But What If It Really IS a “Man on the Street”?

Council staff banned from saying ‘man on the street’… in case women are offended

Well, I AM offended.

10 Responses to “But What If It Really IS a “Man on the Street”?”

1. Skyler says:

   August 25, 2008 at 12:58 pm

   What kind of world do they live in where men are not addressed as being gentlemen?
   The irony being of course that their men are so gentle lately, that when they are taken prisoner by the Iranians that they cry themselves to sleep and wet their beds until someone gives them a wii.

2. don says:

   August 25, 2008 at 2:12 pm

   Good question @ what if it really is a man of the street? While I think it’s always a great idea to be socially conscious, I don’t think that it should be obtained if and when it means butchering the true spirit.
   Bingley, what do you think about Obama/Biden?

3. Mr. Bingley says:

   August 25, 2008 at 3:28 pm

   Hey don!
   You know, I’ve just gotten back from a week-long cruise, and I can’t TELL you how nice it was to hear nothing about this election during that time; no tv, no internet, no cell phone…god it was heaven. It feels like damn election this has been going on for 3 years already…I guess because it has been.
   My initial thought is that I can’t for the life of me see how Biden in any way, shape or form can be thought to embody ‘change’. He is “Establishment” with a capital “E.” For god’s sake, the guy has literally been a Senator since Barack was what, 12 years old? Now, I guess you can say that he adds experience to the ticket, and the lack of which has clearly hurt Obama. But it seems to me one of the risks of this is exactly that: it is his campaign in essence admitting “yep, we’re inexperienced in foreign affairs.” I think that’s a dangerous admission from them, tactically; I would never effectively admit that my opponent’s strongest charge is true. And a further risk from Biden is his propensity to, shall we say, ‘exaggerate’ somewhat when he is speaking and under some pressure.
   My feeling is that this may hurt Obama somewhat in that it may discourage some of the folks truly hoping for change; they won’t vote for McCain now, obviously but some of them in fact may not vote at all, and he needs every vote he can get.

4. mojo says:

   August 25, 2008 at 4:01 pm

   Girl? Lady?
   I guess “that ignorant twat” is right out, then…

5. Gunslinger says:

   August 25, 2008 at 6:00 pm

   No doubt “a fair bit of crumpet” is also out.

6. ricki says:

   August 26, 2008 at 8:38 am

   Actually, I’d kind of like people to know I am “Miss.” Because, you know, they might have a cute single brother about my age or something….

7. nightfly says:

   August 26, 2008 at 9:41 am

   At bottom, this is really an attempt to squash individuality. Seriously. If you can’t refer to women as women, nor men as men, nor “us” or “them” (because it’s divisive, and never you mind if it’s “they” who wish to be doing the dividing)… really, if you can’t refer to anyone as what they actually are, then all you have left are units. You no longer have Ms. Sister and Bingley and Tom, Sue, Jane, Harry… you have interchangeable parts. “No better than anyone else,” already a debatable position, is replaced by “no different than anyone else,” which is patently false – but enforced by overzealous copy editors and PC panjandrums in every walk of life.
   Yeah, I’m feelin’ grouchy lately.

8. don says:

   August 26, 2008 at 7:27 pm

   Mr. Bingley,
   I’m sure you enjoyed your vacation and time away from the sometimes overbearing element of media. I took a vacation but mines wasn’t nearly as encouraging as yours.
   As for the reply, I couldn’t have summed it up better. When I heard and read that Obama had selected Joe Biden, the very first thing I thought to myself was – some change. And I am a Obamaholic. So I can only imagine what the swing voters were thinking, well, besides your commentary which pretty much hit the hammer on the nail.
   The Biden selection, while not horrible, certainly provokes thoughts of him admitting that he has absolutely no idea what to do about the situation in Iraq. I hear Foreign policy is Biden’s stronghold, so while it appears that is a sound decision I think the fact that Biden is a ‘career politician’ could confuse the young voters who have rallied around cries and pleas for change.

9. don says:

   August 26, 2008 at 7:29 pm

   Also, Michelle Obama set the stage for great oration last night. I am hoping to see Hillary Clinton put her differences away once and for all tonight and rip McCain for that ‘The Truth Hurt’ campaign ad which the GOP nominee recently produced.

10. Mr. Bingley says:

    August 27, 2008 at 7:28 am

    Hey don
    Thanks for the kind words, and I hope that you did at least get a good stretch of relaxation in on your vacation.
    I posted my latest reply here to make it easier for us to carry on this very interesting discussion.