Take Three: Mitt Romney Now Says He Stands By Palestinian ‘Culture’ Comments

[Tx4obama]

Take Three: Mitt Romney Now Says He Stands By Palestinian ‘Culture’ Comments

On Sunday, Mitt Romney boldly declared that Israel’s economic superiority over the Palestinians was due to its culture. On Tuesday morning, he dismissed any notion that he had even discussed Palestinian culture. On Tuesday night, Romney reversed himself yet again, in an op-ed entitled “Culture Does Matter.”

-snip-

Full article here: http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/07/take-three-mitt-romney-now-says-he-stands-by-palestinian-culture-comments.php?ref=fpnewsfeed

Anyone getting whiplash yet?

[ZM90]

1. "I don't remember exactly what I said but I stand by I said whatever it was." -Mitt Rmoney (R)

[dballance]

2. Mitt, PLEASE Keep Writing Op-Eds like this one and the "Let Detroit Go Broke" one

Sure sounds like Mitt is doubling down on the culture meme:

“'During my recent trip to Israel, I had suggested that the choices a society makes about its culture play a role in creating prosperity, and that the significant disparity between Israeli and Palestinian living standards was powerfully influenced by it.' Romney wrote in the National Review. 'In some quarters, that comment became the subject of controversy. But what exactly accounts for prosperity if not culture?'”

Well gees Mitt. Not having a constant blockade of your country, not having the Israeli Defense forces bulldoze down your homes, not having to go through checkpoints to get to markets and schools might have a little impact on a society and are totally unrelated to culture. Unless you want to concede that all those weapons of oppression are an effort to obliterate the Palestinian culture.

In an earlier post I made the argument this type of thinking by people like Mitt is what led to "The Great White Hope" moving Native Americans off their fertile and resource-rich ancestral lands onto reservations in the deserts out west. The superior culture of the white man simply had to triumph over those savage "Indians" who had, by the way, been living in harmony with the environment for millennia.

It is the same thinking that allowed us to justify kidnapping and enslaving millions of African Americans because they were just heathens living in trees, shrinking people's heads and not worshiping the right God. We US plantation owners were of a far superior culture and could save them from their own certain demise and burning in hell by bringing them to the US. Where we treated them like so much property and without regard to their humanity.

So yes, culture does matter. It's ashamed the mortgage scandals, the Enron power trading scandals, the Abramoff trading scandals, the savings and loan scandals, and now the LIBOR scandal indict and condemn our US culture. That would be the culture of greed, corruption and extreme excess. The culture of "I have my billions, my 7 mansions, my yachts, my private jet and show horses. Too bad you people are of the culture of losers and failures and don't have yours."

[DCKit]

3. Don't hold back, tell us what you really think.

The situation on both sides is screwn, but Willard is an idiot. I found his comments just as offensive to Jews as to Palestinians.

[dballance]

4. I know - he's an equal opportunity offender

I think Jon Stewart summed it up perfectly. He said something like Romney's statements lead one to the conclusion the flip side of Palestinian culture being deficient is that Israeli culture is so successful because "Jews are just some money-making motherf**kers." Not an exact quote but I'm sure I got Stewart's intent correct. Call me out if I did not please.

So Romney manged to insult Palestinians as culturally deficient and land on the side of long-time racists that believe Jews are just money-grubbing money changers in the temple. Though that last part was not as overt as the first part.

If anyone thinks I might have mis-characterized the situation please feel free to comment and correct me.

In a startling sort of way, I was watching a show called "Hard Core Pawn" tonight. I enjoy the comedy of all the crazy people who come into the pawn shop in Detroit owned by a family named Gold. They are obviously Jewish. One disgruntled customer did something on tonight's show with which I was taken aback. She had the audacity to accuse the Gold's of taking advantage of people and making money off them "in their Jewish ways." I could not believe someone would say that out loud to the obvious Jewish owner of the shop. Not surprised people harbor those views but just astonished she felt it was okay to display them in front of a TV camera.

I've watched the show and I know they edit what gets broadcast for ratings on TV but I think I've seen some times when the Gold's have helped out people in need and taken a risk that they were likely to loose money on the deal. Not big dollars to most of us but big dollars to the people they worked with.

[DCKit]

5. You won't get an argument from me. nt

[Scootaloo]

6. Can't help but notice his "culture" is in decline

He's a cold fish flopping and flailing in a muddy pond that's drying up around him.

[agentS]

7. I'm writing a letter to the R-Money campaign

Dear Mr. Romney, AKA R-money.

Since you have just finished your overseas trip, I am sure you are tired and a little travel weary. But, foreign policy matters are important in elections, and you need all the help you can in that department. Therefore, in October during the debate gaps, I recommend that you go on another overseas trip. I have a few suggestions for places you can visit as well as talking points.

* Myanmar. While there, talk about Aung San Suu Kyi and Than Sien. And talk about China's role there. Please do...
* Nigeria. Talk about how wonderful Shell Oil and Chevron have been to the country's development.
* Georgia. Talk about how then candidate Obama betrayed them in their mini war with Russia. Promise to defend them against Russian aggression.
* Armenia. Talk about the Kardashian family and talk about how to move on from historical wounds. Mention that those wounds are minor and too old to dwell on. This will play well in the blue states...
* South Africa. Talk about the transition from apartheid. If you could bring up de Kirk and Boha, that will be a hit. Say anything you want about Mandela- it will play well.
* Chile. Talk about how wonderful the Pinochet Pension system is working and how it saves the country tons of money. Also talk about Colombia and drug wars.

Just trying to help, Mr. Romney...

[starroute]

8. And talking about per capita incomes ...

http://bber.unm.edu/econ/us-pci.htm

2011
Area name Dollars Rank
Connecticut 56,889 1
Massachusetts 53,621 2
New Jersey 53,181 3
Maryland 51,038 4
New York 50,545 5
Utah 33,790 45
West Virginia 33,513 48
Mississippi 32,176 50

So tell us, Mitt, what is it about Utah that puts it down there near the very bottom, with a per capita income less than 2/3 that of Connecticut? Is it some problem with the culture? A lack of ambition and self-respect? Or maybe it's Divine Providence? Which is it, Mitt?