There’s a well-known mantra in the blogosphere that every website administrator has come to appreciate over the years: “Don’t Feed the Troll.” You see, a Troll, per the Urban Dictionary, is “[o]ne who posts a deliberately provocative message to a newsgroup or message board with the intention of causing maximum disruption and argument.” The rule is, when you spot a Troll on your website, you do not, under any circunstances, dignify their comments with a response because, if you do, it will only “feed” their appetite for disruption. A Troll is not in it for dialogue; they’re only in it for aggravation. Namely yours. Despite the media’s recalcitrant insistence on reserving a seat for the former half-term governor (hereinafter “FHTG”) at the table of our national political discourse, Sarah Palin is a Troll. As such, I try not to dignify anything she says or does. Ever. (that would be “feeding” the Troll) However, in light of the fact that Hell hath frozen over (see Republican Joe Scarborough PWN!!! Palin in his latest Poltico article) I’ll make an exception just this once and then I will likely never do a post about FHTG Palin ever again unless she actually runs for President in 2012. So listen up ’cause I’m only gonna say this once.
FHTG Palin is representative of the cancer that is eating away at the honest discourse that is necessary to keep this country from burning itself down like Rome (don’t think it can happen? when was the last time you met somebody from the USSR?). More succinctly stated, FHTG Palin is a joke. The only problem, however, is that the joke is on us. Why? Because, as Scarborough alludes to in his piece, we the People have allowed this bafoonery to continue for far too long instead of doing what we should have done two years ago immediately after the election ended – which is to politely cut off the spotlight, take away the megaphone, and tell FHTG Palin to kindly shut the #$&@ up because her 15 minutes have expired. Instead, we have allowed the FHTG to turn into, as Scarborough put it, “the most-talked-about figure in the GOP.” (And when I say “we” I’m talking about both Conservatives and Liberals because both have done their fair share of feeding the Troll). Per Scarborough:
True. But I submit we need to take it one step further: what man or mouse with a fully function human brain would actually entertain FHTG Palin’s flirt with a presidential run? I hate to have to resort to stating the obvious here, but perhaps we have to say it once and for all in the King’s English so that eveybody can come to terms with this fact:
Period. Point blank. End of Discussion.
How do we know this? Because over the past 2 years FHTG Palin has demonstrated in unequivocal terms that she lacks the intellectual fortitude to take a seat at the adult table and talk politics on a world scale. Her criticisms of the President and the First Lady are merely knee-jerk talking points, the likes of which reveal FHTG Palin’s misunderstanding of the actual role (not to mention history) of the Presidency in this country. Likewise, her commentary regarding the Constitution also displays a fundamental lack of understanding that should be a given for any candidate seeking the highest Constitutional office in the land (Dr. Laura can get her First Amendment rights back by quitting a PRIVATELY OWNED radio show? Really?). Even the manner in which she speaks – word choice, vocabulary (or lack thereof), soliloquies, metaphors, etc. – all display a pattern of lazy thinking comensurate with somebody who supports (and personifies) anti-intellecutalism. To put it bluntly, she’s an idiot. Nearly every Republican I know openly admits that, at the very least, she’s not exactly somebody who would know how to speak with world leaders who are, for the most part, highly educated people.
But perhaps what is most telling about FHTG Palin is what goes unsaid – as in real solutions to the problems facing America. FHTG Palin is great at taking shots at President Obama, but that’s only because she has the luxury of not walking in his shoes or knowing what he knows. Unlike Obama, she doesn’t have to go to town hall meetings full of hurting Americans or angry House Republicans and spout foreign policy, domestic policy, Constitutional amendments and federal regulations off the top of her dome without teleprompters – nor does she have the intellectual capacity to do so (the palm of one’s hand can only hold so many notes, you know).
I bring up all of this to say that WE the People should have noticed this a long time ago and, accordingly, we should have taken an affirmative stand to stop feeding the Troll. And while we were at it, we should have also reminded our cousins, sisters, brothers, neighbors and friends to stop doing the same. There is absolutely NO reason, whatsoever, why a politician who quit her job in politics over a year ago should still have a voice in our national political debate. Her opinion doesn’t count anymore. And do you know why her opinion doesn’t count anymore? Because when given the chance to maintain her relevance as a political leader, FHTG Sarah Palin made a clear choice between politics (aka: helping the people) and money (aka: helping herself), and she chose money. Any questions about whether she still has any relevance in our national political debate should have been resolved in the negative at that precise moment when she made it crystal clear that she’s not here to be taken seriously, folks – she’s just here to get paid.
Therefore, ladies and gentlmen, I leave you with this final thought regarding the FHTG Sarah Palin:
Stop Feeding the Troll.
Article by Urban Politico
The Urban Politico is a collaboration of four writers, who hold each other in high esteem, to address social, political and other issues which resonate within the populations in which they feel most connected; race, age, socioeconomic and political status, personal experience and any other identifying factor that can join us, rather than divide us. The Janitor is an attorney in NYC and he and Godson worked together as organizers on the 2008 Obama Campaign. Godson, a published author, is currently Chief of Staff for a State Representative in Philadelphia. The Fed, as the name implies, is in the Federal Gov in Washington D.C. and works with law makers on the Hill. These 3 writers share very similar views on many issues, however, all 3 have a different perspective. This blog will be a platform that will bring forth many new and fresh ideas and concepts that are extremely noteworthy.
