Thursday, May 04, 2006

Politics as Humor

Mencken comments somewhere that Congress is worth its salary as a source of entertainment. Along similar lines, I was amused by the latest trivial twist in immigration rhetoric.

Someone brought out a Spanish language version of The Star Spangled Banner.

President Bush made the obligatory nationalist noises to the effect that it ought to be sung in English.

Someone offered evidence that Bush himself had, in the past, sung The Star Spangled Banner in Spanish, presumably as part of his efforts to woo hispanic voters.

At that point, I think the best thing the White House could say would be nothing at all.

Instead ...

White House spokesman Scott McClellan said the assertion did not ring true to him because, "The president speaks Spanish, but not that well."

Not only do we have a White House spokesman deprecating the abilities of his boss in order to defend against a charge of inconsistency, he is doing it in a fashion that no reasonable person will believe. I don't speak any Spanish at all. But given a little practice and a desire for Hispanic votes I could learn to sing the Star Spangled Banner in Spanish, especially with the help of other singers who did know the language.

At least, I could if I could sing. And they haven't yet denied that Bush can sing.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Even funnier is that the fact that you can dig up plenty of quotes from Bush supporters describing him as being "fluent" in Spanish. This issue is not a good one for the Republican Party.

Anonymous said...

Is English even the official language of the United States? If it were the offical language, instead of being merely the de facto language, it would make a little difference.

I don't really have a problem with it being sung in different languages but, from my understanding, the translation was not very accurate. That is really my only beef with it, otherwise it doesn't bother me.

If the late night talk shows are anything to go on, Bush is better at Spanish than he is at English.

Anonymous said...

Will Spanish be a required course in American high schools in the future? And will our system foul that up as they have everything else that is taught? The past few weeks offer endless possibilities for the future.

Anonymous said...

Will Spanish be a required course in American high schools in the future? And will our system foul that up as they have everything else that is taught? The past few weeks offer endless possibilities for the future.

Certainly no more than English is required now. Really, is there anyone out there who grew up in the U.S. in anything close to a standard situation who needed an English class to help them to learn to speak? You have to bend over backwards to stop kids of the right age from learning the language being spoken around them.

As for what language ought to be spoken in a particular time or place, I give you an idea I am rather fond of (well, once I modify it to account for my view of the universe being somewhat different than Pope's):

Cease, then, nor Order imperfection name;
Our proper bliss depends on what we blame.
Know thy own point: this kind, this due degree
Of blindness, weakness, Heav'n bestows on thee.
Submit: in this or any other sphere,
Secure to be as bless'd as thou canst bear;
Safe in the hand of one disposing Power,
Or in the natal or the mortal hour.
All Nature is but Art unknown to thee;
All chance direction, which thou canst not see;
All discord, harmony not understood;
All partial evil, universal good:
And spite of Pride, in erring Reason's spite,
One truth is clear, Whatever is, is right.

Anonymous said...

I thought it already was in Spanish. You know, "Jose, can you see. . ."

Anonymous said...

Markm demonstrates one aspect of why this is so funny in the first place, and thus, the cycle of life is complete.

Anonymous said...

I understand the President can speak Spanish as fluently as he speaks English...

Anonymous said...

No le misunderestimate!

ReticentMan said...

Mencken probably wrote that before Congress starting giving itself 25% raises every year.

Anonymous said...

Star Spangled Banner is a bad national anthem anyway. America, the Beautiful should be the national anthem. :-P

Jinzo said...

Dr. Friedman I've sent you a mail.
This is my mail address: jinzo@neolib.it

I'm the Italian Libertarian activist who has sent you that mail called "Italian Libertarian activist".

Rick and Gary said...

I've never tried to sing the Star Spangled Banner in Spanish. But I sure can't sign it in English, and I doubt that Bush can either.

Jinzo said...

Dr. Friedman I've sent you another mail.
This is my mail address: jinzo@neolib.it