.jpg)
Del. Ali - good with email, bad with satire
In yesterday’s post on Montgomery County democrat Saqib Ali, this space reported the Maryland delegate had ‘tweeted’ that dropping the public option portion of Obama’s foundering health care reform was akin to ‘the terrorists having won.’
I also noted that I had offered the delegate an opportunity to defend his ‘tweet,’ but he did not respond to my email.
I instigated our exchange through the Facebook ‘Inbox” system given the ‘story’ unfolded on the social networking site.
Delegate Ali did indeed respond to my request, opting to use one of my four personal email accounts. The responsibility for checking said accounts rest squarely on this reporter, and for me to publish the piece without doing so was certainly irresponsible.
For that I offer the history-making delegate (Ali was the first Muslim ever elected to the Maryland State House) a sincere apology.
In the emails Delegate Ali sent to me, however, he did not address any of the questions posed regarding associating the elimination of the public policy option with the terrorists having won.
In an email sent to my Examiner editors (in our web-world parlance they are known as ‘channel managers’), the delegate not only questioned my professionalism, but also alluded to my ‘trolling’ Facebook looking for stories.
As I noted in the first ‘graph of yesterday’s piece, trolling for this offending - to some - comment was not necessary. Since I am indeed one of the more than 2100 Facebook ‘friends’ to whom the delegate can lay claim, there was no need for ‘trolling.’
The terrorists will have won comment was waiting for me when I signed on.
So rather than answer questions such as “Given your stance on opponents of the health care reform, do non-democrat citizens of your district have the right to disagree with you on issues such as gay marriage, raising income taxes or Maryland’s illegal immigration problems?”, Delegate Ali pointed me toward a Wikipedia entry for a history lesson on usage of the phrase ‘the terrorists have won.’
In fact, following is the entire text of the Facebook inbox message I sent to the Montgomery County democrat:
“Delegate: I trust all is well. I’d like to get your thoughts on your Twitter/Facebook posting from this morning. Just to clarify (and originating from your Twitter account): American citizens who oppose any public health care option are – in your words – “terrorists?”
Can the same term be applied to citizens of Maryland who opposed the increase in the sales tax, and fought the intrusive speed camera laws?
Do you normally dismiss those who don’t share your political philosophy in such fashion?
I noticed a comment under your original post claiming that you only represent those who voted for you. Granted, your sarcastic reply was on target, but if I were a republican or independent living in your district I’d question whether or not you are indeed working ‘for the people’ or rather working only for those who agree with your public policies.
Given your stance on opponents of the health care reform, do non-democrat citizens of your district have the right to disagree with you on issues such as gay marriage, raising income taxes or Maryland’s illegal immigration problems?
After watching the opponents of Obamacare be called – among other things – astroturfers, racists and un-American by many elected officials, why (even under the guise of satire) would you post such a potentially flammable statement in a public forum?
I think Marylanders would like to know how having an opinion not in agreement with yours equates to terrorism and all the atrocities committed by those who wage it.
My Examiner deadline gives me enormous leeway (I can post as late as 6 pm), and I’d really like for you to defend your ‘Tweet’, so I’ll wait for your reply before I go live with the story.
Thanks in advance,
Doug”
Instead of addressing the concerns brought about through the seeming carelessness of his ‘tweet,’ Delegate Ali opted for accusations that I was dealing in “hyperbole” and noted, “It would be silly to misconstrue this common figure of speech as a literal statement.”
Within the body of numerous emails sent my way, Delegate Ali called me “silly” and “lazy,” described my work as “shoddy,” and even called me out for “falsifying facts.”
The main ‘fact’ of the story was never in question: the delegate tweeted “If they drop the Public Option, then the terrorists will have won.”
But he never did address why an elected official would post such a potentially flammable statement – in this tense political climate – in a public forum.
He did, however, rightly point out that he never directly called the health care protestors terrorists. Still, we have been told in the past that situations such as these are built on the flimsy foundation of semantics: as in, ‘it depends on what the definition of ‘is’ is.’
Perhaps we need Merriam-Webster to weigh in on the definition of ‘implied.’
One wonders how Delegate Ali would have reacted had a republican member of Maryland’s House of Delegates tweeted that dropping the portion of Maryland’s policy stating marriage is between a man and a woman means, “The terrorists had won.”
