Racist, Sexist America(n Idol): Not
Liberals continue to insist that racism is "alive and well" in America (see here and here and here and here and here, for example).
But as abhorrent as beancounting is, let's engage in it on a liberal's terms for a moment: Take the fantastically successful show "American Idol," where contestants are voted in (and out) based purely on viewers' phone calls. In this season's competition, 63 million cast ballots; in the season three finale, when Fantasia Barrino won, 65 million did. Both figures, of course, are more than half of the 111 million people who voted in the election of 2000 and are half (or almost half) of the 128 million who voted in 2002.
Now let's look at who won these competitions in beancounting fashion. First season winner: Kelly Clarkson, white female. Second season: Reuben Studdard, black male. Third season: Fantasia Barrino, black female. Fourth season: Carrie Underwood, white female.
No doubt terrible examples of racism and sexism continue to occur in certain individual circumstances (and, sad to state, always will). But if America as a whole is truly the stewing pot of racism and sexism that so many liberals believe it is -- and to a degree that requires institutional redress of such grievances -- how did all these bigoted Americans manage to wait until season five to vote in a white male as the "American Idol"?
But as abhorrent as beancounting is, let's engage in it on a liberal's terms for a moment: Take the fantastically successful show "American Idol," where contestants are voted in (and out) based purely on viewers' phone calls. In this season's competition, 63 million cast ballots; in the season three finale, when Fantasia Barrino won, 65 million did. Both figures, of course, are more than half of the 111 million people who voted in the election of 2000 and are half (or almost half) of the 128 million who voted in 2002.
Now let's look at who won these competitions in beancounting fashion. First season winner: Kelly Clarkson, white female. Second season: Reuben Studdard, black male. Third season: Fantasia Barrino, black female. Fourth season: Carrie Underwood, white female.
No doubt terrible examples of racism and sexism continue to occur in certain individual circumstances (and, sad to state, always will). But if America as a whole is truly the stewing pot of racism and sexism that so many liberals believe it is -- and to a degree that requires institutional redress of such grievances -- how did all these bigoted Americans manage to wait until season five to vote in a white male as the "American Idol"?
posted by LadybugUSA at 1:55 PM
8 Comments:
Wait... you're using American Idol to prove a point?
Racists have a long history of listening to black musicians. Ray Charles was banned from Georgia because he refused to play to a segregated venue.
And need I point out how utterly fruitless it is to use an industry that expects women to act like total skanks to get a leg up to try prove that there's no sexism in our culture?
Tell me, do you think when you post this type of tepid crap?
Blessed are we who recognize utter bull crap when we see it, wafting through with its stench of ignorance embodied in a self-righteous fluff piece under the guise of proving a point when all it does is fall flat on its face.
I should probably be amused but to see a woman be so ignorant just sickens me...
... hear ye, hear ye Wombat!
Nice ad hominem attacks from the left wing.
But, we are tolerant of such things here, unlike when I post a commentary at Huffington or Kos. It's a free country, thank GOD!
I'd love to hear you explain how what I said up there was an ad hominem attack.
Even Miz B wasn't an ad hominem in the strictest sense. She attacked the piece and said that Carol was being ignorant. Guess what? The peice was evidence of ignorance!
But how's this for an ad hominem attack? If there was a leg to be stood upon here, and if you had any guts, maybe you'd try and refute my argument rather than playing the goddamned martyr card.
I'm an American living in Europe since the 80's so I missed out on things like American Idol, but I've heard it's similar to the Eurovision Song contest, which was won last week by the heavy metal band Lordi.
This proves once and for all that there is no discrimination in Europe against zombies, valkyries and alien manbeasts, except, of course, in certain individual circumstances.
I suppose it was the "Tell me, do you think when you post this type of tepid crap?" that was rather of the ad hominem variety.
Do you even think when you reply? Or is your vocabulary strictly forbidden from omitting rage filled cursing?
You seem to be a typical liberal punk, so I'm sure you won't have any problems getting people to read your own blog.
And please tell me about guts.
Still not an ad hominem. It was an attack on the piece, which shows no evidence of thought. If you keep just playing around with Latin like it's some Ken doll then it'll get to the point where a woman yelling, "stop theif!" after a man who's taken her purse will be accused of an ad hominem attack
In fact, if anyone's guilty of argumentum ad hominem, its you, as you've still yet to say a single word about the actual issue at hand.
rage filled cursing? I said the word "crap" once and "BS" once. And actually I think this all is pretty hilarious. By the way, the word that I believe you meant to say is "emitting." "Omitting" rage-filled cursing is in fact the opposite.
But none of that has to do with whether or not American Idol has a thing to do with racism in America. And Ann Coulter and whoever the hell Jean Rohe is have even less to do with it. I guess she'd have you believe that serving in a war grants you clemency from political attack, unless your name is John Kerry.
I'll continue to talk about guts as you prefer to tell me of another liberal (who obviously must be someone just like me) who some hack says has none rather than showing any of your own and putting forth a real argument instead of this sort of queer meta-argument you've cobbled together.
Actually maybe Ann Coulter has a lot to do with it. You clearly belong to her school of political discourse.
Forgive me for not giving half a hump what I seem like to you.
Coming from you being called a typical liberal punk is truly joyous! I, for one, am jealous! Come on! Call me that too you funny man you!
Ok, now I am nauseous... there is so much faking I can handle...
You know, at least Wombat has the integrity, the ability and the intellect to truly attack an argument... if that is rage-filled cursing to you then I suggest you wrap yourself in bubble wrap and live in a plastic house with no sharp edges because life requires a little bit of a tougher skin...
I think your bitterness stems more from a lack of having anything truly intelligent nor coherent to say... Huffington and Kos have a problem with you? Phew... my world still makes sense!
Hallelujah!
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