Uncle Sugar Rorschach

[Joel S. Berson]

At 1/25/2014 11:54 AM, Jonathan Lighter wrote:
>I'm not sure how "Uncle Sugar" could be construed as "racist" except that
>sugar is very white and "Uncle Sugar" is handing out prescriptions to ...
>well, to whom?

My reference to "both of the above" was to (a) "sugar daddy" and (b)
"a pimp", not to a racist construction.

Joel

>JL
>
>
>On Sat, Jan 25, 2014 at 11:18 AM, Joel S. Berson <Berson at att.net> wrote:
>
> > ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> > -----------------------
> > Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> > Poster:       "Joel S. Berson" <Berson at ATT.NET>
> > Subject:      Re: Uncle Sugar Rorschach
> >
> >
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > At 1/25/2014 10:15 AM, Jonathan Lighter wrote:
> > >Mike Huckabee has employed the phrase "Uncle Sugar" in a speech lambasting
> > >(wait for it) Democrats for "making [women]  believe that they are
> > helpless
> > >without Uncle Sugar coming in and providing for them a prescription each
> > >month for birth control because they cannot control their libido or their
> > >reproductive system without the help of the government, then so be it...."
> > >...
> > >The point is that people were speculating about 1. what "Uncle Sugar"
> > might
> > >possibly mean, and 2. (wait for it) whether it's racist. or 3. (wait for
> > >it) sexist.
> > >
> > >Somebody ventured the opinion that it was a sexist reference to a "sugar
> > >daddy." Anchor Victor Blackwell said he'd thought Mike was comparing the
> > >federal government "to a pimp."
> >
> > Of course it was -- both of the above -- in Huckabee's intent.  He's
> > using it to add these negative associations to "(present) United
> > States government", and thus tar the Democrats.
> >
> >
> > >  Conservatives since McCarthy days have used "Uncle Sugar" derisively  to
> > >refer to liberal fiscal and welfare policies.
> > >
> > >That's because "sugar," in the '40s, was still a familiar synonym for
> > >"money." Get it? "Uncle Sugar." How clever!
> > >
> > >Anyway, Cain of CNN lamented Huckabee's use of "an obsolete slang term for
> > >the federal government" as the GOP is trying to "improve its brand."  Such
> > >usage, he said, "reeks of old man."
> >
> > And "libidinous old man".
> >
> > Also, I have not heard any commentator -- and I would expect feminist
> > commentators to -- ask why women's libidos need controlling but men's
> > do not.  Huckabee I can understand -- after all, to a fundamentalist
> > women's lust is what lures men into sin.
> >
> > Joel
> >
> >
> > >JL
> >
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> >
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