I highly doubt he would have directed constituents to a pinksheepofthefamily blog entry claiming Paula Abdul not returning to American Idol had handed victory to those who wish to kill us..
Do I owe the delegate an apology for publishing that he did not respond to my emails?
Most certainly.
Do I stand by my story that he made an insensitive comment that angered a portion of his constituency, quickly attempted to scrape what he had stepped in off his shoes and in the process gave ‘political satire’ a bad name?
Most assuredly.
Comments
Apology Not Accepted.
You have failed to inform your readers of the main substance of my responses to you: THAT THIS PHRASE IS A WELL KNOWN RHETORIC DEVICE THAT IS ALWAYS SPOKEN IRONICALLY.
Even in your "apology", you didn't tell the whole story.
You included your entire message to me verbatim but failed to include my full response to you. Why? In doing so, you failed to provide your readers the URLs that would substantiate my claim that this is a part of the vernacular.
You paraphrased my response. But you paraphrased it INCORRECTLY saying that I accused you of hyperbole. I did no such thing! I said that *I* was using hyperbole to make a rhetorical point. Please read carefully before publishing. This is something I would expect from an elementary school student. Not a "reporter".
Again, you have gotten the story wrong in a very public way. I demand another correction/apology (please get it right this time).
I never said that you were using hyperbole.Yet you said I did
Delegate - I'm thinking said 'elementary schooler' could have clicked on YOUR Wikipedia link in the body of the follow-up and found all the info desired regarding your "well known rhetoric device". The link can be found at the end of paragraph ten. But given you are still determined to direct the conversation away from your tweet equating public option health care opponents with terrorists, I don't think any apology offered will negate the underlying disdain you have for those who disagree with your public policies. So rather than debate the use of the word 'hyperbole' or correct you on charging me with "trolling" for this tweet, I'll stand by my words. It's a shame you won't do the same in regard to your original post. My final question to you would be: do you often resort to name-calling when discussing policy issues with your General Assembly peers?
Joyce Thomann, a Republican activist from Maryland, was recently criticized for using hyperbole. Thomann compared President Obama's fiscal policies to Nazy Germany. She did eventually apologize for her hyperbole. Delegate Ali doesn't compare a politician to Nazi policies, instead he compares American citizens to terrorists because of their insistence that the public option be disavowed. So tell me Delegate Ali, why is what is good for the goose not good for the gander? Concerned Marylanders should e-mail reporters Laura Smitherman, John Wagner, and Alan Brody who wrote about Mrs. Thomann asking where their equal coverage is for an equally tasteless comment. Better yet, a comment without an apology. Delegate Ali should lead the charge in Joyce's defense....because he believes hyperbole should not be taken out of context, right Delegate Ali?
Well let us settle this one and for all. If we are to use the Obama health care reform method, why don’t we socialize this guys comments and get everyone to apologize because he "tweeted" something stupid. Seriously though we've all said silly things although most of us are not elected officials and most of us do not say them on a public forum. However, we are all human. Please just man up, take responsibility, and apologize for what you had said, I think we understand that statements like that can be taken out of context. Honestly I do not think anyone thinks your equating opponents of health care to "terrorists". However, you should probably close your twitter account for a while and think about what you have to say before just firing away quips on the internet.
Saqib Ali, you are disgraceful. Unworthy of elected office.
"RHETORIC DEVICE" my ass! Your elitism and arrogance are apparent. The leftist word games are criminal.
More arrogance from J Doug. I believe any "elementary schooler"
would know better than to use wiki as a recourse.
Your excuse is pathetic. Your logic is failed.
You are undeserving of your office.
Joe Six Pack says: Honestly I do not think anyone thinks your equating opponents of health care to "terrorists".
Your right Joe, BUT....THIS ADMINISTRATION WILL NOT EVEN CALL A TERRORIST A TERRORIST!
And this Ali POS thinks its OK to call ANYONE or imply or infer or compare ANYONE to a terrorists?
With his excuse and horrible explanation a "manning up" is not in the picture. You need to be a man to "man up".
And what ever you think I just said, it is just a
"RHETORICAL DEVICE". Or NOT!
This is really silly. The terrorists I was referring to were very obviously Al-Qaida terrorists. NOT the health-care protestors at the Town-Hall meetings. It was an ironic statement, a rhetorical device that is commonly used.
