely hidden life of vice and wanton abandon (like Deacon Brody, the real-life Edinburgh inspiration for Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde). Ask if there are any cars in someone's life and they will answer no, for they do not see the bus.

[ironphoenix]

But it is socially-defined based on a history of honorable, or non-disgraceful, behavior.

That's how you (or I) might define it, but to some, Black people (or women, or children, or people with net financial assets under $10,000 (or $100,000, or $1M...)) are intrinsically without honor in their context.

I would say that the sign has meaning: it's a group-membership signifier, because it declares something which only a member of a particular fragment of society would consider true (and which they might in fact consider tautological).

[peristaltor]

I think we might both be right. I'm going to stick by my definition, but accept yours simply because you defined it so well. In your example "non-disgraceful behavior" must include membership in a non-excluded community and a good history therein. And I agree; it's a tautology.

Mental gymnastics. All 'cause they can't drop the N Bomb.