7/26/2004 11:25:45 AM|||Sarah|||

The wife of Governer Vilsack (am I too much like a twelve-year-old boy if I find his name to be very amusing?) proved once again that the Democrats are accepting and tolerant of all of America's people.  She made fun of the way that blacks, Southerners, New Englanders and New Jerseyians (?) speak.   As you will recall, she gave Kerry a boost in the Iowa primary when she gave the eventual nominee her endorsement despite her husband's campaigning for Howard Dean. 

Now, in reality, I'm not offended by a good-natured ribbing at the expense of our country's varied dialects.  However, that didn't sound like what what Mrs. Vilsack was doing.  She really seemed to insinuate that the language of other groups was not as refined and easily understood as the superior Iowan accent.  This instance brings us back to the repeated double-standard that exists for the two parties.  Could Laura Bush vent about not being able to understand African Americans?  Or, how about Lynn Cheney making fun of Southerners for talking slowly and with a slur?  I don't think so. 

I must state that, personally, I love the Boston accent.  And, since New Jersey's largest export seems to be college students (just check out the enrollments at schools in Maryland, D.C, Pennsylvania, and Delaware), I came to embrace the lilting cadences of the Jersey accent that were prevalent among my dormmates at the University of Maryland.   So, Mrs. Vilsack (hee, hee) release yourself from the chains of intolerance and closed-mindedness that are so prevalent yet so underreported in your party and appreciate the melodious cacophony that is American speech.  Otherwise, youz will be fixing to make some people angry down at the local bah (translate -- bar).  Holla!

|||109086077345697990|||The Party of Diversity and Tolerance Strikes Again