Urban has written 122 article(s) for us.
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A Final Word on Sarah Palin: FHTG Palin is representative of the cancer that is eating away at the honest discou… http://bit.ly/icMdWj
A Final Word on Sarah Palin: Likewise, her commentary regarding the Constitution also displays a fundamental lac… http://bit.ly/fu38JW
In this culture of facebook and twittter, it is easy to people to become “celebrities”. Regardless of how many establishment folks complain about her, she has establish her following and her base will ride or die with her and many times, they commit to her more b/c she is the “underdog” even though she has flipped this loyalty to “straight cash homey” off their backs.
Great post. Loved it. Voiced my thoughts on why I don’t like Sarah Palin had I chosento fully think it out lol
The BEST article on Pain-, ..er Palin. Thank you.
She’s a ditz! Yet the mouth breathers love her.
THANK YOU! YES…YES, yes and oh, some more yes!
Wish this pub was more popular. Former Half Term Governor Palin #FHTG-Brilliant! http://bit.ly/hzmu1S Why she + #Tcot #Teaparty=unqualified
To add more fuel to the Palin bashing…
http://www.theroot.com/views/palins-dangerous-race-game
Firstly, I LOVE this sentence: “Even the manner in which she speaks – word choice, vocabulary (or lack thereof), soliloquies, metaphors, etc. – all display a pattern of lazy thinking comensurate with somebody who supports (and personifies) anti-intellecutalism.”
I haven’t finished reading … so I’ll return with my commentary momentarily
Now my comment:
I was asking for Sarah Palin to go away this time last year when her book came out & she was talking about “Going Rogue” but … lo & behold … she’s still around; wrecking havoc every time she opens her mouth. Sad to say, she messes things up for soooo many groups of people thoughout this country when she speaks: women, liberals, conservatives, Christians, non-Christians, Alaskans, … poor Alaskans to have her as their Former Half Term Governor
SMH
Never underestimate stupid. That means in 2012 get up off your ass and vote otherwise stupid will be in the White House.
This is my biggest fear. I’m hoping Palin’s large amount of stupid won’t fool the American people (including the Americans). I see her seriously running for President and if the Republicans back her I won’t be surprised if she does end up running against Obama.
I’m sorry I meant including the Republicans, not including the Americans.
All I can say is I already live overseas
Well written…GREAT ARTICLE!!!
@Urban Politico
This article is SO on point—it should be e-mailed to everyone who’s still drinking the damn Kool-aid when it comes to actually having to think about whether this woman even has the capability of becoming a viable Presidential candidate—–what a f**king joke! Ten,even five years ago, NO one would have even taken her seriously whatsoever—but, because, and ONLY because, the republicans are so damn eager to get rid of Obama, is she being seen as a viable alternative (yeah,right). For one thing, all she gives a damn about is white folks like herself—it’s like she dosen’t even consider, or see us non-white folks as worthy of even reaching out to. I have yet to hear her come up with ANYTHING resembling a concrete plan on how restart the ecomony and create jobs for these “hard-working Americans” she claims to represent, because,you know, that would, like, actually require her to, you know, like actually THINK for a change. Something that would require her to say something of substance beyond the tired Republican talking points she keeps spitting out like a mantra.
She’s gonna have to come up with some REAL ideas about how to get this country moving in the right direction within the next year, because coming across as folksy and being able to relate to the so-called “average person” can only get you so far. Sooner or later even white folks are gonna get bored with her and be like, “Okay, what else can you do besides show what a good American you are? That all you got?” And her thinking she could actually beat Obama in the next election–that’s a case of counting WAY too many eggs long before they hatch—I haven’t seen a damn thing she’s done to prove why the hell she should be a candidate in the first place. Constant media hype and keeping your face in the cameras all the time is NO substitute for showing the ability to actually GOVERN and LEAD people—she’s gotten too caught up in her own hype to differentiate the two, which is pathetic in her case.
On top of that, she bitches about this author living next to her and supposedly invading her privacy, but, hey, when you’ve been willing to pimp your fam in fromt of the cameras from day one and then start your own reality T.V. show, then you need to shut the hell up about so-called “Invasion of privacy” when you’re just giving it away on cable T.V.
When she announces the money will pour in………….
And the whole country pops a cork. Her announcement will be front page news for a week, and from then until the swearing in, she will dominate the headlines and global internet traffic.
On the day that she announces, you will see a campaign volunteer response like nothing ever witnessed in this country. Palin HQ is going to be overwhelmed with offers of help. That’s how much the American people believe in this woman. As well they should……
Sarah rising, Obama falling.
Life is good!
We’ve seen this blatant disrespect to our level of intelligence and understanding. 3 words George W. Bush
so true, Palin shows us what America is becoming…lord help us