Beagles is spot on

I see what you are saying now Beagles.  I didn't quite catch the stereotyping reference, and it sounded to me like you were just dragging that watermelon in,  That's the danger in talking about race, it is so explosive that a simple mention of something can well, just blow everything up.  Every now and then somebody says that we should have a frank discussion about race, and everybody nods sagely, but I never think it is a good idea.  I think we all pretty much know where we stand.

Okay I'll take that back right now, we don't know, because not all white and all black people feel the same.  I may have some random conversation with some random black person, and in the Beaglesonian Manner of RDARP (Reasonable Discussion Among Reasonable People), come to an agreement, but that wouldn't carry on to the next black person I spoke with or the next white guy that black guy came across.

There is one thing my ilk does that I don't agree with, and that is accusing anybody who doesn't have what they deem the correct position on race a racist,  This is the end of any reasonable discussion because at that point the discussion is whether or not the guy is a racist.  And then there is the thing where if a guy is a racist (even if it has just been my ilk accusing him of that), why talk to him at all?  So how can you have an RDARP in conditions like that?  I think I was responsible for acting that way on Beagles' watermelon example and I apologize.

The way this straight voting argument goes is that poor people in general, because their lives are harder and they don't get as good an education so they don't know as much, are more inclined to have simpler ideas and don't want to bother going down that list, and even a smart cookie like myself worries about making a mistake going down the ballot, as much as a well-off better educated guy.  A higher proportion of black people than of white people are poor.  Therefore something adversely effecting the voting of poor people, adversely effects the black vote and blacks have less of a voice in steering the ship of state.


Did I just hear Beagles say spot on?  Whenever I hear that expression, or gobsmacked, I think that that person must be a reader of the Economist,  During my brief infatuation with that magazine I picked up a few terms from across the pond.  There are some terms you pick up that fill a gap in American English, and I think that is one.  I suppose you could say 'exactly right,' but that sounds a bit bland.  'Spot on' has more zing.  And if when I write it or say it, the little finger on my teacup holding hand goes up, why so much the bloody better.