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September 03, 2004

Playing the Racist Card

I've been somewhat flabbergasted at the reactions to Zell Miller's speech. I thought it was an excellent example of rhetorical skills that is too often missing these days in public speakers....and sadly something that we are unlikely to see again on public television. Maybe it's because I'm a lawyer and a lover of words, but I thought it was a thing of beauty to listen to Mr. Miller masterfully ply his verbal iron skillet upside Kerry's head. It was a style reminescent of JFK's "Ask not what your county" and MLK Jr.'s "I have a dream". (I'm talking about style, not substance mind you.)

But the consensus among the opposition seems to be that it was too 'angry' or that Mr. Miller is a racist relic from the days of the segregationist South.

The Wall Street Journal's Al Hunt (on CNN) and MSNBC's Chris Matthews suddenly found it relevant that Miller had served as chief of staff to Georgia's segregationist governor, Lester Maddox.

Miller "was passionate when he was a racist 30 years ago," said Hunt. Added Matthews: Miller "earned his political spurs in the still-segregationist South."

I guess Chris didn't like the lesson in good manners he received on national tv the other night.

I think it's rather interesting that I haven't seen any substantive refutation of Zell Miller's charges against Kerry. If the only response to his speech is to play the racist card, I'd say there must be a lot of truth in what he said. When used in this manner, calling someone a racist is much like the playground taunt "You're a big fat doodyhead." It may make the speaker feel better, but it does nothing to advance their counter-argument.

Interesting too is the lack of a similar response by the pundits to Al Sharpton's speech at the Democrat's convention.

Recall Al Sharpton: "If George Bush had selected the [Supreme] Court in '54, Clarence Thomas would never have gotten into law school," he said. None of the TV talking heads called that "vile," "mean" or "angry," as they said of Miller. No, their reaction was mostly positive, noting how Sharpton had electrified the crowd with his oratory.

(Not that Big Al has ever let the facts get in the way, but I would like to point out that the U of A law school admitted its first black student in 1948.....several years prior to Brown v. Board I & II.)

As for the 'scary' part, duh, it's call 'persuasive speaking'. You use passion, facts and rhetorical devices to sway an audience. And metaphors.

You do know what a metaphor is, don't you? Or did your teachers fear such knowledge would damage your self-esteem?

Posted by Rita at September 3, 2004 06:34 AM

Comments

Posted by: Bill at September 3, 2004 10:06 AM

Posted by: david at September 4, 2004 01:58 AM