Nicknames - a rant

[White Horseradish]

I am inspired to write this by the recent "pet peeve" thread on cutesy names for guns. Somewhere in that thread someone mentioned various distortions of politicians' names. In the last two days I've come across a few of those and I have finally reached my limit and I have to say something.

This is to all the folks that like to say things like "Billary", "Shrillary", "Hitlery". Also to the fans of "Swinestein" and "Shrub". There are probably more, but have no desire to look them up. Please note this is not a partisan thing in any way shape or form. I speak to everyone who likes to use these types of insults.

What are you, 8 years old? I have not heard stuff like this since the 8th grade. Look, I will tell you a great secret. Are you ready? Here goes. Distorting people's names is neither original nor clever. Each one of these has been done about a zillion times on this board alone. As a joke, it's dead. It's passed on. It has ceased to be. It is not funny. On a relate note, all Clinton-related jokes have been beaten to death before the end of his first term. Give it up. Saturday Night Live wouldn't and I quit watching them. If you persist in this inanity, people will quit paying attention to you, too. I have no respect whatsoever for politicians and wouldn't mind them being insulted, but can we please have some class? Can we rise a bit above "you're a poopyhead"?

As a side note, I find "Swinestein" to be particularly annoying since to me "Feinstein" is a typically Jewish name and remaking it into something derisive using a synonym for pork is not, well, kosher.

One that I wanted to mention specially that jumped out at me was "Amerika". Oooh. That one was so clever... Just one tiny letter substitution, and all of a sudden there is a whole wealth of meaning, right? Wrong. All it means is that you are either a German or can't spell. It may have some private meaning for you and some people of your circle, whatever that may be, but to most of us it is a typo. And the whole "wink, wink, nod, nod" thing is silly. This isn't Monty Python. Come out and say it, whatever it is, and we can discuss it like rational people I think we are.

Thanks for listening.


The preceding rant has been brought to you by Your Friendly Neighborhood Speleng Nutsy and the letter K

 

[sfhogman]

Goes for me, too. Place names as well. Unclever.

Jeff

 

[sm]

AR native here.

I recall when WJC drove his own Mustang, and was elected to Attorney General. The Mrs. worked for Rose Law Firm. I have seen the Political Gatherings at Bard's Restuarant in the Heights. [I was there on the "other side" ]. Attending such notables as Judge Hale, Tucker, Pryor Sr., Hubbel, and many other names. I watched as WJC became Gov, then to the big White House in D.C.

Granted many folks around here think that couple hung the moon. Trust ME, I cannot type on this forum the names he is still referred to. The ones in original post are "polite".

Some stuff one earns in life and sticks for a reason.

Steve.

 

[El Tejon]

So, we can't call the President "Chimpy McHaliburton" any longer?

*kicks rocks*

How dare anyone have any fun, especially on the Errornet, er, Internet! Scramble all attack pumas and bears in sector K5 this is not a drill!

Wit, irony, sarcasm have no place on the Internet, of all places!

 

[Sergeant Bob]

Sorry, Swinestien just fits. Get over it.

 

[xring44]

I refuse to go into a tailspin because some use words that are not correct, too much to learn on here to let some mis-spelled, mis-guided, mis-informed person push my buttons.

 

[pmcbooks]

The Internet is SERIOUS BUSINESS.

 

[Janitor]

Can we rise a bit above "you're a poopyhead"?

Hey. Wait a minute.

You don't have to use the term "poopyhead" for anyone if you don't want to, but it's one of my favorites, and I intend to continue using it. And just what in the h e double-hocky-sticks do you mean by "rise a bit above" it? Hmmm?
-

 

[Kramer Krazy]

Are you saying that we have to become Politically Correct in our terminology to keep you happy? .....Sometimes I believe people can take their PC issues and shove them where the sun doesn't shine (BTW, I don't use any of those terms that you mention....I just HATE people throwing PC issues in my face).

 

[Trip20]

White Horseradish,

I don't think the terms ("Billary," "Shrillary"...etc) are meant to be "clever.” More so, they're a substitute for things like "%$@&!##%", or similar explicit comment.

Certain members insulting the candidate for whom you'll cast your next presidential vote, is no reason to get on a soapbox and scold.

These people would be happy taking our guns. Do you not expect to encounter some hostility... on a gun board?

Might I suggest you take one of these?

 

[pcf]

White Horseradish

The New Yorker should stop printing childish cartoons, wherein political figures are portrayed as animals and given childish nicknames. The practice is most uneducated and low class. Maybe you should write them and let them know how immature they are.

