Uncle Sugar Rorschach

[Jonathan Lighter]

Garson beat me to the observation that Barry had quite independently
unearthed some of the cites I listed and included them in an article some
years ago on his carefully researched Big Apple blog.

The media, however, is currently enamored of UrbanDictionary.com, whose
leading evidence for "Uncle Sugar" sez, "The concept that Uncle Sam is
everyon's [sic] pimp because he takes his share of your money before you
get your share."

A contribution dated today confidently asserts that "Uncle Sugar" is "a
combination of 'Uncle Sam' and 'Sugar Daddy.' "

JL


On Sat, Jan 25, 2014 at 2:14 PM, 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 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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