"Real Americans" Are Stupid! Obama vs. Mitt Romney and Jesse Jackson

So now we have it: good grades and responsible fatherhood are "white" and speaking foreign languages is suspiciously "European." What an amazing moment of un-looked for national reconciliation! Mitt Romney and Jesse Jackson agree on something at last: Senator Obama is downright un-American.

How does Mitt Romney want Obama to show his red-blooded Americanism? By demanding that Obama retract his un-American statements about the need for stupid white Americans (and others) to learn foreign languages.

After Obama suggested it would be a good thing to learn a foreign language Mitt said: "I do think that, frankly, Barack Obama looks towards Europe for a lot of his inspiration," Mitt told Fox's Hannity & Colmes, adding: "I think John McCain is going to make sure that America stays America."

How does Jesse want Obama to show his red-blooded Americanism? By not "talking down" to black men, in other words by not telling the truth about the stupidity of fathers who won't take responsibility for their children and by not mentioning the fact that there are lots of black young people who equate doing well in school with "acting white."

How do we make sure both white and black America "stays America?" By renewing our commitment to ignorance as the bedrock American virtue.

It's Senator Obama versus the stupid.

God forbid Obama is elected and begins to challenge ignorant white America to join the world, learn foreign languages and stop acting as if we live on another planet! God forbid Obama is elected and begins to challenge ignorant black America to reclaim the intellectual legacy of Frederick Douglass, Booker T. Washington, and WEB DuBois.

The best thing going for Obama is that he is smarter than we-the-dumb-on-purpose-people. We've had eight years of a president as stupid as we are. Let's try something new. Obama in 2008!

Frank Schaeffer is a writer and author of "CRAZY FOR GOD-How I Grew Up As One Of The Elect, Helped Found The Religious Right, And Lived To Take All (Or Almost All) Of It Back"

Comments

[Mattjoe]

Um, not that your language debate itself is not very informative however, I would suggest a little out of scope as only one example in the entire context what Obama"s point was about simply being less insular. Period.

Don"t get yur panties in a knot.

You know, the same exact thing we try and extol on other countries like "freedom" and "democracy" (things we say are foreign and unknown out of circumstance not desire) and turning the wick back just a notch on the whole religious fundamentalist thing?

Perhaps we should tear a page out of our own playbook huh?

[doodlefarbe]

Mr. Schaeffer writes, "After Obama suggested it would be a good thing to learn a foreign language Mitt said: "I do think that, frankly, Barack Obama looks towards Europe for a lot of his inspiration,"


Hmmm... I guess I'm confused. I thought Senator Obama said he was embarrassed by Americans who can't speak foreign languages. But I guess in reality, all he said was that it would be a good thing to learn a foreign language.

Wonder how I got such a silly impression?

My bad.

P.S. Like King Arthur, Hillary Will Return. Watch for it.

[patriotic008]

This article is on point!
0bama in 08!!!!

[barackobama4prez]

America stay America is so stupid in a global economy. How does educating keep us from staying America???? These are the voices that fight change. We must fight them back. We must each get at least 10 people to come to the polls with us on Election day. The voices of status quo are going to keep us in the dark ages!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[WFV]

America is going to stay America? It is the GOP who is giving it all away....we are beholden to so many foreign countries at this point, there may not be an America (or at least as they see it) much longer.

[BlackJAC]

Isn't it funny how the people who want English to be the official language aren't exactly fluent in it themselves?

[doodlefarbe]

... just seven posts prior...

[Angelus2007]

Here is my take. I think we should learn other languages. But it is not as necessary as it is in Europe. If I lived in the furthest reach of Europe(Southwestern Portugal) I would live closer to 4 countries that speak other languages (Spanish, French, Italian, & German) than I do to a country that speaks 1 other language here in the US. I could drive from Portugal to Austria, France, Italy, Switzerland or Spain in less time than I could to Mexico from where I live. That also doesn't include the fact that I could take a short ferry ride to Morroco. To drive from Portugal to Italy, I would need to speak more languages than I would need to traverse all of North and South America.

My point is we don't have the same need to speak other languages here than we do in Europe. While I don't think my point is the same as what Romney was saying, I do agree that we can't look at Europe as comparison. We are not Europe.

We have students leaving High School that can read at atleast a 9th grade level on regular basis. We don't do as well in Math in Science as other countries. Insdead of giving our students an hour a day of Spanish or some other language, lets add 20 minutes a day to English, Math and Science. When we get to that level, than we can look at foreign languages.

[MrsGreebers]

We only THINK there is little need to speak foreign languages here. Yes, we currently can get away with our linguistic hegemony as we have for decades, but for how much longer?

Rather than spending less time on languages, as you suggest, we should be spending more. It's not just proximity that has Europeans putting us to shame and making us look like ignorant prima donnas. It's the fact that they begin studying languages in early childhood education and go all the way through school. In our country, we foolishly wait till high school (middle school if you're lucky). It would be better to emphasize languages in the earlier grades, when minds are best capable of absorbing it, then in high school emphasize the advanced math and science.

