The Atlantic - Latest Comments in Sarah Palin Represents Real America

Re: Sarah Palin Represents Real America

Anuncie — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 09:16:37 -0000

Thanks for this article, very interesting, i like this.
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Re: Sarah Palin Represents Real America

Emmett — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 11:09:17 -0000

Well put. Cleon the demagogue once tried to exile Aristophanes because of an allegation that he was not sufficiently "Athenian". One would guess that Cleon, who was by all accounts a persuasive speaker, did not want to be upstaged by an intellectual pest. Thus has it always been.

Re: Sarah Palin Represents Real America

jpcruz — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 14:17:43 -0000

From the outside (I'm writing from Europe) it very much looks like she represents a sort of Third World America: ignorant, intolerant and radical. It's real, allright, but I don't think it's representative of the USA in a whole. I think we had a wonderfull taste of that in the last presidential elections. And it was a clear example of a positive and inspiring impact that the USA can have in the world. Palin and her fans, in the other hand, represents the worst that your great country has to offer us...

Re: Sarah Palin Represents Real America

Acromion — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 10:09:45 -0000

Thanks for the music tips. I'm in a rut and I really need some fresh stuff to listen to. I think I'm gonna start with good ole Emmylou. Everything I've heard from her is just fantastic and so soulful.

Never heard of Merle Haggard. I'll have to check him out, but I've never been a fan of political music.

Re: Sarah Palin Represents Real America

mg66 — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 09:48:54 -0000

Who defines "Real America"? Seems to me that the Republicans want to own the term and apply it to their own members. If that is the case, it is nothing more than an empty political term. Why is Palin representative of such a group, because she made it up?

Re: Sarah Palin Represents Real America

MAJeff — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 07:20:02 -0000

People who live in cities aren't "real Americans," coast or not.

This rhetorical trope is another term for anti-cosmopolitanism. It's based in fear and hatred of difference, a suspicion of spaces in which black, brown, and gay people exist.

Re: Sarah Palin Represents Real America

Guest — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 05:09:10 -0000

Although it is fun to rant and rave over such a stupid comment, I'd rather talk about why Mika said it.

I don't think she believes it.

I think she said it for the same reason Brian Williams talks about watching NASCAR or Chris Matthews starting that bullsh*t about “W” being the kind of guy you want to have a beer with.

Privileged media personalities are scared to death of being called liberals, who are out of touch with mainstream America. Of course, they are out of touch with mainstream America. Not because they are liberal but because they are privileged media personalities.

The right-wing thinks they are in touch with mainstream American, that people who think as they do are “real Americans”. Of course, the right-wing in America is collectively getting more and more French fries short of a Happy Meal every day Obama is in office.

Re: Sarah Palin Represents Real America

mdargo — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 00:30:54 -0000

Great reading from Joe Klein --

http://swampland.blogs.time.com/2009/07/06/sarah-palins-america/

7/6/09 * Sarah Palin's America * posted by Joe Klein

http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1840388,00.html

Sarah Palin's Myth of America * by Joe Klein * 9/10/08

Re: Sarah Palin Represents Real America

Xica_da_Silva — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 00:29:33 -0000

Along the lines of what TNC is saying, it's harmful because we liberals, no matter how smart and worldly we think we are, can fall into the same danger of making assumptions about all conservatives based on a media stereotype. So, if we make those assumptions, we may never bother to have certain conversations that might change a person's ideas or stances. And as someone who has had several conservative friends, I know that over time, it's possible. And dare I say it...I've learned a lot from my conservative friends, too.

Also, I would be careful not to assume much about a person based on musical preferences. As pure pop performers and songwriters, Toby Keith, Kenny Chesney, George Strait, Garth Brooks, and Tim McGraw are among my favorite country artists. But as a musician of 30 years, I also sing and play more erudite brazilian jazz. And guess what? My conservative friends who listen to country also really dig the brazilian stuff I play, even though I sing it in Portuguese! Then again, it's hard to dislike Jobim...a good melody is a good melody in any language!

