In a multicultural extravaganza, the Boston Globe celebrated the Chinese New Year, the "year of the rat," by giving us a nice list of "famous" Americans who are "rats." (Rats are those born in the years 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, and 1996) The Globe defined a "rat" as someone who is "charming, clever, hard-working, intelligent, practical, and social," this according to "Chinese astrology." Well, the Globe is here to tell us that "rats" are really great folks. But, looking over their list of American "rats" will reveal not a single conservative or Republican name. Apparently, the Globe can't find any conservative "rats" who are "charming, clever, hard-working, intelligent, practical, and social." On the other hand, do we really want to be considered as "raty" as the Globe's favorite Dems?
To celebrate this famouse (sorry, famous) holiday coming out of their favorite communist nation, the Globe does their best to give us a nice warm feeling about "rats"... at least certain ones, anyway.
Rats get a bad rap in Western culture. The less-than-adorable rodents are often referenced in disparaging ways: "I smell a rat"; "Why that dirty rat." . . . But in China, being a Rat is no disgrace. In fact, according to Chinese astrology, the Rat is a respected, courageous, and enterprising individual... The Year of the Rat officially began on Feb. 7, so we think it's high time to embrace the Rats among us. Those born in Rat years are charming, clever, hard-working, intelligent, practical, and social.
And then they go on to list some American "rats" (and a few foreign ones) that fit the wonderfulness of rathood. I have to say, though, that the Globe's list does, indeed, make me think of rats right away. Though I must confess, I can't get that "bad" Western cultural definition out of my unenlightened skull.
And the Globe's "rats" award Goes to... the envelope, please...
- Al Gore
- Jimmy Carter
- Sean Penn
- Marlon Brando
- Sidney Poitier
See what I mean about that "rat" business? In the lowly Western cultural tradition that the Globe is so disdainful of, "rat" really fits these contestants.
But, notice that the Globe couldn't find a single conservative to put on their list to celebrate in the tradition of good Chinese ratitude? What are we conservatives... chopped liver? Or, maybe just lowly field mice, not cool enough to be rats?
On the other hand... Sean Penn? OK, if I were a truly conservative American "rat" I might not want to be on a list that Sean Penn is on. It might be a dubious distinction, indeed. I might rather consider Penn more of a rat-fink, but... well, you know.
Anyway, what famous right leaning Americans could the Globe have placed on their list? Just to name three: Charlton Heston (b 1924), George H. W. Bush (b 1924) and John McCain (b 1936) were all born in past years of the rat. Should the Globe have tried even just a little, they could easily have found some folks on the right that qualify and I'm sure there are many others -- it only took me a few minutes to find these.
So, isn't it just a bit suspicious that the Globe couldn't find any American "rats" from the right side of the spectrum? Of course it isn't the end of the world, this little "rat" tale. But it does just go to show that the MSM is biased to the left, even in these small, silly, rodent-like ways.
Happy "year of the rat," anyway. And let me just say that, if the Boston Globe seems to want to celebrate Gore, Carter. Brando and Penn as fine examples of the American "rat," let me suggest that we stalwart conservatives consider ourselves to be D-Con!
h/t Joel North
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
I know where the Republican "rats" are
February 18, 2008 - 10:57 ET by ironchefofmunchiesThey are in the editor's garbage can. Or the cutting room floor (for TV stations)
This is just like EVERY single article or TV segment about the 'youth vote'. You'll never see a single Republican youth on there-just a Hillary supporter and an Obama supporter (and an Edwards supporter).
The thought behind this template is "if you don't report on them, you can pretend they don't exist.".
Frankly in this case, the omission is insignificant. Except that it is Exhibit 9999 in the media bias file. And it will be ignored just like all the rest.
Evidently, the leftist
February 18, 2008 - 11:11 ET by TEEvidently, the leftist conspiracy theorists at the New York Times didn't understand the importance of rats when they hysterically alleged that George W. Bush was sending a "subliminal message" in a 2000 campaign ad that included the word "democrat" moving about the screen. At one point (about 1/100th of a second) in the Bush ad, as the word "democrat" moved to the far left side of the screen, only the last five letters (i.e., crats) were shown, but the New York Times falsely alleged that only the last four letters (i.e., rats) were shown. Nevertheless, following that false, unsubstantiated allegation, the conspiracy theorists at the the New York Times comically alleged that the Bush campaign was sending a slanderous "subliminal message" that Al Gore and the Democrat party were "rats".
Haha, Warner. The Globe lauding DemocRATS is fitting.
February 18, 2008 - 14:36 ET by RJNice catch.
Particularly chuckle-worthy is the Globe's use of a Communist country as an example of who loves those plague-spreading rats.
`cRats
February 18, 2008 - 20:53 ET by cyborg3kThese days, just about all Dems - r - 'cRats [the 'c is silent], nothing but traitorous, racist liars. At least the pols and party operatives are, the proles who sheepishly vote for them seem merely ignorant or brainwashed.