A Challenge To All DU'ers With An Emotional Stake In the Democrat Party Game.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

I'd like you all to participate in something legitimately.

Any of you that are up in arms or outraged over the childish yet petty use of the term Democrat Part, I'd like you all to commit to do the following:

This week, I want you all to each find 5-10 random people on the streets that you don't know. Random people. I then want you to proceed to ask them the following:

"On a scale of 1 - 10, How important is it to you when considering a party if they are called the Democrat Party or the Democratic Party."

I want you all to ask that to 5-10 random strangers on the street this week, record the results, and post them back here friday evening. Please be honest.

I think the results will show overwhelmingly that this is an issue that the layman on the streets couuldn't give a frogs fat ass about. But if I'm wrong, I'd love to see your numbers.

Hey, why not see if this does in fact carry any merit at all other than just to rattle the cages of the weak amongst us. If it doesn't, then it is to be ignored, as it is meaningless politically to begin with.

But c'mon, I implore you to take part in this. Grab the 5-10 random people off the street and ask them the question, then come on back in here and post the results. Let's see how it goes.

Peace,

OMC

[illinoisprogressive]

1. I never really understood this. I always seen it as interchangable.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

3. Sure, They're Doing It On Purpose To Try And Irk Us A Bit, But Who Cares? Children Will Play

ya know?

Just ignore it, because there's no other purpose anyway. Ain't a damn person in the general public who give a shit whatsoever about this.

But if those so outraged over it believe otherwise, than I absolutely invite them to go find out for themselves.

[Horse with no Name]

2. So...we should just let them decide what to call us?

So...if I decided to call you Alice and could find 10 randoms that didn't object, it makes it okay?
Sorry dude...it is an intentional slur. The average person might not realize it...but the media sees it and anyone that follows politics knows it.
So...let me get this straight? You are willing to show you are so weak you wouldn't object to an obvious and intentional slur?

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

5. Freedom Of Speech. They Can Call Us Whatever The Hell They Want.

We can also call ourselves anything the hell we want.

But the true heart of the matter still, is that its only point is to piss you off. By letting it piss you off, you are making them laugh their asses off at you like they wanted to to begin with. If you ignore it, then they've accomplished nothing. That's the only stake they have in the game: Pissing you off. Not trying to persuade voters away from us, not trying to tarnash our image, not trying any propaganda, none of that. Just quite simply to piss you off. And if you're pissed off, then rest assured they're laughing their asses off at you for it. But ignore it, and they were effectively dealt with.

[CANDO]

11. No, it is not just to piss us off.

The attempt to subliminally emphasize "rat" every time our party is mentioned is not a silly game. If you control our language, you control the debate. It seems to be very effective as evidenced by the media using it. Hell, even some of our party leaders have used it. I fight back by never just saying conservative. It's regressive conservative. Or sometimes just regressive. There doesn't seem to be as an effective way to slur republican and have it sound odd as it rolls off your tongue. I tried republan a few times by ignoring the "ic", just as they do. But it just isn't as effective as when ours ends as "rat".

[Lars39]

17. Well said.

It's a deliberate linking.

[A-Schwarzenegger]

4. I grabbed myself

off the street & asked me & I didnt care.
I even gave myself a veiled threat if I didnt get out
of my face.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

6. Yeah, I've Been There.

But I did proceed to punch myself in the face afterwards though. I learned two things: For a thin piece of shit, I hit pretty damn hard; and also that I've got a realllllly solid jaw.

[Captain Hilts]

7. The average "layman on the streets" supported the war and hates the NHL.

So, why do you care what they think?

[Freddie Stubbs]

13. The average "layman on the streets" elected a Democratic Congress last year

That's why I care.

[mcctatas]

8. My sweet hillbilly (by her own description) grandma in Ohio

called me the first time she saw chimpy say it on TV, and asked "Now I know you used to take care of retarted people, so can you tell me if it's possible to get worse as you age, the president can't even remember how to say Democratic party anymore". First of all, she truly believes bush is "touched in the head", and secondly she was drop dead serious with her question (so serious I didn't even remind her it was developmentally disabled, not retarted). The point of this long boring story is that maybe it plays to thier base, but to people who aren't too into politics, maybe it just makes them look...retarted! ;)

[orleans]

24. i think the "republic" party does that because those freaks think in

sound bites and speak in bumper stickers

[sweetheart]

9. had to ask those present

Everyone agrees that it could be just another way of saying it.

The dogs don't vote, but i asked the dogs offering a bit of chicken
for the right answer, and the overwhelming vote was "Don't really care what
you call it; that chicken smellllzzz good." :-)

[MadHound]

10. Hey, thanks for the note of sanity

It is a non-issue. If the issue is dropped and we stop giving certain groups the satisfaction of watching us get all worked into a snit fit, well, it will go away. This is grade school psychology.