Re: Sarah Palin Represents Real America

irishpirate — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 23:04:17 -0000

I think I likely got the "Sister Sarah" comment from a video I saw of Palin and that crazed African "witch doctor" preacher at her church in Wasilla. My memory is that he called her "Sister Sarah".

Of course I have seen the movie "Elmer Gantry" so that is a possibility also.

To paraphrase a line from the movie I think Palin is so popular with men on the right because of their desire to "fill her with the spirit".

Lulu Bains: Oh, he gave me special instructions back of the pulpit Christmas Eve. He got to howlin' "Repent! Repent!" and I got to moanin' "Save me! Save me!" and the first thing I know he rammed the fear of God into me so fast I never heard my old man's footsteps!

Re: Sarah Palin Represents Real America

mg66 — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 22:14:23 -0000

Now a days we are told that the person you want to vote for is the folksy one, the one that you would prefer having a beer with. I have many folksy friends that I enjoy drinking beer with and enjoy their company, but when the heck did that ever become a qualification for running the most difficult and complex office in the world?

Re: Sarah Palin Represents Real America

mg66 — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 22:05:58 -0000

"Real America"? Well, I guess a lot of people do quit their jobs when they get tough.

Re: Sarah Palin Represents Real America

pizzaeagle — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 21:58:30 -0000

I'll agree with what eric k said. I personally like some of the more rock-type country, like ryan adams and johnny cash. Also try Neko Case, Cross Canadian Ragweed.

Re: Sarah Palin Represents Real America

Marcos El Malo — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 21:18:07 -0000

A non denominational amen to that, brother.

Re: Sarah Palin Represents Real America

brucds — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 18:44:01 -0000

If you want a quick schooling in some of the contradictory politics associated with "real" country music, check out Merle Haggard. He famously did some jingoistic stuff in the late '60s, but he thought he was doing it tongue in cheek, while his record company over-promoted it as part of the era's culture wars. His songwriting is, in fact, reflective of his own hard time in prison, his Steinbeckian family background as dust-bowl refugees and migrant workers, his total identification with hard-scrabble types. He's written some of the most class-conscious music of any American songwriter (if you'll pardon the old-school terminology), including a song sympathetic to modern-day Mexican migrants, an anti-Iraq war song and an "interacial love song" that his record company didn't release when he wrote it because it conflicted with the image they were pushing at the time. Haggard had kind words for Hillary during the run-up to '08, wrote a song about letting a woman take the reins - which would have seemed very "lefty" until Obama picked up steam. Now when Merle sings his vintage lyric about "we don't smoke marijuana in Muskogee", he grins and adds, "That's about the only place we didn't smoke it." Interesting guy - great songwriting - some of which competes with Woody Guthrie in celebrating marginalized workers and a great bluesy voice and band. Of course, the other guy in a similiar vein was Johnny Cash, who cut across all demographics in his appeal. Put out a great album of songs about American Indians that was about as politically cutting edge as it gets. And Willie Nelson almost goes without saying. Recently did a nice album with Wynton Marsalis. Of course contemporary mainstream country mostly sucks, but there are some alt-country types like Steve Earle who are very, very different from the stereotypes. Also check out Iris Dement for a woman with a killer old-school white gospel sound and plenty of attitude that will appeal to most "lefties." Of course, Emmy Lou Harris has been doing good stuff for decades and decades that doesn't fit the commercial country mold.

Re: Sarah Palin Represents Real America

brucds — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 18:21:05 -0000

"Who is Elmer" ???

Bill Kristol certainly doesn't have the necessary charisma...

Re: Sarah Palin Represents Real America

brucds — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 18:17:43 -0000

She's getting dumber every day. Sitting next to Joe Scarborough for a living will do that to you...

Re: Sarah Palin Represents Real America

anna perez — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 17:58:07 -0000

A Patsy Cline greatest hits CD has been in my car for months, but I also think Ella Fitzgerald was the greatest singer who ever lived. What does that make me? Someone who loves really good singers.

Re: Sarah Palin Represents Real America

anna perez — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 17:50:46 -0000

thank you Irishpirate! I have been trying to think of just who soon to be ex gov. Palin reminds me of and you hit it on the nose: Sister Sarah from "Elmer Gantry!" She even looks a little like Jean Simmons. George Babbit is, of course, are all those consersative pundits who want her to bring her tent show to "Zenith" aka the lower 48. Ahh, but who is her traveling salesman/evangelist "Elmer?"