[klmebane]

not to mention the fact that studies show that learning a foreign language makes you smarter because u have to use more of your intelligence.

[JimR]

All due respect, I think you are being very short-sighted. Two of the fastest-rising economic powers in recent years have been China and India. An extremely important part of that rise was learning other languages so they could compete on a global basis.

We need a stronger emphasis for U.S. students on English, Math, Science AND foreign language. And other subjects. We need a complete overhaul of our educational system, as we are falling behind in many areas.

[lvdragonlady]

wth??->that can read at atleast a 9th grade level on regular basis

[ObjectiveAutismDad]

Frank, yet again another thoughtful and entertaining post. It gave me a good laugh -- and it's sad that it's true.

[gettysburg]

Isn't that what Conservatism is, the narrowing of the mind? Look up the word "conservative" in the dictionary and you will find the word "narrow" as a decription. I'd say Mutt Romnet is a died in the wool consevative. Narrow minded.

[zjr909]

Just imagine if George W Bush had been as intelligent as Barack Obama. Imagine what a police state we'd be living in today. Intelligence does not preclude indifference to the rule of law, it just makes lawlessness easier to cover up and harder to uncover. I have no reason to suspect Obama is any less a shill for big business that any other politician in the national spotlight; so I have no more reason to blindly trust him than anyone else. But if the central premise of this post - that "real Americans" are stupid - is true; and if, as it appears, Obama has moved away from his elite core of Very Smart People to try and appeal to the Very Stupid People; and if, as it also appears, the Very Stupid People of America are more likely to be racist - then what will Obama have gained by trying to become more appealing to them? Yes, they'll love him for reinforcing in his speech their stereotype of black fathers as shiftless bums; they just won't love him enough to vote for him.

[kellygrrrl]

we tried "dumb-on-puprose"
it's not working
let's try "smart"

[TLV]

Where is the world does Mitt Romney think most of Americas gene pool is from? Mars?

[lennix]

i am a black man 54 years old and i am glade that obama said what he said was true and we have to think for our self jesse and al its a new day let the young steer us down this new path and let us be proud of our selfs agian i was very hurt by what jesse said becuase it was a lie on obama you don't get mad when some one is telling the truth we need to hear the truth for a long time and am tired of white men telling us what we are and what we can't do and its time to put this lie to rest also so step aside and let the change happen you change things in you our day and thank you for that but we have to take care of our self and if we got a man who is telling us the truth get behind him not hurt him becuase the truth will sat you free and make every one out of lairs so step aside and let the man do his thing and thank you mr.schaeaffer also for the truth we need more people like you

[Anarchisto]

Saying American's are stupid is a false generalization. Most American's are brainwashed and infused with blind patriotism through the education system, media and religion. Thankfully, there are intelligent Americans that speak more than one language and actually read books. Americans need to realize through a thoughtful process of examination of evidence, that we live in an imaginary world of freedom and democracy. The truth is ,behind the veil is a (not so)secret government that acts with impunity even though their actions are corrupt and criminal. This has been going on from the beginning of the republic. The wars we've been involved in usually have questionable events that foment the war's pretext.
A few examples:
1. Attack on "USS Maine" and the Spanish American War http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/lieofthecentury.html
2. Attack on "The Lusitania", WW I http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/snpwwi2.htm
3. Attack on Pearl Harbor, WW II http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&id=T_0dlMTDRTAC&dq=the+attack+of+pearl+harbor&printsec=frontcover&source=web&ots=RiAIfVfEde&sig=t8hbn9d6ahrH1tFUS18VVotB5J0&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=8&ct=result#PPP1,M1
4. Gulf of Tonkin Incident, Vietnam http://www.historycommons.org/context.jsp?item=vietnam_642
5. Iran Contra Affair, Proxy wars Iran-Iraq, Contras vs Sandinista http://www.pbs.org/newshour/forum/october96/crack_contra_11-1.html
6. The 9-11 attacks, War on Terrorism http://www.journalof911studies.com/volume/200704/JonesWTC911SciMethod.pdf

Let's not forget the assasinations of the 60's and the outright stolen presidential elections of 2000 and 2004.
Got democracy?

[cryingmoon]

This is our "great depression".....to have the idea that education/learning a foreign language is Un-American. Hey, ladies and gentlemen, this is the very reason the New Yorker cover/satire is so dangerous. Ummm.....in a country where learning another language is a bad thing.....would "getting satire" be likely? My biggest problem here is my lack of trust that many "fellow Americans" will expand and think. As long as people are determined to be dumb....dumbing down will be necessary.....meanwhile....back at the war without end, economy tanking, jobs being lost, etc. Somehow that fact that my fears are enhanced by resistance to learn and grow and to be able to "read" satirical cartoons makes me less optimistic that the real "biggies" will ever be addressed, or even solved. This bumpy ride is looking at the edge of a cliff....maybe clinging to Bibles and guns is our destiny. To hell with hope.