Opinions/Editorials
See other Opinions/Editorials Articles
Title: Paul Revere’s Ride, as told by Sarah Palin
Source:
content.usatoday.com/communities
URL Source: http://content.usatoday.com/communi ... n-paul-revere-midnight-ride-/1
Published: Jun 4, 2011
Author: Alexandra Petri
Post Date: 2011-06-04 03:58:48 by Ferret Mike
Keywords: None
Views: 2642
Comments: 18
Oh, no.
Among other highlights of her Maybe It’s Just A Vacation Bus Tour, Sarah Palin attempted to retell the story of Paul Revere. It went badly. Admittedly, it always goes badly when anyone tries to retell history, even when sober, since we collectively have the historical and civics knowledge of a group of pigeons who paid limited attention in middle school.
But this was almost poetic. So here, with apologies to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow about the scansion, is the Sarah Palin edition of the Midnight Ride of Paul Revere.
Listen my children and you shall hear
Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere
As told by the Palin who comes from AK
With fire in the belly and things to say
With regard to that famous day and year.
He warned all the – British? (now Sarah tells)
“uh, the … the British that they weren’t gonna be
takin’ away our arms, uh, by ringin’ those bells
and, um, by makin’ sure that as he’s
ridin’ his horse through town to send
those warnin’ shots and bells that, uh, we
were gonna be secure and we were gonna be free
… and we were gonna be armed.” The end!
Quoth she, and it sort of made sense, I guess
After all, our history’s sort of a mess.
And that’s not all Palin’s got to tell
Of how our country was formed so well
She sits in the back of the Magic Bus
And glibly recounts the Story of US
From the Statute of Liberty on south
A classic case of the foot-in-mouth
(Not to mention the help that Washington got
On his farm, where no doubt he worked quite a lot
Though help from some “African volunteers”
As Colbert said, might have eased his years.)
Some man once said, and I thought it neat
If you don’t learn history, you’re doomed to repeat.
But I don’t think that a sorry state --
The way Sarah tells, history’s pretty great!
By Alexandra Petri | 05:40 PM ET, 06/03/2011
Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest
The truth is, I have NOW seen several of Palin's renditions about Paul Revere's famous ride. She did a pretty good job just bringing the subject up.
Anyone can scoff at her impromptu rendition as it is inaccurate, still, if you had been asked about Paul Revere's famous ride, would YOU have been able to discuss it? Or would you have avoided the discussion?
#2. To: buckeroo (#1)
I would talk about it. I know New England colonial history well. And I don't suffer from Palin's apparent need to weave extreme right wing dogma in every mention of something historic she seems to have on this bus trip.
I was amused for example of her editorial spins o her comments after visiting the Statue of Liberty.
In the case of Paul Revere, she would of been wise to not try to weave without knowing her history well enough to do this in an articulated fashion. She failed at trying to caste a historic event in the right Tea Party screw which was her goal, thus she gets a a fail.
She was trying to craft a basket rhetorically and only managed to create a new piñata for everyone to have a whack at.
Perhaps this process seems ruthless to some not giving her quarter for a botched job at trying to communicate a resonance with people; but she is being judged to her fitness for a particularly important job.
If she wants to prove she is presidential timber, she has to do a whole lot better job as a communicator than this.
#3. To: Ferret Mike (#2)
She was trying to craft a basket rhetorically and only managed to create a new piñata for everyone to have a whack at.
It goes along with the political theatre, don't you suspect? Somewhat akin to Al Gore's infamous, "I invented the Internet" remarck.
I took a few more samples of her past speeches from YouTube this evening. Some were old and right up to the present, such as this Paul Revere guffaw. She maintains a consistent political bearing throughout all of her talks; something that is probably refreshing for most folks for a popular political figure. Don't let what you suspect as a guffaw overshadow what she is attempting to say.
I give her credit on this recent talking point issue.
#4. To: buckeroo (#3)
Yeah, she is trying to be as entertaining and engaging as Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters were on their bus tour, but she doesn't work for me.
I find her shallow and see she is courting a game she should avoid. If she runs for POTUS, she will be in it over her head.
If she got the presidency, we all would she her managed. And not because she would want that, but because she would be very dependent on other to maintain an image of competency. And such services don't come cheap.
#5. To: Ferret Mike (#4)
She is NOT going to run for US president.
#6. To: buckeroo (#5)
I don't think she will either, but she is a piece on the chess board being moved around as part of an overall strategy in the race on the GOP side.
#7. To: Ferret Mike (#4)
but she doesn't work for me.
We know. You like a black man.
#8. To: Ferret Mike (#2)
to weave extreme right wing dogma in every mention of something historic
Example please squirrel.
#9. To: A K A Stone (#8)
You come in with a snippish retort, an insult and a request for me to explain something.
I don't owe you anything with that sort of approach from you. Looking for a scrap?
#10. To: Ferret Mike (#9)
So in other words you were just making stuff up because you thought it sounded clever.
That's ok I knew it wasn't true.
#11. To: A K A Stone (#10) (Edited)
You are going to think what you want regardless of my words. So you realy think such a baiting actually works with me?
#12. To: Ferret Mike (#11)
Whenever you are afraid to answer something. You come up with this "you're baiting me" routine.
I bait a hook if I am fishing.
When I'm talking to you folks on the forum, I'm giving it to you like I see it. Or I am poking fun at something.
#13. To: A K A Stone (#12)
Asking a question is fine. Framing it in the context I pointed out doesn't result in the courtesy of a response.
Use some politesse, get some back. Bare rhetorical fangs, you get a similar response.
What? They didn't cover this when you took Freshman High School bully course 101?
#14. To: A K A Stone (#7)
You like a black man.
What's wrong with that?
It is our responsibility to protect that child once that child’s born too. When we start debating a budget, let’s make sure we don’t cut 100,000 vaccines. Let’s make sure we’ve got health insurance. We seem to worship what we cannot see, but as soon as that baby’s born, oh no, we don’t want to be intrusive. Texas is going to shrink government until it fits inside a women’s uterus. Senator Leticia Van de Putte
#15. To: lucysmom (#14)
You like a black man.What's wrong with that?
Nothing if you are a woman.
#16. To: A K A Stone, lucysmom (#15)
"Nothing if you are a woman."
He's playing with his infactuation with hating lesbians and gays.
When he gets testy he reverts to his lowest common denominator. This is no surprise.
#17. To: Ferret Mike (#0)
Turns out that you and the other leftards are the true dumbasses, as usual.
http://legalinsurrection.blogspot.com/2011/06/so-now-all-these-people-will-apologize.html
Now, I know I’m not going to change the minds of any of the True Believers…those who read all of Reverend Al’s sermons, and say things like, “You know, global warming can mean warmer OR colder, wetter OR drier, cloudier OR sunnier, windier OR calmer, …â€. Can I get an ‘amen’??
#18. To: Ferret Mike (#13)
Careful Mike or Stoner will suspend your account like he did to war this morning. I think it's his time of the month if you know what I mean.
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest
[Home] [Headlines] [Latest Articles] [Latest Comments] [Post] [Mail] [Sign-in] [Setup] [Help] [Register]