Re: Sarah Palin Represents Real America

anna perez — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 17:43:07 -0000

People who peddle this "real America/Americans" BS never, ever actually tell you who the "unreal Americans" are because it might cost 'em some votes or viewers some day.

Re: Sarah Palin Represents Real America

pete from baltimore — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 17:34:24 -0000

I apoligise. In the last sentence i should have wrote white blue collar americans. The term blue collar Americans is used so much in the media to mean white people that even i make the mistake sometimes .

Re: Sarah Palin Represents Real America

pete from baltimore — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 17:20:44 -0000

One of the funnier things about this election was watching the Mccain campaign refer to northern Virginia as "not the real Virginia".Intersting enough John MCCain grew up in northern Virginia and went to a prep school there.Not only does he live there now while the Senate is in session. But i read that his brother lives in northern Virginia as well.

Northern Virginia is full of republicans who wax poeticaly about the "real Virginia" and "real america".

They also claim that Washington is full of yuppies and has no working class blue collar Americans. Washington DC and P.G. County [a suburb of DC] have plenty of blue collar neighborhoods.They just happen to be black and latino neighborhoods.

Re: Sarah Palin Represents Real America

pete from baltimore — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 17:00:57 -0000

MR Coates has written many good posts but this is defintly one of his best ones.

I especially like his comparison to the political left in the 70's. And I have felt for a long time that the political right has been presenting a cartoon version of white blue collar Americans.

It's as if the Republicans study blue collar Americans by watching proffessional wrestling or old episoides of "Hee Haw".All they seem to know about black people is what they see on the gangsta rap videos they catch their kids watching on MTV.

During the 1970's many well meaning upper middle class white liberals tried to help out the inner cities of America.But they were often niave and knew nothing about the people in the inner city [not always ,but often].

So often they misrepresented them or thought that the criminals were somehow fighting the system by mugging old ladies.Or they listened to the loudest voices in the community instead of the most sensible ones.

MR Coates is right about the political right doing the same thing today .They are listening to the most ignorant members of rural and white blue collar America and thinking that these idiots speak for the rest of us.

This shows the political rights ignorance of "real Americans more than anything else.

All of us [ whether black or white] know the loser who never has had a job and is a hateful pain in the ass.Every neighborhood has a few guys like that.But seeing these guys get on tv and claim to speak for all of their community is sickening.

Thank you MR Coates for writing such a good post and not buying into the belief that all blue collar Americans are racists or morons.

Re: Sarah Palin Represents Real America

pete from baltimore — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 16:31:00 -0000

Acromion

I think that you may be right in some cases. But I think that a person's political beliefs can be different than their cultural tastes.

I myself am politically conservative in a free market libertarian sort of way.But if i told you my cultural tastes you would think that i was a flaming liberal.

I can believe in free market economics AND still like Laura Viers and Laura Gibson [Both singers from Portland Oregon.. more or less indie folk singers].

I think that is the problem nowdays. We have reduced all of our issues down to which clique you belong to.It's like that 80's movie "The Breakfast Club".

Our democracy is too important to be trivialised like that.And I wonder about people who must always toe the party line, whether they are Democrats or Republicans.

And for the record ,I like old country and bluegrass better than New Country music.

Re: Sarah Palin Represents Real America

HintonHelper — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 15:27:43 -0000

yeah...conservatives like the kind of pap "country" put out by Nashville. You know, the big hair, 'boot in yer ass', Lee Greenwood teeming refuse.

we with musical and ideological standards can enjoy real country music and/or alt.country, some of which was described by eric k above (speaking of which, just got the new Son Volt...nice), tho I do protest re: Wilco in the past decade. My anti-Tweedy animus knows no bounds.

regardless, I'd be wary of conflating music with politics, except in the category of those who tend to like their music superficial (regardless of genre) would also tend to prefer their politics the same way. It ain't a big leap from Kenny Chesney, to US Weekly, to Sarah Barracuda.