LOL, Senator Robert Byrd delivers speech on how to speak....

[ShaneGR]

It's a bit old... from 1998.... but this guy has a brilliant mind.

http://www.rjgeib.com/thoughts/gettysburg/the-spoken-weed.html




THE SPOKEN WEED
The below is a speech delivered to Congress on July 10, 1998 by Senator Byrd.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It is hard to imagine that our Founding Fathers would have undercut their speech with any of the all too common fillers that plague conversation today -- those "ums" and "uhs" and "likes" and especially that inanity of inanities: "you know." How silly it is, how useless, what pure deadwood.

If I were teaching a class, that would be one of the things I would come down very hard on. Most people have no idea that their speech is packed with "you know"s. And these are sometimes strung together in staccato multiples: "you know, you know, you know?" It is simply filler -- meaningless sound to fill dead air while the speaker's unprepared brain hunts down the sentence's conclusion.

Perhaps it is because Americans are such creatures of the television age, used to actors, news broadcasters, even politicians, reading seamlessly from scripts, cue cards, and TelePrompTers. We have become used to true public speaking and debate in which informed individuals prepared their minds, listened to each other, and retorted and rebutted extemporaneously.

It is possible to expunge "you know" from public discourse. I have seen it done by conscientious individuals, but it is no easy task. Like poison ivy, "you know"s are pernicious and persistent. It takes strong medicine to kill that lush growth, and diligent weeding to keep opportunistic tendrils from creeping back into common use.

Various members of my staff, when and if they hear another staff person saying, "you know," point their finger immediately at that person. And in that way they help to break the habit. I think many people will be unpleasantly surprised at the results of such a test. Enlist your friends to alert you when an unconscious "you know" pops out. And then work at it, work at it, work at it.

Alcibiades, the Athenian general and politician, was noted for his practice of simply pausing silently when the chosen word momentarily escaped his mind's ability to marshal and bring it safely to his lips. Then, when he could continue, he simply resumed speaking. And he was the finest orator of his time. Clearly, a moment of silence is preferable to "you know." Think of it: "Four score and, like, seven years ago, you know, our forefathers, uh, brought forth, you know, upon this continent, you know, a new nation, you know, conceived in, uh, liberty, and, you know, you know, dedicated to the proposition that, uh, uh, like, all men are created, like, equal." With that kind of delivery, President Abraham Lincoln could not have stoked the nation's determination to see the Civil War through to its conclusion. Or let's imagine Martin Luther King Jr.: "I, uh, have a dream, you know."

Ridding your speech of such verbal trash may not make an individual a leader of nations or of men -- that requires great thoughts as well as a clear and stirring delivery -- but leaving them in can surely blight the path to greatness, you know.

[E_Zapata]

1. It's like he watched the bush press conf today,

and wrote this out today just to get it out of his, uh, hm, uh, system!

[KoKo]

2. Senator Byrd in his eighties, doesn't have to worry about Corporate Stuff/

PNAC Stuff......He is now the "Oldie" (coping Will Pitt's use of term) who is trying "like Moses" to lead us from the "Wilderness."

I expect (if anyone's left still interested...pun intended) that we will have alot of Ku Klux Clan stuff about Byrd posted here, or maybe no one is left (pun again) who cares about AMERICA.........and so your post will go to archives.

I'm surprised to see you have an interest in Robert Byrd, though. Just my read of your "past" posts has me saying this...

Are you trying to redeem yourself? Or, do you really have an interest in Robert Byrd.

Was this a post "waiting for a flame?" A post waiting for the "Klan Defense" of this man who stands TALL over Tom Daschle and the rest of them who vote with Daschle and cave to the DLC!

Edited: typo's.

[ShaneGR]

3. Koko, I think you have me confused with someone else.......

I defy you to find me even one post I've ever made that is critical of Robert Byrd. Ever. You've got me confused with someone else.

EDIT: I reread your post again, to make sure I was reading it right. I have to point something out, isn't it you posting right-wing spin about Senator Byrd?

[KoKo]

9. No, you are the person I was writing my post to....don't have you confused

with someone else.

[KoKo]

10. And, BTW! I give you a KICK! Byrd stands TALL next to Daschle!

and MacAuliff! and the rest of the "sell outs."

[ShaneGR]

11. Uhhhh, what?

I'm a little baffled by your response, does this mean you can't find one single thread where I am critical of Byrd? I suppose it does. Certainly you can find some where I complimented him. And you can also find some threads where I praise Tom Daschle. Considering Byrd VOTED for Daschle as party leader, is that why you're acting like a nuisance making ridiculous claims?

[Bandit]

4. Uh er uh but like you know Bush* is Churchill-esk in his er uh speeches.

Ridding your speech of such verbal trash may not make an individual a leader of nations or of men -- that requires great thoughts as well as a clear and stirring delivery -- but leaving them in can surely blight the path to greatness, you know.

A leader of nations requires great thoughts ~ Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha

[BlackVelvetElvis]

12. Not only that

But it requires great confidence in yourself (particularly after a few speeches!). Someone who has practiced this craft knows that.

[goobergunch]

5. We do something called "Impromptu Speeches" in my English class

You have to speak for one minute without using any of those filler words, usually on some bizarre topic.

I was successful - by hijacking "Fluffy Bunny Slippers" into a speech about Cthulhu slippers.... :evilgrin:

[Steven_S]

6. Thanks for this.

He does indeed have a brilliant mind.

On of the worst offenders I can think of at this moment is the former Mayor of NYC, Ed Koch, who made so many pauses of uhhh, uhhh, that he came across like an imbecile.

Like, you know?

[ShaneGR]

7. You should see Bob Taft, Gov. of Ohio

He says 'UH' more than any man on earth.

[corarose]

8. It looks like the Bush Crime family would want to take lessons from

The great Senator Byrd.

[BlackVelvetElvis]

13. Robert Byrd goes by the old school book of oration

Watch his gesturing, you can tell he learned from the old days.
I always enjoy watching him give a speech for that reason. Classic!