I'm all about that

[Wilson Gray]

As the title of a neo-blaxploitation movie from a decade or so ago put
it, it's "All About The Benjamins."

-Wilson

On Mon, Aug 3, 2009 at 10:05 PM, Ann Burlingham<ann at burlinghambooks.com> wrote:
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> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Ann Burlingham <ann at BURLINGHAMBOOKS.COM>
> Subject:      I'm all about that
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Listening to the head of Al Jazeera English on Diane Rehm this
> morning, his use of the phrase, about the US, that something-or-other
> "is what this country is all about" struck me - is it a cliche, or
> veritably a snowclone? And what *is* this country all about (Are other
> countries all about other things? Many, many other things?)
>
> Apparently, opinions vary widely (a few of the first ghits):
>
>
> The romance of aviation and space it's barn kids to dream is what this
> country is all about
>
> "Hallie Stillwell Is What This Country Is All About"
>
> In that sense, religion is what this country is all about.
>
> Being free to satirize an American president is what this country is all about.
>
> Enterprise, that is what this country is all about: Enterprise!
>
> “Immigration is good for this country; immigration is what this
> country is all about; immigration is being an American.
>
> Being able to protest as long as you don't infringe on someone else's
> right's is what this country is all about.
>
>  I also like the "Letters" section (though they raise my blood
> pressure and piss me off frequently), for that is what this country is
> all about
>
> Obama is what this country is all about
>
> Free speech and the right to your opinion is what this country is all about
>
> Constant renewal is what this country is all about.
>
> The Will of the People is what this Country is all about.
>
> Patriotism and Honor of our fallen Heroe's is what this country is all about
>
> Participation is what this country is all about.
>
> LIFE, LIBERTY, and THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS is what this country is all about.
>
> ...people's money to buy appreciating and cash flow generating assets
> is the purest act of modern day capitalism and is what this country is
> all about.
>
> That is what this country is all about. But you have to earn your way
> up. Not just "affirmative action" your way up. (Hey! Is that a verb
> there? - Ann)
>
> Spam is what this country is all about, two cars in every garage and a
> pig in every can.
>
>
> And someone did notice--
>
>
> “This is what this country is all about,” he affirmed, though what
> “this” is was not clear.
>
>
>
>
> ... And so many more. This all cried out to me to put into poetry or
> song form. Possibly to the tune of the Hokey Pokey - that's what it's
> all about. Perhaps something like this,
> a-one, a-two and
>
> You put the left wing in, you put the left wing out
> you put the left wing in and shake it all about.
> Free speech, diversity, multi-ethnicity,
> that's what it's all about.
> You put the right wing in, you put the right wing out,
> you put the right wing in and shake it all about
> Patriotism, purity, capitalism, security
> That's what it's all about
>
> -Ann, sorry for the earworm, I didn't see it coming either, folks
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>



--
-Wilson
–––
All say, "How hard it is that we have to die!"---a strange complaint
to come from the mouths of people who have had to live.
-----
-Mark Twain

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