Is it hypocritical to bitch about "Democrat Party" but still say "Rethug"?

[Bucky]

Poll question: Is it hypocritical to bitch about "Democrat Party" but still say "Rethug"?

I think obviously "yes". I try to avoid slurring names. I write Bush instead of *, **, or Commander Fuckmonkey. I write Rice instead of Kindasleezy. I spell Rove's first name with one K, mostly to avoid insulting Klansmen by the allusion. I swear I do my level best to avoid saying Pickles (tho on that point I must confess my weakness).

But if we do take offense at the immature little needling of "Democrat Party" doesn't integrity mean we have to forego the joy of saying "Retardlican Party"?

Or, to view the sauce-for-the-goose question from a different perspective, do you fantasize about tossing Dick Cheney and Alberto Gonzalez into Gitmo... or do you fantasize about tossing Cheney and Gonzalez into Gitmo after a fair and impartial trial before a jury of their peers?

Vote and discuss.

[skipos]

1. Will you hear the term "rethug" in a SOTU address? nt

[philosophie_en_rose]

4. Exactly.

:bounce:

[k_jerome]

12. so its ok because a Democratic President wouldn't mangle...

the opposing parties name? lol.

[Captain Hilts]

2. Yes, and it's also sexist to say 'bitch'. nt

[Ediacara]

3. it depends

If I was on TV or giving a speech I would never say "rethug," but on DU or to friends, I have no trouble. The purposeful slurring of the name of our party on TV and during speeches is a legitimate beef.

[RaleighNCDUer]

5. Third choice - this is bullshit.

We don't refer to repukes in pubic forums as such - we call them republicans. Repuke, rethug, goddam criminals are little pet names we keep within the family.

They, otoh, publicly call us the democrat party.

This is apples and lugnuts.

[file83]

16. Bush said "Democrat Party" to the nation - Who ever said "Rethug" that was important?

I agree with you - this poll blows

[Behind the Aegis]

21. I agree.

If democratic leaders were saying "Rethugs" or something similar, then I could see an issue. However, there is an issue when I see people complain about making fun of Democrats on other boards, but at the same time it is done here (for both Democrats and Republicans).

[Ignacio Upton]

6. I expect DUers and Freepers to carry on as normal

But Bush is taking a Freeperesque insult and using it in a freakin' SOTU! What if Hillary becomes President, and refers to the GOP as "the Rethugs in Congress"? That would be awesome for us, but would look stupid for most of the public.

[mike_c]

7. neither of your poll answers are correct, IMO....

I use the terms "rethug" and "repig" as deliberate slurs, and I know when to say "republican party" if I'm referring to them formally. If republicans use the term "democrat party" as a deliberate slur then it is perfectly legitimate, as long as we all understand that the insult is intentional. And respond accordingly.

[hlthe2b]

8. Perhaps if I had EVER heard such a thing said by any

member of the media or elected Democrat in any public context, I could see some semblance of a parallel. Having not, I don't see the point of contrasting apples with oranges...:shrug:

[Ken Burch]

9. Actually, I LIKE the "Commander Fuckmonkey" thing.

If you won't use it, can the rest of us use it anyway?

[krispos42]

10. Nope

I would not make public speeches or be a pundent and talk like I do here. I'm not being held to a higher standard. I'm just a schmuck with a PC here in DULand.

[parasim]

11. imho, name-calling is childish...

...no matter who does it.

It's all just I-know-you-are-but-what-am-I? I-know-you-are-but-what-am-I? I-know-you-are-but-what-am-I? these days...

I, for one, get quite tired of it. I try my level best to ignore it. Usually I quit reading the post/article/commentary when it stoops to name-calling.

As for the whole Democrat Party thing, well, it is a correct description of the Party. One full of Democrats. I'm not sure why they didn't call it that in the first place. Just as the Republican Party is a Party full of Republicans. It never seemd too consistant to me. However, since that's what it is officially called, the Democratic Party, I go by that. Just as I call the other side the Republican Party. Otherwise, I feel goofy names or names used just to piss people off distract from the meat of it. The issues.

on edit... added that last bit...

[stranger]

13. where do all these stupid posts come from??

Its time to select a nominee to be the next president-not
time to wallow in ridiculous introspection.

