tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1665619563748706349.post1008351453049908357..comments2023-10-07T07:44:17.892-07:00Comments on The New Englander: So You Know This Lady?The New Englanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06201310505648616855noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1665619563748706349.post-54528127972774512142008-09-15T06:46:00.000-07:002008-09-15T06:46:00.000-07:00Matt and Nick,As always thanks for your comments a...Matt and Nick,<BR/><BR/>As always thanks for your comments and insights. Good points to bring into the discussion and they definitely temper the initial idea that the first name use is driven by any -ism...<BR/><BR/>..it seems we definitely agree though on the idea that the first name usage is often done in a belittling way (when done by the cable news talking heads, not a bunch of people chanting Sa-rah at a rally)..<BR/><BR/>Also good points about the uniqueness -- both are different from the "Johns," "Joes" and "Bills" because then no one would really know who you were talking about..<BR/><BR/>-gpThe New Englanderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06201310505648616855noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1665619563748706349.post-14574979402343365702008-09-13T21:47:00.000-07:002008-09-13T21:47:00.000-07:00Hm. I'm kind of in-between. I think when Obama is ...Hm. I'm kind of in-between. I think when Obama is called "Barack" and Palin is called "Sarah" it's not racist or sexist -- it's just simply a demonstration that you do not take the person seriously.<BR/><BR/>I'm not sure when this started, but I do remember during the Clinton impeachment many Republicans dropping the use of "president" when discussing him.<BR/><BR/>That being said, the irony is that both Obama and Palin encourage the use of their first names. It's an attempt on their parts to seem more folksy and down-to-earth. I've seen numerous signs at Palin/McCain rallies that just say "SARAH" or "SARAH for V.P" (signs, of course, made by interns on her campaign) and Obama signs his campaign mailings to supporters not Senator Obama, but "Barack." <BR/><BR/>So I guess the first name thing cuts both ways.Jon and Katehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10387906860079789219noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1665619563748706349.post-38185938743471700432008-09-12T20:04:00.000-07:002008-09-12T20:04:00.000-07:00I agree with your distaste for the use of the firs...I agree with your distaste for the use of the first name, but I disagree with your assertion that "Sarah" is the only victim of this inappropriate familiarity. <BR/><BR/>For over a year, I have noticed that "Barack" has been used frequently and fliply--by people who are not necessarily Senator Obama's personal friends. <BR/><BR/><BR/>((A complete side note: This might be, in part, due to the repeated media gaffs in which Obama is referred to as "Osama"--see Bill O'Reilly and Ted Kennedy))<BR/><BR/>I also disagree with the idea that this sort of familiarity is <I> wholly</I> motivated by sexism, racism, or partisanship. Rather, it's a result of the dumbing-down of public discourse, combined with the exotic natures of the first names in question.<BR/><BR/>"Sarah" is exotic simply because it is female. "Barack" is exotic because it is unique, and ethnic. <BR/><BR/>Newscasters could not use "John", "Joe", "Bill", "Robert", or "Mike" to refer to a specific political figure, because that would be vague and confusing.Nickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05139386442259304692noreply@blogger.com