[Glorfindel]

12. I really don't care what "random strangers" think

The DEMOCRATIC PARTY is my party and I will fight to the death to see it given its proper respect. Maybe we should all start calling you "George W. Bush." How would you like that, Mr. Bush, sir? If this attitude makes me weak, so be it, Mr. Bush. Enjoy your strength, Mr. Bush. I IMPLORE you to accept your new name with good grace, Mr. Bush. After all, I'm only saying it to "rattle your cage," Mr. Bush. Only the opinion of "the layman on the streets" matters, Mr. George W. Bush, sir. :evilgrin:

[elocs]

14. This is a pet peeve for some and they have their undies in a bind over it.

I have asked people about this--regular people, people I know, people with whom I work. They don't care and see no reason to split hairs over the issue. They look at it like Republicans belong to the Republican Party or the GOP, while Democrats belong to the Democrat Party or the Democratic Party. They had no idea that the use of "Democrat Party" was in any way derogatory or intending to place Democrats in a negative light. There are lots and lots of important issues for us to address, so why don't the grammar police just give it a rest because most people cannot see the problem.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

15. Exactly My Point. They Are Being Played For Fools, And Look Like Fools, Just As They Wanted Them To

That's the silly part: By getting their panties in a bind, they are giving the repubs the only victory possible from this game to begin with. By actually making it an issue like it matter, they are effectively condoning the game and helping to continue its existence. It's really silly in my opinion, and I hope some will see that.

[justgamma]

16. How many times has Shrub said

that he wants to turn Iraq into a democratic nation. Why? because it's a good thing. We are members of the Democratic party. Ordinary people on the street probably don't care.

We should demand the respect we deserve. What kind of wimps are we if we let them define us?

[kentuck]

18. I think this is an easy point for Democrats...

It gives the Democrats an easy target. All they have to do is point out that the Democrat Party is incorrect because it is using a noun to describe a noun, when the proper use is as an adjective, i.e. "Democratic". It only makes the Republican look uneducated. Other than that, no harm done. Score one for the Democrat. :)

[mcctatas]

19. damn liberal...

good grammar usin', latte sippin', volvo drivin' tree hugger;)

[muriel_volestrangler]

25. An English lesson for you

http://english-zone.com/grammar/adjective3.html

[checks-n-balances]

20. Here's a better idea: next time you hear a subtle racial or sexual-orientation slur

or name-calling situation and the offender challenges that person, why not tell the offended one to chill out and not get his or her panties in a wad? You'll be certain to make an impression on that person as to your level of sensitivity to others.

I expect our political opponents to use subtle intimidation, but it seems what is happening with your OP is that you're playing one of their favorite games - i.e., subtly making fun of others and creating division within our party.

Here's what I wrote earlier today about when someone on TV called a GOP spokesperson for doing it:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=3168698&mesg_id=3172520

It's not a problem with grammar, but of simple respect (and I believe you yourself wrote, "It's all about respect," haven't you?). I contend that they don't get the satisfaction of thinking they can "get to us" with their "Democrat Party" fake construct if we correct them swiftly and matter-of-factly - not emotionally. I, for one, am sick and tired of them getting away with saying things publicly that go unchallenged. I don't have the time to send emails to TV or radio shows when I hear the slur, but I correct people when they say it directly to me. Why not? They WANT whatever they say to go unchallenged.

The whole purpose is not to upset the person they're talking to, but to keep repeating the phrase publicly (on TV, in speeches & interviews, on radio, etc.) to make our name sound like something bad and give the idea that we are not democratic after all.

I agree that this problem doesn't rank right up there with stealing elections, lying to citizens and starting illegal wars, and robbing the U.S. treasury & war profiteering, but I'll be damned if I'm going to miss an opportunity to correct a GOP member when they're deliberately wrong to my face.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

21. If You Consider The Term 'Democrat' A Slur, More Power To Ya.

I don't. I'm proud to be a democrat and think it is beyond silly to give credibility for a second that using that word in ANY context is a slur.

Nice try on the melodramatic analogy though.

[checks-n-balances]

23. I'm proud to be a Democrat too, but I don't belong to the "Democrat Party"

That name was created by the GOP for a particular purpose.

Not only do you not get it at all, you mischaracterize what I just said. I never said that using the word "democrat" in any context is a slur.

Here's also where I differ with you: The only way that a RWer would have the satisfaction of "getting to" a Democrat by using the misnomer is if the Democrat loses his or her cool when correcting that person. It's all in the way we react to it and frankly I give them more the benefit of the doubt on it that I give regular posters on DU (and that's Democratic Underground, not Democrat Underground) who should know better (that this little issue actually IS "all about respect").

Oh yeah, you're welcome:)

[Crunchy Frog]

22. No, I don't think I will.

First of all, my opinion is my own. I don't taylor it to what the average person on the street thinks.

Secondly, I think the practice of denigrating our party by referring to it as the "Democrat party" largely acts on the subconcious level where most people are concerned. I think that it subtly demeans our party in people's minds, but that most of them are not aware of it.

So, I will stick to my opinion, and not bother random strangers in the street.:)

[muriel_volestrangler]

26. Skinner doesn't seem to worry about it

www.democratunderground.com just goes to exactly the same page as 'democraticunderground'. There's no "excuse me, please learn to use the correct name" message, or "how dare you???" I don't see as something to get worried about. It doesn't rise to the level of a 'slur' in my opinion - if anyone does it on purpose, I think it's because they know it annoys a few Democrats.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

28. LOL Very Good

[salin]

27. While generally this doesn't irk me - it is rather interesting at this

point in time - the GOP congressional reps are whining about partisanship and want dems to work with them - and in the same breath use an intentional insult. I am glad that the corp media has 'explained' the little game to the public (per the historical 'insult' aspect of using it) as when the republican congressman says it - while in the same breath whining about the dems not being bipartisan enough - it makes *them* look as blatantly petty, shallow and insincere. For that reason only - it is interesting right now. Watch for it in the SOTU.

[helderheid]

29. What bothers me the most about it is when Democrats use it. The Utah Democratic Party released a

response to the State of the State address, inclusing a 5 year "Democrat" plan.

Jeez!