I could care less what repubs call the dem party.

and as far as I am concerned GOP stands for gay old perverts.



,

[Igel]

14. I avoid slurs.

I use * because it's one keystroke; when I write for myself I also use all lower case. "Repub" and "dem" are handy shortcuts, to boot.

But I'm not sure that we don't use the equivalent of "Democrat Party". Work out the paradigm:
"Democratic Party" = party supporting democracy
"Republican party" = party supporting the Republic

"Democrat Party" = party of Democrats
"Republican Party" = party of Republicans

You see the difference with the D. Party, you don't see one with the R. Party. You'd need to introspect to find which one you mean (and introspection on linguistic matters has not always yielded great results).

Personally, when I say "Republican Party" I'm fairly sure I have in mind "party of Republicans". "Supporting the Republic" sounds, well, quaint and old-fashioned, and 'republican' in the non-partisan sense is nearly meaningless to me. But I scrupulously say only "Democratic Party" mostly because that's its formal name, but also because people get bent out of shape if you say "Democrat Party".

[fishwax]

15. the complaint isn't about, say, freepers saying "democrat" party, but about

elected officials or other leaders in the republican party deliberately using "democrat party" in interviews, in the congressional record, in SOTU addresses, etc.

If Howard Dean were to go on Meet the Press and say "the rethuglican party has the wrong ideas for America," then there might be a legitimate comparison.

[Glorfindel]

17. I'm deeply sorry you can even think of asking such a question

What president ever said "Rethug" in a state of the union address? When did prominent members of the mainstream media ever say "Rethug" in news broadcasts? What prominent person EVER used the term in a public address? I really believe you should examine your beliefs and priorities. Maybe you'd be more comfortable in the filthy company of Rethugs than here on DU. Just saying.

[Boojatta]

18. Third poll option needed:

The moral high ground is an appropriate place to be, regardless of what the opposition does.

[TankLV]

19. Bullshit. I do it BECAUSE they do it - all the time!

I will stop when THEY stop FIRST - THEY have been going about this for YEARS now, and NOW, when WE finally complain and fight back, THEY whine and cry "foul".

Tough shit!

THEY invented the rules of this game - don't like it when WE don't role over...

[MrRobotsHolyOrders]

20. For serious

But often, its just because I'd feel dumb refering to them as 'Rethuglicans'. We get it, they suck, but that's why we have a decent grasp of language, so we don't have to revert to 'OMGZ I H8 THE CHIMP LOLZ' :argh:.

That being said, I refer to John McCain as 'Senator McSenile' is casual conversation. So whatever.

[Hieronymus]

22. I will be using "republic party".

[DemGa]

23. No, they are literally trying to change the party name

at least in common usage. They should be called on it EVERY single time they pull this passive aggressive crap in the media.

[lynne]

24. I'm neutral on the whole Democrat / Democratic issue -

- as my parents, both of whom were lifelong democrats, used the word Democrat and called themselves members of the Democrat party. My father would be in his 80's and my mom is in her mid-70's. I personally think it might be either an age thing or a regional variation. Either way, I just feel that there are much bigger fish to fry than to be worried about if the "ic" is used or not.

[LanternWaste]

25. In current context, absolutely not.

If news reports, politicians and journalists begin to use "rethug", then I s'pose it would be hypocritical.

However, since news reports, politicians and journalists do not use "rethug", yet use "democrat party" I believe I bitch about it in good conscience.

[Madspirit]

26. Confusing Issues

It's not the same thing for the oppressed to hate the oppressor as it is for the oppressor to hate the oppressed. Republicans ARE thugs. Republicans ARE homophobes. Republicans ARE racists. Republicans ARE warmongers. Republicans ARE assholes and Bushy the Chimp IS stupid. If they were not oppressive, homophobic, racist, vile excuses for humans, I wouldn't call them names.
You wouldn't hesitate to call a member of the Klan a name or a Nazi a name and if a black or Jew called them names, you would think nothing of it. From their oppression they gain this right. I equate the Republithugs to Nazis and Klansmen. I have no problem calling them whatever suits my fancy at the moment. When they stop being the equivalent of a Klan Klaven, I will stop.
Madspirit