Letters to the Editor
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"I am a writer and a former English instructor. Plagiarism is something I despise on principal."
Actually, AKA, the word you mean is "principle."
The word "principal" means "first" or "leader of a school."
The word "principle" means "moral conviction."
You must have been a great English teacher.
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Will someone please tell the idiot Anonymous . . .
that he cannot read any better than I can. If he could, he would understand the paragraph which he is quoting proves nothing because it does not specifically address the actual words of the speech. Both Obama and Patrick are skirting the issue.
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To AKA Smith
Then you would really hate me, because at work I often quote what you write here as something a friend told me, without giving your name.
People took it for granted that Obama and Patricks (the two most powerful African American politicians with an Axelrod connection) were close friends and confidants.
I have no desire to research whether or the "words matter" part of Obama's platform constitutes plagairism, because I see that as an insignificant matter to get hung up on.
Do you really want to cause Obama (and Patricks) harm over this?
There are real enemies to fry; McCain and his desire to keep troops in Iraq for a hundred years (if he get elected, guess where I am going).
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@ fetboy
Have you read my other letters in this thread regarding Obama's statements mentioned in the Mieszkowski article?
You said: (and they would have been perfect have Clinton not got negative prior to New Hampshire)
How did Clinton go negative prior to New Hampshire? Just what are you referring to?
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"because at work I often quote what you write here as something a friend told me"
Yes. You are not saying these are your own words. You are saying a friend said: "________________________."
See the difference. All Obama had to do to stay out of trouble was to credit his friend for those words. He did not. Now he should acknowledge that more completely. If he doesn't he will get into trouble. Big trouble. He will be seen as disingenuous and equivocating. Many of the people who are backing him so hard in the media may never say so outright, but they will quietly withdraw their support and it may be the beginning of the end of his rise. Because there are people in this country with much more power than I and a much bigger audience than these letter threads get who care about words and ethics. Now everything he says and everything he writes or has written will be examined in an entirely new light.
Writing is damned hard work. That is why most writers hate plagiarists.
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To AKA Smith
I don't want to rehash the past, and I don't want to hurt Hillary Clinton anymore than I already have.
Besides it was the (and they would have been perfect...) part I was hoping you would catch. Remember what I told you when you feared for Clinton prior to NH? The first part of that prediction came true, and the later part would have also come true had Clinton not made that stupid MLK/LBJ comment, and if Bill Clinton hadn't made that stupid Fairy Tale comment.
This nomination was their's for the taking, but since Iowa they have done everything wrong (and Obama has done everything right).
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AKA, you're right
The next time I am so stubborn that I cannot accept the facts that are right in front of my face, the next time I stick to a position despite all the evidence pointing in the other direction, I will cite you. Because to do otherwise would be plagiarism.
And that would go against my "principals."
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Obama came up with "Fire it up?"
Actually “Fire it up” comes from the mid to late 1800's during the slavery days. So it wasn't Obama's in the first place for Hillary to supposedly lift from Obama. It also was the name of a Rick James album. It is also a phrase used by those about to smoke a marijuana joint or a hit of meth!
Also, repeating a whole speech word for word attempting political gain is very different from catch phrases, slogan's and banners!
With your logic, we all would be plagiarists for ordering a Coca Cola, or asking for a Kleenex. “In God We Trust” and “God Bless America” are not our words either, but we still use them as part of our patriotism, and "It aint over till the fat lady sings" and "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen!" These words and phrases are catch phrases and are for the masses to catch on to and use; hence the words catch phrase.
A speech is deliberate and should never be repeated word for word by someone seeking political gain, especially when it is one of another politician.
something plagiarized: something copied from somebody else’s work, or somebody else’s idea that somebody presents as his or her own.
Source: World English Dictionary
According to the definition of “something plagiarized,” Obama is a plagiarist! No matter how you paint or spin the picture. If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and walks like a duck…then it is a duck! In Obama’s case, he is a schmuck!
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To AKA Smith
The "words matters" statement wasn't a stroke of literary genius, it is a part of the platform that Obama and Patricks have been running on. Almost everyone knew that Obama and Patricks were running on nearly identical platforms.
Yeah, your right, Obama should have said "and as my friend pointed out...", but it is really not that big of a deal. And making a big deal out of it is only going to hurt Obama and Patricks, and I really don't think you want to do that.
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"Obama has done everything right"
No. He hasn't. He just had to stir up the gender thing. He has been subtle about it, but it is there. It is because his fatal personality flaw is arrogance.
I have always disagreed with you on the JFK/MLK/LBJ remark.
Bill Clinton was the problem in S.C. He did more to damage her race than anyone. I despise him. He just had to humiliate her one more time. You notice that his prominence in her campaign changed drastically after that.
But the JFK/MLK/LBJ remarks that Hillary made were simply history. Facts.
Now we have two crippled candidates. Just perfect. I am so pissed!
We would have been much better off playing it safe with Edwards. Now we are making history. Whoooopeeee!