I would gladly post substantiating links except the Baltimore Examiner Website Blocks URLS. So instead I will simply ask all your readers to Google "The terrorists will win" and they can see for themselves that this is a well known, common rhetorical device. And they needn't depend on a "reporter" who is mis-reporting facts (Ex: I didn't respond. I said he was using hyperbole. Both untrue.)
Delegate Ali's comments labeling opponents to the so-called Public Option Health Plan as "terrorists" marks a new low in the public debate. Voters expect a reasoned debate, not this insulting name calling. "Public Option Health Plan opponents include many Republicans, Independents, moderate and centrist Democrats.
Mark Uncapher,
Chairman, Montgomery County Republican Party,
Del. Ali, do you think Joyce Thomann really believes President Barak Obama was a Nazi or do you think she was employing a rhetorical device too? I don't think either one of your meant your opponents/those you're disagreeing with are terrorists/nazis/whatnot. I do think the comments were taken way out of context. So, again, would you defend her hyperbole? I don't expect you to. It is silly. But their is a bias that extends one way. Maybe you will see it more now. Maybe not. I hope the former.
Time for you to retire Ali, you have failed miserably as a legislature, but have learned the art of Spin and Marty, like the GOvernor himself. Your seat is now targeted for replacement next time through. I have family in MoCo, and friends. We will make it our mission to make sure, you and your Terrorists remarks are kept out in the public view. Those who do not stand for the Constitution of the United States of America have no right in running for public office, you sir are a disgrace and have now earned top billing with your friend Gustavo Torres of Casa De Maryland, who does lay down with Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, a known friend of Terrorist Leader of Iran. We, the People of Maryland demand you come out and Apologize to us for violating our personal rights to express our views concerning free speech and assembly. We demand a written apology from you and dont forget, I emailed the top people of the state about this episode of yours.
Step Down from your position, we demand this. As the Citizens of Maryland, we will not stand for a lying, bullying politician whose Rhetoric is that of a 12 year old back peddling once caught in the deception.
Everyone should just calm down, and Saqib you should apologize for acting like a small child whose candy has been taken away and throwing more fuel on the fire to this "non"-story. When you engage the public the terrorists win! I honestly do not know when the American public became so politically correct and humorless. I think it has to be a bad sign when they call for your resignation after one silly out of context comment. We know that the health care "reform" is a polarizing issue but at this point I think that is lost when the "t" word is pulled out. Leave the social networking to those that are not elected officials. Do you have nothing better to do than tweet and respond to examiner posts? How about serving you fellow man and doing something about my 54% effective tax rate that everyone is paying.
I know people say the Internet has unlimited space, but I do wonder if some day it will become full because of Ali's ego.
@Joe Six Pack, this has nothing to do with out of Context. This Delegate also compared an article that Mike Huckabee was in that he is for advocating Ethnic Cleansing. This is retarded for him to even open pie hole like that. Just because he is of Muslim background, does not give him carte blanche to attack the Israelis and Mike Huckabee like that. He is insinuating anti semitism in his view of the Israelis wiping out the Palestinians. To me, that is inflammatory.
I'm a little curious. The author of this STORY (not to be confused with ARTICLE) claims that the clearly satirical Facebook post was highly flammable and offensive to so many people. Yet, looking through the 20 or 30 responses to that post out of Mr. Ali's 2,000+ Facebook friends, I only saw ONE person actually state that they were "outraged" and make an issue out of it.
This is a story?
One person who didn't "get it" made a comment saying they were offended.
Suddenly, the author decides to conjure up a fake controversy and make it sound as though Ali has offended hordes of his constituents by making a very simple joke that anyone who has followed mainstream politics over the past decade could laugh at.
I am sorry that the author's sense of humor is somewhere back in the 1950s. I am perhaps more sorry that he has found his "career" as a "journalist" reduced to manufacturing outrage where non exists over what was quite obviously a humorous quip.
Congressman Wally Herger (R-CA) recently held a town-hall meeting at which a 67-year-old attendee, Bert Stead, stood up and called himself a “proud right-wing terrorist.”
“Amen, God bless you,” Herger reportedly replied to the comment. “There is a great American.”
You can Google for this to verify it. The Examiner's website blocks people from entering URLs here.
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!