50 years ago, you would have not dared to write a dissenting opinion and associated it with the name Joseph McCarthy. Not out of altruism or respect, but fear of persecution. Using a trite nickname would have been one of the few ways to associate your views with an unmentionable name.

Patrick Henry was more of oaf than I thought. He often referred to American supporters of the British as Torries. The British were already planning on hanging him, no need to use nicknames to be clever, he needed the people to hate Torries and rally behind his cause. A founding father, an immature name caller?

"Name calling" has it places, it's a reflection of the writer. If your offended by the percieved level of education and maturity on the forum, read elsewhere. Owner's manuals and a dissertations on radio wave propagation tend to be void of immature name calling.

 

[Old Dog]

More so, they're a substitute for things like "%$@&!##%", or similar explicit comment.

Not the way some use 'em around here ... these silly names are being used as a substitute for actual thinking ...

Are you saying that we have to become Politically Correct in our terminology to keep you happy?

KK, believe you've missed the point here ... it has nothing to do with being politically correct, yet much to do with actually promoting intellectual discourse which rises above the juvenile diatribes passing for actual reasoning on forums such as D.U.

I'm with White Horseradish on this one. If you want to be treated as a grown-up, then engage in intelligent debate, don't resort to using stupid nicknames. If one desires to show the world that gun-owners are not all immature name-calling simpletons, then one should display that ... even on -- yes -- the Internet ...

 

[Flyboy]

I'm with the OP. We're mostly adults here, many of us partially educated; can't we stick to facts, rather than namecalling? Isn't that what we complain about from the left (among other things)?

Calling the President a chimp is fine, just so long as you can provide medical evidence to back it up. Otherwise, take the high road.

 

[Preacherman]

Oh, I don't know... I still think that Hillary should marry Chuck Schumer. Then she could be in name, as well as by reputation, the Bride of Chucky...

 

[Spot77]

Oh, I don't know... I still think that Hillary should marry Chuck Schumer. Then she could be in name, as well as by reputation, the Bride of Chucky...

Now THAT was funny


And I've never heard it before!

 

[Trip20]

Sometimes I think the world has lost it's sense of humor.

KK, believe you've missed the point here ... it has nothing to do with being politically correct...

This is a correct statement. Insofar as politically is the wrong adjective in the term "politically correct."

Substitute "socially" in place of "politically," and we now have something just as sordid, just as haughty, and just as fashionable as “politically correct”.

 

[twency]

I find the nicknames mildly amusing or interesting the first couple times I hear or see them. Then they just get old. Whether it's Chucky Schumer or Leaky Leahy or Bu????ler, it just seems silly after a couple uses. But hey, if it makes you feel good, keep using it. It lets the rest of us know who you are and what you stand for.

-twency

 

[twency]

Hmm, I see that Bush + Hitler includes an automaticaly censored offensive word. Interesting.

Chimpy McHalliburton then, as somone previously mentioned.

-twency

 

[Ezekiel]

My personal and often-lamented predilections...

If you want to be treated as a grown-up, then engage in intelligent debate, don't resort to using stupid nicknames.

So, if the nicknames aren't "intelligent", neither is the discourse? And, if the nicknames are "intelligent", then everything is fine?

If one desires to show the world that gun-owners are not all immature name-calling simpletons, then one should display that ...

But many gun owners are "immature, name-calling simpletons." I don't think finding many in any slice of society is a state secret.

Wasn't there a recent (similar) thread wherein the overall acclamation was for folks to develop a more resilient hide? "My thoughts remain the same."

For the record, in all future correspondance, when I use the term "el Presidente", I will specify whether I mean "ours" or "theirs": it's much more specific and will disavow ay potential misunderstanding.

 

[Molon Labe]

Me thinks some THR members do not have a sense of humor...

 

[twency]

Methinks some THR members fail to recognize when a joke gets very, very old.

 

[chickenfried]

 

[Trip20]

But hey, if it makes you feel good, keep using it. It lets the rest of us know who you are and what you stand for.

Feel free to meander through my post history. For the “rekert,” I don’t believe I’ve ever used any of the terms sited above to describe a politician.

I’m not here to defend the foolhardy names in use… make no mistake. I’m here because the idea of being “socially correct” with regards to what most view as bad comedy, is pompous.

 

[Ezekiel]

I’m here because the idea of being “socially correct” with regards to what most view as bad comedy, is pompous.

Or favoring Monty Python!

 

[rick_reno]

Oh, I don't know... I still think that Hillary should marry Chuck Schumer. Then she could be in name, as well as by reputation, the Bride of Chucky...

Never heard it either, it's very good.

Lotta thin skin around here these days...probably a winter thing, will no doubt improve in the summer when we get that thick layer of burnt skin cells.